Why Apply

Tired of weekend callouts, inconsistent hours, and working for a company that will never remember your name?

Our client is a well-established commercial painting company based in Cairns, QLD, with a team of 17 and a pipeline of major government, health, and infrastructure projects that will keep them busy well beyond 2032. They are hiring two experienced commercial painters on a full-time permanent basis and they want people who are ready to build a life in Cairns, not just pass through it. The manager and lead painter on the crew are both Kiwis. You will not be starting from scratch.

• Earn 40 to 45 AUD/hr full-time depending on experience, with super on top as per Australian regulations
• Strictly Monday to Friday, 6:30am to 2:30pm, real weekends every single week
• Accommodation assistance provided while you get settled, the company will help find you a proper place to live
• Commercial fitouts, new builds, Queensland Health hospitals, Cairns Airport, and major infrastructure projects, serious work for serious painters
• Massive long-term pipeline including Olympics infrastructure upgrades and the 1 billion AUD Cairns Hospital project, this business is not running out of work anytime soon
• Cairns lifestyle, tropical North Queensland, warm weather year-round, beaches, reef, and a pace of life that is genuinely hard to beat

The Role

You will be working across commercial painting projects in and around Cairns, QLD. The work spans commercial fitouts, new builds, government contracts, healthcare facilities, and major infrastructure projects. The owner runs a tight, experienced crew with long-tenure staff and a manager who knows exactly what it takes to move from NZ and make it work. This is not a fill-in role. It is a long-term position for a painter who wants to put down roots somewhere worth living.

Day to day you will be:

• Carrying out commercial painting and decorating work across fitouts, new builds, and government projects to a high standard
• Working independently on site without needing close supervision
• Applying coatings, finishes, and decorative treatments across a variety of commercial and institutional environments
• Working on Queensland Health hospitals, Cairns Airport, and major infrastructure scopes as project schedules require
• Operating EWPs and working at heights where required, upskilling available if tickets are not yet held
• Maintaining a clean, professional finish and representing the business well on client sites

Standard hours are 6:30am to 2:30pm, Monday to Friday. Eight hours a day, every day, with genuine weekends to yourself.

If you are an experienced commercial painter, qualified painter and decorator, or trade-qualified painting contractor looking for long-term stable work in a region that actually has a future, this is the role.

What We Need

• Trade qualification in Painting and Decorating, strongly preferred
• Genuine commercial painting experience, residential-only or brush hand backgrounds will not be considered
• Current driver’s licence, essential
• White Card or willingness to obtain upon arrival
• EWP licence and Working at Heights certification desirable, the client will upskill the right candidate if needed
• Ability to work independently and deliver quality work without supervision
• Genuinely committed to relocating to Cairns long term, candidates who are testing the waters or planning to move on in a year are not the right fit here

Why This Role

At 40 to 45 AUD/hr Monday to Friday with accommodation assistance on arrival, this is a package built for a commercial painter who wants to earn well, live well, and actually have a life outside of work. The project pipeline is real, the crew is tight, and Cairns is the kind of place people move to and wonder why they waited so long.

For Kiwi painters with commercial experience who are ready to make a proper move rather than just talk about it, the company is ready to put the right person on almost immediately.

How to Apply

If you are ready to earn more and build a proper future in Australia, apply now or get in touch for a confidential chat.

Phone: 0273141927
Email: talent2@standuprecruitment.co.nz

Even if you are just curious, reach out and let’s talk it through.