North West and West Coast Tasmania recruitment: Burnie, Devonport and beyond
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Burnie, Devonport, Ulverstone, Wynyard, Smithton, Queenstown and across Tasmania's North West and West Coast hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people.
The North West and West Coast at a glance
- of employed West Coast residents worked in mining
- 22%
- August 2021, by place of residence.1
- of employed Circular Head residents worked in farming, forestry and fishing
- 24.2%
- August 2021. Manufacturing was next at 15.8%.1
- of recruiting employers in the north and north-west had difficulty hiring
- 42%
- Year to August 2026; the survey region also covers Launceston.2
- unemployment rate on the West Coast
- 7.7%
- Modelled estimate, June quarter 2026, against 3.3% in Circular Head.3
What drives each part of the North West and West Coast?
Devonport's urban area had 32,938 people and the Burnie-Somerset urban area 28,643 at 30 June 2025; they are the two service centres, with Ulverstone between them.4 Health care and retail lead in the coastal towns. Further out the economy changes: farming and food processing around Smithton in Circular Head, and mining and tourism around Queenstown, Zeehan and Strahan on the West Coast.
Unemployment ranges from 2.9% in Latrobe to 7.7% on the West Coast.3
Population at 30 June 20255, modelled unemployment in the June quarter 20263 and the two largest industries for employed residents in August 2021, by place of residence.1
| Council area | Towns | People | Unemployment | Largest industries for residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devonport | Devonport | 26,994 | 5.0% | Health care 16.3%; retail 11.4% |
| Burnie | Burnie, Cooee | 20,420 | 5.7% | Health care 19%; retail 11.9% |
| Central Coast | Ulverstone, Penguin | 23,378 | 3.3% | Health care 16.5%; retail 10% |
| Waratah-Wynyard | Wynyard, Somerset | 14,916 | 3.9% | Health care 17.3%; retail 10.3% |
| Latrobe | Latrobe, Port Sorell | 13,264 | 2.9% | Health care 16%; construction and retail 10.4% each |
| Kentish | Sheffield, Railton | 6,866 | 3.5% | Health care 12.5%; farming, forestry and fishing 10.9% |
| Circular Head | Smithton, Stanley | 8,286 | 3.3% | Farming, forestry and fishing 24.2%; manufacturing 15.8% |
| West Coast | Queenstown, Zeehan, Strahan, Rosebery | 4,320 | 7.7% | Mining 22%; accommodation and food 14.4% |
Which jobs do North West employers advertise most?
Medical practitioners and nurses were the most advertised occupation group in the West and North West. Compared with Hobart and Launceston, a bigger share of ads were for automotive and engineering trades and for machine and stationary plant operators, which reflects the region's mining, processing and manufacturing work.6
Online job advertisements by occupation group, West and North West, three-month average to September 2026.6
| Occupation group | Job ads a month |
|---|---|
| Medical practitioners and nurses | 67 |
| Carers and aides | 46 |
| General-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists | 41 |
| Automotive and engineering trades | 36 |
| Sales assistants and salespersons | 33 |
| Legal, social and welfare professionals | 31 |
| Drivers and storepersons | 26 |
| Machine and stationary plant operators | 21 |
Is it hard to hire in the North West?
Often. The national employer survey reports the North West, the West Coast and Launceston together: 42% of recruiting employers there had difficulty filling a role in the year to August 2026, above the 39% for Tasmania as a whole.2 Small towns, rosters and distance narrow the field further, especially on the West Coast. We start with people already in the region and then widen the search to people willing to move or commute.
Roles we recruit in the North West and West Coast
Open a role type for demand, shortage, pay and what to put in your brief. Shortage ratings are from the 2026 list (ANZSCO 2022 coding, to match the job-ad and earnings groups); we count an occupation as in shortage when it is rated short nationally or in regional areas.
Mining, processing and maintenance trades
Diesel mechanics, fitters, electricians and welders for mines, processing plants and workshops, including West Coast sites.
- Demand
- Employers in the West and North West averaged 36 online job ads a month for automotive and engineering trades, 19 for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades and 21 for machine and stationary plant operators, three-month average to September 2026.6
- Shortage
- Diesel Motor Mechanic, Fitter (General), Welder (First Class) and Electrician (General) are rated in shortage nationally on the 2026 list.7
- Pay (electricians)
- Award minimum: $1,223.11 a week with industry, tool and licence allowances, from 1 July 2026, for a licensed electrician (Electrical worker grade 5) employed by an electrical contracting business, which is what the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award covers; a mine-site or plant role may fall under a different award or agreement.8 National median for full-time electricians: $2,191 a week (May 2025).9
- What to put in your brief
- The site, the roster (including any fly-in fly-out or drive-in drive-out pattern), the tickets and inductions, and the pay range.
- How we help
- We ask candidates about the roster, the travel and the remoteness of the site before we introduce them.
Engineers, technicians and geoscience
Mining, mechanical, electrical and civil engineers, geologists, surveyors and technicians, from graduates to senior staff.
- Demand
- The West and North West averaged 12 job ads a month for engineers and 19 for engineering, ICT and science technicians, three-month average to September 2026.6
- Shortage
- Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum), Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Civil Engineer, Geologist and Surveyor are rated in shortage nationally on the 2026 list.7
- Pay (graduate engineers)
- $34.57 an hour is the award minimum for a graduate engineer with a four or five-year degree under the Professional Employees Award (level 1.1, from 1 July 2026), for professional engineering duties that the award covers.10 The national median for civil engineering professionals was $59 an hour in May 2025.11
- What to put in your brief
- The discipline, the site or office base, travel, and who supervises a graduate.
