Welcome back

 October - November 2011

At this point it was extremely easy to drift off into traveller heaven. I was loaded with cash from all the work I had just done, was in Asia enjoying life and was very tempted to keep the backpacking flame alive after putting up with such miserable people for the past month and a bit.

But I resolved to return, and get back into the same line of work. As soon as I got back, I called the boss asking when it was likely that I'd return to work and was simply told the same thing again. I knew deep down that I wouldn't be going back there, that he was full of shit and didn't have the guts to say that he didn't want me back there.

I found a job picking up empty glasses & bottles at a local night club; one of the most popular spots in town. The manager hired me on the spot because she said that I smile a lot. It was one of the worst jobs I have ever endured in my life. It was loud, monotonous and extremely tedious Seriously, throw me back out bush with all its snakes and isolation. I'd take that kind of work any day of the week over that crappy job.

10 minutes there seemed like an hour. At times you'd just take their glass or bottle anyways to give you something to do. Shit hit the fan when it got busy. Anyone that has worked in hospitality knows what that rush of work is like, where you are on a completely different level of consciousness just to get through the rush while multi-tasking and being given orders by some pimply little backpacker.

Things improved slightly on the weekends when they put me at the front door on account of my smile. Instead of picking up empty glasses, I had to tell people to go around to the other door, tell them not to smoke and count people as they left, so we'd know when to let more in. It wasn't very interesting and I had to be on my feet all night, but it sure beat picking up empty glasses, cleaning toilets and cleaning up the place at the end of the night. I stayed there for 2 weeks.

Out of the blue, another mining lead pulled through and offered me a job. I called the first boss and told him that I had just been offered a job with his rival and when it was likely that work would be resuming. I got the same answer... a week or two...

Oh how I needed that break, I had already chucked the night club job in, in anticipation of heading back out bush before that call. Darwin is an awesome place with even better weather. I could have seen myself getting 'comfortable' there.  Fortunately that wasn't to be the case, I'd be flown out in 3 days time to begin my new job.

Goodbye Darwin & hello Brisbane.

Prices

   

Prices will always vary and depend on where it was bought, if it was on offer, what the season was, if it was reduced. There are always going to be variables and differences everywhere. The following prices are a current accurate reflection of the average prices for goods and services in Australia.

       

               Expense                                                                         Price in AUD

Accomodation & Transport

Dorm room at backpackers per night                                                20-35

Twin room at backpackers per night                                                  45-60

Single room at backpackers per night                                                50-80

Private Accomodation per week(single room)                                   100-200

Hotel Room                                                                                      100+

Private airport-city bus/train (one way)                                              15-20

Taxi                                                                                                  Expensive


 Fuel

1 litre of Diesel                                                                                  1.5 -1.6

1 litre of Diesel out bush                                                                    1.65 - 2

1 litre of Petrol in city                                                                         1.3-1.4

1 litre of Petrol out bush                                                                     1.5-1.9

1 litre of Autogas in city                                                                     0.75-0.85

1 litre of Autogas out bush Rare, over                                                1.2

Fruits & Vegetables

1 kg Apples                                                                                        3-5

1kg Carrots                                                                                        1-2

1 whole Cos lettuce                                                                            1-1.5

1 single cucumber                                                                               1-3
1kg tomatoes                                                                                      2-5

1kg Potatoes                                                                                      1.5-4.5

1kg Onions                                                                                         2-4

Basic Food

Loaf of Bread                                                                                     1.5-5

2 Litres of Milk                                                                                   2-4

500g of Butter                                                                                    3-6

12 Eggs                                                                                              3-4

500g of Cheese                                                                                  4-10

1.5 Litres of Water                                                                             1-3

1kg of Bacon                                                                                     7-15

1kg of Pasta                                                                                      1.5-3

1kg of Rice                                                                                         2-4

Tin of Vegetables                                                                                1-1.5

Can of Tuna                                                                                       1-4

Alcohol & Tobacco

6 pack of Beer                                                                                  12-18

Carton of Beer                                                                                  40-50

6 pack of mixers                                                                               15-20

Bottled Spirits                                                                                   Expensive

20 Cigarettes                                                                                    15-20

50g pouch of tobacco                                                                       30-40

