Tourism & Farm Work

Tourism is a delightful escape from the routine, a pursuit of relaxation, recreation, and pleasure, all facilitated by a range of commercial services. The socio-cultural impacts of tourism are far-reaching, fostering interactions between people from diverse cultural backgrounds and facilitating the exchange of attitudes, behaviours, and material goods.

The vast outback regions of Australia are a significant hub for tourism. The Outback Lakes SA range, with its unique ecosystem, offers a diverse range of experiences that reflect the deep connection between the landholders and their environment, showcasing their understanding of its potential in both favourable and challenging conditions.

The tourism market in this region is blossoming, with many landholders already reaping its benefits. As a collective, we believe that Outback South Australia is home to stunning landscapes, particularly around the salt lakes, which are waiting to be explored. Notable examples include:

Lake Eyre, officially known as Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, is an endorheic lake in the east-central part of the Far North region of South Australia, some 700 km north of Adelaide.
Lake Torrens is a large ephemeral, normally endorheic salt lake in central South Australia. After sufficiently extreme rainfall events, the lake flows out through the Pirie-Torrens corridor to the Spencer Gulf.
Lake Callabonna is a dry salt lake with little to no vegetation located in the Far North region of South Australia. The lake is situated approximately 120 kilometres southwest of Cameron Corner, the junction of South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.
Lake Blanche is a salt lake in central South Australia that lies below sea level. It is located within the Strzelecki Creek Wetland System which is listed on A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia.
Lake Gregory is a salt lake located in the Far North region of South Australia. The lake lies to the west of Lake Blanche; to the east, the Birdsville Track runs between it and Lake Eyre.

Four of our stations are actively involved in tourism activities, providing visitors with unforgettable experiences and a chance to connect with the land and its people. These stations are part of a group of pastoralists from Northern South Australia who are committed to pursuing market opportunities that add value to production from their properties and promote the sustainable use of their natural resources.

491 Remote Farm Work

Working in the remote farms of South Australia can be a rewarding experience, especially for those looking to extend their stay in Australia under the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417). This visa allows young adults from eligible countries to work in Australia while having an extended holiday. The visa holders can generally stay in Australia for up to 12 months, work in Australia, study for up to 4 months, and leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid.

One of the ways to extend your stay in Australia beyond the initial 12 months is by applying for a second Working Holiday visa. To be eligible for this, you must complete three months, or 88 days, of specified work in certain industries and locations during your stay. These industries include farming, fishing, and construction, and from 2020, working holiday makers can also count bushfire recovery work in designated disaster areas towards their specified work requirement (click here for more information).

The remote farms in South Australia offer a unique opportunity to fulfil this requirement. The state offers a nomination pathway for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) for skilled migrants who meet all state nomination requirements. If you live and work in South Australia for three years on the subclass 491 visa and meet the minimum taxable income level for at least three years, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (click here for more information).

South Australia’s Skilled Occupation List provides a list of occupations that are currently in demand in South Australia. This list is updated regularly, and if your occupation is on the list, you may be eligible for state nomination (click here for more information).

Working in remote farms not only provides an opportunity to extend your stay in Australia but also allows you to experience the unique lifestyle and culture of rural Australia. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in the Australian outback, work with local communities, and contribute to the Australian economy.

Clayton Station

The Clayton has been in the Oldfield family since 1955. With over two thousand square kilometres we run predominantly beef cattle with poll Hereford being the main breed with Charles and Agnus put over the Hereford cows. We sell off our weaners every year irrespective of the season to the feedlot and domestic markets, concentrating on holding our cows in the best possible condition. Clayton station now offers luxury self-contained accommodation, with 2 × 2 bedroom units comfortable for tourists. At night, tourists could sit on the deck or in the hot tub watching the spectacular sunset. For intending campers, there is an available Bush camping site just off the Birdsville track along the Clayton Creek with a flushing toilet, Bush shower, and our hot tub. However, there is no power at the camping grounds.

Dulkaninna Station

This station is situated eighty-four kilometres from Marree along the Birdsville Track in the far north of South Australia. The size of the property is two thousand square kilometres with a combination of land systems i.e. gibbler plains, black soil flood plains, sandhill country, tableland country, and coolibah-lined creeks. Recently, Dulkaninna entered the tourism industry offering two experiences namely: Beyond and back day tours as well as coolibah camp.

Farina Station

Farina station runs merino and Dorper sheep as well as Hereford cattle. Farina is originally Farina town, a town and locality in the Australian State of South Australia. At the 2006 census, farina had a population of 55. It was initially known as the Gums or Government Gums. Farina was settled in 1878 by optimistic farmers. The Town was the railhead for a Time until 1884 before the railway was extended to Marree. Farina grew to reach a peak population of 600 in the late 1800s. Attractive sites for tourists include the Farina campground, an attractive Bush camping ground with amenities, and the ruins of the historic Farina Township. Farina spring tours take the visitors out onto the property and are also available at the Mens or Shearers Quarters. The tourism sector in the outback, South Australia is undergoing rapid growth and has enough potential to be tapped into by both the residents and tourists who come from any part of the world.