Anxious about oz!!

[Guest Melbourne-Stef]

Hello there!I am travelling out to Melbourne on Sunday,9th october, at the tiem of writing thats 6 days away!!I am extremely anxious about sorting everything out before i go, and was just wndering could anybody provide me with some links to open special backpackers,or young persons bank accounts with major and accessible banks such as westpac and commonwealth?Also,should i apply for a TFN,tax file number?

I would be extremely grateful for any help an tips in general!

Just incase anybody else is flying out on sunday, my plane leaves heathrow at 9:25, and I'm stayin,travelling and working round australia for a year,so feel free to get in touch!

[Guest afs]

Hi, I too am flying out to Australia on 9th October, but from LA - I got here from Heathrow yesterday.

 

From what I understand about the TFN you have to be in Australia to apply and you need an address where they can send the number. Unless you have a TFN, you have to pay about 48% tax.

 

I am going to stay with family in Melbourne, initially until I get employment sorted out. I am going to apply for a bank account (I'll ask my relatives for advice about which bank is best) but from what I hear Commonwealth, St George and Westpac are all fairly good.

 

I am not doing the backpacking thing but I know there are places in Melbourne and Sydney to help those who are - I recently saw some adverts for some but can't remember the names - but if you do a google search (google.com.au) I'm sure you will find something good.

 

Good Luck!

[jamie]

HI STEF ,your going to have a great time .

for your tax number you just need an address when you go in or you can do it online(sorry cant remember the website its been a while)

As for youth hostels there loads in the centre of melbourne and i visited most of them during my stays in melbourne and they all seemed very good and friendly and VERY well located ,I think the green tortoise was one name i remember as it was clean and quite and of course there is all ways the HI hostels which arer sometimes more expensive but there is a reason for that as they are generaly nicer.