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How Much Money Should I Take To Australia?

If you are planning on coming to Australia on a working holiday visa then you’ve already made one of the best decisions of your life but you’re probably stressing out over one simple issue: “how much money should I take to Australia?”

When applying for your visa, the Department of Immigration suggest that you have “about $5000” which isn’t exactly precise. Is $4500 enough or does it have to be over $5000 or what?!

The easiest answer is, the more money you have then the better your entry to Australia will be. If you can save up long enough to pass the $5000 guideline then you’ll be very comfortable when you arrive in Australia but try and get as close to $5000 as possible if you want the least amount of fuss entering Australia and living your first few weeks here.

One of the contributing factors will be whether you plan to travel first or work first once you arrive. If you plan on travelling straight away, you’ll be spending money before you get a chance to replenish. If you work first, then you can continue to save during your time in Australia.

No matter what anyone says on a forum or blog (like this one) there is no right or wrong way to travel. In Australia or anywhere else. People will tell you to go alone, go in a group, go to Sydney first, travel the East Coast first, get a job straight away, go and do you farm work ASAP…..

Whatever you decide, you have made the decision and you live with it. There is nothing wrong with seeking help and advice but, ultimately, it is up to you! Plans can change, pretty easily, so make sure you keep your options open from the outset.

I’ve heard stories of people landing in Australia with less $500 to their name and if, upon your arrival, you are asked to prove your funds you could be sent home from Australia before your adventure begins. The Department of Immigration guidelines may seem strange but if you can’t prove that you can support yourself in Australia, you risk being sent home.

To prove your worth (in bank account terms, not like some medieval knight or something) you have to get a printed bank statement from your financial institution of choice. It is best to have a statement from the seven days before travel so if you are called upon to prove your funds, you have them right there.

If you have access to a quick loan from the bank of Mum and Dad (or any other loving family member) you can pop the money into your account, get a bank statement printed and then transfer the money back once you’ve received the statement. You prove your cash, then give it back basically.

Strictly speaking, this may not be entirely the spirit of the law and you will have to be able to survive in a pretty pricey country. Once you arrive in Australia, the money starts to seep away faster than you’d think so make sure you’re prepared for all eventualities.

As an example, if you are looking at the cheapest hostel you can find in Sydney you are looking at $23 a night. That would be $161 for one week of (not the best) accommodation. Then you’ve got to pay for your food and fun stuff to do so the bargain basement you could probably get away with $200-$250 a week just to live in Sydney.

Sydney is an extreme example (it’s more expensive than the rest of Australia) but it gives you an idea on what to expect upon your arrival and how much money you will need if you plan on staying in Sydney. Plan accordingly for any of the major cities – Perth is a similar price to Sydney and Melbourne isn’t much cheaper. Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide and Darwin offer a little bit of relief but not too much.

Don’t let this put you off, pretty much everyone in the UltimateOz office is proof that backpackers can find work and love their time living, working and travelling in Australia!

Just be realistic. If it takes you three weeks to find work, will you be able to afford it? If you want to travel, how much is it going to cost right off the bat? If you want to do your farm work, how are you going to find it and how much money will you need to get there and stay there?

Many backpackers arrive in Australia with the misguided dream of finding work 20 minutes after they land and earning a fortune. The wages are higher and it is a little easier than finding work in Europe but it isn’t easy and you won’t walk into a job.

At Ultimate Travel, we give you the best chance of finding work with our TAW service and our helpful, informative staff who have been there and done it! We can help you find work, help to guide you with your CV and cover letter but, it is still up to you to put in the hard yards!

Australia is a country that will surprise you due to its expense. If you have just come from South East Asia (Ultimate Thailand, anyone?), you’ll fall off your chair every time you order a beer! If you plan ahead, are realistic and start saving now you’ll be absolutely fine when you arrive in Australia!

Get planning for the best trip of your life!!

How much money did you arrive in Australia with? What would be your top-tips for backpackers looking to head to Australia on their own adventure? Let us know in the comments section or on Facebook!

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Shark vs Crocodile! Only in Australia!

Australia is famous for its glorious beaches, amazing people and incredibly deadly animals.

Whether it is a snake, spider shark or croc, pretty much every animal in Australia wants you dead. Except for Quokka’s – they’re cool.

On a recent trip to Darwin, one lucky tourist was able to take some incredibly rare photos of a 5.5m crocodile munching on a bull shark.

Just let that sink in. 5.5 metres of dinosaur WITH A SHARK IN ITS MOUTH!

Have a look at some of the pictures for yourself – they are truly stunning!

The crocodile, known locally as Brutus, is an absolute beast! According to those on the boat, they had seen him earlier on in the cruise lounging around and as the boat trip returned through the Adelaide River they saw him with something in his mouth.

