Apricot Thinner, Ettrick and Roxburgh (Working Holiday Visa Accepted, Accommodation Available)

Darlings Fruit, a small family-owned company in Central Otago, is looking for two more people to join its thinning team from Monday 19 October 2026 until about 20 December 2026. The bees have done their work and the frosts are managed, so the young apricot fruitlets now need room to grow. You will work in a supervised team removing excess fruitlets from trees, using ladders. The orchards are at Ettrick and Roxburgh East, within about two hours of Dunedin, Queenstown, Wanaka, Invercargill and the Catlins. Affordable, comfortable accommodation is offered, with rooms available near Roxburgh and options if you are sleeping in a car or van. Applicants must be a New Zealand citizen or resident, or hold a current working holiday visa for the whole work period. The starting rate is 23.95 New Zealand dollars per hour. Register your interest on the PickNZ listing and the employer will send an application form to complete and return by email.