The contribution grey nomads make to the rural economy is being increasingly appreciated by those who live in the bush …and it’s the work we do, as well as the money we spend which is getting attention.
In Western Australia, for example, it is estimated that about 80 per cent of seafood is processed by grey nomads, and although the percentage is not as high in other industries … it is growing.
“In the next 20 years the number of people beyond 65 is going to double in this country,’ Brian Wexham, the. CEO of careers development website Skills One, told the ABC. “If we can combine the tourism experience with the harvest trail experience we can actually get these mature aged workers to travel the country.”
I think a lot of people are way ahead of you already, Brian.
The fact is that the high Australian dollar has meant there have been less overseas backpackers around … and that means less people to pick the fruit.
Grey nomads … the country needs you!
Of course, older travellers’ well-deserved reputation for hard work and reliability also stands them in good stead, and it is estimated that as much as 60 per cent of seasonal labour could eventually be done by grey nomads … a massive increase on the current situation.
The attraction of grey nomads is especially strong in horticulture industries where seasonal pickers have been in short supply this year.
The ABC reports that the citrus industry has been particularly badly affected by the crisis, with some producers in South Australia’s Riverland seeing their costs increase by up to 50 per cent due a shortage of labour.
Orchardists like Cathy Lowe from Amaroo orchard in Renmark are having to pay contractors to source labour in Victoria as they help bring in a bumper orange harvest.
“You’re paying an extra $10 or $11 a bin having to have a contractor bus them in,” she told the ABC. “That sort of an increase in cost equates to $50-$100 a tonne extra on a bad market, where we’re probably not even going to return the picking prices.”
The labour shortage also means fruit isn’t being picked as quickly as it’s needed for overseas markets.
“Everyone’s screaming for pickers and instead of getting… 50 or 100 bins off in a day, we’re getting half of that off,” she said.
One orchardist who’s had several elderly workers on his property is Brad Taylor from Gillainey orchards in Paringah, South Australia.
“They’re reliable because they have to work to make a living,” he said. “You’ll find a lot of the young ones they’ll work a couple of days and then you won’t see them for a week.”
According to CEO of Skills One, Brian Wexham, the key to increasing the number of older workers on the harvest trail lies in educating them about the benefits of getting out on the road. “There are lots of opportunities, there are lots of things going on in regional and rural areas where you can have a truly rewarding experience.” he told the ABC. “We all have this lovely romantic image of the land and the harvest trail provides an opportunity to sample that.”
