Quokka2005 Posted June 22, 2016 Author Share Posted June 22, 2016 A update - so the fruit picking didn't work out. I tried my best but just wasn't for me. I really struggled with the work - lifting those huge ladders and reaching the very top of the highest trees but I kept trying. As already mentioned the supervisor was a total bully. Just a jumped up backpacker on a total power trip and seemed to hate brits. The contractor boss was pretty dodgy. He kept trying to pay people in cash and messed with their heads about signing visa forms like hinting that he wouldn't sign it or denying that they had competed those amount of days. He didn't seem to have a clue about visa rules either which probably didn't help him with the forms. Then he said he didn't think I was right for the job and paid me off. He had one girl crying on the day I finished because she was supposed to be getting signed off and leaving the following day but he was messing her around. There's so many stories at the moment about backpacker abuse and its disgusting. Someone I know has went to a place and she's working 16 hour days 7 days a week for a package of $600 with food and accommodation and food. That's actual slave labour but she's so desperate for the visa. I love Australia but not enough to put up with stuff like that. I'm going to do what I can this year then when I come back next year to do NZ I'm going to come back on a tourist visa for a month or 2 and try see a bit more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the bottler Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 I am sorry to hear it did not work out Stacey ... enjoy the rest of your time in Australia ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 I spoke to a lady who ran a herb place somewhere in the Riverlands a few years ago who said she couldn't survive without backpacker workers - herbs sound s little less manual than fruit! Sorry it didn't work out - are you spending any time in Adelaide? I'm not working Friday (atm) if you're around then and fancy a coffee/lunch in the Central Markets maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 I spoke to a lady who ran a herb place somewhere in the Riverlands a few years ago who said she couldn't survive without backpacker workers - herbs sound s little less manual than fruit! Sorry it didn't work out - are you spending any time in Adelaide? I'm not working Friday (atm) if you're around then and fancy a coffee/lunch in the Central Markets maybe... Yeah the harvest line women said to me that herbs are the best. And strawberries are the worst apparently lol. I should have spent more time looking for decent places like sheep farms etc. Never mind. Yeah I'll be in Adelaide on Friday so we could meet. I didn't get the chance to see the market last time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 I keep feeling embarrassed about what happened then have to remind myself that I shouldn't. I overheard one of the new girls saying today about being demoralized at work so I'm assuming the same thing is happening to her. I think I'm going to Melbourne this weekend to try and find some cafe or bar work. Or maybe Au pair as backup. Spend 2 months doing things etc. Remote is good for saving (or not in my case!) But after doing it twice now I think I'm a bit over it. Well unless I could get a job somewhere like the Kimberlies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Yeah the harvest line women said to me that herbs are the best. And strawberries are the worst apparently lol. More progressive farms are now growing their strawberries at body height to enable easier, less back breaking work, apart from the growth advantages. I think they are few and far between though and likely will be well sought out by pickers looking for work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 More progressive farms are now growing their strawberries at body height to enable easier, less back breaking work, apart from the growth advantages. I think they are few and far between though and likely will be well sought out by pickers looking for work I pick mine from a nice height at the supermarket:tongue:, the hard part is getting the wallet out:cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 A update - so the fruit picking didn't work out. I tried my best but just wasn't for me. I really struggled with the work - lifting those huge ladders and reaching the very top of the highest trees but I kept trying. As already mentioned the supervisor was a total bully. Just a jumped up backpacker on a total power trip and seemed to hate brits. The contractor boss was pretty dodgy. He kept trying to pay people in cash and messed with their heads about signing visa forms like hinting that he wouldn't sign it or denying that they had competed those amount of days. He didn't seem to have a clue about visa rules either which probably didn't help him with the forms. Then he said he didn't think I was right for the job and paid me off. He had one girl crying on the day I finished because she was supposed to be getting signed off and leaving the following day but he was messing her around. There's so many stories at the moment about backpacker abuse and its disgusting. Someone I know has went to a place and she's working 16 hour days 7 days a week for a package of $600 with food and accommodation and food. That's actual slave labour but she's so desperate for the visa. I love Australia but not enough to put up with stuff like that. I'm going to do what I can this year then when I come back next year to do NZ I'm going to come back on a tourist visa for a month or 2 and try see a bit more I do recall I warned you with regards the abuse doing such work. There's a reason few Aussies want to it. The laws as they are make back packers an exploitive product. Not enough of the abuse is aired but this is Australia after all, where negatives are not aired in the main nor desired to be so by the mass. I actually expect New Zealand may well be more to your liking. Be interesting to hear if that is so. Shame you didn't meet up when in Perth (I guess) but won't labour the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 It takes time for people to get used to manual work. It is hard initially if you are not used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 It takes time for people to get used to manual work.It is hard initially if you are not used to it. I agree but the boss didnt seem to. There was only 2 girls in our accommodation group and he was apparently flirting with tthem and trying to take them out etc. So i cant have floated his boat haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 I do recall I warned you with regards the abuse doing such work. There's a reason few Aussies want to it. The laws as they are make back packers an exploitive product. Not enough of the abuse is aired but this is Australia after all, where negatives are not aired in the main nor desired to be so by the mass. I actually expect New Zealand may well be more to your liking. Be interesting to hear if that is so. Shame you didn't meet up when in Perth (I guess) but won't labour the point. I'd heard about it but its actually unreal. Id like to say its just a handful of farms but its really not. And pubs and roadhouses are at it too. Where i was in goldfields my friends got abuse from the owners. They hated backpackers but it was their main source of workers. Only one of them left, the others just take it. Where i worked could be a bit rough but the owner treated us really well. The government are investigating a lot oof places at the moment apparently. One issue that came up was sexual abuse/harrassment. Employers are