Pint of Beer in bar/club                                                                      5-15

Mixer in bar/club                                                                               7-15

Shot in bar/club                                                                                 3-10

Cocktail in bar/club                                                                           5-20

Large glass of wine                                                                           5-25

Small glass of wine                                                                            4-15

Eating out

Junk food (McDonalds, KFC...) meal                                               7-10

Junk food (meat pie, pasty,sandwich)                                                5-10

Junk food (Pizza)                                                                              6-25

Relatively healthy sandwich                                                               5-10

Salad                                                                                                4-8

Mixed Fruits                                                                                     4-8

Soup                                                                                                4-8

Sushi roll                                                                                           2-4

Asian noodles with meat in sauce                                                       8-12

Coffee                                                                                              3-10

Cheap restaurant                                                                              20-30

A meal in rural Australia                                                                   10-25

Dream job?

 August - September 2011

Despite working 2 jobs and having more work lined up I  didn't give up on my goal of working in mining. I still continued making  enquiries, calling people and persevering. It all paid off when a door  suddenly opened. I re-sent an e-mail of interest to one of my leads and  he called me back like an hour later saying that someone was taken off a  job or something and there was an immediate opening. I said I was in  without hesitating.

I remember being in the supermarket at the time, Woolworths in  the CBD to be precise. I danced around the supermarket like I owned the  place and then proceeded to empty all the contents of my shopping basket  and buy something edible instead.

Naturally I was ecstatic when I got back to the hostel and shared  the news with my entourage there. Everyone around me, those that I knew  and those that I didn't all asked me to try and get them a job. I  passively dismissed their requests and now in retrospect don't mention  my work to anyone at all. For starters, if someone really wants to get  in then they can go through the necessary steps to get in. Second of  all, even though I had spent a week or two with some of the boys, I  certainly didn't know them very well, much less the random people that  came and asked me for a job before asking me for my name. I don't tell  anyone what I do for this reason, they become too curious and/or  envious. I am not even sharing what profession I am doing with the whole  world (at least not until I leave the country) mainly to keep what  dwindling work there is left available to myself while I am still down  under. Please don't ask I'm not going into specific details.

I told them that I would be leaving immediately at both of my  jobs and no-one seemed to care very much.  A few days later I was on a  bus to the airport to catch a red-eye flight across the country. I was  extremely nervous as you can imagine and this didn't do well to help me  integrate into my new profession.

After what seemed like an eternity, we landed at Mt. Isa airport  and then went out to Cloncurry, from where most of the work would be  done. They put us up in a caravan park. Having never been to one and  fresh out of the dorms I didn't know what to expect. I saw my room and  it had a sofa, tv, kitchen, fridge & air conditioning. I thought it  was the epitome of luxury. When I opened the slide door and saw that it  had its own bathroom and double bed I nearly fainted! What a change this  was! I was expecting to be in a shared room with one of the other  workers. No chance!

The work was tedious, physical, technical, boring, dehydrating  and long. Too long. What made matters worse is that we worked in  segments, advancing only a very little bit throughout the day. Most of  the time was spent setting up gear (which I didn't know how to do at  first) and then repairing it ( I was best at causing the problem to be  repaired in the first place). There was very little progress, but that's  just the nature of the job.

The people I worked with were as unpleasant as could be. Years of  being out bush and not having much contact with the outside world must  have had a profound impact upon these people. They whinged, gossiped,  were socially awkward, in fact, they only seemed to balance each other  out and be able to function when in each other's company. Being the  backpacker, newbie and foreigner I copped a lot of shit from my  colleagues. Fortunately, I always had the last laugh and continued to  progress where they ended up becoming stagnant, as I was to find out  later.

The job became tougher as the weeks went by. It  wasn't possible to traverse one section where we were working so we had  to carry all the bits over to where they were needed. If you ever want  to burn a gazillion calories try walking up a rocky hill all day  carrying 30+ kg on your back. To make things even more interesting, try  digging large holes along the way. Oh and did I mention that it would be  35-45C and there would be heaps of deadly snakes around? Now you're  starting to get an idea.

