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Forestry Worker salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a forestry worker is $65,000 per annum, before tax, up $13,600 since 2018.
Most operations pay under the Timber Industry Award 2020, while larger employers often have an enterprise agreement on top, so two crews doing similar work can be on different rates. Penalty rates, remote-area allowances and shift rosters add to the base, and operators running harvesting machinery sit higher than planting and brushcutting crews. Contract and seasonal hiring also changes what a year of forestry work adds up to.
Roles that pay more than forestry worker
The largest typical pay rise is $36,900 a year, moving into Truck Driver.
- Truck Driver+$36,900/yr
- Tree Faller+$12,000/yr
- Sawmill Operator+$10,500/yr
How to negotiate a higher forestry worker salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time forestry worker salary is $65,000; 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 forestry worker experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Truck Driver pays a typical $36,900 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."
Forestry Worker salary questions
How much do forestry workers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a forestry worker is $65,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is forestry worker pay rising or falling?
The median forestry worker salary is up $13,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than forestry worker?
Truck Driver pays a typical $36,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to forestry worker.