If you’re considering a working holiday in Australia or even an extended backpacking trip, you’re bound to have heaps of things on your mind. Contributing author Lauren Fritsky is based in beautiful Sydney and nails out 15 tips to help make your first experience backpacking in Australia stress-free.
Word: Wreck.
Definition: Me when I landed in Australia on Jan. 25., 2010.
Cathay Pacific Airways deposited me in Kingsford Smith International Airport with no apartment lined up, the bare minimum in savings and two suitcases stuffed with my life. It was hot, I’d lost the address to my hotel and I couldn’t get the SIM card in my prepaid phone to work.
I’m happy to report my state of affairs has improved since then. Still, knowing a few things would’ve helped me acclimate to Aussie life a bit easier.
Here’s how you can basically do a better job than I did traveling, living or backpacking in Australia.
1. Bring extra money
Immigration recommends work and holidaymakers bring AUD$5,000. This isn’t enough. Sydney and Melbourne are some of the most expensive cities in the world. Plus, costs for items like produce have shot up since the floods earlier this year.
2. Sort out your banking
Consider using a fee-free credit card for some purchases. If you can’t be trusted with plastic, transfer as much money as possible to an Australian bank account to avoid fees of $50 or more for each transfer and debit and ATM withdrawal surcharges from both countries.
3. Use hostel memberships
Hostelling International memberships cost $25 a year and shave a few dollars off your hostel stay each night.
4. Wear sunscreen
There’s a reason an Australian wrote the “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” song in the 90s. I got sunburned so bad when I got here, I had a mark on my thigh for almost a month. Did I mention I’m olive-skinned and usually tan?
5. Visit the GP
The out-of-pocket cost for a GP visit is around $60 in Sydney — about $150 less than going to a specialist first. Check out this post for more on travelers’ health insurance in Australia.
6. Call home on the computer
You can call the States and Canada from Australia for free on Google phone through 2011. FREE!
7. Find cheap Internet
I bought a $99 USB modem only to pay $60-plus a month for spotty Internet. I now pay half that for unlimited wireless at my apartment. If you’re hopping about, skip the hostel Internet and head to libraries or McDonald’s to get it for free.
8. Skip the cabs
You can get one-way bus fare for the starting rate of a cab in Sydney. It’s then $2 per kilometer plus a 20-percent surcharge if traveling after 10 p.m. Save your money.
9. Drive
Or have someone drive for you. You can explore the many dirt paths, colorful landscapes and coastal areas a lot better if you’re in a two-passenger car instead of a 25-person tour bus.
10. Talk to locals
Chat with old folks, the people born and raised in Oz, the immigrants who came there for a better life. Their stories and observations will open your eyes.
12. Rock the suburbs
“Suburb” doesn’t mean the same thing in Australia as it does elsewhere. Many Oz suburbs are diverse and alive with a vibrant arts scene and café culture. In fact, you might prefer staying in a suburb over a CBD — rent is heaps cheaper.
13. Embrace “island time”
Emails go unanswered for weeks, buses rock up 30 minutes late with no explanation and service in restaurants is often non-existent. Just repeat “no worries” to yourself.
14. Know how to change your visa
I thought I could get another year out of my work and holiday visa by picking fruit. It turns out Americans aren’t eligible, though Canadians and many European citizens are. While one immigration lawyer said I couldn’t get on my American partner’s work visa, it turns out I could (and did). Make sure you research and talk to the right people if you want to stay longer.
14. Find the less-hyped spots
Myall Lakes, the Central Coast, Royal National Park and Ku-ring-gai Chase are all beautiful places as worth seeing as Great Ocean Road and the Great Barrier Reef.
15. Say things right
Know to say a “flat white with two sugars” when ordering coffee. Call peppers “capsicum,” cheddar cheese “Tasty” and shrimp “prawns.” It’s the Aussie way.
Have you traveled to Australia? Do any of these tips ring true to you? Add your tips for backpacking in Australia to the comments section below.
Backpacking Matt 
$50 bank transfer fees? OMG. Good thing my Charles Schwab card doesn’t charge ATM fees across the world. 🙂
I know, it’s crazy!
Thanks for the great advice on how to enjoy Australia and save a few bucks while doing so!
Totally agree on the “bring more money” tip. I was only in OZ for about a week, but I couldn’t believe how expensive everything was! Luckily, I was staying with family most of the time, and ended up not having to pay for very much. But I would have been in deep trouble if I’d been there on my own!