The work was physically draining  and even more so mentally, as I didn't fit in at all with my  colleagues. I still persevered and they couldn't hold anything against  me because they knew that I worked harder than any of them and without  my persistence, things would have gone a lot slower or not have  happened. 

Yeah that was about it. I spent 5 weeks up there, working every  single day. That was on top of 3 straight weeks of working 2 jobs and  the previous 2 weeks of arriving in a new country and discovering things  for the first time. I was beyond exhausted and was delighted when we  went on break.

First few weeks

July - August 2011

I'll never forget my first day in Australialand. It was the 4th of July 2011, the real independence day as far as I'm concerned.

I  caught the overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Perth. Why I chose  Perth as my first port of call is simple; It was the cheapest flight to  Australia. Before arriving I was worried about my passport, it had gone  through the washing machine some months back and had come out worse for  wear. The cover page had detached and I was concerned that they wouldn't  let me in. They did indeed pull me aside for further questioning and  luckily I had another passport to verify my identity. I was allowed in  after being told to get a new passport as soon as possible (I didn't).

The  first thing that got to me was the cold. Coming from the northern  hemisphere and having just spent what seemed like an eternity  backpacking around tropical locations I wasn't at all accustomed to cold  weather or the concept of winter in July. I arrived wearing shorts,  t-shirt and thongs but as soon as I got to the baggage claim area I felt  a gust of arctic wind blowing through and rushed to put on warm  clothes. The only problem was that I didn't have any warm clothes so I  put my jeans on, 2 t-shirts a light sweater and hoped for the best. It  wasn't enough.

I decided to wait in the airport until  it warmed up outside and get some sleep. Air Asia seats are notoriously  small and their stewardesses are notoriously beautiful. This dangerous  combination has robbed many passengers of a much deserved rest. I'm sure  they employ beautiful stewardesses to make you not notice the rest of  their shoddy operation. Either way, I was hanging out at Perth's  airport.

They had free internet and I made a list of  numbers to call later asking for work. I picked up a sim card and got my  first taste of Australian prices just browsing through the airport  shops. I saw Australian money for the first time, found a place to stay  in town as I had arrived without making any bookings and managed to get  some shut-eye.

Got to the hostel and saw my new home; a 12 bed mosh pit. It was  uncomfortable, there were bed bugs, everyone was loud & immature.  The place in general was filthy. I left after 4 days as I found a much  better and cheaper place to stay.

I took a walk around  the block and I was awestruck. Never had I been somewhere as clean and  wide open as Perth. It was even cleaner than Singapore, I didn't expect  there to be skyscrapers, let alone stay within 10 minutes of them, that  is just Perth for you. It takes like 10 minutes to walk around the  central business district. One you're in the city, the skyscrapers are  ubiquitous. You either live in/around the city or in a suburb somewhere.  From most suburbs you can see the city's skyline.

Yes I  am rambling and sounding like a cookie-cut tourist. Here's something I  just came across. I wrote it when I first moved here:

I finally made it to Australia, yes, finally indeed. It was a bit of a  shaky start that I recorded somewhere in my notebook. Oh, here it is:

So  here I am in the land of the Austral people. The land down under, new  world or whatever you wanna call it. It's here that I've come in search  of a better life, well paid jobs and to secure my future. It's quite a  change from the nice weather and cheap prices in Asia! Little did I know  that it would be winter time down here. I thought that was just a myth.  I actually arrived on one of the coldest days in Perth's history,  nursing a bit of fever and with practically no winter clothes. The first  day here I spent the equivalent of a good week in Asia (excl. Malaysia  & Singapore) and I really did nothing special. In fact, in the 3  days I've been here I've just been eating basic food that I prepare  myself. Quite a change no? Australian women don't look so fantastic, so  far at least but some will come. It's not really what I have on my mind  at the moment. I just wanna secure employment in the mines and build my  life from there. Man, this is all a bit daunting. It's like the first  time in my life where I feel truly independent and in control, as out of  control as I may be these days. All I've done in my life and over the  last year or two in particular has amounted to this moment. Oh the  lessons in money management I've learned in 3 days! It's an experience  and I'm here to stay no matter what happens. I must move up. Living in  dorms is so unappealing, my body is getting used to being in 'action'  again as is my mind. I'll make it, there is no other choice. This is  really making me a man and this necessary phase is only temporary. It  serves to make me stronger. Look, I made it down here despite all my  inner reservations. Things are going smoothly so far and they'll get  better one way or one way only, through my own effort. It;s the only  way. It's not pleasant right now but if that's what it takes then so be  it. I'll endure it with a smile until I get my way.

