Saturday mornings are ordinary hours under this award: there is no penalty between 6 am and noon on a Saturday. Saturday afternoons and Sundays are paid as overtime.
New employees can be paid the Introductory level — $978.10 a week, $25.74 an hour — for no more than 3 months of training (cl 15.1, Schedule A.1). Juniors get 70% of the adult rate under 18, 80% at 18 and 90% at 19 (cl 15.2).
Which award covers landscapers
Landscapers and gardeners employed by gardening and landscaping businesses are covered by the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020 [MA000101]. The award covers designing, preparing and installing pavements, landscape features, lawns and gardens; maintenance after practical completion; gardens at private houses; landscape rehabilitation; and sports field turf work (cl 4.2).
A Level 4 employee has completed a horticulture apprenticeship with a trade qualification, holds a Landscaping, Parks and Gardens or Greenkeeping Certificate III (or equivalent), or has at least 3 years' practical horticulture experience with the skills for the level (Schedule A.5.1). That is where a qualified landscaper sits. Level 5 is a trade-qualified employee with post-trade training at Certificate IV or Diploma level, who may be in charge of gardens or specialised horticultural construction work (A.6).
Level 3 needs a completed horticulture course and demonstrated competence in plant and lawn maintenance, tree and shrub identification and the use of mowers, edgers and rotary hoes (A.4). Levels 1 and 2 are general gardening and landscaping work under direct supervision.
The award does not apply where the employer is covered by one of the awards listed in clause 4.3, which include the Building and Construction General On-site Award and the Local Government Industry Award. A landscaper employed by a builder or a council is paid under that award or the council's enterprise agreement instead.
Read the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020 [MA000101] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
Landscaper award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Landscaper pay rates by level, 2026–27
Gardening and Landscaping Services Award cl 15.1, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Casual rates are the award's Schedule B.3.1 column: the hourly rate plus the 25% casual loading (cl 11.2). A tradesperson who supplies their own tools also gets the all-purpose tool allowance, which is not included here.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1General gardening and landscaping under direct supervision | $26.44 | $1,004.90 | $52,255 | $33.05 |
| Level 2Works to standard procedures; maintains garden tools and equipment | $27.08 | $1,029.10 | $53,513 | $33.85 |
| Level 3Completed a horticulture course; plant, lawn, tree and shrub work | $28.28 | $1,074.70 | $55,884 | $35.35 |
| Level 4Certificate III in Landscaping, Parks and Gardens or Greenkeeping, a horticulture trade, or 3 years' experience | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
| Level 5Trade plus Certificate IV or Diploma; may be in charge of gardens | $30.38 | $1,154.30 | $60,024 | $37.98 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Landscaper penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday 6 am–6 pm, and Saturday 6 am–12 noon (ordinary hours) | 100% | 125% |
| Outside those hours, incl. Saturday afternoon and Sunday — first 2 hours | 150% | 175% |
| Outside those hours — after 2 hours | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday (minimum 4 hours) | 250% | 275% |
| Ordinary hours moved outside the span by water restrictions | 150% | 175% |
| Working through a meal break | 150% | 175% |
Percentages of the ordinary hourly rate (cl 13.2, 13.5, 14.1, 19 and 25.2; Schedule B.2–B.3). This award has no separate weekend penalty: Saturday between 6 am and noon is ordinary time, and work outside the span of ordinary hours — Saturday afternoon, Sunday, or before 6 am or after 6 pm on a weekday — is overtime. An all-purpose allowance such as the tool or leading hand allowance is added to the hourly rate before these percentages apply (Schedule B.1.1).
Overtime
- Full-time and part-time: 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200%, for time over 38 ordinary hours a week, over 10 hours a day, or outside the span of ordinary hours (cl 19.1).
- Casual: 175% for the first 2 hours, then 225% — the casual loading is included (cl 19.2).
- Recalled to work after leaving: at least 4 hours' pay at the appropriate rate (cl 19.6). Required to start again without a 10-hour break after overtime: 200% until released (cl 19.4(c)).
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Tool allowance | $15.83 per week | Level 4 and 5 tradespersons unless the employer supplies all the tools; paid for all purposes, which the pay guide shows as $0.42 an hour (cl 17.2, 17.4(a)). |
| Leading hand allowance | $22.38 to $78.34 per week | In charge of 1–2 employees $22.38, 3–6 $44.76, 7–9 $55.96, 10 or more $78.34; paid for all purposes (cl 17.3(a)). |
| Vehicle and plant allowance | $6.71 per day | Driving a work vehicle that needs a truck or tractor licence, or operating plant, but not just assisting a fitter (cl 17.3(b)). |
| First aid allowance | $22.38 per week | Holding a first aid qualification and appointed to first aid duties (cl 17.3(c)). |
| Meal allowance | $19.61 per occasion | Overtime of 1.5 hours or more straight after ordinary hours on a weekday, or after 8 hours' work on a weekend or public holiday (cl 17.4(c)). |
| Vehicle allowance | $1.00 per km | Directed to use your own vehicle; travel time is paid at ordinary rates (cl 17.4(b)). |
Landscaper pay after tax
On the Level 4 rate of $1,119.10 a week, a full-time landscaper earns $58,193 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $58,193 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$7,851 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,164 |
| Take-home per year | $49,178 |
| Take-home per week | $946 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $60,000 (the nearest step to $58,193), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What this page does not show
- Apprentice and adult apprentice rates (cl 15.3–15.4) and junior rates in dollars.
- A median salary: Jobs and Skills Australia prints no median earnings for gardeners (ANZSCO 3622), the group that includes landscape gardeners.
- Rates for landscapers employed by builders (Building and Construction General On-site Award) or councils (Local Government Industry Award or the council's agreement).
Landscaper pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 9 October 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020 [MA000101] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2
- 3Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 4Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
Last verified: 9 October 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
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AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
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Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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