Working in Australia

dantboy

dantboy

Active Member
Hey guys as the title suggests this is about working in Australia. Has anybody done it/ researched it? I'm thinking of doing a year over there or maybe even two. I understand you have to complete 3 months regional work to gain your second year visa. Any responses are welcomed :)
 
I used to do regional farm work during my uni break, but I'm an Australian. :D I worked with a ton of backpackers trying to get their 2nd year visas though. You have to do 88 days of farm work. A lot of places will add an extra few days on for you as well. A few years back most places would tick you off for 88 days regardless of how many you actually did, but regulations have tightened. Sticking it out for 88 days is a lot harder than you think. Some of the farming jobs are back-breaking.

For example, in fruit picking you get paid for what you pick. Some days it's 10 hours of back-breaking work in 43 degree weather for less than $100AUD. You'll also need to camp out in a tent at most places for your accommodation. Some places only have a rain tank for water, and just dirty channel water for showering.

The plus side though is that the other travelers you'll be working and camping out with are usually good company.You'll probably make good friends with them and set out to new jobs in other towns together. If you need anymore info/farm locations feel free to ask.
 
Great response thanks. The physical side of the job hopefully won't be a problem as i'm a labourer on a site and i'd say physically fit. As for the heat well i'll have just finished a summer in Ibiza so hopefully be used to heat even though it will be hotter in aus.
As you will know Australia is a big place and choosing where to go is my main problem at the moment. Would you recommend any in particular or best places to work? My aim is to fly to Aus and leave the built up areas pretty sharpish and get straight on to my regional work. Once that's done I will try and find better paid work and travel about as I go. How does that plan sound? Possible or I am well of the mark?
 
It's very possible and that's what most backpackers do. I'll give you some possible locations based on what I've done and heard other backpackers do.

December to Jan= Banana picking in Tully, Queensland. From what I've heard this can be a bit dangerous with all the slashing work involved. The machinery in storage sheds/ coolstores needs to be treated with caution as well, as some backpacker lost his fingers. This location is also home to the most venomous snake in the world, the Inland Taipan!

Early Jan, Feb, March= Pear/fruit picking in Shepparton, Victoria. This is what I did and I think it's pretty decent. Most farmers are of European background, Macedonians, Italians etc and are a good laugh, and they're not crazy rednecks like in other parts of Oz. My advice would be to camp out with the other workers/backpackers, as the only hostel in the town charges quite a bit for accommodation and setting you up with work. Always arrange work for yourself and never use a contractor. Just ask around at the farms. It'll probably be best to get here mid-January. The town is also quite decent for the bush, it's around 30,000 and even has quite a few decent girls. I actually had fun here. Get a membership at this gym called 24/7 fit. It's fairly cheap but the main reason for it is their showers. Well worth the $40 months. There's another gym called anytime fitness where you can get a free week trial. Great showers as well. The McDonalds in the centre has free wifi. Packed with backpackers usually.


March-May= Apple picking in Batlow, NSW. This is where most backpackers move onto. Organic farms as well, which you'll grow to love as they don't use any chemicals. Great cheap accommodation from what I've heard as well. Apple picking is much easier than pear picking and the temperatures should be rather cool/perfect by now.


That should get you done man. If I was you I'd just start in mid-January with the fruit picking. It'll be more than enough for your 88 days. There's quite a distance between Queensland and Victoria, although you could buy a camper van and drive down after you're done with the bananas.

There's also orange picking in Griffith NSW from Sep-April. Much harder than pear picking though, however, the town isn't far from Shepparton. Here's a list of what other fruits/vegetables you can pick, but I'd be careful with a lot of the jobs as they could be shocking jobs in terrible towns with appalling conditions. http://nomadsworld.com/jobs/home/12-general/36-fruit-picking-seasons-in-australia
 
Thanks again!! I'd be flying out mid October is that a good time to be arriving? I'll most probably be flying to Sydney and then moving north to find jobs etc. I would love to do the camper van and move as and when but not sure i'll have enough money to make that happen. As a backpacker in Aus how much money would you budget per day or week? I know its quite expensive when your there. As for looking for jobs I'd probably wait till i get there
 
Yeah that's a perfect time, the weather in spring is perfect. Asking in person for jobs is definitely the only way to go man.


As for the budget, it'll cost around 30AUD per night at a hostel. You should be able to feed yourself for $10AUD a day if you cook at the hostel. Makes friends with pasta and chicken. You can get 1kg of breast fillet chicken for 10AUD, and 500grams of pasta for 2AUD. Stay in central hostels when you're in the city so you don't have to use public transport. When you're ready to move to the rural areas, just team up with other backpackers, as they'll probably know the cheapest ways of getting there. There's some website where you can meet people going to certain cities who are looking for people to take with them so they can split the fuel bill.

As living expenses after you're finished with the backpacking life, I've been told from Australians who have lived in London that Australia is more expensive in every single category apart from rent.
 
I'm just planning an Australian travel trip myself at the moment strangely! I was going to go to Thailand for a month starting just before new year and then onto Australia, over to nz then ending with a holiday in LA and NY. so this info has been really useful!

Have a slightly different plan b too if I'm enjoying aus and don't want to leave and continue the trip. A lot of friends have moved over to Australia to work in recruitment. I spoke to an agency there the other day who said if I got a 12 month visa they would employ me with that and if I passed my probation they would sponsor my 3-4year visa. So that might be an easy way to stay rather than fruit picking :)
 
looks like you landed on your feet there wednesday. are you living in Ibiza at the moment?
I'll only be doing the fruit picking to get my second visa, then try to make as much money as I can after that. Tavel for a bit and then start my second year after that. Will be hard not going back to Ibiza for the summer but i'm sure Aus will be a new challenge :)
Thanks for the new info chojeck, very useful!
 
I did 2011 and 2012. 2013 I did one week over every month then moved there beginning of September and stayed up until two weeks ago. Didn't work at all in 2013 though. Was just one massive (and very expensive!) holiday.

Defo going to be over this summer. Probably may time. Then gonna stay till Christmas time. Not sure of exactly when I'll go yet as earning good money here in uk and want to save up for travelling. It's hard when everyday my friends over there ring and text me to tell me what I'm missing out on though!
 
Yea we've done the same, was my first summer in 2011. Done every year since. Think this will be my last one this year as i'm gonna do Australia after. I'm planning on inter-railing up to Amsterdam from Ibiza after the summer to hit ADE and then fly to Aus after that's finished.
 
maybe, I shouted wednesday to a pr last year thinking it might be you......she looked at me really weird! whats you fb name?
 
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