All you need to know before you go.
This information is specifically written for people who are setting off to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa. Although it might be useful to those who are going for long holidays too.
Get your best pen and notebook out and make it your planning book. Try a A5 size incase you want to take it with you, A4 can be tricky to fit into your backpack.
Before I go into detail about what you need before you leave, you must know that to be allowed into Australia, it is a strict requirement that you have sufficient funds in order to support yourself whilst you're there. After extensive research into this, it is known that $5000 is the minimum you can have. 5000 Australian dollars is the equivalent to about £2700 (this changes with the exchange rate) therefore, if you save £2700 GBP spending money, you're good to go.
Although $5000 (£2700) is the required amount, remember you will need at least £1000 to spend on things BEFORE you leave (flights, visa, insurance, etc)
Right, now that the money situation has been covered and assuming your passport is sorted, heres what you need before you leave:
1. VISA
After getting a bit of money behind you, its time to apply for your visa. There are different types of visas so make sure you read about it before applying. Mine was a standard one (subclass 417) and cost £224. I suggest applying directly through the immi.gov.au website (just type that into google).
2. FLIGHT
Try STAtravel's website for flights, they have competitive prices.
Decide where and when you want to go. Remember that Australia's so big, the weather is different in each part. You might find this page on the government website useful http://www.bom.gov.au/calendar/annual/climate.shtml
3. HOSTEL
Now that you know where you're flying to, research the hostels. If you're traveling solo and want to make friends, this is the best way to meet people. Im flying to Cairns and staying in Gilligans, just because its a party hostel and the reviews are amazing. Check trip advisor for reviews on hostels, its brutally honest.
4. INSURANCE
This is so important. The last thing you want is to be hit with a medical bill because you got injured whilst working, or got stung by a jellyfish. Outbacker insurance is pretty good, I. got for the gold option, its only a few pounds more and has no excess. £170 ish.
If you shop around, look for the insurance that will insure you to do all of the things you want to do, including work.
5. BANK ACCOUNT
You will need an Australian bank account to secure a job, employers will pay your wages directly into your account so sort your bank about 1 or 2 months before leaving. The top banks are West pac, ANZ and Common Wealth. Read up about them and choose the one that best suits you. I've gone with ANZ access account.
- Check out my post "transferring funds to your Australian bank" for more info
6. BACKPACK/SUITCASE
Choose the best option for you. If you're planning on moving from one place to another, a backpack might be easier. If you decide on a backpack, check out "pacsafe", its a super cool wire mesh to wrap around your backpack to avoid theft. They're quite expensive but cheaper than losing all of your belongings.
These essential buys came up to about £1000 for me. It depends how much you spend on your flight and hostel, I chose the cheapest options. Try to get a good backpack/suitcase, "you buy cheap, you buy twice" comes to mind.
Other things you need to think about before leaving are:
Clothes, flip flops, working shoes, camera, underwater camera, updating your CV, sorting your references, unlocking your phone/buying a phone.
Things to do once you're there
1. Buy a simcard for your phone, I've heard that Telstra is the best with signal.
2. Sort your taxfile number, ask for assistance in the hostel, the staff will let you know where to go.
3. Go to your chosen bank with ID and relevant paperwork to activate it fully, you have 6 weeks to do this with ANZ, but I'd do it as soon as you've sorted your phone and taxfile number.
I hope this post was helpful. If you would like me to post about a specific topic please comment below.
Sophie xXx
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