Also, spot-on with the “embrace island time” tip. This one works well for New Zealand, too. But you should beware that the “no worries” attitude WILL rub off if you’re there long enough, and going home to the fast-paced U.S. can be a real shock! I’m blaming my lack of motivation in grad school on those laid-back Kiwis….
Wow that sounds like a whole lot of fun
We were talking about this last night among a group of American expats. We’re concerned we’ll be ruined if we go back home and into corporate jobs. Aussies and Kiwis definitely work hard, but they seem to take themselves just a tad less seriously, which is refreshing.
There are plenty of Aussies and Kiwis in corporate jobs… and professional positions…
But YES we work hard, and yes we take life and ourselves a tad less serious….
We love tourist… so chat to us… you will learn that we are a tad educated too….and have “corporate jobs too … “
I am 37 years old from Cambodia.I want to be a backpacker for two years. Who can help me ? My phone(855)884311611. Email: chansathkhiev@gmail.com
You skipped #13 … superstitious are we? 😛
@James Whoops! Updated!
You got there a day before me…weird! Good list of tips. I found Aussie to be a really easy place to travel, so though I was nervous upon arrival. It went away within a day. Taxis are ridiculously expensive!! And I got a lot of frowns for saying ‘shrimp’ instead of ‘prawn’! fair enough. Definitely a great tip to get out of the cities. Met so many backpackers who never left Sydney or Melbourne and while those places are great, they don’t show the real Australia! So many other great places to visit that will give visitors an authentic Australian experience!
I went for a year in 1993 (soooooooooo long ago!) I picked fruit, stayed in hostels and bought an old Holden that lasted me the year – would share the driving and petrol costs with fellow hostellers.
Reading this – I wish I’d been there in the 2000’s, the internet era. I loved Myall Lakes National Park and also Nimbin, that very strange town near Byron Bay that resembles something out of a Stephen King novel!
Totally agree with the ‘adopt the laid back attitude’ to life and yes, learn to not take yourself so seriously – it’s very refreshing.
Great article Lauren, brought back so many memories :0)
Good article. Just let you know that there is no #11 and two #14
This sounds crazy..!! Thanks for passing along such wonderful tips for the first visit in Australia.These will help for sure..!!
I would def agree with point one – I went to Sydney and Melbourne in April and it was practically the most expensive holiday I have ever been on. Since the £ is really weak agains the AUS dollar everything was a fortune so $5000 will last you very little time!
We may be making a stop in Perth to visit my cousin and her fiance. Is it more expensive than other parts of Australia, being so isolated? Trying to figure out if it’s going to be worth the expense of getting down there. Thanks! This info is helpful.
Hi Carmel — It looks like Perth has also gotten more expensive in the last year, but not as much as Sydney in Melbourne. One article I looked at noted that transportation and food costs had risen, so that might affect you as a traveler. But it still looks to be a bit cheaper than those other two cities. Enjoy your trip!
The first tip is the key one. I’ve lived in London, Paris, Madrid, Rome and NYC. Sydney is ridiculously expensive…but the food is good. Bring all your money. You’ll need it.
Thanks for the great tips. I will be going over in July. You mentioned you got another year added on by changing your visa. How was that possible for Americans? I would love to stay another year by picking fruit for a few months. Please expand on that. Thanks.
Seems like Australia is not a cheap place to travel, I shall save more money for my next travel trip as I am planning to go Melbourne during their Winter.
I was pleased at how far my funds went for my year in Europe. I felt the pain most during the summer price hikes and in the UK. It came as a shock to find how expensive everything was upon my return home, I would ask friends “Is it just me or did a bottle of Coke just double in price?”. Everyone was nonplussed, I guess I was like the frog being dropped into hot water.
You adapt, earn the Aussie$ again and get back out there. Enjoy Australia.
Everyone seems to say it’s expensive to travel in Australia. It’s probably because their economy is still in good shaped compared to many other places. I lived in Sydney for 2 years and thought the cost of living was relative. Either way applying for a 12 month working holiday could help keep the costs down.
Wish I read that article before I went to Australia. Bring more money, bring more money, bring more money! Great advice!
