Vineyard and Cellar Hand - Nick O'Leary Wines

Nick O'Leary Wines; Wallaroo; On-site; AUD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Nick O’Leary Wines in the Canberra District is seeking a practical, hardworking Vineyard & Cellar Hand to support all stages of winemaking from grape to bottle. This permanent role offers hands-on experience across canopy management, harvest support, fruit receival, racking, sanitation, and equipment maintenance within a small, collaborative team.

Applicants should have fitness for vintage work, be reliable, and hold or be willing to obtain a forklift license; a valid driver’s license is

Qualifications

• Experience in vineyard or winery preferred.
• Good physical fitness for vintage and field work.
• Willingness to learn across vineyard and winery tasks.
• Australian citizenship or residency, or valid Australian work visa.

Responsibilities

• Support canopy management, pruning, and general vine maintenance.
• Assist harvest prep and vineyard operations.
• Assist in cellar tasks including fruit receival, racking, additions, and cleaning.
• Maintain winery equipment and safety standards.

Skills

Can-do attitude

Physical fitness

Attention to detail

Team player

Willingness to learn

Forklift license

Tools

Forklift operation

Job description

Vineyard and Cellar Hand - Nick O'Leary Wines

Opportunity to join the team at Nick O’Leary Wines!

Nick O’Leary Wines is a family-owned premium producer based in the Canberra District Region, just 20 minutes from central Canberra. We focus primarily on Riesling and Shiraz grown from our 8-hectare estate vineyard, while also producing a number of other varietals sourced from both our estate as well as surrounding regions.

We are seeking expressions of interest to join our team in a permanent role as a Vineyard & Cellar Hand to support high quality winemaking operations and broaden their skills at our 400-tonne winery.

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in all aspects of winemaking, from grape to bottle. We are a small team looking for someone who is practical, hardworking and keen to be involved across both vineyard and winery.

Applicants must have Australian citizenship or residency, or a valid Australian work visa.

We are looking for someone with the following attributes:

• Enthusiastic, reliable, and hard working
• A strong work ethic and a level of fitness suited to the requirements of vintage and vineyard work
• Ability to adapt, learn new tasks, and follow directions
• Attention to detail and displays high level of care in work
• Genuine passion for wine
• Desire to work collaboratively in a small team environment
• Hold or is willing to obtain a valid forklift license
• Display high level of personal responsibility and attention to personal safety
• Prepared to work long and flexible hours during vintage and growing season
• Has a sense of humour!

Due to our rural location, having a car and a valid drivers license is essential.

Why join our team?

This is a great opportunity to be involved in all aspects of winemaking, from grape to bottle, while developing your skills and growing your career within a supportive, small and tight-knit team. We take our work seriously, but ourselves a little less so! We enjoy having a laugh together and getting stuck in to making great wine.

Vineyard work will include:

• Canopy management, pruning, netting, vine training, undervine management and general vine maintenance
• Tractor and mower operation - spraying, mowing and row maintenance
• Harvest preparation and picking support

Cellar work will include:

• Support winemakers in all stages of winemaking
• Fruit receival and processing, racking/transfers, pump-overs, inoculations, additions
• Cleaning, sanitation and maintenance of all winery equipment

Previous cellar and vineyard experience is an advantage, but we are interested in hearing from enthusiastic and reliable people who are keen to get involved and learn.