Home Turf Grower Salary
Turf Grower salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a turf grower is $67,600 per annum, before tax, up $14,100 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most turf growers are paid under the horticulture award, so the rate depends on your classification, your experience and whether you take on leading hand or supervisor duties.
- Overtime and penalty rates lift earnings through the spring and summer harvest, and some farms add a production bonus for loads cut and shipped.
- The size of the operation matters as well, since a farm supplying major projects can pay more than a small family property.
The median salary rose by $14,100 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than turf grower
The largest typical pay rise is $18,200 a year, moving into Sports Turf Manager.
- Sports Turf Manager+$18,200/yr
- Greenkeeper+$8,700/yr
- Orchardist+$5,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher turf grower salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time turf grower salary is $67,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Operations management and Plant and equipment operation tend to command a premium over general turf grower experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Sports Turf Manager pays a typical $18,200 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Turf Grower salary questions
How much do turf growers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a turf grower is $67,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is turf grower pay rising or falling?
The median turf grower salary is up $14,100 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than turf grower?
Sports Turf Manager pays a typical $18,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to turf grower.
Related salaries
- Greenkeeper salary
- Sports Turf Manager salary
- Orchardist salary
- Flower Grower salary
- Nursery Hand salary
- Gardener salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.