Mini vic.gov.au

This is a low bandwidth version of vic.gov.au. Contents may not be up to date. © Copyright State Government of Victoria

Nursery hand

Find out more about working as a nursery hand and the possible pathways to job opportunities.

On this page

Nursery hands perform a range of tasks in nurseries. They propagate and care for plants, and may also serve and advise customers.

Find out what a nursery hand does and the related Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses and pathways you can take to secure a job.

What is a nursery hand?

Nursery hands oversee the life cycle of plants in a nursery or garden centre. They propagate new plants, including trees, bushes, vegetables and flowering plants. They also look after the plants, including watering, weeding, and pest and disease control.

As a nursery hand, you may also be involved in the presentation of plants for sale. You may advise customers of the best plants for their environment, and assist with customer service.

Find out more about nursery hands(opens in a new window) and these related jobs on the Victorian Skills Gateway(opens in a new window):

Explore these related TAFE and training courses on the Victorian Skills Gateway(opens in a new window):

You may be eligible for government funding to help pay for your course.

Average salary

The average weekly earnings for nursery persons in Australia is $821.

Source: Your Career(opens in a new window)

Note this salary is current as of April 2024 and is indicative only. A range of salaries apply to different roles across the industry.

Job demand in Victoria

Below are the employment projections for nursery person and garden and nursery labourer jobs in Victoria. Figures show the number of workers in 2024 and the new workers expected to enter the workforce by 2027 and 2034.

‘New workers expected’ accounts for workers adding new jobs to the economy and replacing retirees over the next 3 and 10 years. These projections are estimates only. There will be additional jobs available as people move between jobs and industries.

Separate nursery hand statistics are not available.

Open all

Region Workers 2024 New workers expected by 2027 New workers expected by 2034
Victoria 1,467 65 352
Melbourne – inner metropolitan 36 <10 12
Melbourne – inner south-east metropolitan 53 <10 13
Melbourne – southern metropolitan 417 25 91
Melbourne – northern metropolitan 80 <10 30
Melbourne – eastern metropolitan 364 17 66
Melbourne – western metropolitan 69 <10 29
Ballarat and surrounds (Central Highlands) 61 <10 <10
Bendigo, Echuca and surrounds (Loddon Campaspe) 83 <10 <10
Geelong, Colac and surrounds (Barwon) 72 <10 22
Gippsland 74 <10 23
Horsham and surrounds (Wimmera Southern Mallee) 28 <10 <10
Mildura, Swan Hill and surrounds (Mallee) 45 <10 <10
Shepparton, Seymour and surrounds (Goulburn) 29 <10 <10
Wangaratta, Wodonga and surrounds (Ovens Murray) 22 <10 <10
Warrnambool, Hamilton and surrounds (Great South Coast) 34 <10 <10
Region Workers 2024 New workers expected by 2027 New workers expected by 2034
Victoria 11,657 1,203 6,067
Melbourne – inner metropolitan 368 50 242
Melbourne – inner south-east metropolitan 368 35 186
Melbourne – southern metropolitan 2,958 291 1,417
Melbourne – northern metropolitan 986 129 670
Melbourne – eastern metropolitan 2,187 188 984
Melbourne – western metropolitan 910 134 675
Ballarat and surrounds (Central Highlands) 402 46 219
Bendigo, Echuca and surrounds (Loddon Campaspe) 467 48 238
Geelong, Colac and surrounds (Barwon) 704 88 423
Gippsland 919 88 449
Horsham and surrounds (Wimmera Southern Mallee) 171 10 57
Mildura, Swan Hill and surrounds (Mallee) 329 20 112
Shepparton, Seymour and surrounds (Goulburn) 264 24 125
Wangaratta, Wodonga and surrounds (Ovens Murray) 273 25 130
Warrnambool, Hamilton and surrounds (Great South Coast) 351 26 140

Source: Victorian Skills Authority Employment Projections Dashboard

Resources to plan your next steps

Visit our agriculture, horticulture and agribusiness industry profile to find out about:

Explore growing industries in your region

Training and careers in your region

Explore training, skills and job opportunities in your area of Victoria. Find out where you could work, what kind of job you could do, and what training you’ll need.

Training and careers in growing industries

Learn about high demand industries in Victoria. Find out where you could work, what kind of jobs you could do, and what training you’ll need.

Updated 24 January 2025

About the VIC Government

Grants and programs

Jobs and careers

Arts, culture and heritage

Business and the workplace

Communities

Education and training

Environment, water and energy

Finance and economy

Health and social support

Housing and property

Law and justice

Safety and emergencies

Science and technology

Sport and recreation

Traffic and transport

Working in the Victorian Government