Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland is a good destination as this northern state is basically warm the year-round and so work is generally available year-round also. Many backpackers from around are able to find seasonal work as well as those who specialize in certain areas like tourism and recreational activities. If you are wondering where you might spend that extended vacation you have coming up, Brisbane, Australia, and state of Queensland might be a favorable destination.
The first step is to obtain a visa to visit Australia. This can be a tourist visa or a Working Holiday visa. These are some informational websites:
Once you have arrived in Australia accommodation is easy to find. There are Backpacker Hostels throughout Brisbane which are relatively inexpensive. There are agencies that provide a link to hostels as well ass shuttle buses available from the airport to the downtown areas. You will have to provide your own meals though. Work can be available at the hostels themselves and this usually entails manning the office, or cleaning the rooms and facilities, however the pay may simply be free accommodation.
Cafés and Diners, especially the ones that stay open late or 24 hours will usually have positions for waitresses and cooks, but most of these will expect you to work at least three months, preferably six or more. Seasonal work on small crop farms can be found about 300 miles north of Brisbane at Childers and Bundaberg, and other similar centers on the Bruce Highway (main road in Eastern Australia).
Childers a small town in the Wide Bay district of Queensland is especially set up to cater to Backpackers and working holiday travelers. Listed are some relevant sites:
The hostels will have contacts to available work in the area, but also the government employment service (Centrelink) will have work listings as well. Tourist centers all over Eastern Queensland will have similar infrastructure in place, and hostels will have lists of Employers who are seeking workers.
Here are some tips regarding your stay in Australia.
- Don’t be arrogant, Aussies hate overbearing people.
- Tipping is not expected in Australia, as the hourly rate is much higher than in the USA, however Aussies will still tip if the service is good.
- Consequently prices may be somewhat higher.