And another entry about a week later:

Yeah  it's still no walk in the park and I start to feel a little desperate  but then I stop, rationalize and put myself in a better mood. It's all  part of the process. Each day I find out something new that can help me  on my quest. Each day I see something from a new perspective. Yes I've  been quite rusty for a while and once I'm back into it making upwards of  750 dollars per week at least to start with I'll be able to save and  behave accordingly you see? I do laugh quite a but here and it's where I  wanted to be. First level on the video game of life and I'm gonna be  really good at this one and ace it. Learn the field and keep it real.  Change your perspective in more way than one and have some fun. Sisu.

Yeah,  that was last week. I've also noticed that I start a lot of my  sentences with yeah, as if posing a question. Hmmm, but that's unrelated  or is it? Yeah... Hehehe. So I've found some work and things are  starting to click in Australialand. That's all it takes, even though it  seemed bleak at first I wasn't always aware of the concealed order.  There is so much to look out for and I'm getting used to my new  settings. I'm much quieter and reserved than I normally am. Not good, I  can make it anywhere with my good qualities and must always show my best  qualities without fearing what others think. I must show that I am the  valuable one through my actions alone and not being pretentious. Has  that been a crime I've been committing? Probably to some extent. Yeah,  all things I learn from my new surroundings. I learn not to moan, that  we are all equal here, not to think negatively and to speak my mind, and  the truth no matter how 'uncomfortable' I may think it is at first.  This is all part of the process. Part of the experience. You see, in  addition to making mega bucks over here, I am also growing up day by day  and doing things the right way.

Now I see that there are much  more prospects on the horizon, I take charge and am flexible. I know  what I must do and am prepared to do whatever it takes, always go the  extra mile, change my bad habits for good ones. I like this environment  because there is no laziness, doubt, anxiety. Just people getting on  with the job and when I see that it can be done (long shifts, many days  in a row, isolation, hard work) then I also catch on. Also people here  can not only do it but do it with a smile and good humor. It's gonna be a  great country. I'll work here flat out until just before X mas and then  re-evaluate my position. If I can get my 3 months of farming or fruit  picking out of the way before X mas even better! The going is good here  in Perth right now and this is just the beginning. There will be many  tests along the way and I'll stay strong until I reach my goal of  getting into the mines and then I'll up my game. Nice, and there will  also be a lot of money in my bank accounting. Nice, some time before the  mines? For sure, all that I wanna do is just work and lift myself up.  Yes, it shall come to pass. 

----

So I mentioned that I moved out of that first shitty hostel  pretty quickly along with someone that had the same opinion of the  place. The next one I went to was great we shared a spacious 3 person  dorm with this other old weirdo that pretty much kept to himself.

There was a cooler vibe at the new backpackers because a lot of  the people stay there long term. I met a veteran that had been there for  over 2 years already. I had great fun there, apart from the lack of  cooking utensils or plate. I usually resorted to eating with my hands,  much to the dismay of everyone else. Hey, to each their own.

This one night, I was semi awake and heard the sound of trickling  fluids. I looked over and the old weirdo was pissing in a bottle in the  room. The toilet was only 20 metres away. I went ballistic on him. I  probably used every curse word in the English language to describe what a  filthy old pervert he is. I went up to reception and complained. They  gave me and my friend a room to ourselves. Sweet. The only reason they  didn't kick the old weirdo out was probably because it was low season  and they needed the extra bucks. The person I was sharing the room with  ended up leaving to go work after 2 days. I managed to get the room to  myself for the rest of the week, I tried to get it for another week when  payment was due but they weren't keen on letting me have a free ride  this time and I was back to the dorms, a 6 person dorm this time.

3 weeks of working in removals during the day and as a waiter at  night transpired. I can honestly say that it took me all of my energy  and willpower to make it. Just as soon as I was starting to get into a  rhythm that I was called up to go out and do what I came to Australia to  do; mining.

