Australia

From the time of its creation as a British penal colony, Australia has always been a destination. Today, people flock to the only island continent for different (and more pleasant) reasons: fun, sun, and beautiful beaches make travel to Australia a paradise for backpackers looking to get away from the grind of daily life at home.

Some people take a week out of their schedule to take a whirlwind tour of Sydney and the Gold Coast when they visit Australia . Others are in it for the long haul; leaving home and hearth behind in their native country, they set out for Australia planning on spending up to a year Down Under. Though this guide is written for both groups, a substantial portion of it applies mostly to those who probably don’t have a return ticket. In other words, they plan on supporting themselves by working, and therefore must make necessary preparations for visas and backpacker employment.

For accommodation we have a great choice of backpackers and hostels that can be booked online and a good idea to do so as many backpackers fill up quickly. For those opting for the whirlwind tour, there is other accommodation available in addition to backpackers and hostels. Groups of travelers who don't feel like roughing it can rent timeshare somewhere along the Gold Coast and split the cost several ways. Whatever you're looking for, you'll find it here.

 

 

Australian Capital Territory Australia Capital Territory is the smallest state in Australia and is the home of the Australia capital, Canberra. Canberra

New South Wales New South Wales is a large state with Sydney as the capital, and extends up to Queensland in the north. Sydney

Northern Territory Northern Territory is in the north of Australia and home of Uluru and the capital being Darwin. Darwin

Queensland Queensland is in the the north east of Australia, with the state capital Brisbane in south east Queensland. Brisbane Cairns

South Australia South Australia has Adelaide as the state capital. Adelaide

Tasmania Tasmania is an island in the south of Australia with Hobart as the state capital. Hobart

Victoria Victoria is a well populated state with Melbourne as the state capital. Melbourne

Western Australia Western Australia is a large state in the west of Australia and has Perth as the state capital. Perth

Some of the main places that backpackers visit

Airlie Beach
Alice Springs
Blue Mountains
Byron Bay
Fraser Island
Gold Coast
Grampians
Great Barrier Reef
Great Ocean Road
Kakadu National Park
Kangaroo Island
Kimberleys
Margaret River
Mornington Peninsula
Philip Island
Pinnacles
Port Douglas
Sunshine Coast
Townsville
Uluru
Whitsundays
Yarra Valley

Deciding on a Route
There are many routes you can take read more...

Budget
Like so many things in life, your trip to Australia will come down to money. There’s no set budget for a trip Down Under. Two backpackers going to the exact same places over the exact same amount of time can spend two completely different amounts. That’s because at every turn, there’s an opportunity to splurge. That's why it's ideal to have at least two internationally accepted credit card whenever you're in Australia. This will serve as a security blanket for you 'cause you can never know when you'll run out of cash.

For instance, every time you roll into a hostel, you’ll be asked whether you want a single room or a spot in the dorm. Similarly, each night you’ll choose between dinner out or a home cooked meal on the cheap. Perhaps the most serious differences in spending come with deciding on activities. A half an hour skydiving trip can take immediately sheer 20% off your overall budget right off the bat.

One way to offset the expense of traveling is to consider picking up a Holiday Working Visa and putting in some hours at work. Whatever you do, more is certainly not less in this situation. Running out of money can turn into a desperate situation quickly.

What to Bring

Traveler’s Insurance
This is one of those tricky situations with no right answer. Each backpacker planning a trip to Australia has to decide if Traveler’s Insurance is the right call for their particular situation. This insurance is available from a wide variety of sources including travel agents and booking agencies like the Student Travel Association (popularly referred to as STA). It covers a wide range of possible mishaps, including medical emergency, travel delays, and lost and stolen items. Keep in mind that the application process to claim these benefits can be extremely time-consuming. If you have something stolen, for instance, you’ll need to fill out a police report before even sending in any paperwork.Australia Visas