Australian Vacations; Top 10 Things to Pack For a Working Holiday

A working holiday in Australia is every young adult's dream vacation, so learning exactly how to plan for a year long trip is vitally important.

Pack Your Passport First
Australian's own airline, Qantas provides an easy to navigate website with plenty of inexpensive fares available. Cheap fares are updated frequently, so register for email updates and be kept informed. Meanwhile, apply for your passport at your local Post Office. Make copies of all documents, if you lose anything someone can fax copies to you.

Get The Right Visa
A quick visit to the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship online will provide details of the visa you need. If you reside in the USA, Chile, Thailand or Turkey, you will need visa (subclass 462). Having been granted a visa, you have permission to work in Australia for 12 months. You must be 18-30 years old, and the cost of the visa is is $AUD195.

Pack Your Flip Flops
T-Shirts, Shorts, and two pairs of jeans will do. Most people wear flip flops all summer long, so leave your shoe fetish at home. If you need extra clothing, shop while you are there.

Take A Hat And Sunscreen
Do not forget your hat and sunscreen when visiting Australia. Familiarize yourself with the Australian climate before you make your travel arrangements. Australia's more tropical zones are prone to cyclonic weather at certain times of the year so destinations in this area are not always recommended.

Take Proof of Work Status To Job Interviews.
If you begin work in the southern state of Victoria, you can travel north by train and road coach from Melbourne to places like Swan Hill or Mildura. You will have plenty of working picking grapes, peaches, and tomatoes. This will keep you busy between September and late March. When April arrives, head north to follow the seasonal opportunities. For all job inquiries, make sure you take your visa or work permission card. The immigration department has been known to raid these fields, and if you are caught without your ID and work permission inforation, you will likely be detained until you can present it.

Take Your Driver's License.
If you choose to drive a vehicle in Australia, we recommend you drive on the left hand side of the road along with the rest of the population. The speed limit in most places is 100kmh (60mph). If you are driving through desert country, call ahead and inform your hotel manager of your ETA. If you do not arrive at this prescribed time someone will set out to locate you.

Pack Your Sense Of Humor
Even though Australia is an English speaking country, there are certain words or expressions you may use which will result in getting lost or ignored. For example, Australians do not use the word "fanny" when referring to their rear end. Therefore, your "fanny pack" is now your "bum bag." Most people will find these things humorous, so just relax and enjoy being the center of attention.

Pack Your Pepto!
The Australian diet is very similar to that in the United States or England. You will be tempted to try seemingly weird things you have never eaten before though, so carry some antacid when you go out to eat. If all else fails, head for McDonalds. Aussies affectionately call it Maccas; everyone loves a Big Mac!

Take An Extra Bag
You may have budgeted extra to allow for tipping, but staff are paid a minimum wage and tipping is not necessary. Put a smaller bag in your suitcase and use the extra money you had set aside to buy souvenirs.

Pack A Different Cell Phone
Your cell phone may not work in Australia. Buy one from Motorola for under $50 which works in every country. If you are wondering about electrical equipment; Australia has a different supply than most other countries so buy a hair dryer after you arrive.

*Accomodation Tip
Whenever you arrive in a new town, head for the local Pub and ask where the best deals on accomodation are. This person knows everything that goes on around the town, and may also have a cheap, clean room available.