# Working in Australia for 6 months+ - Advice please



## hanm (Sep 22, 2009)

Hi,

I have searched the forum and other websites but wondering if anyone can give some specific advice please?

My fiance and me are in the early stages of thinking about working in Australia for six months, maybe more. There are a few things we are wondering if anyone can help? Thank you. 

1) Is it easy to camp in Australia? Is it safe? (Bit scared of spiders!!)

2) We would like to work outdoors, preferably at ranches. How easy is it to secure this type of work? Ideally we would like to move about every month to a new location so we can see different areas of Australia. Is this realistically possible in terms of getting work?

3) How much would this type of working trip cost in total? How much money would we need to take with us for spending, other than what we would earn from working? I have thought about flights from the UK, internal flights, travel insurance and there are prob. other things I haven't thought of, but not really sure how much all this would cost.

Thank you in advance for any advice.


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Welcome to the forum hanm and seeing as you mention fares from the UK, if that is where you come from you may want to first look at a Working Holiday Visa - Department of Immigration & Citizenship and under Visas/visitors for you can not turn up on a tourist visa and legally work other than in an exchange type program like WWOOF Australia or Help Exchange work for accommodation and food in Australia New Zealand Canada Europe not wwoof , those two sites being good to as far as showing what some rural work opportunities could be.

We refer to ranches [the US terminology] here as farms or cattle stations in outback Queensland, NT and WA.

If you are getting a WHV, then it is good for 12 months and doing three months work of a specvific nature as listed in the immi site can have you eligible for a further 12 months.

Moving about with rural work is feasible whilst the work is available and Harvest Trail - Harvest jobs - Australian JobSearch will give you a guide on where and when work is and you could look at all types of seasonal work, even the pearling industry in Broome from April/May to September.

Camping is popular in Australia because of the great weather and contact with spiders/snakes and other bities is very seldom if people just use a bit of commonsense, eg. don't go putting your hands into hollow logs, under rocks and wearing suitable footwear/clothes in long grass etc.

Depending on what type of visa you enter on and for how long will determine just how much money immigration would expect someone to have, and for the WHV they say $5000 plus sufficient for an airfare out or the ticket, but funds can include a credit card with suitable limit/balance.

As to how much a trip can cost, starting with airfares here, have a look at Welcome to AirAsia.com, The World's Best Low-Cost Airline ex Stansted via KL for cheapies and airfares in Australia can be pretty cheap at times, Welcome To Tiger Airways and then there's always Rental Relocations Australia New Zealand United States Canada - Hire Now at StandByCars for getting from A to B
If you intend on camping, there are free options or relatively cheap options in National Parks or State Forests and all up, I'd reckon a camping basic budget of $150-200/w ought to be reasonably achievable and of course drinking can add to that but 4L wine casks at $10-15 can keep that cheap too.

Australia and UK have a reciprocal health care agreement so you could get away without travel insurance if you wanted to.

Have a look at a few other travel threads and you'll get a few more ideas and info.


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## hanm (Sep 22, 2009)

Thanks very much for your reply. Very useful advice and links - I will check out other posts too. Thanks again.


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## takenotice (Oct 12, 2009)

Hi Hanm

Travelling, living and working somewhere different is a great opportunity. I have done this in America for 3 months. We stayed in many locations, just did a bit of casual work here and there and had a ball. Would love to go back soon!

We did some house sitting there (which is how we got into it) and it was a fabulous way to see the place, meet the locals and really get to know people. I loved it.

Why not try it in Australia? That way you will go around to many places, meet neighbours etc who will give you 'inside information' on what to see locally and you never know, they may have heard of a job going!

Just a thought. Good luck.


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## goliner (Oct 15, 2009)

Very useful info....thanks alot.


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