Orchard Manager

---

• Lead day-to-day orchard operations on a 60ha premium fruit orchard
• Established team and a focus on regenerative farming
• Highly competitive package on offer, inc a car and a family-suitable home

Your Next Employer

This future-focused family-owned agribusiness is Australia’s largest grower of Queen Garnet plums – a premium variety renowned for its health benefits and antioxidant-rich fruit. The orchard is situated near Stanthorpe in the heart of Queensland’s Granite Belt – a region known for producing some of the country’s finest stone fruit. At the forefront of regenerative farming, the operation combines biological inputs with modern irrigation and risk mitigation infrastructure.

The orchard is home to 75,000 trees and blends practical farming with a strong commitment to sustainability, community, and continuous improvement.

The Role

This management role will see you lead a permanent team of 8, along with a seasonal workforce of up to 80 during harvest. You’ll be responsible for coordinating day-to-day operations – from pruning and spraying to irrigation and harvest – while maintaining good communication, reducing waste, and ensuring premium fruit quality.

The team are experienced, reliable, and value being trusted to get on with the job. They don’t need micro-managing - and neither do you. You’ll have full ownership of day-to-day orchard operations, with support from the owner (who keeps a light touch) and two trusted advisors, including a consultant agronomist. This role is yours to lead, shape, and take pride in. It’s a genuine opportunity to run the show without interference, backed by a team that’s just as invested in your success as the owner is.

Key Responsibilities

• Orchard Operations: Oversee all seasonal crop activities, including pruning, thinning, spraying, harvesting, and pest management.
• Staff Leadership: Lead an experienced team and manage seasonal workers during peak periods.
• Irrigation & Fertilisation: Coordinate irrigation programs and collaborate with consultants to implement biological and regenerative inputs.
• Planning & Strategy: Contribute to crop planning, budgeting, WHS, and QA programs.
• Fruit Quality: Maintain premium standards, optimising timing and technique to maximise yield and quality.
• Infrastructure & Assets: Maintain plant, machinery, and orchard infrastructure.
• Industry Representation: Represent the orchard in local and regional industry networks when required.

What You Bring

This role will suit an orchard professional who’s ready to take on leadership with autonomy, backed by a strong team and structured systems. You’ll ideally have:

• Tree cropping experience, with stone fruit highly regarded but not essential.
• Strong team management skills, including the ability to lead an experienced team with respect and practical communication.
• Solid operational capability, including irrigation, machinery use, and seasonal workflow planning.
• A genuine interest in regenerative or biological farming methods.
• A calm, self-sufficient mindset, comfortable with making decisions and keeping things moving.
  
  

What You’ll Gain

• Competitive Salary: $100k - $135k (neg) + Super, based on experience.
• Housing & Utilities: Family home provided on-farm, with school access nearby, plus utilities covered.
• Vehicle & Utilities: Toyota Hilux (personal use within reason),
• Lifestyle: Work in a region known for its natural beauty, strong communities, and proximity to Toowoomba, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

How to Step Forward

For more information or a confidential chat, please contact Nick Marchant, Director on 0466 333 066.

Who Are March

March offers permanent recruitment and workforce planning services tailored exclusively to Australian agribusinesses. We're about connecting top talent with great businesses - plain and simple.