First Job

 July 2011


The days passed, the little money I had was spent and the need to work grew. I spent my whole day out trying to find leads at agencies, on-line, in the city, out bush. I tried everything to seemingly no avail.

Most of this was done on-line. I used the 30 minutes that location A gave for free, after which time I'd cross the road and do the rest of my work at location B. I happened to pick up one of their member cards somewhere in Asia and I was very grateful for it. I got an hour free and then it was only a dollar per hour afterwards. This was all way before I had a laptop. From all of this searching I was able to start making sense of the requirements that most employers were after. How the system works, what kind of work was popular in Australia, what qualifications most jobs required. When I look back at it, it was time very well spent because of all the information I gathered from those early days.

I went to Australia with my last $500 dollars, and that was already well past my overdraft. I just knew I'd succeed, I was not going to have it any other way. I never lost belief or was disheartened at any point during my quest. It was really tough coming from somewhere where I was able to live well on a small budget to having to get by on bread and canned tuna. If I didn't find work when I did, I would have only had enough to remain in the country for another 3 days and buy a one-way ticket out. Essentially, that was all the money I had left, so even if I had left the country I wouldn't have had enough to do anything abroad. It was either that or sleep on the streets. That's how tight things were. All of that was just a test of worthiness & character. I had arguably the best time during my first 2 penniless & jobless weeks that I've ever had in Australia. The first 5 weeks in Perth were sublime and everything went well until I got called up to go out bush.

Alas, I digress. As I was saying, I was getting really desperate for work and really needed to work. One day, while on the computer at location B. I received a call from out of the blue. It was one of the removal companies I had called on my first day asking whether I'd be available to start the next day. I went straight down to their yard, introduced myself and said I'd be ready to do as much work as they needed.

That night I did drink, I was so glad to have work and was in need desperate need of a cold beer. It was the best beer I ever drunk. Little did I know that this was to be the start of my real Australian adventure. Once I got that first job, more jobs kept coming in. In the space of a week I went from being potentially homeless to working 2 jobs and turning down several more work.

Getting around

Getting around in Australia

Travelling within Australia is always going to be expensive. It's such a big country and there is no way round travel being a large part of your budget. Having said that there are ways around it:

Planes are ridiculously expensive. Some hour-long flights go for $300-500 ONE WAY! Don't even think about flying across the country. That'll set you back thousands! You do find good deals provided you book a few months in advance and aren't opposed to catching the red-eye flights. Look out for deals where possible and remember that flying can be a lot cheaper than driving to your destination.

Buses are relatively more expensive than planes are. A 2 hour flight could take 2 days by bus. You'll have to eat along the way presumably. Rural Australian food is very expensive and high in calories. Don't be surprised if you arrive at your destination looking like the Michelin-person.

Hitch-hiking is a possibility that many choose to try their luck with. You're pretty much guaranteed a ride, just watch out for those drivers that expect you to kick in for gas money. If you are able to afford it by all means do so, however you can get around for free if you are patient and resourceful enough. Ask a Truckie, he'll be in need of some conversation and the company has paid his fuel costs. Backpackers generally don't have the best reputation amongst Australians and not all Aussies are willing to stop for us.

Ride Share. Find someone on Gumtree or through hostels that is going where you want to go. Meet up and if you hit it off you'll share the costs and the adventure on the way to your intended destination.

Vehicle relocation. Google this term. It's when a car company needs a car in the city you are staying at moved to another part of the country. This is common and happens all the time. Several websites offer this option and in return you get a free car to get to your destination within the time frame (it's a generous time frame) and they even throw some fuel money in.

Buying a car? Yes! It's a good idea. You can find cars for under $1000 in Australia that are still road-worthy. Don't ever buy anything that is listed on a backpackers job board. Whoever bought it will have bought it at an already inflated price and will list if for what they intend to receive for it. This amount is well above the vehicle's actual worth. Backpackers are generally lousy when it comes to vehicle maintenance or care. The vehicle has probably scraped through the country a few times and will not have been cared for. Look instead in local newspapers and on Gumtree. When you are done with your car, just sell it on (on a backpackers job board).

