The Department of Education and Training is currently advertising a Farm Hand position based in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. The role sits within the Juno Skills Centre, a training facility that combines practical education with real-world agricultural operations. For anyone considering this opportunity, understanding the full compensation picture is essential before applying.
Farm Hand Salary at Department of Education and Training
The advertised remuneration package ranges from $73,432 to $76,608 per year. This figure includes all components of the total package. The base salary component sits between $62,069 and $64,754 annually.
The gap between base salary and total package reflects employer superannuation contributions and other applicable allowances. For a physical-grade role in a remote Northern Territory location, this package structure is fairly standard across NT Government agencies. The role is classified at the Physical 2 experience level.
Understanding the Remuneration Package Structure
Many applicants confuse total package value with take-home pay. These are very different figures. The total remuneration package of $73,432 to $76,608 bundles salary, superannuation, and often allowances into one headline number.
Breaking this down matters for budgeting purposes. Superannuation in Australia sits at 11.5% of ordinary time earnings for the 2024-25 financial year. Applying that rate to the base salary range broadly accounts for a significant portion of the difference between the base and the total package figure.
Applicants should confirm with the hiring team exactly which components form part of the package. Contact person Lakota Taber can be reached at 0439 510 983 or lakota.taber1@education.nt.gov.au for specific queries about the compensation breakdown.
What the Physical 2 Classification Means for Pay
The Physical 2 classification is used across Northern Territory Government roles to categorise manual and trade-adjacent positions. It sits above entry-level Physical 1 roles, recognising a degree of experience and physical competency. Workers at this level typically handle more complex or varied operational tasks.
Pay scales tied to this classification are set under NT Government enterprise agreements. Progression between pay points within a classification often depends on satisfactory performance reviews and time served. For the Juno Skills Centre role, the salary band of $62,069 to $64,754 represents the full Physical 2 range applicable to this position.
Remote Location Considerations and Allowances
Tennant Creek sits roughly 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Working in a remote location of this kind often comes with specific government allowances. Remote allowances, locality payments, or subsidised housing can materially increase the real value of an employment package.
NT Government employment packages for remote locations have historically included district allowances. These compensate for the higher cost of living, geographic isolation, and reduced access to services. Applicants should ask directly whether any such allowances apply to this specific Juno Skills Centre role.
Housing assistance is another area worth clarifying. Some remote NT Government roles include access to subsidised government housing. If that applies here, the effective financial benefit to the employee could be considerably higher than the advertised package figures suggest.
Benefits Beyond the Base Salary
NT Government employees across various classifications typically access a defined set of leave entitlements and employment benefits. These commonly include annual leave loading, generous sick leave provisions, and long service leave. Physical-grade workers may also access additional leave allowances depending on their enterprise agreement.
Salary packaging options are another benefit available to some NT Government employees. These arrangements allow workers to allocate portions of pre-tax salary toward approved expenses. Depending on the employee's individual tax situation, salary packaging can reduce the effective tax burden and increase net take-home pay.
Professional development support is a relevant benefit for a role embedded within a training facility. Working at the Juno Skills Centre could expose a Farm Hand to formal vocational training programs and learning pathways that enhance long-term career prospects in agriculture or land management.
How This Salary Compares to Industry Standards
Farm Hand wages across Australia vary significantly by employer type, location, and sector. Understanding where this role sits relative to private industry benchmarks gives applicants useful context. Government-employed farm workers generally earn more than those in private agricultural settings.
According to data from the Fair Work Commission and industry wage surveys, general farm hands in Australia working under the Horticulture Award or Pastoral Award often earn between $45,000 and $58,000 annually at entry to mid-levels. The Physical 2 base salary of $62,069 to $64,754 sits notably above these private sector benchmarks.
Add the superannuation contributions and any applicable remote allowances, and the full package value strengthens considerably against what most private agricultural employers offer. Government employment at this level brings stability and benefits that private farming operations rarely match.
Equity and Progression Opportunities
The NT Government's employment framework includes structured classification and pay progression mechanisms. Workers classified at Physical 2 can expect incremental pay movement tied to performance and service length. This is distinct from purely merit-based or discretionary pay rises common in private employment.
The advertised salary band of $62,069 to $64,754 provides modest but clear upward movement within the classification. Whether further progression to higher Physical classifications exists depends on available roles and the employee's demonstrated competencies over time. Asking the hiring manager about typical progression timelines is worthwhile during the application process.
NT Government agencies are also bound by public sector employment principles that emphasise merit-based selection and equitable treatment. Recruitment for this role follows those principles, meaning pay offers within the band should be consistent with the applicant's experience and classification requirements rather than subject to informal negotiation.
The Role Itself and What Justifies the Pay
The Farm Hand at Juno Skills Centre operates under the direction of the Operations Manager. Day-to-day duties cover maintaining the facility while supporting education and practical training programs. This dual function, combining physical farm maintenance with contribution to a learning environment, adds complexity beyond typical farm labourer work.
The position requires physical capability, practical agricultural skills, and the ability to work alongside educators and students. That blend of responsibilities supports the Physical 2 classification rather than a basic entry-level grade. Applicants with experience in maintenance, horticulture, or broader land management will likely align well with what the role demands.
Tennant Creek's remote location also adds practical challenges. Infrastructure, climate, and supply chain considerations make operational maintenance at a facility like this genuinely demanding. The remuneration package acknowledges those real-world conditions through both the base salary level and the structure of the total package.
Is This Package Competitive Enough to Attract Applicants
For a single Farm Hand vacancy in a remote NT location, the $73,432 to $76,608 total package represents a meaningful offer. Workers willing to relocate to Tennant Creek or those already based in the region will find the government employment conditions hard to match in the private agricultural sector.
Stability, structured pay progression, superannuation, leave entitlements, and the possibility of remote allowances or housing support make this role financially attractive for the right candidate. The Juno Skills Centre setting also adds vocational dimension that a typical private farm role would not provide.
Interested applicants can view the full job description and submit an application directly through the Remote OK listing. Apply for the Farm Hand role at the Department of Education and Training here.
