23 year old male thinking of grabbing a WHV for Australia early next year!

[Guest James1988]

Hey all,

 

Just thought I'd drop a quick post to say hello!

 

As the title mentions I'm looking to grab a working holiday visa next year and give Australia a try! I've been thinking of doing some fruit picking or something similar for the first 3 months so if I choose to I could grab a second year there and was wondering if anybody else has done the same, if they enjoyed it, how they went about it and so on and so fourth

 

Hopefully this forum will be a great help preparing me for the future!

 

James

[LauraF]

Hi James,

 

Yes I've been over to Aus on a WHV before, although it was really to stay with my boyfriend so I already had a place to stay.

 

The process of applying was really easy, it got approved online in a number of minutes without anything actually being checked as far as I know. I found a job pretty quickly too as Australia has the lowest rate of unemployment in the world! so it's a pretty good place to find work right now.

 

If you can afford to support yourself in case you don't find a job right away, and can find a place to stay then I completely recommend doing it, a brilliant experience.

[ARow]

Hola!

 

Do it, mate. You won't regret it for a second. I'm 23, myself, and I came Down Under on a WHV in early 2011. I flew into Brisbane solo and CouchSurfed (highly recommend that if you're comfortable with it) my way north before heading into the Outback. I then found work for two months on a cattle station (amazing experience) doing general maintenance and living the ranch life before continuing on with replenished funds. I ended up in Darwin where I worked mango picking for the last month, allowing for my second WHV. If we're being honest, I hated it, but it is a good way to do the time.

 

The WHV experience has been the best of my life and without a doubt, you'll enjoy it. I fell in love with the country so hard that I'm currently in the process of attempting to get permanent residency.

 

It's a fantastic place and a once in a lifetime experience.

[Guest]

Hello and welcome. For sure give it a go. The visa is really simply to apply for, it usually is approved in a week or so.

 

Make sure you do genuinely have sufficient funds to support yourself (it has happened people have run out of money and didn't have enough for a ticket home either). The idea behind a WHV is that you take on temp work to help fund your holiday. So having funds is important. I'd also say get a return ticket as it often isn't much more than a one way and make it an open return. Or buy a one way but have funds somewhere you can access to buy a ticket back to the UK when the time comes.

 

Have a browse of this section (I moved this thread here), the Backpacking and WHV forum as it has plenty of links on backpacking regional work and other things.

[Guest James1988]

Thanks for the comments (and moving this to the right place) I'll take a look and see whats what around the forum!

[Guest Lucky22]

hey arow, im heading to Brisbane in September with my partner. After two weeks relaxing in brissy, where going to set of up the east coast towards cairns and hopefully find farm work there to gain are second year!

 

on are travels we want to try see as much as we can, stopping at Frazer island and airlie beach on are way up cairns.

 

can you recommend any cheap/nice places to stay ? or even places we should visit ?

 

really hoping theres some work up the coast to gain second year!

 

also did you get paid for working on the cattle farm?

[Guest Lucky22]

hey arow, im heading to Brisbane in September with my partner. After two weeks relaxing in brissy, where going to set of up the east coast towards cairns and hopefully find farm work there to gain are second year!

 

on are travels we want to try see as much as we can, stopping at Frazer island and airlie beach on are way up cairns.

 

can you recommend any cheap/nice places to stay ? or even places we should visit ??

 

really hoping theres some work up the coast to gain second year!

 

also did you get paid for working on the cattle farm?

[ARow]

Hey Lucky,

 

I had a similar ideal for when I came Down Under, starting in Brisbane and heading north. I didn't make it all the way to Cairns though, I turned inland at Rockhampton. I spent 4 days in Brisbane and then the bulk of my time up the Sunshine Coast. Loved it - make sure you get some surfing in. Fraser Island is brilliant as well.

 

It was just me, so I stayed in hostels as well as CouchSurfing. In Brisbane I stayed at Bunk Backpackers and it was a lively atmosphere.

 

I did get paid a weekly wage for my farm work in the Longreach area. Accommodation was provided and we ate meals together. There are a variety of jobs available, like cook or cleaning, but I worked general maintenance. Another popular option is to work in an Outback bar or hotel. Just search online for 'Queensland farm work' (I typically use Gumtree since a lot on that site is geared toward travellers).

 

I found it pretty easy to find work for my WHV, and I found the people of Queensland super friendly and willing to help.

 

Best of luck! If you have any other questions, I'm an open book.