Insurance is very reasonable in Australia as are fuel prices relative to the cost of living. Cars are so much better than vans, for reasons elaborated below. The cost of maintaining a car is usually around the same as taking public transport.

Buying a van? NO! Think again. This is the ultimate rip-off that people fall for time after time. It seems like the whole Australian backpacking experience is centred around having a van and that being the only valid way to see the country.

Vans limit you, backpacker vans are the most un road-worthy pieces of crap out there. Sure they have beds in the back, beds that 1000 people have slept in before you and some may have a sink or stove (waste of space). This is all still wasted space. You can pullover and camp pretty much anywhere out bush so there is no need to have a mattress in the back.

Anyone who sells you a van will assure you that it runs like a charm and they never had any problems with it. I can honestly testify that I haven't seen a single road-worthy van the whole time I've been out here. Most of the vans I see make me cringe in disgust. How some people pay $3000-6000 for these vans is beyond me.

The one good thing about them is that they are sold with a lot of accessories that the previous owners left behind (coolers, board games, camping chairs...). It may be worth making a deal on those items that interest you the most. All backpacker ads specify what the van comes with.

It's worth noting that everything you need and then some fits into a car. You can have just a good a trip in a car. You won't be overtaken by every other vehicle and are much less likely to break-down. Rural roadside assistance crews are sick and tired of coming to the help of backpackers and their shoddy vans.

Bottom line, enjoy Australia but not in a van.

Start off in a city

Cities offer the most resources that a newcomer like yourself could ever dream of. All of which are encompassed in centralized and easily accessible areas.

At city hostels you'll meet backpackers that have just come from any given part of Australia, chatting with them will allow you to get a feel for what's going on out there and will also get them up to speed with what's what in the city. City hostels always have job boards. While not all of them are up to date, you could find something to get you started or at least to give you an idea of wages.

Job agencies are scattered around all major cities and you're almost certain to get a job if you apply to enough. When you go down to apply, and I can't stress how important this is, do make a good impression . Have a chat with whoever is behind the desk, ask them about themselves, make them laugh . These are the same people that will end up matching the right candidate to the job. If you were to go in there as if you owned the place or indifferent to the whole situation and focused mainly on yourself you won't get any good jobs, they want someone who will fit in. The world is already full of people that know everything. Don't be one of those people and so many doors will open for you.

A week in a city hostel dorm will set you back anywhere between $140-$230. Be prepared to sleep in an 18 bed dorm or worse at the lower end of that price scale. Food, Travel and Personal purchases will vary between travellers and is usually around $150 per week combined, obviously it depends on the type of person you are and your habits. It really is that expensive and don't expect much for it either. Read more about the different types of accommodation you'll find and backpackers you'll come across.

You should have set up everything you need and are making progress each day. Get to know your new surroundings. Go out and test the waters. Find and talk to potential leads, check with agencies, check the job board, check gumtree, check the newspaper for work. Does anywhere have an advertisement for workers? What job would you like to do that you don't see advertised? Ask Mr. Google for a list of numbers and get dialling. The more you do this the quicker you get familiar with the system. It really is the easiest system in the world.

When you find a semi-permanent job try and find yourself alternative accommodation. Your mental health will improve once you are working and away from youth hostels. You'll have your own space, will be able to sleep uninterruptedly and will rejoice in your new home's comparative cleanliness. Sure they aren't always as much fun as backpackers can be, but you will add an element of structure to your life. When you have a structured set up, even if only temporarily, your collateral costs will significantly decrease. You'll be more in a routine, will be able to easily prepare your own food, save on internet bills, invite friends over for drinks rather than going out and have time to pursue other interests. All of the above are recommendations for saving money however, and everyone is free to live the way they feel most happy.

Get to work, save up for your holiday. Learn about the joys of working in Australia, it's so much more easy-going than anywhere else, the work pace and expected output is realistically relaxed. It's great to be an employee in Australia. We've got it so good down here.

Finding Work

If you want a job in Australia your prospective employer has to like you. I know I sound like a broken record and I can't overemphasize this point enough. People want to enjoy themselves at work and will take you if they feel you are capable of doing your job in a happy way.

