Anyone taken a long break or working holiday in Australia?

[Gamefreak501]

Hi everyone,

I've found myself at a cross roads in life once again.

My job isn't really going anywhere, my girlfriend suddenly split up with me last Friday, which hit me hard after 18 months (there was a 7 year age gap, that was probably part of it) and I'm thinking it's time I got my independence (I still live with my parents) and lived my life a little.

I've saved up some money which was originally ear marked for my first house/flat in the UK. But since I'm only 29 I feel like there is much more in the world to offer and I have always wanted to see Australia; more than America, Europe, Africa, Asia or India.

My initial plan is to spend 1 month there and start looking for work 1 week in and to come back to the UK if I don't find a job within that month.

I've applied to some jobs and I'm waiting for my Work Visa stuff to get sorted but if I do have to come back to the UK, I will hopefully have a better idea of what I want to really do as I've been in technical support roles for the last 8+ years.

A step like this does take some planning though.

Has anyone done anything similar to this?

What advice would anyone give?

All help greatly appreciated.

 

[platypus]

A guy at work spent two years ranching in Australia. Said it's the best thing he ever did.

If I had the opportunity to do this, I would for certain.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I went for almost 2 months 5 years ago, it was pretty awesome.

 

[Jimbeam3678]

I did it back 2009 similar age to yourself, just book the flight get the visa and enjoy it. You'll find work easy enough as long as you prepare a half decent CV.

I spent 18 months there and spent another 6 month travelling Asia. Came back with more money than I went with.

You won't regret it for a second, follow the sunshine thats what I did. Eventually you'll find a place to use as a base.

 

[Prophet]

If you go make sure you're all signed up and working in Australia before you hit 30 or all bets are off.

I wanted to go last year but at 37 I was **** out of luck

 

[Saviola]

I did when I was 18. Spent 18 months Aus/NZ and 6 in Asia. I have been back 3 times now for 4-5 week breaks (a little bit of Asia thrown in).

I have always found travelling to be enlightening and helpful when I have had to make life decision. Some will say you are running away and wasting your deposit. Ignore them and consider it as searching for where you want to be.

You will need to put yourself out there and make a few uncomfortable decisions, at 18 it was easy you may find it harder at 29. If you go out there and just live your life as you would in the UK I don't think you will get much out of it.

I am actually emigrating in January to Australia (189 Visa) I liked it that much.

 

[Windle]

Do it whilst you can, you don't have ties which stop people doing it later in life (Mortgage, house, wife, kids). Life is an adventure, live it

 

[Ahleckz]

There are no negatives in your case. Get it done. Though book a flight to Bangkok and see a bit of South East Asia first. You can get a flight from kuala Lumpur to Australia for around 200 quid.

 

[Gamefreak501]

Thanks for all your helpful comments

I have done some planning. Not completely but most of it. It's likely I'll be doing the East Coast from Cairns down to Melbourne. Spending 6 days going round each of the major cities - Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, whilst spending time doing activities and seeing what the surrounding areas have to offer.

I've gone for 6 days to allow 1 day for each bus journey with Greyhound down to each city.

Total should be 1 month in East Australia and 1 week around the Far East.

I plan to fly out in November. I have my work visa sorted so if I find a job, I can spend a few months in Australia and settle somewhere.

I tried to get some unpaid leave, but with one person leaving and another going through disciplinary, it is more than likely I will have to leave my present job. But I've wanted to for quite some time anyway.

Plan is to either come back to UK after the 1+ months or maybe see a bit more of the Far East if I secure work. The visa limits me to 4 months in a job, so I get the opportunity to go elsewhere after those 4 months.

Thats the initial plan. I'm making final tweaks to accommodation (staying in Hostels) and my itinerary before I pay for my RTW ticket and accomodation.

Anything I should consider, or anywhere I should consider? I've heard it's going to be very hot around the red centre and Cairns from November so I won't be going to the red centre.

 

[Freefaller]

Now is the opportune moment to do some life experience stuff. I didn't regret any of that sort of thing and whilst I did end up a little bit of a struggle for money after a little bit of excess, it was well worth it.

 

[timebomb26]

Go here:

http://www.bundabergregion.org/destinations/natural-encounters/turtles/

You'll be fairly early in the laying season, but should be able to see some females coming ashore to lay eggs.

I went in February and was lucky enough to see two clutches hatching and a mother come ashore to lay.


The babies were taken away to be measured/weighed etc and then they came back and allowed us to release them in to the sea. They all ran down to the beach over my feat. We also got to dig up the new nest and move them further away from the sea as the original site was in danger of being washed away at high tide.

Spent about 4 hours there in total and it is easily the best $10 I've ever spent. Be organised though and sort out transport prior to the evening as there are no public buses or anything there and taxis are mega expensive.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Greyhound seemed fairly rubbish, didn't cost much more to just rent rent a car.

 

[Bickaxe]

You might want to allow longer for travel between cities, as well as very comfortable cushion..

I went 14 years ago for 4 months over the Millennium. Had a fantastic time because I had saved enough not to worry about working. Hostels, beer and partying every night as well as seeing some amazing sights. Had to give Sydney 2 months as there was so much to do (including a very accommodating girl from Canada).

You won't regret it and November is perfect as its the summer. Do everything, be a yes man as you may not get another chance.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

I did similarly about 5 years ago, when I had a gap year. Don't stay in Bundaberg for any longer than you need to; I've never been to such a dead end place before, it's horrible.

Also, Brisbane for six days...it's not a wonderfully exciting place. I think Australia Zoo is nearby, which is good to go to, and the XXXX brewery, but apart from that it seemed just to be a coach station

 

[[TW]Fox]

6 days is way too much for Brisbane, its very compact. 1 day tops.

 

[Gamefreak501]

Thanks for all your replies,

I think I'm going to go to Bundaburg for the turtles now that I've been pointed out to that web site by timebomb26 - thanks for that.

I'm going to probably spend 6-10 days in Cairns and hire a car, drive over to Brisbane and Bunderburg for the day then drop the car off before heading over to Sydney by public transport (I've heard there are tolls everywhere around Sydney) and spend 6-7 days there before hiring a Car on the way out of Sydney towards Melbourne where I'll spend another week.

A whole month of car hire comes to around £800 which is quite expensive, but I'm wondering if it's cheaper to hire one for only parts of my trip?

All help greatly appreciated.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

Sounds like a good plan to me, man. You can hire those campervans that you'll see EVERYWHERE in Australia, but I can't remember what they're called...each one is graffitied differently.

 

[cm1179]

i took over 7 weeks off and did a similar trip jan-feb this year

greyhound gets a thumbs up from me

i did cairns>mission>airlie/whitsundays>>rainbow/fraiser>noosa>byron>sydney<surfers

if i did it again, i'd have spent a couple of days less in cairns and sydney and longer in noosa and byron. whitsundays is a must imo.

 

[OhEsEcks]

My brother went out on a working visa several years ago. He's still out there. Sent me pictures a while back of his new gaff in Melbourne CBD. Pretty jelly.

 

[Gamefreak501]

Holy bump!

I've decided to move on with this idea.

My last official day at work is 5 days before I fly to Perth, however I am on paid holiday that week. I'm looking forwards to it and a little nervous. Can't wait to have a real break away!

Plan is to go down the East coast after stopping by Darwin first and then working my way down Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

I've decided to use the Premier Bus service for this however as it's cheaper than Greyhound is and may hire a car if I need to.