Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Hi Billy,

I dropped everything to travel around the world. Left my job as a manager of a v.lg hotel, sold my house and said goodbye to everyone with only £1000 in my pocket!

Scared was not the word! I went through South East Asia for nearly 4 months (which was amazing and recommend it to anyone). I entered Oz in Darwin in November with 63p to my name and could not find work. It's the hottest time of year there and everyone leaves for the season! So I started travelling around. Made loads of friends. Stayed in some amazing places and got work in 2 of the smallest places in Oz! I did waitressing in Nambucca Heads and then got myself a job in the bar on the Whitsunday Island, South Molle and it was here that I met my future husband!! Have made friends for life from the island and I cant think of a better place to live than on an island on the Great Barrier Reef and having it as your back yard! We get married there next year!

The best advise I could give you is to go with the flow. Take each day as it comes and DO NOT make plans. They will change all the time and they are too restrictive. Have fun and be happy and your mates are wrong!!!

Good Luck to you!!!

Liz.

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

I think the best thing you can do is come over here with a couple of 'must see's' and then just let the rest sort itself out. You'll meet lots of people and it pays to be flexible as possible to get the most out of your WHV. I do know of two cases where people have been offered sponsorship on the back of their job here during the year, so it can happen. There are also a couple of companies that organise jobs with the view for sponsorship. I cant remember their names I'm afraid, but I'm sure a search on google or something and you'd find them.

I funded a ski trip to NZ and a dive course from Airlie Beach with my earnings, so you do earn enough for the fun extras too :)

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Plenty of jobs available but the type depends on where you are. In Sydney I mainly temped and did OK. Some people do get sponsored whilst here but I doubt a PR application would get processed before your WHV would run out. For accomodation I started in a hostel, moved out with friends into a share hovel, met a lady and then moved in with her.

Life was comfortable but not extravagant. You cannot plan too much with a WHV and it is not always a great career forwarder although myself and a friend got invaluable work experience that skilled me for my position in the UK.

I did the fruit picking thing in Batlow NSW which was a laugh but it was a bad season and the farmer dropped the piece rates too low. I found Melbourne a lot tougher than Sydney to get temp work.

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

I stopped by on South Molle the other week and walked up one of the hills. Beautiful place and much less in your face than Hamilton and some of the other resorts in the area.

Anyway you were all rich bastards, I arrived with a 700 pound overdraft from travelling through SE Asia.:)

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Liz,

thx!
when u were hired as a waitress / bar tender, did it require to have
any working experiece b4 or even a license? I didn't work in these
field b4. Will they consider ppl with no experience at all?

As u mentioned, i think flexibility is really important and we
shouldn't put too much restriction on ourselves. However, i still set
a few objective / "must experience" for myself....that's a guideline
actually. Also, i tried to really more and more about Aust....that's
not necessary helpful to me in the WHV, just to play safe. U know,
reading more information should be useful most of the times.

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Liz,

thx!
when u were hired as a waitress / bar tender, did it require to have
any working experiece b4 or even a license? I didn't work in these
field b4. Will they consider ppl with no experience at all?

As u mentioned, i think flexibility is really important and we
shouldn't put too much restriction on ourselves. However, i still set
a few objective / "must experience" for myself....that's a guideline
actually. Also, i tried to really more and more about Aust....that's
not necessary helpful to me in the WHV, just to play safe. U know,
reading more information should be useful most of the times.

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

mlbonner,

yep~ flexibility~

btw, which city(ies) did u stay in Oz? which of them is your favourite?

Billy

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

I mainly stayed in Brisbane, as this is where my other half lives. I spent time in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin and Cairns as well. I liked Sydney and Melbourne to visit for the faster pace, better shops, more facilities etc, but for actual long-term liveability (for me) Brisbane is about as good as it gets.

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

bondipom,

i didn't make up my mind. Sydney seems easier to get a job, while i
had friends in Melbourne.

For the fruit picking was a "laugh"...u mean sth. bad come with the
low wage?

Billy

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Fruit picking was fun living on a campsite, lobbing nectarines at each other etc. I met some good people there but there were also some weirdos. When the piece rates were good and the work there I was bringing in money. The work was hard but when the work dried up it got a bit depressing. I am sure if I had more time I would have got work in Melbourne. Sydney keeps on luring me back.

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Billy,

I had several years experience in the catering industry b4 Oz, but its easy to get into to. Whilst working on the islands iI didnt need any Oz certificates as its off shore and they have different rules.

Speaking to other backpackers though, if you start in Sydney, thats where the majority of your time will be spent. Most people cant get away once they have started there! Dont woory too much though. Just remember common sense is your biggest asset.

Liz

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Hi Billy,

Suggest you to stay in a hostel for the first week and check out the
place before you commit anything (e.g. pay bond). If you do not plan
to stay in a city(e.g. Sydney, Melbourne ... ) and your major purpose
is to explore every places and travel, you may think hostel a better
choice - length of your stay is more flexible.

If you are planning to travel around, bringing notebook can be a
burden. But if you plan to station in a place (like me), then it
shouldn't be a problem. Broadband in Oz is not common and expensive. I
used to buy dial-up internet value card (you can get it from news
agency or a computer shop). When you use dial-up, you have to pay
local call as well and will hold up the phone line. So, better discuss
that with your flatmates before you use to prevent argue...

kathy


[email protected] (Billy) wrote in message news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > Hi Kathy,
    >
    > yep, you are right, i checked it out at flatmates.com.au and there is
    > room for couple.
    > For some of the flats, the flatmates said my gf and i could share the
    > same room together. Say, if it is $100 per week, what i have to pay
    > is $100 for 2 person and + bills ( of coz, this is calculated in a
    > per person basis).
    >
    > BTW, did you bring along a computer /notebook computer? Do you
    > suggest so? Is there any internet connection if i share a flat with
    > others in usual?
    >
    > Billy

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Kathy,

i plan to station in a city....although i am not sure if it is Sydney
or Melbourne.

For the dialup calling card, do u remember the approx. rate? Any
website i can check the price?

Actually, if it is easy to find cyber-cafe (Starbucks?) in the
downtown, i may consider to get into internet over there directly.

Billy

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

In article <[email protected] >, Billy
wrote:
    > i plan to station in a city....although i am not sure if it is
    > Sydney or Melbourne.
    >
    > For the dialup calling card, do u remember the approx. rate? Any
    > website i can check the price?
    >
    > Actually, if it is easy to find cyber-cafe (Starbucks?) in the
    > downtown, i may consider to get into internet over there directly.

Melbourne has plenty of internet cafes and of course they are using
broadband or better.

--
Tony Bryer UK

Re: Working Holiday in Aust
 

Kathy,

did u apply for an International Driver's License in HK?


Billy