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Riverland and Murraylands recruitment: professional, technical and trade staff

Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Berri, Renmark, Loxton, Waikerie, Murray Bridge and along the Murray in South Australia hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people. We start with people who already live in the river towns and widen the search when the role needs it.

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Illustrative image: two workers check irrigation equipment above a broad river and ochre cliffs.

The Riverland and Murraylands at a glance

of South Australia's 2026 wine-grape crush came from the Riverland
59.2%
339,195 tonnes, down 16% on 2025.1
unemployment in Murray Bridge, the region's largest council
5.6%
Against 3.8% in Loxton Waikerie and 2.9% in Southern Mallee, June quarter 2026.2
of recruiting employers in the Murray and South East had difficulty hiring
52%
Year to August 2026, the highest of South Australia's employment regions.3

How big is the Riverland's wine and horticulture industry?

The Riverland crushes more wine grapes than every other South Australian region combined. In 2026 it crushed 339,195 tonnes, its smallest crush since 2010, 40% below its record.1 Vintage and processing peaks shape the year for vineyards, wineries and the businesses that service them, from machinery technicians to agronomists and supervisors.

Wine grapes crushed by region, South Australia, 2026 vintage, eight largest regions (tonnes).1

Wine regionTonnes crushed
Riverland339,195
Barossa Valley41,972
Coonawarra32,302
McLaren Vale27,645
Padthaway26,391
Langhorne Creek26,066
Adelaide Hills21,885
Wrattonbully14,213

Where do people live in the Riverland and Murraylands?

Murray Bridge is the region's largest centre, with 23,539 people, while about 33,000 live across the three Riverland councils of Renmark Paringa, Berri Barmera and Loxton Waikerie.4 Unemployment is highest in Murray Bridge and Berri Barmera and lowest in the Mallee councils.2

Estimated resident population at 30 June 20254 and smoothed unemployment rate, June quarter 2026,2 by council area.

Council areaPopulation (30 June 2025)Unemployment (June quarter 2026)
Rural City of Murray Bridge23,5395.6%
Loxton Waikerie11,9713.8%
Berri Barmera10,7585.0%
Renmark Paringa10,2743.9%
Mid Murray9,6744.9%
Coorong5,6274.0%
Southern Mallee2,0132.9%
Karoonda East Murray1,0263.1%

How hard is it to hire in the Riverland and Murraylands?

In the year to August 2026, 52% of recruiting employers across the Murray and South East had difficulty filling a role. A lack of suitable applicants came first, then applicants without the technical skills, the location and too few applicants.3

The region's federal employment plan says employers keep struggling to fill vacancies with local candidates, and that limited affordable housing and transport make it harder to attract and keep workers.5 We look locally first and are realistic with candidates about housing and the drive.

Which jobs are most advertised in the South Australia – South East area?

Health jobs lead the online job ads across the area, followed by carers and aides, general-inquiry and reception staff and sales assistants.6

Online job advertisements by occupation group, South Australia - South East SA4 (the Riverland, Murraylands, Limestone Coast, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island), three-month average to September 2026.6

Occupation groupJob ads a month
Medical practitioners and nurses109
Carers and aides79
General-inquiry clerks, call-centre staff and receptionists69
Sales assistants and salespersons60
Legal, social and welfare professionals58
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals44
Automotive and engineering trades40
Other labourers38

Which roles do we recruit in the Riverland and Murraylands?

Open a role type for shortage, training and what to put in your brief. Shortage ratings are the 2026 national ratings; we count an occupation as in shortage when it is rated short nationally or in regional areas.

Nursing, allied health and care

Registered and enrolled nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and pharmacists. We also recruit health administration and management staff, and support workers including assistants in nursing and aged-care and disability support workers.

Employers
The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network serves about 72,000 people in the Riverland and the Murray River, Lakes and Coorong areas, east to the Victorian border.7
Shortage
Registered nurses in aged care, mental health, and critical care and emergency, midwives, physiotherapists and occupational therapists are rated in shortage in 2026, and enrolled nurses and hospital pharmacists are rated short in regional areas.8
Local training
Renmark is home to Flinders University's rural undergraduate nursing degree, and its Murray Bridge campus sits behind the hospital.9
What to put in your brief
The registration, the roster and on-call load, and whether the role covers more than one town.

Horticulture, wine and agronomy

Agronomists, viticulturists, winemakers, irrigation and farm managers, and technical staff for vineyards, orchards and processors.

Shortage
Agronomists are rated in shortage in 2026; winemakers are not.8
Season
Vintage and harvest drive the busiest months, so tell us when your peak runs and how the role changes through the year.
Local training
TAFE SA teaches at its Berri and Murray Bridge campuses.10
What to put in your brief
The crops or varieties, the size of the operation, the irrigation and machinery and how much travel the role involves.

Trades, maintenance and food processing

Diesel motor mechanics, fitters, electricians, butchers and meat inspectors for farms, dealers, wineries and processors.

Shortage
Diesel motor mechanics, fitters, electricians, butchers or smallgoods makers and meat inspectors are all rated in shortage in 2026.8
Registration
Electrical, plumbing and gas fitting work needs a South Australian worker registration administered by Consumer and Business Services.11
What to put in your brief
The machinery or plant, the shift pattern and call-outs, the tickets needed and your peak periods.
How we help
We look for qualified people already in the river towns first, then for tradespeople elsewhere who want a move to the Murray.