Hey everyone. Thanks for the great advise. I’m graduating in July and would like to go on a working holiday in Australia. When you say more money, approximately how much is enough and how way or difficult is it to find a casual job (about how long might it take at the most)? I plan on doing any sort of work, fruit picking, house keeping, etc. while I look for my degree related job (mining, chemical, processing engineer). #Advise
I’m planning a 1week fact finding trip in April 2013to hopefully find a family friendly town somewhere in Qld.If anyone has suggestions it would be great. planning on backpacking to keep the costs down. What would be a fair amount per day for food/lodging/car?
I live in Australia. Australians like Americans, and do not always like Europeans. Money is an issue, even if you live here. Visit small towns and stay in the Hotel, not the motel, there is a huge difference in price. A country hotel will have a basic room and a shared bathroom but may be half the price of a motel. Remember, when in Australia outside of the main cities, a hotel is different to a motel. Camping is very cheap and can be free, good climate especially in summer and autumn, in the south or winter in the north. If you buy a vehicle, petrol is expensive and distances are great, drive slowly say at 80 to 90 kmh and you will save heaps. When outside of the cities, trust people. Ask a farmer if you can camp on his farm, he will probably say yes. He may also be able to help you find work. I live in Victoria, but most back packers tend to go to northern Australia. Visit Victoria, it is cheaper and there is less tourist hype. Australians have a unique sense of humour and will make fun of you, do not take offence, it means they like you. Talk to locals, talk to shop keepers, most Australians outside of the main tourist areas rarely meet foreign people and will be keen to talk to you. Do not be afraid to start up conversations when travelling on trains or buses. Have fun!
I’m just about to go to Oz to do a year. This really fits with my travel style and how I’d hoped Oz will be..especially meeting locals. So thanks for sharing the advice
This is so sad… doesn’t anyone go to Canberra? As an Australian who has lived in various parts I can say everyone should visit Canberra at least once. I know it has a bad reputation but since it’s the capital it has heaps of sites that are important to Australian history, and 2013 is the cenenary year (that’s right, it’s only been a city for 100yrs) so there’s heaps going on. Also since we never get any tourists almost everything is free (attraction wise) so that people will want to come here. You can visit the War Memorial, National Galley, Old Parliment House and heaps more all for free! You can get a day pass for the buses for $3.20. Trust me, it’sa great place to visit even just for a fee days… think about it 🙂 Also, island time? Very rarely are buses that late, people always reply to my emails pretty fast and I don’t know what you mean by resturant service is almost non-existant, although I’ve never been to the US so I don’t really know what you’re comparing it too 😛 Oh and another thing in speaking Australian, people say ‘I reckon’ alot in agree meant also ‘sick’ for cool (I don’t know if they use that elsewhere but certainally not in Europe) and ‘you’re right’ which does not mean you are correct, it’s like saying ‘don’t worry about it, whatever you did is forgiven or just doesn’t matter and you (as a person) are alright’ example:
Bump into someone: “Sorry!”
“You’re right”
I think you get the picture 🙂
I’m English and use the word sick! Then again i am a skater so i guess its not quite the general consensus… Great tips currently saving to travel solo so going to come in handy! not sure how i’m going to remember so many though aha
” Daryl Says:
16 February 2013 at 1:53 am
I live in Australia. Australians like Americans, and do not always like Europeans. ”
It’s funny that Daryl should say this because it’s actually the opposite. Aussies (if we’re talking ‘white aussies’) generally embrace Europeans but roll their eyes at the sound of an American accent.
I should know – I’m Australian!
The part where it’s suggested to stay in the suburbs – absolutely. Australia is one country where VERY few people live in the CBD (and those who do are usually tourists). They live on the fringes of it though – Bondi,Paddington, Rose Bay etc. So if you stay in the CBD, you’re more likely to just be mixing with other backpackers (which is still always fun!)
I lived in New York for 3 years so I can see how the restaurant service is slow in comparison to there, but Sydney service is MUCH quicker than say, anywhere in the Mediterranean, and exactly the same as London or Amsterdam. I’ve travelled a lot (spent primary school in Dubai and Kuwait, high school in Sydney, lived in Amsterdam and London as a uni student and New York until recently) so I don’t think my opinion is invalid when it comes to this! Don’t go to restaurants in Bondi (or Bondi area), and you won’t have that issue.
One thing that was brought up by my friend yesterday was that when his Mum first moved to Australia (she is German), she would go for jogs and when people going past would say “how’s it going”/”hi, how are you”, she took it as an invitation to stop and tell them how she was.. her Australian husband had to explain to her that it is just a way of politely acknowledging someone – not an actual invitation to tell them about your day so far!
