What is gardening like in Aus?

[u/_Jensoon]

Hi All, I'm 23 years old from the UK and have been doing gardening for the last 4/5 years gaining a qualification in it.

In about a years time I'm looking to try get a working visa in Australia and come over to work and try and build a career in horticulture in Australia.

I just wondered what gardening was like in Australia. Are you planting out year round. Do you have distinct growing season's? Because obviously, being in the UK we only have spring and summer to really show off etc. And sometimes spring isn't even that good! Also, I'd appreciate some general tips for gardening in australia as I'm sure there are some differences.

Many thanks :)

[u/Jackgardener67]

You cannot summarise "Australian gardening" (basically because there is no such thing) * . We are a continent the size of Europe, with the State of Victoria alone being the size of England. We have ski fields and tropical rainforests, deserts and lush tropical seacoasts. Getting a visa to work in Australia is not easy but there is a Working holiday visa for under 30s where you do some menial/physical jobs (fruit picking/packing, tomato glasshouse work, brocolli picking, certain farm jobs) and can also have time to travel. You can stay in Australia for 2 or 3 years on this visa. There is also the backpacker visa has a much shorter time limit. Ex Brit, living in Australia 35 years. Retired Professional Gardener

[u/_Jensoon → u/Jackgardener67]

Yeah that makes sense, I guess I could have re-worded my question to be more broad. I appreciate that information, mate. If you don't mind me asking, how were you able to end up staying? Was that through a job? Or family relations. Obviously you don't have to answer that, I'm just curious as most people from UK that end up staying in aus is due to marrying an Australian or getting a job that wants to keep them. Cheers mate.

[u/Jackgardener67 → u/_Jensoon]

I was "head hunted." I came under the employer nomination scheme to do a job that had been proved that there wasn't an Aussie available to do. Also, getting married to an Aussie no longer gives you automatic Permanent Residency status. You still have to acquire a Partner Visa, which has some onerous conditions attached to it.

[u/_Jensoon → u/Jackgardener67]

Ahh fair play. I guess I'll have to see if I can find a good company willing to sponser a visa. If not, standard working holiday it is. As for the marriage, I didn't know they changed that! I imagine they got sick of giving out residencies so quickly maybe? Ha! Thanks for the reply mate

[u/Jackgardener67 → u/_Jensoon]

I think people were getting married for convenience (Asian brides, for example) just to get PR and then splitting up a couple of years later. So more vetting, more proof that it's a valid relationship is required at the beginning of the application (must live in a domestic relationship for 12 months before applying, for example)

[u/_Jensoon → u/Jackgardener67]

I'm surprised they didn't do that sooner to be fair. It did always seem strange you could get PR so quickly that way.

Thanks for all the information mate