Why we have not found work in Australia?

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In this article, we would like to explain why we have not found work in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa. After all Australia is perceived as the new Eldorado for a lot of backpackers. Many odd jobs are available for travelers: fruit picking, hospitality and pretty much everything that is related to tourism. Wages in Oz have a reputation for being better than in Europe, and many backpackers come back from their travel with more money than when they’ve started. Wow! What a dream vacation!



In this post, we will tell you about our experience and our opinion regarding work in Australia.

What were our goals when we arrived in Australia?

Our project was to arrive in Sydney, to buy a van and to travel freely in the country. Work from time to time in the fruit picking industry or other similar jobs. Ideally we wanted to travel two or three weeks after our arrival, and then work a few weeks or a few months to be financially free for the rest of our one year trip.



We arrived in Sydney on may 21, 2013, just after a trip of about a month in Thailand. What you need to know is that May is at the beginning of the winter season in this region of Australia, this is why we decided to go straight to the North in Queensland. There the climate is mild throughout the year which makes it much nicer to travel by campervan.

How did we prepare for job hunting?

Yes, of course, we had done some research before our departure to put all the chances on our side to find a job. We read many blogs of old backpackers and specialized forums. Upon our arrival, we were not yet comfortable with English so thought that the fruit picking was a good compromise for a start.



Owning a vehicle is an advantage when it comes to reaching the farms and sleeping on the spot. We both had some experience in picking fruit back in our country and found farms in full harvesting season. From avocados (April to August), lemons, vegetables, strawberries tomatoes to pineapple, apples and pears. In Queensland, they are harvesting throughout the year.

Which situations did we face on the spot?

Once on-site, we bought our van relatively quickly, and headed for a few days in the Blue Mountains. We then reached the coast of New South Wales and then the sunshine state Queensland. During our journey, we listed the farms to contact depending on the type of crops using the Harvest guide we found in Sydney.

A few tips to find a job in Australia

If we were to give advice to someone visiting Australia on a Working Holiday Visa:



Bring your savings and a decent amount of cash especially if you have to buy a van (minimum 5000 dollars).

Start with Helpx or woofing to improve your English, meet, and save on your budget.

Search for work through word of mouth, make a maximum of experience with helpx, and fate will do the rest.

Always inquire on-site, with the population.



Hope you will find these tips useful!

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