And while I’m here, I’ll recommend visiting Bundeena. This is a quaint town inside the Royal National Park. You get there by catching a ferry from Cronulla (in Sydney’s South). To get to Cronulla, you catch the train on the Illawarra Line. It truly is a beautiful place (and there’s a nudist beach if anyone’s interested!). Because I moved to the Middle East when I was fairly young (7), I really treasure my early memories of Australia, and weekend trips to Bundeena where we’d go kayaking, look at Aboriginal rock carvings and eat fish and chips at the beach is one of them.
I’ve just noticed that this is tips for Australia – not just Sydney!
My apologies! Everywhere outside Sydney and Melbourne IS incredibly slow with their service – especially in Byron and NSW South Coast!
As a Sydney person, I find it super frustrating when I go to Byron or South Coast. But I suppose they make up for it by being the kind of people who when they say “how’s it going”, they actually have the time to hear your response.
🙂
Great post!!! So much helpful information for backpackers in here. I’m a Sydney Local and hear many backpackers say that you are right about Sydney being expensive however if you have a working visa it’s easy to pay living expenses while working as Australian employers pay pretty decently compared to the rest of the world.
My son is in oz now he found Sydney very expensive and you get very little for your money
Be warned travellers do not use Wicked Travel ,,,ripoff ,,stayed in a place called
Gagaju in the everglades run by hillbillies left after one night and many others also
No showers ,,filthy water and rats everywhere!!nice!!! Going onto Frazier island
Hopefully a little more civilised .
Keep you posted
Thanks for the heads up. Just checked their reviews on TripAdvisor and it seems many have had similar experiences!
There is so much good information here. I’m planning a 2-4 week trip from Sydney to Melbourne and was wondering if you had any more advice. It’s looking like I’ll be traveling alone, since everyone I know can’t take so much time off, and was wondering if there was a particular route that would be best.
Glad you enjoyed Brian. Are you looking for a tour?
Thanks Matt for replying. I’m not to sure what you mean by a tour. Could you explain that a little more?
A tour with a driver/guide in a small bus with other backpackers.
That sounds wonderful if there is one available. Do you know of any good ones available around that area?
So Americans are not eligible for a second year work and holiday visa??? Well that’s disappointing but also good to know. The website makes it seem like if you go pearling or farming or save the animals you can get in. Did you have an agency help you out to get started? I’m a 26 year old Californian dude with a business and I have wokers for me now. Considering to go to Oz for some time and wanted to do the 2 years. Guess that won’t work tho which is ok I suppose. Can you also reapply for work an holiday visa once yours is up an then you leave the country and come back?
Oh. Ok. As it turns out I was looking at the working holiday visa as opposed to the work AND holiday visa. So I was looking at the visa subclass 417 not 462. So Americans can’t do farm work to get the second but can change it. Thanks for sparking my interst Matt. I answered my own question above but thanks to you. I just have to sort it all out
I live in the beautiful Whitsundays Airlie beach, I recommend you come her it’s always packed with backpackers from also over the world and is basically a tourist town. Did I mention it is also heart of the Great Barrier Reef and 74 Islands.
Americans can certainly apply for a second Work and Holiday Visa. I’ve been in Australia 9+ months now, firstly on a visitors visa then a subclass 462 work and holiday. I did struggle for a large portion of my trip landing a job (as I don’t have a college degree) however eventually did find one in Administration at a local boys college in Melbourne. I’m now in the works of applying for a Temp Work Visa versus applying for the second Work and Holiday – Australia is definitely the most expensive place I’ve lived or travelled through, but if you’re able to land a decent job your pay will be sufficient (along with whatever funds you initially brought over). I came from Seattle, WA with the highest minimum wage in the USA and was floored when I received my first pay check here in AUS. Since arriving I’ve only been able to travel through most of NSW, Victoria, and just a brief trip to Queensland but plan to travel up north and out west as soon as I can save up enough and secure a new visa. Australia is a dreamy place to live and I hope to someday gain a citizenship 🙂
Thanks for all the info!! I am planning my adventure in Oz for later this year and have been looking at purchasing a campervan once I’ve landed… I know they require registration but do you need to have insurance and is it costly?? I would ideally like to find a travel buddy to split the costs with but so far I’m traveling solo! Any info would be appreciated!!