There is plenty of work down here. There's no reason why anyone can't have a job the same day they start looking. It always happens, you will always find work. There is work everywhere, too much of it. You just have to keep your eyes open. These tips, broad as they may be, are the most useful ones you'll need to know in Australia.

The average hourly rate is between $15-25. If  you aren't earning over $20 an hour you're not getting all you're  worth. Some places will offer lower wages for whatever reason. You'll  find better paying jobs if you look around. Those that scrounge on wages  are usually the ones that scrounge on everything else, making them  undesirable to work for in the first place.

On an average full-time city wage expect ot make about $600-900 per week after taxes.

Casual part-time work may get you about $200-$300 per week.

Rates are usually higher in the Northern Territory and especially in Western Australia.

Get  a list of companies you want to work for and call them up. They always  appreciate people who take the initiative and don't merely respond to  ads or are from the agency. Both of those cost them money.

Leave on good terms with all your employers. Even if you were only at the job for a few weeks, it doesn't matter so long as you left on good terms with your employer. Having an Australian 'referee' that will vouch for you is a strong advantage down here. They usually check.

Have a look around town. Are there any jobs being advertised anywhere? If you see one and are keen, just go in and say hello. Don't even worry about your CV. It's all about the impression you make here.

Gumtree posts jobs sometimes. Check them often and know that you're up against a lot of competition.

Agencies are good places to look for work. There are heaps of them and they all have work. As long as you are presentable and enthusiastic you'll be considered. Having Australian accreditation certainly helps. You'll have to fill out a long form with your employment history, qualifications, experience etc so have all of this information handy when you go in to register.

Realistically, in order to make a good impression I would suggest registering at 3-5 agencies per day. You'll go through a lot of the same routine questions and paperwork each time. It's not always easy to maintain the same enthusiasm 5th time around. Try and stay at each place for at least an hour each time you register.

Suss out the good agencies from the bad ones. Before you are simply made to fill out a form (these things are very long) get on friendly terms with the person working there. Find out what sort of work is going on and hint that you might be interested/good at that. If all goes well you'll have just given yourself the best possible chance to get the best available job. Some agencies are extremely useful this way and other times they can be a dead end. If the person working there looks clueless and uninterested in getting you a job you know you're in the wrong place.

Ask people that are already working if more help is needed. You may even get a job right then on the spot. When people are needed, as with agencies and newspaper ads. They need someone with initiative that makes a good impression in person.

Jobs away from cities where you may be able to save more:

Roadhouses

Roadhouses are scattered all over the country. They all serve food, sell gas and have motel style rooms. They are very busy as Australia is so vast with people travelling through it all the time for work. You'll do a bit of everything at a road house, from cleaning rooms & the kitchen, to working behind the register and even cooking food. They offer you free room & board, plus a salary for you to work with them. This is a great way to get your 88 days of regional work out of the way and save a bit of cash in the process. Rates vary according to each place. Get a list of phone numbers and call them up enquiring. This saves them having to go through agencies and it ensures you take home all you are entitled to.

Farms

On farms you'll do...surprise..surprise....farming! Milking cows, herding sheep, clearing pastures, digging.. Not the cleanest work. You'll be offered free board and meals plus a salary. You usually get a raise if you stay there longer than a month.

Tree Planting

Look out for ads in gumtree towards the end of summer. This is when the tree-planting jobs start to be advertised. Good rates & boring work. You'll save quite a bit doing this if you don't go crazy after 3 months.

Stations

If you think sheering, herding and slaughtering sheep is your thing then go work at a station. It's a great experience.

Pearling

This is quite a cruisey job to get because it means that you'll spend all your time by the ocean. Rates are very good and there's usually good living arrangements offered. You'll be on a FIFO roster and will spend your days servicing lines, cutting up & fertilizing the shells, general maintenance. Head to Darwin for this, that's where the headquarters are. Knock on doors.

Mining

Not easy for backpackers to get into, although there is one very promising lead which I will let you in on once I leave the country. Mining companies want people with the experience. They need to know that you can hack it out in the wilderness and work long gruelling hours. They need to know that you'll stick around and while quite a few backpackers that already had trades are able to get in. For an unskilled, inexperienced backpacker it's nearly impossible.

