OZ

[spanish]

I want to go back packing in Oz next year any good suggestions on hostels or parts of Australia to visit??? How easy is it to find work out there??

[dooza]

worth it. In order in work, legally, you need a Working Holiday Visa, which is a one year visa and valid from the day you enter the country. You can get this from Australian High Commission, http://www.australia.org.uk/welcome/html/index.htm
l you need to prove you have at least �1000 in your account. You can obtain this visa from the ages 18 to 30. Lonely Planet is an excellent guide to follow and is updated almost yearly. If you are not fussy about what work you do, it is easy to get work. You can only work for 3 months with one employer, you cannot officially do a professional job. You will have to pay tax, but you can claim a lot back when you return. It's easy to set up a tax number, bank account and get a Medicare (national medical insurance) once you are there. Most people enter the country through Sydney - it is a good place to start and meet other backpackers. There are plenty of hostels, mainly in Kings Cross, some are better than others.

[dooza]

If you want office work you could sign up with temp agencies in advance, some agencies in this country have affiliations with those overseas. An agency I used in Perth was Julia Ross, they are a large temp agency in Australia and can offer various different temp jobs. Ensure you carry at least one smart outfit in your backpack for interviews, have hard copies of your CV and on disk. A lot of backpackers start in Sydney, work to save money so sometimes work isn't that easy to find. A good place to meet other travellers, pick up work, accommodation, buying cars or travelling companions is through Travellers Contact Point in 7th Floor, 428 George Street, Sydney - you can also use the internet here for free. Willing Workers on Organic Farms (www.wwoof.com.au) has options too, where you can work for bed and board - you don't even need a visa for this work. Fruit picking is another option, however, its hard work and not that well paid. Here's a link to what's growing around Australia throughout the year. http://www.homehostel.com/Pages/pickin.html

[dooza]

You could enter the country through Perth, Western Australia - the most isolated capital city in the world, but it is easier to get work. It's a beautiful city, great night life and gorgeous beaches on the Indian Ocean. There's the wine region of Margaret River, which is great for farm or fruit picking work and Western Australia is stunning, especially in the Kimberly region to the north. I highly recommend a visit, it's less populated than the East Coast and has amazing scenery. Exmouth, around half way up, is a great spot to dive and explore the Ningaloo Reef - it's less expensive diving here than on the Great Barrier Reef, and just as impressive. If you're lucky you can also see Whale Sharks around March/April. Further up in the north west, Broome is a lovely tourist town with lots of work during the high season (May-October) and you can even work on pearling boats out on the ocean for excellent rewards. I worked as a cleaner in a hotel - it was great fun and good pay. Broome also has a wonderful outdoor cinema. The town is well worth a visit. You can also get a flight to Bali from here as your nearer to Indonesia than most places in Australia. Remember the seasons over the Tropic of Cancer, between October-April it's the wet season and it's not that easy to get around with a lot of flooding and road closures. Travelling around is best done by car, perhaps getting together with other backpackers and buy a cheap car and camp - it's easy and cheap. But check out what you need with RAAC, it's easy to be ripped off and end up spending a lot on repairs in being stranded in hostile territory. The Greyhound Bus is another option, but you are limited on the West Coast. The only rail option is between Perth and Sydney on the Indian Pacific, an amazing journey or the Kahn from Adelaide to Alice Springs.

[Christian]

I am from Perth, Western Australia - the best city in the world. Don't overlook it for the likes of the East Coast.