The captain slowly took the boat closer and it soon became apparent that the crocodile was grappling with a bull shark!

The more details the better the story – Brutus only has three legs after losing one of his front pair in a fight…apparently with a shark! Brutus may have lost that round but he got his own back last week!

Darwin is an amazing place to visit during your time in Australia. You can take river cruises similar to the one with Brutus or you can jump in the water with a giant crocodile at Crocosauras Cove!

One of our travel gurus Holly was able to visit Darwin recently and absolutely loved her time there and was brave enough to take to the water in the ‘Cage of Death’ and absolutely loved it!!

If you’d rather see the losing half of the battle you have to head to South Australia for the chance to cage dive with great white sharks!

Both experiences are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to see the biggest, scariest animals in Australia.

If you get the chance to head to Darwin, it is highly unlikely that you’ll spot a crocodile and a shark having a fight but it is possible. As long as neither of them decide to start eating you…it’s a bonus!

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The Ultimate Guide to Aussie Slang!

G’Day Mates!

If you are on your way to Australia, you probably know the basics of Aussie slang – basically, what g’day means! The Australian’s talk in a language all of there own, there is some slang that is recognisable to the UK but others just seem to come out of nowhere.

It isn’t all drongos and galahs, even if Neighbours and Home and Away  say it is. You can still call a toilet a toilet and not a dunny, no-one ever says ‘put another shrimp on the barbie’ unless they are foreign but you will hear ‘no worries’ a lot!

So, to give you a fair go when you get to Australia and so you can speak as the locals do, we’ll give you a rundown of some of the biggest words to watch for when you arrive Down Under!

Goon

You’ll get to know this about 20 minutes after you check into your first hostel in Australia. Goon is what you’ll be drinking for the next 12 months – goon is wine in a box. You’ll get used to the sight of the silver space bags no matter where you are in Australia – the wine is cheap, sometimes it tastes ok, and it certainly does the job!

Beware the goon hangover though and take this as your official warning….

Schooner/Midi/Pot

Another one you’ll figure out pretty quickly – if you turn up at a bar and order a pint, you may get a funny look. Pints aren’t readily available Down Under, some bars have them and some don’t but the schooner is the next best thing. It is a little smaller than a pint but a nice measure nonetheless.

This is where it gets a little more confusing! If you are in Victoria you may be asked if you want a pot –  a smaller glass that has no reason to be used with beer. Same as a middy in New South Wales, they are an almost pointless drink so I’d steer clear.

In Victoria, they also offer a glass, which is smaller than a pot and equally as pointless unless you just want a taste of beer rather than an actual drink of it. In Adelaide, they call a middy a schooner and a schooner a pint which makes very little sense but go with it if you are in South Australia and if all else fails just ask for the biggest glass they’ve got!

Anything with an “-o” on the end

Whether you are enjoying an avo (avocado) in the arvo (afternoon) because your a vego (vegetarian) or you need to pop to the bottle-o (bottle shop/where they sell booze) because the relos (relatives) are on their way round – if you stick an ‘o’ on the end of a word, you’re as Australian as they come!

Thongs

Simply put, thongs are flip-flops or sandals. If someone comments on your lovely thongs, they aren’t coming on to you or being inappropriate – they are just commenting on your shoes.

Fair Dinkum

Fair dinkum is a strange one but an awesome little Australian-ism! It basically means fair enough or can be used as a statement of shock. It is kind of a statement of truth, like saying “honestly,” or a way of saying “no way!” It’s tough to explain so I’ll give you some examples:

You: Did you know more than 85% of Australians live within 50kms of the coast?

Bruce The Aussie:  Fair Dinkum!?!

*

You: Bruce, are you lying to me?

Burce the Aussie: Fair Dinkum, I swear!

Just throw a couple into conversations with Aussies and see if they pick you up on it.

Esky

Not a native of the frozen tundra but an ice-box or a cooler – whatever you call them in your home nation. It keeps your beers cool during a hot Australian summer and is one of the signs of a true ‘Strayan!

Hard Yakka

This is Australian for hard work and if you are looking to do your farm work – get used to some good, hard yakka!

Jackaroo/Jillaroo

These will come up when you are looking into your regional work too. Basically, an Australian cowboy or cowgirl, a jack or jillaroo is a worker on an Australian cattle ranch. It is a pretty cool job that you’ll never get to do elsewhere unless you plan on making a career of cattle-mustering!

Bogan

A bogan is a bit of a bumpkin, a chav, a redneck – whatever the common phrase is in your home country. Not from the city, probably has a mullet and loves the phrase ‘un-Australian’ bogans aren’t the best and you probably won’t meet that many. Just be aware of it incase an Aussie calls you a bogan and you have to think of a suitable response.

