Horticulture Award pay rates
Award code MA000028, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 5 adult classifications under the Horticulture Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $25.74 to $29.45 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$25.74an hour
For Level 1. $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- Level 1$25.74
- Level 2$26.44
- Level 3$26.84
- Level 4$27.81
- Level 5$29.45
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 Level 1.
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 |
| Public holidays | 200%$51.48 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $978.10 | $25.74 | $32.18 |
| Level 2 | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Level 3 | $1,020.10 | $26.84 | $33.55 |
| Level 4 | $1,056.90 | $27.81 | $34.76 |
| Level 5 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
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
Full-time and part-time employees other than shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rate
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 |
| Public holidays | 200%$51.48 |
Casual employees: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 125%$32.18 |
| Public holidays | 225%$57.92 |
Shiftwork
Full-time and part-time shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 |
| Afternoon shift | 115%$29.60 |
| Night shift | 115%$29.60 |
| Public holidays | 200%$51.48 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time employees: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 150%$38.61 |
| Sunday during harvest season - 5 hours within the first 8 hours of overtime | 150%$38.61 |
| Public holidays | 200%$51.48 |
| Sunday during harvest season - Overtime in excess of 8 hours in the week or 5 hours on Sunday | 200%$51.48 |
| Sunday outside of harvest season | 200%$51.48 |
Casual employees: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| In excess of 12 hours per engagement or 12 hours in a single day | 175%$45.05 |
| In excess of 304 ordinary hours in an 8 week period | 175%$45.05 |
| Public holidays | 225%$57.92 |
Juniors, apprentices and other arrangements
Rates that depend on age, training or another arrangement. Open a group to see its rates.
JuniorsJunior ratesClause 15.3(a)25 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Level 116 years | $586.90 |
| Level 117 years | $684.70 |
| Level 118 years | $782.50 |
| Level 119 years | $880.30 |
| Level 1Under 16 years | $489.10 |
| Level 216 years | $602.90 |
| Level 217 years | $703.40 |
| Level 218 years | $803.90 |
| Level 219 years | $904.40 |
| Level 2Under 16 years | $502.50 |
| Level 316 years | $612.10 |
| Level 317 years | $714.10 |
| Level 318 years | $816.10 |
| Level 319 years | $918.10 |
| Level 3Under 16 years | $510.10 |
| Level 416 years | $634.10 |
| Level 417 years | $739.80 |
| Level 418 years | $845.50 |
| Level 419 years | $951.20 |
| Level 4Under 16 years | $528.50 |
| Level 516 years | $671.50 |
| Level 517 years | $783.40 |
| Level 518 years | $895.30 |
| Level 519 years | $1,007.20 |
| Level 5Under 16 years | $559.60 |
Allowances paid on top
6 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 1 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 allowance | ||
| 11 to 20 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $50.50 a week | |
| 2 to 6 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $30.41 a week | |
| 7 to 10 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $35.43 a week | |
| More than 20 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $63.46 a week | |
| Wet work allowance, unless provided with adequate protectionCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(i) | $2.64 an hour | |
| First aid allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(d) | $13.48 a week | |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Meal allowance, more than 2 hours’ overtime after ordinary ceasing time without a day’s notificationClause 18.3(c)(i) | $16.69 a meal |
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 Horticulture Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour ($978.10 a week full time), for Level 1. The highest adult classification is $29.45 an hour. Junior rates, further down, can be lower.
- How does the Horticulture 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 Horticulture 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 Horticulture Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Level 1 that makes $32.18 an hour.
- What allowances are paid under the Horticulture Award?
- 7 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a leading hand allowance, 11 to 20 employees of $50.50 a week, a leading hand allowance, 2 to 6 employees of $30.41 a week and a leading hand allowance, 7 to 10 employees of $35.43 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.