Australia Working Holiday

That is the ultimate question! Australians have been arguing this point for years and at the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference. For beach lovers, Sydney is the place to be. The weather rarely drops below 15° celsius, and with more than 100 beaches to choose from this is the perfect place to learn to surf. Not to forget the iconic Sydney Opera House for those envy-inducing selfies! However, for party animals, Melbourne might be the spot for you. With countless sports and live music events, there is always something to see or do. Winter in Melbourne can be chilly – with a similar climate to Vancouver – and the city does get occasional snow. If you need to warm up, the food scene is really top-notch and there are countless incredible restaurants to try as you shelter from the cold.

There is no wrong choice when it comes to Australia! Brisbane benefits from consistent year-round sunshine while Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Darwin and the Northern Territory offers a true ‘Crocodile Dundee’ experience for those who want to do their working holiday in the Australian outback. Every fall, Adelaide has one of the world’s largest comedy festivals and Hobart is surrounded by stunning hikes and nature. Western Australia and Perth have vast open spaces and pristine, unspoilt beaches – while being far less crowded than the East Coast. The options are endless!

In order to apply for a second or third-year Australia Working Holiday Visa, you must complete a specified amount of time working in a regional role (otherwise known as farmwork). More than 80% of Australians live on the coast, however, the vast majority of farms and food production occurs in the Outback where land prices are cheaper. The Australian government designed the second (and third) year visa scheme to incentivize working holidaymakers to leave the main cities and head inland to fill seasonal labour shortages. Farm work can be a great way to save money as accommodation is often cheap (or free) and as the positions are remote, other expenses are minimal. We can give you advice on finding jobs and completing your days as part of all of our packages.

As Australia is such a large landmass, it has a huge range of climates. Generally, northern Australia (such as Cairns, Darwin & Broome) is hot year-round with a wet season and a dry season that affects the humidity. Southern Australia (such as Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide) has the more traditional seasons of spring, summer, fall and winter. Remember that Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons are reversed compared to Canada! Many people like to visit Australia as the weather begins to cool down back home so that they can experience 12 consecutive months of great weather. Others decide to travel during the offpeak season to save money on accommodation and transport, and to have less competition for jobs. Regardless of when you decide to depart, Australia will always be warmer than most parts of Canada. Average winter temperatures in Sydney and Melbourne still reach 5-15° celsius on most days.