Footy

Another more confusing one, footy has a fair few connotations depending on what state you are in and who you’re speaking to. In New South Wales, it means rugby league. The NRL is a big deal in New South Wales, 10 of the 16 teams are a drivable distance from Sydney with another team a little further afield in Newcastle so it is pretty much rugby league or bust in NSW!

In Victoria, footy is AFL or Australian Rules. AFL is a crazy sport that resembles nothing else in the world, played on a cricket pitch with a rugby-shaped ball and some rugby-like rules, 18 players run incredible distances during a game of 20 minute quarters with roll-on, roll-off substitutions. You kick points through two sets of goals (6 points down the middle, one either side) and have to bounce or kick the ball every 10 metres.

In some circles footy may also refer to rugby union but not all that often. Oh, if you are talking to a Brit, it means soccer. Got all that?!

Barrack For…

Another sport-related term, this means who do you support. Wherever you are going to settle in Australia, you have to pick a team! Whether you stay in Sydney and barrack for an NRL team or you’re in Victoria and it is all about the AFL for you, pick someone and go to a game!

Heaps

Australian’s love a good heaps, which just means lots of or loads. By the time you leave, you’ll be using heaps, well, heaps!

Bloody Oath

This is an alternative to the all too cliche ‘flamin’ right,’ and is a bit of an UltimateOz motto. If you ever head into our Sydney office see if one of our travel gurus will give you a demonstration….

What is your favourite Aussie slang? Anything we have missed that you’ve picked up during your travels in Australia? Let us know on Facebook or in the comments section below!

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Surf Camp is Back!

After a winter break, the good people at SurfCamp are opening their doors once again this week to give you the quintessential Australian experience!!

The water may still be a little brisk but it’s got nothing on the water in this clip as these insane surfers travel to the Arctic for a wave!

Yes, the freaking Arctic! They are in water that is just above freezing (not by much) and have to wear some seriously thick gear to survive the cold but the footage they get is awesome!!

The Aussie SurfCamp is a little more tame but still an amazing way to experience the coolest sport in the world.

Leaving from Sydney, you head south on a two hour, air-condition and comfortable coach for a week in the water! The surf lessons are as practical as possible – you spend the majority of your time over the week in the water learning how to get up on a board, ride a wave and do it all over again!

You start on the beach and learn the basics and then it’s time to get wet! You are supplied with a bunch of awesome surf gear including your wetsuit and specially designed beginner boards to make your time in the ocean that little bit easier.

You may think that you can learn the same things on a beach in Sydney or on a day-long course. When was the last time you learned a new skill, a new sport or a new hobby in half a day? Especially one that takes place in the ocean and a skill that isn’t really related to anything you’ve done before?!

Surfing is amazing and the longer you can do it, the better you become and the frustration levels lower. The amazing coaches at SurfCamp give you so much tuition that they’ll have you standing up in no time at all!

If you haven’t got a week to spare (and who are we kidding, you probably have) then there are weekend options too which give you a chance to experience surfing with highly-qualified instructors and be back in Sydney in time for work on Monday morning.

The guys and girls at SurfCamp are serious surfers – they love the sport and they love spreading the joy to new surfers every week! Once you’ve got a taste, you will not want to stop! The feeling of standing up on the board the first time, and then getting more and more confident throughout your lessons is absolutely amazing!

During your time at SurfCamp, you stay minutes from the beach in awesome, comfortable cabins with internet and a pool. The hot showers are amazing after long day in the ocean – even at the height of summer they are a great way to wash the salt off but in the cooler months they are a Godsend!

So you’ve got awesome surf, great gear and a comfortable place to stay. Then you’ve got the food. It’s a sure-fire way to build up a massive appetite, all this ocean fun, and the food at SurfCamp is fit for a king!

The food seems to be never-ending. Plate upon plate rolls out of the kitchen in all its delicious glory. Obviously, give it an hour before you jump back on the board or you’ll get shouted at by your Mum but apart from that – gorge!

The nights at SurfCamp match the days for fun. You’ll be pretty tired when you have the first day in the surf but you’re a backpacker, soldier on! You’ll get to meet your group and your instructors over a few beers across the nights at SurfCamp and you seriously will not want to leave!

The legends at SurfCamp snap photos and videos of you and your new-found surfer buds throughout the whole week and show off the best (and funniest) every night.

Eventually, when you head home from Australia, everyone you know is going to ask you if you know how to surf. UltimateOz SurfCamp is the perfect place to learn or develop your skills, on a gorgeous, almost deserted beach with some awesome people.

This is an experience not to be missed. As the weather and water slowly heat up, you’ll want to spend as much time as possible by the beach and once you’ve been to SurfCamp, you can look as cool as any Aussie with a board under your arm.

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