Parks and Gardens Jobs in Australia: A Guide

Parks and gardens workers play a crucial role in the overall aesthetic appeal and environmental health of cities and towns in Australia. They help provide much-needed green spaces for residents to relax, exercise, and connect with nature.

In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at parks and gardens jobs in Australia, including the day-to-day responsibilities, salary expectations, and we’ll also provide a resource to browse amenity horticulture jobs near you.

What is Parks and Gardens Work?

Parks and gardens work encompasses a wide range of duties providing maintenance and upkeep of public spaces, including horticultural care for plants and trees, and construction and development of new parks and gardens.

The role of parks and gardens workers can vary depending on the size of the organization they work for, as well as the specific responsibilities they are assigned. Some common duties of parks and gardens workers include:

• Maintaining turf and plants by mowing, watering, pruning, and weeding.
• Planting and caring for flowers, shrubs, and trees.
• Installing and maintaining irrigation systems.
• Constructing and maintaining paths, walkways, and retaining walls.
• Installing and maintaining playgrounds and sports facilities.
• Responding to customer requests and complaints.

Skills and Qualifications

To work in parks and gardens, you need to have a passion for horticulture and a strong work ethic. The following skills and qualifications are also important for success in this field:

• Physical fitness and manual dexterity: Parks and gardens work can be physically demanding, requiring workers to lift heavy equipment, bend, kneel, and climb.
• Attention to detail: Parks and gardens workers must have a keen eye for detail and an understanding of the principles of landscape design.
• Communication skills: Parks and gardens workers often interact with customers and must be able to communicate effectively and professionally.
• Knowledge of horticulture: A basic understanding of horticulture and the science of plants and trees is crucial for success in this field.
• Qualifications: A cert 2 or 3 in horticulture or parks and gardens is all you really need. A diploma may help you advance into management or other higher level positions.
• Additional licenses and certifications: Some parks and gardens jobs may require workers to have specific licenses and certifications, such as a pesticide application license or a to be a certified arborist certificate.

Salary Expectations

According to source [1], the average salary for a park manager in Australia is $93,655 per year. City of Sydney has an average salary of $127,613, while City of Whittlesea has an average salary of $101,506.

According to source [2], Gardeners/Parks and Gardens Crew at Work Solutions (Melb) Pty Ltd earn between $22.71 and $38.94 per hour. Horticulture Labourers at Ballina Shire Council earn between $49,400 and $56,700 per year.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Opportunities for personal and professional growth: Parks and gardens work can provide opportunities to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities. It’s a great place to enter the horticulture industry, or advance into management.
• Sense of pride in contributing to the community: Parks and gardens workers play a critical role in enhancing the aesthetic appeal and environmental health of local communities.
• Outdoor work environment: Parks and gardens work offers a unique opportunity to work outside and connect with nature.

Cons

• Physical demands: Parks and gardens work can be physically demanding, requiring workers to lift heavy equipment, bend, kneel, and climb.
• Weather conditions: Parks and gardens work is often performed outdoors, which means workers must be prepared to work in various weather conditions, including hot sun, rain, and wind.
• Tight schedules: Parks and gardens workers may have tight schedules and tight deadlines to meet, which can lead to long hours and stress.