As an Australian citizen I know for a fact that there are peppers here but they’re not capsicums! The reason I am telling ya’ll (see we can be cool like ya’ll Americans) this is because I have nothing better to do. I would like to inform you all that Australia has some beautiful things to share. We love our country and hope you do too. xoxo love Australian Rachel. 🙂
Nice tips!
Can workaway/wwoofing help on the expense end? And is mass transit fairly costly? I’m planning a solo trip this Dec-Feb and the cost question is making me slightly nervous! Also, any tips on the poisonous animals? Expecting a lot of time bushwalking and working on farms, etc.
Leaving for melbourne in 4 months. I’ll be packing up my life and heading away. Absolutely terrified but your article gives me a bit more courage!
Me too! Landing in Melbourne at the end of March, glad there are others braving it on their own!
Hi everybody. I’m travelling to Australia in April 2017 by myself and am suuuper excited and nervous. I’ve got a 16 day tour booked with a travel agency but after that I’m on my own for a working holiday. I’d love to meet some new friends & travel with them but I’m scared in case this doesn’t happen. Any tips for a nervous solo traveller?
Also I’m taking $6000 with me, should this be enough? And also what should I be aware of? Eg, scams etc.
So many questions!!
Hello,
Australia is a very safe and friendly place, I personally have been wandering it for over 30 years and for 12 of those, permanently on the road with not one single “worrying moment” I would be very happy to offer tips and suggestions if you could expand a little on how you will be travelling after the tour, where you want to explore etc.
I am going on a backpacker holiday with my best friend in just a few weeks time. This article is of great help for us to get prepared. We were looking for economical and neat accommodation options. We have got some good reviews about backpacker hotel in Melbourne http://homestaymelbourne.net.au/ so we intend to stay there for 2-3 days when we reach Melbourne.
I am travelling to Australia in January. Ill be spending as much time there as possible. Ive been researching a bit about the money situation and I think the easiest thing to do is to open an account with an Australian bank and transfer money. My question is about travelers insurance. Do you have any recommendations on any? I don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for one. But I know Australia needs proof of one if youre travelling with a work visa,
Hey Natalie, I suggest World Nomads!
I am a photographer that has wandered this great country for over 30 years and in that time, have seen and done a lot and tried to portray it in pictures as it actually is if you visit the places in their self proclaimed tourist season. I would very happily answer any questions anyone has in regard to making the the most of our country. I also have written a simple little “hints and tips” that if you are interested, I would supply a copy of simply for the cost of your feed back on the contents.
I notice a lots of comments saying how expensive people found it to travel Australia. It can be yes, especially if you want to stay in the cities and party. If any Kiwi’s or Dutch travellers (or any other nationality who don’t mind outdoors work) want to visit the beautiful Far North Qld, we have an offer of free accommodation in return for 4 hours work per day, 5 days a week. We also provide basic food for breakfast – cereal, milk, eggs, tea, coffee….and $20 – $30 per day payment. Then travellers are free to choose food for their own meals. We require people to preferably have farm or outdoor work background. The jobs we have available at present, are : painting, sealing windows, fencing, weed eating and mowing, sometimes picking fruit in orchards, and pruning, and perhaps some animal care and gardening for the right people. We can fit one or two people. we have a 165 acre property with natural bushland, river frontage (you can swim, very fresh water) and orchards of citrus and mango and lychees. We have walking tracks and riding tracks. WE are one hour from Cairns, and Port Douglas, and Atherton Tablelands. Requirements are definitely NO SMOKING, and NO DRUGS OF ANY SORT.
Cheers travellers, have fun. Kiti
Hello kind souls,
my name is Amaury, i’m a belgian guy who decided to turn my back on every day life and start a backpacking adventure in oz. I will be arriving in March 2017, going completely solo is making me a bit nervous. So basicly I’m here for some info and tips & tricks. Traveling Thailand learned me that being aware of tourist traps will save you a great deal. Are there any (non)-obvious tourist traps in Oz that i need to be aware of? Also looking for a car / van, who will last me 12 months of driving around. Any tips on what company I should contact in Sydney for that? I want “to wing” it, so I’m only planning my first accomodation which will probably be a hostel to meet some kindred spirits.
Hey I’m going to Aussie next month if you wanna meet up maybe share a car ,I’m looking to travel and wing it too. I’ll land in Sydney but may not stay long there . Patrick
Patosha829@gmail.com thanks