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Wood Machinist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a wood machinist is $70,200 per annum, before tax, up $14,900 since 2018.
Pay follows the classification level in the timber or manufacturing award, so a trade qualification and the ability to set up and program more complex machines moves you up the scale. Shift work and overtime add allowances that lift weekly earnings above the base rate. Employers range from small joinery shops to large panel processing plants, and the award covering the work has as much to do with the rate as the job does.
Roles that pay more than wood machinist
The largest typical pay rise is $21,300 a year, moving into Carpenter.
- Carpenter+$21,300/yr
- Sawmill Operator+$5,300/yr
- Cabinet Maker+$2,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher wood machinist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time wood machinist salary is $70,200; 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 Hand and power tool work and Plant and equipment operation tend to command a premium over general wood machinist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Carpenter pays a typical $21,300 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."
Wood Machinist salary questions
How much do wood machinists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a wood machinist is $70,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is wood machinist pay rising or falling?
The median wood machinist salary is up $14,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than wood machinist?
Carpenter pays a typical $21,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to wood machinist.