Food processing, farming and manufacturing
Production supervisors, maintenance trades, quality staff and experienced farm and dairy workers around Smithton, Wynyard and the coastal towns.
- Local industry
- In Circular Head, 24.2% of employed residents worked in farming, forestry and fishing and 15.8% in manufacturing in August 2021.1
- Region-wide
- Manufacturing employs 11,300 people across the north and north-west.12
- What to put in your brief
- The site, the shift pattern, food safety or machinery tickets, and the experience you expect.
- How we help
- We look for people who know processing or farm work in the region and talk through the shifts and travel with them.
Health, aged care and disability support
Registered and enrolled nurses, allied health professionals, health administration and management staff, and support workers, including assistants in nursing and aged-care and disability support workers.
- Demand
- Monthly job ads in the West and North West averaged 67 for medical practitioners and nurses, 46 for carers and aides and 16 for health diagnostic and therapy professionals.6
- Shortage
- On the 2026 list, Registered Nurse (Aged Care), Midwife, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Aged or Disabled Carer are rated in shortage nationally, and Enrolled Nurse in regional areas.7
- What to put in your brief
- Registration, the setting, the shifts and the support for someone new to the region.
Office and business roles
Administrators, receptionists, accountants and office managers for businesses, councils and services in Burnie, Devonport and Ulverstone.
- Demand
- The West and North West averaged 41 online job ads a month for general-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists and 14 for business, finance and HR professionals.6
- Shortage
- Accountant (General) is rated not in shortage on the 2026 list.7
- What to put in your brief
- The systems, the experience level, the hours and any flexibility.
- How we help
- We find people with relevant experience in the North West and talk with them about the role and the hours.
Graduates on the North West coast
The University of Tasmania has a campus in Burnie, one of its three main campuses,15 so some graduates finish their degrees in the region. If you can tell us who will supervise a graduate and what their first year looks like, we talk that through with them.
How we help you hire in the North West and West Coast
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Travel, rosters and getting here
Burnie is about 46 km from Devonport, 147 km from Launceston and 152 km from Queenstown.16 The Spirit of Tasmania ferry sails between Geelong and Devonport,17 which helps people moving from the mainland bring a car and belongings.
For West Coast roles, tell us the roster, where the working day starts, and whether you provide accommodation or travel between the coast and the site. We discuss the roster, accommodation and travel arrangements with candidates during screening.
If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in the North West or on the West Coast?
Tradespeople, engineers, health and office professionals and recent graduates can register with Hire Australia. Tell us the towns you can work from and the rosters you would consider, and we'll talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about a role in the North West
Tell us about the role, the town or site and your timing.
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.
A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Good to know.
Which towns in north-west Tasmania does Hire Australia cover?
Hire Australia recruits for employers in Burnie, Devonport, Ulverstone, Penguin, Wynyard, Latrobe, Sheffield, Smithton and Stanley, and on the West Coast in Queenstown, Zeehan, Strahan and Rosebery. We fill professional, technical and trade roles, from graduates to experienced staff, and look across the region for people who can reach your site.
Can Hire Australia recruit for West Coast mine sites?
Yes. Hire Australia recruits engineers, geologists, mechanics, fitters, electricians and other technical staff for West Coast employers in permanent roles you employ directly. Tell us the roster, the accommodation or travel arrangements and the tickets required, and we discuss them with candidates before we introduce anyone to you.
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 role in Burnie, Devonport or the West Coast costs nothing, and there is no upfront payment for the search.
Does Hire Australia have an office in Burnie or Devonport?
No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane and recruits for employers across regional Australia, including the North West and West Coast of Tasmania. We work with you and with candidates by phone and video, and we start with people who live, study or train in the region, along with people planning to move there.
Does Hire Australia provide labour hire in north-west Tasmania?
No. Hire Australia doesn’t supply labour hire, temporary workers or contractors in north-west Tasmania. We recruit people into permanent roles that you employ directly, on your payroll from the first day. We find and screen candidates, introduce those who match your brief, and you choose who to hire.
Can I register with Hire Australia for work on the North West coast?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your skills, the work you want, when you could start and the towns you could work from. If you are moving from the mainland, tell us that too and we'll talk with you about suitable roles and the practical side of the move.
Sources (17)
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021, G54 Industry of employment by age by sex, Local Government Areas. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: snapshot update, Tasmania combined. Released 22 September 2026. Data: Year to August 2026; Tasmania 597 employers, weighted; Hobart and south 318, north and north-west 279, unweighted; small samples. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed LGA data files (ASGS 2025), June quarter 2026. Released 9 October 2026. Data: June quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25: population estimates by Significant Urban Area, 2001 to 2025. Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25: population estimates and components by LGA. Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 2-digit occupations by GCCSA and SA4 regions, September 2026. Released October 2026. Data: September 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- 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 ↑
- Fair Work Commission, Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 [MA000025]. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile: Electricians. Data: May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Commission, Professional Employees Award 2020 [MA000065]. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile: Civil Engineering Professionals. Data: May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Industry profiles, Tasmania and its employment regions. Published 15 April 2026. Data: Four-quarter average to February 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- healthdirect (Australian Government), Hospitals in Burnie, TAS 7320. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- healthdirect (Australian Government), Hospitals in Launceston, TAS 7250. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- National Redress Scheme (Australian Government), Institution page: University of Tasmania (three main campuses in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Tourism Tasmania (Discover Tasmania), Drive times and distance. Data: Page last updated 12 December 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Spirit of Tasmania (TT-Line), Ferry and freight services between Geelong and Devonport. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