Highlights of Australia: Top 3 travel destinations

For many people, travelling to Australia is the ultimate holiday dream. Images of sun kissed golden beaches and shimmering turquoise waters sit alongside those of dusty outback pubs and laid back locals. Top this off with one of the world’s most beautiful and instantly recognisable cities and it is easy to see why touring Australia remains so perennially popular. Travel in Australia is relatively cheap and efficient, but there is no getting away from the fact that this is a huge country, so it is inevitable that any visitor will have some difficult choices to make. Unless you have unlimited time available for your trip, you won’t be able to see and do everything. Each of the following suggestions is a spectacular destination in its own right. Build your itinerary around them and your Aussie adventure will be one holiday you never forget.

Sydney

When you are planning where to go and what to do in Australia, the first inclusion on any itinerary should be Sydney. Few cities anywhere in the world boast as glorious a setting as Sydney Harbour. The majestic Sydney Harbour Bridge and the iconic Sydney Opera House add a sense of glitz and glamour to this stunning natural inlet and the result is so beautiful that it will almost certainly lead to love at first sight. Beyond the harbour you will find a vibrant city with a buzzing nightlife and a thriving Arts scene, not to mention numerous stretches of gorgeous golden sand including the world famous Bondi Beach.

Uluru

For a complete change of scene, head inland to central Australia, where you will find Uluru. Also known as Ayers Rock, this enormous sandstone monolith is one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. Seeing the colours of the rock change, through shades of orange, brown and deep red, as the sun sets over Uluru is a magical experience. So too is dining under a night sky filled with thousands upon thousands of stars that shine in a dazzling display unhindered by the lights of the city.

Whitsundays

If luxury and relaxation is what you crave, one of the most decadent things to do in Australia is to take a yacht or motorboat around the Whitsunday Islands. Even if you can’t afford a boat of your own, there are plenty of opportunities to join group tours and take day trips amongst these stunning tropical islands. Situated in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, the 74 islands that make up the Whitsundays are the perfect place for a relaxing cruise or to take a spectacular snorkelling or diving trip. Warm waters teeming with life and beaches of pristine white sand make the Whitsunday Islands a classic tropical island paradise.

There are plenty more options for holidays in Australia, and you will have little trouble finding the right balance for your visit. But by making these three elements – Sydney, Reef and Rock – central to you plans, you are virtually assured of a spectacular trip. The only decision left will be whether to discover somewhere new on your next adventure down under or to give into temptation and do the same thing all over again.

Find Backpacker Jobs in Australia

Visit almost any hostel in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns or Perth and you’re likely find a number of lethargic backpackers sitting around with a box of cask wine and a takeaway pizza, complaining that there just aren’t any decent jobs for backpackers left in town. Many take this advice as a given, and after a half hearted look through the job section of the local paper, give in and head up the coast to face the desperate nightmare of fruit picking.

Unless you want to work incredibly hard for very little pay, give fruit picking a miss, or at least first try these five tips to finding backpacker jobs in Australia while on your working holiday.

Visit Every Bar, Café, And Restaurant in Town

If you want to find a backpacker job in Australia, it’s no good dropping off your CV to whoever is at the bar. Systematically visit every bar, restaurant, or café in the city and ask to speak to the manager. Put on some nice clothes and your best smile, and ask for a job. Appearance and personality are more impressive than any CV. You may have to visit quite a few before it pays off, but eventually it will. People are always flying into a rage and walking out of hospitality jobs, and with any luck you’ll walk in right afterwards.

Check Hostel Notice Boards

This may seem like an obvious one, but nothing restricts you to only checking the notice board in the hostels in which you’re staying. Look around the city, visit a few hostels and make notes of the ads on their boards. Lot’s of backpackers in Australia find jobs in this way, many of which are flexible, tax free, and cash in hand. Bus stations also have notice boards in some towns and are worth a look.

Look Out For Events

With great weather all year round, there’s always some event or other at which to find work such as music festivals, summer fares, bank holidays, or historic celebrations. Find out what’s going on and aim to hit town a couple of weeks before. Working at events is a great way to gain free entry, meet a bunch of people, and top up your dollars before skipping town.

Agencies

A quick internet search will highlight a few pages full of recruitment agencies offering backpacker jobs in Australia. For peace of mind you might like to contact one such agency before you arrive. You can find out what’s available, apply, and maybe even secure a job before stepping foot down under. However if you do it this way, you will then be committed to your backpacker job before you arrive, and of course lose out on all the fun of finding it for yourself.

Make Contacts

You’re going to meet a lot of people on the road in Australia, many of whom will at sometime have been working on the sunny continent. Ask for tips and contacts, gather names and numbers, and by the time you hit the cities you can punch a few digits, say “I know so and so” and be employed before you can say, “There are just no jobs for backpackers in Australia”.