Gumtree AU Job Market Monitor

Gumtree AU Job Monitor

A monitoring-first Actor for Gumtree Australia job listings.

This Actor is designed to provide reliable visibility into Gumtree AU job categories by reporting the last known update date, job availability, and sample job details when accessible, without attempting aggressive scraping or bypassing Gumtree protections.

🔍 What This Actor Does

Monitors a single Gumtree AU job category per run

Always returns an output (never empty)

Always displays a last known update date (with date)

Clearly reports whether Gumtree is accessible or temporarily blocked

Shows job count and sample job details when access is available

Persists state across runs using Apify KV Store

This is a monitor, not an unrestricted scraper.

📥 Input Required

Gumtree Search URL A single job category page.

Example: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-construction-jobs/k0c3102

Optional

baseline_date Initial date shown as the “last known update” before any successful access.

Format: YYYY-MM-DD Example: 2025-12-12

The baseline date remains visible until the page becomes accessible and a real update is detected.

📤 Output

The Actor always returns one monitoring record.

Example — Accessible { "state": "accessible", "last_known_update": "2025-12-20", "job_count": 124, "sample_jobs": [ { "job_title": "Carpenter", "company": "ABC Constructions", "location": "Sydney NSW" } ], "checked_at": "2025-12-20T02:10:00Z" }

Example — Blocked { "state": "blocked", "last_known_update": "2025-12-12", "job_count": null, "sample_jobs": [], "checked_at": "2025-12-13T02:26:17Z", "note": "Last known data shown. Site temporarily blocked." }

🧠 How to Read the Output

state

accessible → Gumtree allowed access; live data shown

blocked → Temporary restriction (403); last known data preserved

last_known_update

Always present

Shows how fresh or stale the data is

Remains visible even when Gumtree is blocked

job_count

Available only when the page is accessible

null when blocked

sample_jobs

A small sample (up to 3 jobs)

Includes job title, company name, and location (when available)

Empty when blocked

⏱️ Scheduling (Recommended)

Start with every 6–12 hours for stability

Running every 60 minutes is possible, but expect more blocked results (normal for Gumtree AU)

The monitor automatically updates job count, sample jobs, and update date when access becomes available again

Recommended default:

Every 6 hours (UTC)

⚠️ Access & Limitations

Gumtree AU uses IP-based and behavior-based rate limits

Temporary blocking (403) is expected on frequent runs

This Actor does not guarantee continuous access

No CAPTCHA bypass or aggressive scraping is attempted

This design prioritizes honesty, reliability, and long-term stability.

✅ Design Principles

Monitoring-first (not scraping-first)

Honest reporting (no fake “accessible” states)

Always returns meaningful output

Enterprise-style “last known state” logic

🎯 Use Cases

Job market monitoring

Change detection & alerts

Business visibility dashboards

Category-level job tracking for AU markets

📌 Disclaimer

This Actor reports the last known state based on real access conditions. When Gumtree restricts access, the Actor preserves the most recent known data rather than fabricating results

Status: Production-ready • Scheduled • Honest monitoring locked 🔒