making unwanted advances or blackmailing them to do things for their forms to be signed. Disgusting. Some of my friends have had pretty good farms though so its not all bad. Its juat a shame the bad ones are starting to give farming in general a bad name. I was pretty sure i had said to you about a meet up but maybe not, i didnt get to meet everyone that i wanted to. I think i'll really like new zealand too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhouse101 Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I think i'll really like new zealand too Just got back from NZ, thinking about packing up here and moving over there, amazing place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I'd heard about it but its actually unreal. Id like to say its just a handful of farms but its really not. And pubs and roadhouses are at it too. Where i was in goldfields my friends got abuse from the owners. They hated backpackers but it was their main source of workers. Only one of them left, the others just take it. Where i worked could be a bit rough but the owner treated us really well. The government are investigating a lot oof places at the moment apparently. One issue that came up was sexual abuse/harrassment. Employers are making unwanted advances or blackmailing them to do things for their forms to be signed. Disgusting. Some of my friends have had pretty good farms though so its not all bad. Its juat a shame the bad ones are starting to give farming in general a bad name. I was pretty sure i had said to you about a meet up but maybe not, i didnt get to meet everyone that i wanted to. I think i'll really like new zealand too Been there and seen it, although heard even worse stories. Tough out bush and strangers not usually welcome. Well certainly no welcome mat laid out and brutish even thuggish behaviour can be almost normalised. Reason why not particularly partial to the bush although love the nature. I guess you were in Norsman by the sound of things. I've a feeling you'll find New Zealand a gentler ambiance. At least you've seen more of OZ than a lot living here giving you a broader outlook on life even if only passing through. Be interesting how you find NZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 Just got back from NZ, thinking about packing up here and moving over there, amazing place! How long did you spend? It does look very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 Been there and seen it, although heard even worse stories. Tough out bush and strangers not usually welcome. Well certainly no welcome mat laid out and brutish even thuggish behaviour can be almost normalised. Reason why not particularly partial to the bush although love the nature. I guess you were in Norsman by the sound of things. I've a feeling you'll find New Zealand a gentler ambiance. At least you've seen more of OZ than a lot living here giving you a broader outlook on life even if only passing through. Be interesting how you find NZ. Nah it wasnt norseman although ive heard that name. I had to listen to some creepy comments sometimes but in general most customers were nice and wanted to take me out places. I wish id went prospecting with someone. Yeah i feel ive achieved quite a lot although i know some of its been rushed and a bit all over the place haha. I cant decide wether to spend a whole year in new zealand or wether i should just save up for 2 months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Yeah i feel ive achieved quite a lot although i know some of its been rushed and a bit all over the place haha. I cant decide wether to spend a whole year in new zealand or wether i should just save up for 2 months New Zealand is a lot smaller. Either do a couple of months holiday and travel and see the sights or take the year and actually stop in a few places and live a while, get to know a city, people, get a job, a house share and all that comes with staying put in a city for a few months or more. Personally while I love travelling I prefer spending time in one place in a country, building a tie with the place, really experiencing what it is to live somewhere rather than passing through. There are so many layers to living in a place (not comparable to an outback Aus town) and it can really make your connection with a country deeper and more meaningful. And then using that city as a base to see other places in the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 I was thinking of maybe even trying some Au pair work if I end up on a nz whv. If not then I'd find a hospitality job somewhere and base myself there for 6 months like you said. So many nice looking places. That's me back in Adelaide, staying here for 2 nights then taking it from there. Going to try see a bit more. Anywhere in the city you would recommend snifter? Maybe a nice park or a special street Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 (edited) Rundle St has some lovely cafes and shops. Also check out the arcades off Rundle Mall. Adelaide arcade is lovely inside, a step back in time. Central Market is worth an amble. Loads of unusual fruit and meats and stalls. Also the Botanic gardens are lovely to walk, North Terrace for the Adelaide museum, art gallery and state library (the Mortlock Wing is stunning to see) and all are free entry and worth a visit IMHO. Wander into Haighs for some expensive but blooming lovely chocolates. Adelaide Oval runs tours a few times a day and it's about 90 minutes and not expensive though you need to book in advance. Also Glenelg is lovely on a warm day. You can take the tram all the way there with ease. I doubt you'll see much unless you are here a bit longer. The hills, spots further out etc will require a car. Same with the winery tours and stuff. Depends what you want to see and how much time you have. You won't do much more than scratch the surface in a couple of days and the time of year means it's quiet on the festival front and all that but still some stuff on. Edited June 23, 2016 by Guest Eta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 I've been to rundle street and the mall. I've got a pic of the arcade but haven't been in yet. Might treat myself to some of that chocolate haha. Someone else mentioned glenelg so might try there. I think I'm going to the markets tomorrow. I really wanted to go to the hills but without the car it's hard to do these things. It was the same when I went to SW WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhouse101 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 How long did you spend? It does look very nice! Only a week unfortunately, going back there next year for 2 weeks.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 I want to see Canada so not sure wether to just spend a holiday in New Zealand and then spend a year in Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhouse101 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Canada is a lovely place too, going back there at the end of this year, can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Never been but my friend has and she loved it. I'll have to save up loads again for all this stuff haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I want to see Canada so not sure wether to just spend a holiday in New Zealand and then spend a year in Canada Not going to college anymore then ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 I dont know what im doing yet, i'll see how i am when i get home. Wether im itching to get away again or not. I miss my old job quite often but i wouldnt go back to permanent unless i knew i was staying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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