Retail

Work at a shop, such as a bottle store in a small rural town. Chances are you'll get your accommodation taken care of and get a salary on top of it. There is usually casual work to be found in small inland towns.

Catering

Do some research and find out which catering companies service remote areas. Wherever this is, there is bound to be good money to be saved without any living expenses. You may get a job as a cook or cleaner on a mine site if you are super lucky, or just as a waiter at an asylum centre. Do your research. These are some of the best jobs out there.

Australians

They definitely are more welcoming than most of us were, when a wave of foreign labour invaded our countries. Out here they see us as cheap labour from abroad, they like us because we do the work they aren't keen on doing. Some dislike us because of the lifestyles we lead and noise we make. Eitherway, there are an estimated 1.5 - 2 million backpackers in Australia at any given time all adding their piece to the puzzle and doing jobs that most Aussies would shy away from.

What Australians dislike:

- People who are too self important. People that see themselves as being above the rest are quickly put in place in Australia. It's the number one trait that people hate here. No one is afraid to tell you about it either.

- People that don't pay their way, Bludgers as the Aussies call them. These are people who won't 'shout' for a round after everyone else, people that are asking for cigarettes and food without ever giving anything back.

- People who rush when they work. They can't for the life of them figure out why some of us are always in such a rush. It's common for people coming over from Europe to be like this, it's what we're used to. Who is better off, us or the Aussies? They win every time. Best to go with the flow down here.

- People that whinge. They hate people who whinge almost as much as people who are too self important. No one down here wants to hear about your issues. Keep them to yourself and deal with them in your own time.

-People that don't have a sense of humour. The Aussies have great senses of humor and love to laugh. Especially at each other. When someone slips in a witty comment that takes a poke at you what they are really doing is giving you a chance to poke one back at them. If you are able to match their poke with another clever poke you've just found yourself a friend. If however you felt insulted by, insecure with their poke or if you reply with something obnoxious they won't waste much time trying to like you. How well you are able to comeback from pokes determines how much Aussies will like you. It's as simple as that. The key is to not take yourself too seriously and laugh everything off. You'll get heaps of practice with that down here.

-People who don't speak in English. It's Australia and everything here is done in English. Unlike other countries people won't make an exception for you and they certainly don't want to hear you chatting to your country people in a foreign language whilst in the presence of Australians. This is the epitome of rudeness. If you don't speak English and make an effort to be understood you're still alright.

Australians value your character more so than most other countries. Being the egalitarian abundant country that it is, with its awesome weather and envious lifestyle all people relatively well off. They value how friendly you are, how you well you get along with others, if you're able to make people laugh and take a joke above most material things or accomplishments. Be friendly and affable through your actions at all times to get the most out of this country and anything in life.

Australians admire people that make a good impression through their hard work and easy going attitude. Be humble, see the lighter side of life, work hard and the Aussies will like you.

Australians have lots of tattoos and like to swear a lot. This is just the way that a lot of them are. It's delightful to hear a true Aussie string a few lines of witty swearing together. Most Australians will have several tattoos as they are extremely fashionable (and expensive).

They love beer, and anyone who is good enough company to drink several beers with. The standard unit of payment is a carton of beer when someone helps you out.

Aussies love their 'pokies' and any form of gambling or betting. It's rampant here, the unofficial national pastime.

Aussies love to brag about their state vs. other states. Queenslanders will swear to you that Victorians live on another planet and vice-versa. The truth is, as it always is to an outsider, that there's very little difference between the two. Most of Australia is very homogeneous in fact.

All Aussies have a favourite team and usually play a sport or two of their own. People are extremely passionate about their sports down here in a friendly way. They don't get how Europeans can spontaneously become hooligans when our teams are playing.

Australians are very athletic people that put a high emphasis on their body and looks. The men much more so than the women. The streets are swarming with men that come out of the gym looking like they just bench-pressed an elephant. They all have the same haircut, sunglasses, tight shirt/singlet, fake tan etc... Women also take care of their appearance here but not to the extent that men do. Australian women are very forward and are likely to come up to you and start a conversation. It's just the way it goes here for some reason.