Gardening and Landscaping Services Award pay rates
Award code MA000101, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 6 adult classifications under the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $25.74 to $30.38 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$25.74an hour
For Introductory Level. $978.10 for a full-time week. Up 6.01% from $24.28. Casuals get $32.18 an hour, with the 25% loading.
Its lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 71 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars an hour, from 1 July 2026- Introductory Level$25.74
- Level 1$26.44
- Level 2$27.08
- Level 3$28.28
- Level 4$29.45
- Level 5$30.38
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Penalty rates at a glance
Percent of the ordinary rate, and dollars an hour at Introductory Level.
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 | 125%$32.18 |
| Where an employer is subject to water restrictions - Monday to Friday, outside 6 am to 6 pm | 150%$38.61 | 175%$45.05 |
| Where an employer is subject to water restrictions - Saturday, before 6 am | 150%$38.61 | 175%$45.05 |
| Public holidays | 250%$64.35 | 275%$70.79 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours. Casual hourly adds the 25% loading.
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory Level | $978.10 | $25.74 | $32.18 |
| Level 1 | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Level 2 | $1,029.10 | $27.08 | $33.85 |
| Level 3 | $1,074.70 | $28.28 | $35.35 |
| Level 4 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Level 5 | $1,154.30 | $30.38 | $37.98 |
Penalty and overtime rates
Percentages as the award sets them, and what they come to an hour at the first adult level. Higher classifications get the same percentages of their own rate. The tick on each bar marks 100%, the ordinary rate.
Evenings, weekends and public holidays
Employees: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Introductory Level
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 | 125%$32.18 |
| Where an employer is subject to water restrictions - Monday to Friday, outside 6 am to 6 pm | 150%$38.61 | 175%$45.05 |
| Where an employer is subject to water restrictions - Saturday, before 6 am | 150%$38.61 | 175%$45.05 |
| Public holidays | 250%$64.35 | 275%$70.79 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time employees: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Introductory Level
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Sunday - First 2 hours | 150%$38.61 |
| Monday to Sunday - After 2 hours | 200%$51.48 |
| Public holidays | 250%$64.35 |
Juniors, apprentices and other arrangements
Rates that depend on age, training or another arrangement. Open a group to see its rates.
JuniorsJunior ratesClause 15.2(a)18 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Introductory levelUnder 18 years | $684.70 |
| Introductory level18 years | $782.50 |
| Introductory level19 years | $880.30 |
| Level 1Under 18 years | $703.40 |
| Level 118 years | $803.90 |
| Level 119 years | $904.40 |
| Level 2Under 18 years | $720.40 |
| Level 218 years | $823.30 |
| Level 219 years | $926.20 |
| Level 3Under 18 years | $752.30 |
| Level 318 years | $859.80 |
| Level 319 years | $967.20 |
| Level 4Under 18 years | $783.40 |
| Level 418 years | $895.30 |
| Level 419 years | $1,007.20 |
| Level 5Under 18 years | $808.00 |
| Level 518 years | $923.40 |
| Level 519 years | $1,038.90 |
Apprentices commencing on or after 1 January 2014Apprentice ratesClause 15.3(b)8 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Have completed year 121st year | $16.20 |
| Have completed year 122nd year | $19.14 |
| Have completed year 123rd year | $22.09 |
| Have completed year 124th year | $27.98 |
| Have not completed year 121st year | $14.73 |
| Have not completed year 122nd year | $17.67 |
| Have not completed year 123rd year | $22.09 |
| Have not completed year 124th year | $27.98 |
Adult apprentices commencing on or after 1 January 2014 (hourly)Adult apprentice ratesClause 15.4(a)* - Apprentice (hourly)3 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| 80% of adult Level 4 rate1st year | $23.56 |
| 95% of adult Level 4 rate4th year | $27.98 |
| Introductory Level rate2nd and 3rd year | $25.74 |
Adult apprentices commencing on or after 1 January 2014 (weekly)Adult apprentice ratesClause 15.4(a)* - Apprentice (weekly)3 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| 80% of adult Level 4 rate1st year | $895.28 |
| 95% of adult Level 4 rate4th year | $1,063.15 |
| Introductory Level rate2nd and 3rd year | $978.10 |
Allowances paid on top
6 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 3 cover costs you'd otherwise pay yourself, like meals, laundry or travel. The amounts are the Commission's, in force today; the award sets out exactly who gets each one and when.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Leading hand in charge of | ||
| 1–2 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.3(a)(i) | $22.38 a week | |
| 10 or more employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.3(a)(i) | $78.34 a week | |
| 3–6 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.3(a)(i) | $44.76 a week | |
| 7–9 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.3(a)(i) | $55.96 a week | |
| Vehicles and/or plant allowanceClause 17.3(b) | $6.71 a day | |
| First aid allowanceClause 17.3(c) | $22.38 a week | |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tool allowance, TradespersonsCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.4(a)(i) | $15.83 a week |
| Vehicle allowanceClause 17.4(b) | $1.00 a km |
| Meal allowance, overtime of 1.5 hours or more immediately after ordinary hoursClause 17.4(c) | $19.61 each time |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Shift rules, rostering and who each classification covers are in the award itself, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay. Employees no award or agreement covers get the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour ($978.10 a week full time), for Introductory Level. The highest adult classification is $30.38 an hour. Junior, apprentice and adult apprentice rates, further down, can be lower.
- How does the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 71 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Gardening and Landscaping Services Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 6.01%, from $24.28 to $25.74 an hour, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What is the casual loading under the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Introductory Level that makes $32.18 an hour.
- What allowances are paid under the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award?
- 9 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a leading hand in charge of, 1–2 employees of $22.38 a week, a leading hand in charge of, 10 or more employees of $78.34 a week and a leading hand in charge of, 3–6 employees of $44.76 a week. The full list, with the clause each comes from, is on this page.
- Where do these rates come from?
- The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database, which publishes every award's minimum rates; we read it when the Commission changes an award. The award itself prevails if the two ever differ, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay.
Source: Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards Pay Database, licensed CC BY 4.0, read 27 Oct 2026 and arranged by The Finance Algorithm. Not endorsed by the Fair Work Commission. Read with the award: if they differ, the award prevails. General information, not legal or payroll advice.