Business, engineering and community professionals

Accountants, civil engineers, office managers, social workers and community services staff for councils, practices and service organisations.

Demand
Legal, social and welfare professionals drew 58 online job ads a month and business, finance and human resource professionals 17 across the South East SA4, three-month average to September 2026.6
Shortage
Civil engineers are rated in shortage in 2026; general accountants are not.8
What to put in your brief
The systems you use, who the person reports to and whether the role covers more than one town.
How we help
We search the river towns and Adelaide, and talk with each candidate about the role, the town and the move.

Graduates in the Riverland and Murraylands

Flinders University trains nurses and other health students in Renmark and Murray Bridge,9 and TAFE SA teaches at Berri and Murray Bridge.10 Graduates who grew up on the river often want to come back. Tell us who will support a graduate in your team, and we talk that through with them.

How we help you hire in the Riverland and Murraylands

You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.

  1. Step 1

    Understand the role

    We talk with you about the work, the town, vintage or harvest peaks, shifts, the registrations or tickets it needs and the experience the role needs.

  2. Step 2

    Source and screen

    We search the river towns first, then Adelaide and further afield, and talk with each candidate about the role, the town, housing and their reasons for moving.

  3. Step 3

    Introduce suitable people

    We introduce the candidates who best match your brief, so you decide who to interview.

  4. Step 4

    Coordinate the hire

    We coordinate the next steps and keep both sides informed through interviews and the offer. You employ the person directly.

Housing, transport and moving to the river

Limited affordable housing and transport are named barriers in the region's employment plan.5 If you can offer accommodation, a relocation allowance or a vehicle, tell us and we raise it with every candidate who would be moving. We also ask candidates how they will get to work, especially for early starts and sites out of town. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.

Looking for work in the Riverland or Murraylands?

Experienced tradespeople, nurses and allied health professionals, agronomists and office professionals, recent graduates and people planning a move to the river can all register with Hire Australia. Tell us the work you want and the towns you'd consider, and we'll talk with you about roles that fit.

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Talk to us about your next Riverland or Murraylands hire

Tell us about the role, the town, any seasonal peaks and when you need someone to start.

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.

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A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Good to know.

Is it hard to recruit in the Riverland and Murraylands?

Often. In the year to August 2026, 52% of recruiting employers across the Murray and South East had difficulty filling a role, and the main reason was a lack of suitable applicants.3 Hire Australia searches the river towns first, then Adelaide and further afield for people with the right skills.

Can Hire Australia help a winery or grower before vintage or harvest?

Yes, for permanent skilled roles. Hire Australia recruits professional, technical and trade staff you employ directly, such as vineyard and winery supervisors, maintenance technicians and agronomists. Brief us well before the season, because a good permanent hire takes time to find. We don't supply seasonal pickers, crews or labour hire.

What does it cost to use Hire Australia?

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. Briefing Hire Australia on a Riverland or Murraylands role costs nothing, whichever town the job is based in.

Does Hire Australia have an office in Berri or Murray Bridge?

No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane and recruits for employers across regional Australia, including the Riverland and Murraylands. Our search starts with people who live, study or train along the river, along with candidates from Adelaide and elsewhere who are planning a move.

Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?

No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.

Can I register with Hire Australia for jobs in the Riverland or Murraylands?

Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your skills, the work you want, when you could start and which towns you'd consider, from Murray Bridge and Mannum to Waikerie, Loxton, Berri and Renmark. We'll talk with you about suitable roles and about the practical side of a move.

Sources (11)

  1. Wine Australia, for the South Australian Wine Industry Association and Wine Grape Council of South Australia, The SA Winegrape Crush Survey 2026. Published July 2026. Data: 2026 vintage; 282 respondents; higher non-response may explain some regional falls. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  2. Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, SALM Smoothed LGA Datafiles (ASGS 2025), June quarter 2026. Data: June quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  3. Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: State and Regional Snapshot update, South Australia. Released 22 September 2026. Data: REOS, 12 months to August 2026; small regional samples (57 to 403 employers, unweighted); interpret with caution. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  4. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25, Estimated resident population and components by LGA. Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  5. Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Local Jobs Plan, Murray and South East Employment Region (July 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  6. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 2-digit occupations by GCCSA and SA4 regions, September 2026. September data released 21 October 2026. Data: Three-month average to September 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  7. SA Health, Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  8. Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (6-digit ANZSCO and OSCA). Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 ratings, ANZSCO 2022 sheet. National ratings; S = shortage, R = regional shortage. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  9. Flinders University, Regional SA locations (Flinders University Rural and Remote Health SA: Murray Bridge, Mount Gambier, Nuriootpa, Renmark, Victor Harbor). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  10. TAFE SA, TAFE SA locations: Barossa and Riverland (campuses Nuriootpa, Berri and Murray Bridge). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  11. Australian Government, Australian Business Licence and Information Service, Plumbing, Gas Fitting or Electrical Workers Registration, South Australia (administering agency: Consumer and Business Services). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