Horticulture Award pay rates 2026/27
A practical guide for growers, packhouses and nurseries — five levels from $25.74 an hour, no weekend penalty on ordinary hours, and a harvest-period rule that changes Sunday overtime.
Updated
Written by
Steve Harris
Summarise with AI
This guide summarises the Horticulture Award 2020 (MA000028) for Australian employers. Rates are from the Fair Work pay guide effective 1 July 2026; always confirm against the current pay guide before running payroll.
Looking for MA000028?
This is it. MA000028 is the official Fair Work code for the Horticulture Award 2020. This guide covers its pay rates, classifications, penalties and compliance for 2026/27.
View official MA000028 on Fair Work →Award rate calculator
Pick a classification, an employment type and a day to see the rate that applies. The calculator uses the current Fair Work pay guide for MA000028.
See how RosterElf interprets the Horticulture Award
This is an educational example showing how the Horticulture Award penalty rates work. It demonstrates how RosterElf automatically calculates correct pay rates based on classification level, employment type, and shift times.
Award penalty rates
Example weekly cost (38 hours)
Example only - not for payroll use
This is a demonstration of how RosterElf calculates award-compliant rates.
The actual cost for your employees will depend on:
- Their specific classification level and employment type
- Actual hours worked and shift times
- Any additional allowances, overtime, or enterprise agreement provisions
- Current award rates (which change annually in July)
For accurate payroll calculations, always:
- Verify current rates with the official Fair Work pay guide
- Confirm your employees' correct award coverage and classification
- Use award interpretation software or consult a payroll professional
- Review your specific enterprise agreement (if applicable)
Do not rely on this example for actual wage payments.
Stop calculating penalty rates manually
Let RosterElf handle award compliance automatically
Manual award calculations are time-consuming and error-prone. One mistake can lead to underpayments, compliance issues, and Fair Work penalties. RosterElf's award interpretation engine does the work for you.
How RosterElf automates award calculations
Create pay templates
Create pay templates for each classification level with award-compliant base rates and penalty multipliers. RosterElf applies the correct template to each shift automatically.
Award interpretation →Define rate rules
Configure when different penalty rates apply (evenings, weekends, public holidays). The system detects which rate to use based on shift times and days.
Penalty rates guide →Auto-apply to shifts
Every rostered shift calculates the correct pay rate based on the employee's classification, employment type, and shift timing. No manual work required.
Payroll integration →Quick pay rates reference 2026/27
What changed on 1 July 2026
Modern award minimum rates rose 4.75% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, following the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review. The pay guide these rates come from was published 24 June 2026.
Rates below are the minimum ordinary hourly rates for adult employees. Casual rates include the 25% casual loading.
Adult minimum rates by classification
| Level | Example roles | Weekly pay | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | General horticultural work under direct supervision | $978.10 | $25.74 |
| Level 2 | Work requiring some experience or basic machinery operation | $1,004.90 | $26.44 |
| Level 3 | Experienced worker, tractor and equipment operation | $1,020.10 | $26.84 |
| Level 4 | Skilled worker, supervision of small teams | $1,056.90 | $27.81 |
| Level 5 | Leading hand, supervisor, specialised trade or technical work | $1,119.10 | $29.45 |
Casual hourly rates (includes 25% loading)
| Level | Example roles | Casual hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | General horticultural work under direct supervision | $32.18 |
| Level 2 | Work requiring some experience or basic machinery operation | $33.05 |
| Level 3 | Experienced worker, tractor and equipment operation | $33.55 |
| Level 4 | Skilled worker, supervision of small teams | $34.76 |
| Level 5 | Leading hand, supervisor, specialised trade or technical work | $36.81 |
Quick summary
The things that catch employers out
- There is no weekend penalty on ordinary hours. Saturday and Sunday can be ordinary time under this award — unlike retail or hospitality.
- Public holidays are 200%, not 250%.
- Sunday overtime changes during the harvest period — the first 5 hours drop to 150%.
- Junior rates start under 16, at 50% of the adult rate.
- Work through a meal break, or get less than a 10-hour break, and a penalty applies.
Five levels, from general horticultural work under supervision at Level 1 through to leading hands and specialised technical work at Level 5. Nurseries, orchards, market gardens, packing sheds and plantations all sit inside it.
What the Horticulture Award is
The Horticulture Award 2020 (MA000028) sets the minimum pay and conditions for the industry it covers. Rates change every 1 July, so a rate sheet from last financial year understates what you owe.
Classification levels
Classification drives every other figure in the award, so map each employee before you touch penalties.
| Level | Weekly | Hourly | Typical work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $978.10 | $25.74 | General horticultural work under direct supervision |
| Level 2 | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | Some experience; basic machinery |
| Level 3 | $1,020.10 | $26.84 | Experienced; tractor and equipment operation |
| Level 4 | $1,056.90 | $27.81 | Skilled; supervises small teams |
| Level 5 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | Leading hand, supervisor, specialised technical work |
Classify on duties, not job titles
Levels turn on the work actually performed and the responsibility carried. Record the level and the duties that justify it in the employment contract, and revisit it when duties change.
How pay is structured
Ordinary hours are an average of 38 per week. Every penalty and overtime figure is built off the minimum hourly rate for the classification.
Minimum weekly and hourly rates
| Level | Example roles | Weekly pay | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | General horticultural work under direct supervision | $978.10 | $25.74 |
| Level 2 | Work requiring some experience or basic machinery operation | $1,004.90 | $26.44 |
| Level 3 | Experienced worker, tractor and equipment operation | $1,020.10 | $26.84 |
| Level 4 | Skilled worker, supervision of small teams | $1,056.90 | $27.81 |
| Level 5 | Leading hand, supervisor, specialised trade or technical work | $1,119.10 | $29.45 |
Casual loading is 25%
Casual employees receive the minimum hourly rate plus a 25% loading in place of paid leave and notice. On penalty days the casual rate is higher again — see the table below.
Ordinary hours and rostering
Ordinary hours are an average of 38 per week. The distinctive feature of this award is that ordinary hours can be worked across the week including weekends, with no weekend penalty — the structure reflects harvest timing rather than a Monday-to-Friday office week.
That makes the span of hours the number that matters. Work outside the span attracts a 15% loading, and it is the span — not the day — that determines whether a shift costs more.
Roster to the award, not around it
RosterElf applies the Horticulture Award rules as you build the roster, so the cost of a shift is visible before you publish it.
See rostering softwarePenalty rates and overtime
Because there is no weekend penalty on ordinary hours, the figures that matter here are the public holiday rate, the outside-span loading, and overtime.
| When worked | Full-time / part-time | Casual (incl. loading) |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours (any day, within span) | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday or Sunday, ordinary hours | 100% | 125% |
| Outside the span of hours | 115% | 140% |
| Public holiday | 200% | 225% |
| Overtime, Monday to Saturday | 150% | 175% |
| Overtime, Sunday (outside harvest) | 200% | 225% |
Casual penalty rates are loading-inclusive
The casual figures above already account for the 25% loading. Adding another 25% on top overpays — this is the most common arithmetic error on every modern award.
The harvest-period rule
Sunday overtime is tiered by harvest period. Outside the harvest period it is 200%. During the harvest period the first 5 hours — within the first 8 overtime hours that week — are 150%, then 200% after that. The calculator above uses the outside-harvest rate, so during harvest it will slightly overstate the first five Sunday overtime hours.
Meal breaks and the 10-hour break
Working through a meal break attracts 200% (225% casual), and so does a return to work with less than a 10-hour break. Both are easy to trigger in a harvest push and easy to miss in payroll.
Allowances
The Horticulture Award carries allowances for tool and equipment use, protective clothing, travel and accommodation where the employer requires it, and a leading-hand allowance. Amounts are indexed each 1 July — check the current pay guide for the figures that apply to your operation.
Allowance amounts are indexed each 1 July
Confirm every allowance against the current Fair Work pay guide before you rely on it in a pay run.
Leave entitlements
Leave comes from the National Employment Standards: four weeks of paid annual leave a year for full-time employees (pro rata for part-time), 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave, plus parental and compassionate leave. Casuals accrue none of it — that is what the 25% loading is for.
Check the award’s annual leave clause before paying leave loading; it is not a universal entitlement.
Common mistakes
Paying weekend penalties that do not exist
Applying a retail-style Saturday or Sunday loading to ordinary hours overpays every weekend shift. Under this award, weekend ordinary hours are paid at the ordinary rate.
Paying public holidays at 250%
Public holidays are 200% here, not the 250% common in hospitality and retail.
Ignoring the harvest-period tier on Sunday overtime
During harvest the first five Sunday overtime hours are 150%, not 200%. Paying the flat rate overpays; paying 150% outside harvest underpays.
Forgetting junior rates start under 16
This award has junior percentages from under 16 through to 20. Paying an adult rate to a 16-year-old overpays; paying a junior rate to a 21-year-old underpays.
Final takeaways
- Five levels, from $25.74/hr at Level 1 to $29.45/hr at Level 5 (2026/27).
- No weekend penalty on ordinary hours — the defining feature of this award.
- Public holidays are 200%, not 250%.
- Outside the span of hours attracts a 15% loading.
- Sunday overtime drops to 150% for the first 5 hours during the harvest period.
- Junior rates run from under 16 (50%) to 20 (100%).
Industries using this award
Explore rostering for businesses covered by the Horticulture Award
Run MA000028 on autopilot
RosterElf builds the award rules into your rosters, timesheets and payroll.
Horticulture Award knowledge base
Step-by-step help for applying an award inside RosterElf.
Embed this calculator on your site
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<iframe src="https://www.rosterelf.com/embed/award-calculator/horticulture" width="100%" height="640" style="border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:12px" title="Horticulture Award 2020 pay calculator by RosterElf" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<p style="font-size:13px"><a href="https://www.rosterelf.com/guides/award-rates/horticulture">Horticulture Award 2020 pay rates</a> by RosterElf</p>
Prefer a spreadsheet? Get these rates in Google Sheets or download the open dataset .
Related award rate guides
Explore other Australian Modern Award pay rate guides
Get MA000028 right before payroll, not after
RosterElf applies the Horticulture Award rules as the roster is built — the span of hours, the public holiday rate and the overtime tiers included.
Horticulture Award FAQ
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Minimum adult rates run from $25.74/hr ($978.10/week) at Level 1 to $29.45/hr ($1,119.10/week) at Level 5, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Casual rates are 25% higher — $32.18/hr at Level 1. Use the calculator for a specific level and day.
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Employers and employees in the horticulture industry — the sowing, raising and harvesting of crops, including orchards, market gardens, nurseries, plantations and the packing sheds attached to them. Broadacre farming and livestock work generally fall under the Pastoral Award instead, so check which instrument applies before you set rates.
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Five: Level 1 (general work under direct supervision), Level 2 (some experience, basic machinery), Level 3 (experienced, tractor and equipment operation), Level 4 (skilled, supervises small teams) and Level 5 (leading hand, supervisor, specialised technical work). Classification turns on duties performed, not job title.