11 March 2022, by Sarah.Travels

With the borders being open again, FINALLY, nothing can stop you now from backpacking through Australia. But what exactly do you really need and how’s the process? Let’s jump into it and find out :)

Checklist

Depending on your situation or for how long you want to be in Australia for, there are a few basic things you need to know and organize before and after your arrival in Australia:

·     COVID certificate and negative PCR test

·     Digital Passenger Declaration

·     Health insurance

·     What to pack and where to start

·     Australian Phone Number

·     Tax File Number (TFN)

·     Australian Bank Account

·     How to get around and to find work

Organize BEFORE departing to Australia

COVID vaccination certificate and negative PCR test

We all can agree that COVID changed the world and especially traveling is affected by it. Next to holding a valid visa, in order to enter Australia you need to be fully vaccinated and provide a negative PCR test result. But what exactly does that mean and what do you need to do?

At least 2 doses (3 for Western Australia) of a TGA-approved COVID-19 vaccine are required to be considered fully vaccinated. Natural immunity from past infection is recognized as fully vaccinated in many European countries, however not in Australia. If you cannot get vaccinated due to medical conditions, you will need to proof that. A medical certificate that indicates you are unable to be vaccinated must be shown to the airline staff. The medical certificate must be in English and include:

·     your name (must match your travel documents)

·     date of medical consultation and details of your medical practitioner

·     details that clearly outline that you have a medical condition which means you cannot receive a COVID vaccination

Next step is to prepare you vaccination certificate. The certificate can be digital or in print form. Your certificate must be

·     written in English or accompanied by a certified translation

·     issued by a national or state/provincial-level authority or an accredited vaccination provider

·     contain at a minimum:

·         names as it appears in the travel document

·         date of birth or passport number

·         the vaccine brand name and

·         the date of each dose

You will also need to provide a negative COVID test and you have 2 options:

·     negative PCR test made within 3 days of the flights departure to Australia or

·     negative RAT (rapid antigen test) taken under medical supervision made within 24h of the flights departure to Australia

The negative test result and the vaccination certificate must be shown to the airline staff. It might be worth asking your airline if they prefer PCR over a RAT just so you know what you need to get.

Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD)

All passenger arriving by air into Australia need to complete the DPD. The declaration needs to be submitted within 72h prior to your departure for Australia, you can however start the declaration days before here.

Information such as your flight number, passport and contact details including an Australian phone number, a 14 day travel history and your COVID vaccination record will be needed to fill out the declaration.

Health Insurance. It is important to have adequate health insurance as you are financially responsible for any health care debts you incur in Australia. Down below I listed a few insurance companies: 

An Australian based insurance: Bupa offers entry level hospital and medical cover designed for those fit and healthy, under 50s visiting Australia for short-term work or study on the following visa types: 400, 417, 462, 476, 600, 601, 651. From $12.30 a week. For more information click.

 Another one is True Traveller: Based on my Information (top of the screenshot down below) I’d pay €345.18 for 1 year in Australia. Go and get a free quote on their website here.

I have also heard Allianz should be worth looking into. Get your free quote on their website here.

If you had a different travel insurance, let us know in the comments!

What to pack?

 Depending on your time in Australia, you will need to pack an appropriate amount of things for your travels. First start by deciding about a backpack or suitcase. I personally came here with a suitcase which I started to regret through my travels. It was easier to roll the suitcase instead of having to carry a backpack on my shoulders. However, for my east coast travels I decided to leave my suitcase in a storage in Sydney and buy a small bag instead. 

 Also, know what is necessary for you to bring from home and what you could potentially buy in Australia. I use this deodorant, which is a German brand and I already knew I won’t be able to find it in Australia – and I was right. So I brought about 4 of them with me to last me 1 year. 

 It is handy to bring “oldish” clothes which you can potentially just throw away and buy new things when needed. Here is a few more basic things to consider bringing on your travels:

·     Passport and valid visa – obviously

·     Clothes for warmer and colder days (such as t-shirts, shorts, hoodie, beanie etc)

·     Appropriate shoes for what you are planning to do (e.g. hiking etc)

·     At least 1 fancy outfit (you never know what happens down under)

·     50+ Sunscreen, sun glasses and a hat (the sun can be nasty in Australia)

·     Travel towel (which takes up less space in your luggage)

·     Basic toiletries based on your needs

·     Basic medicine for a cold, allergies etc (keep in mind, you are only allowed to bring 3 months worth of medicine with you!!)

·     Umbrella or rain coat (weather can change in seconds)

·     Water bottle (tap water in Australia is drinkable)

·     Power outlet adapter suitable for Australia

·     Any camera/laptop gear you think you need

·     Card games and speaker (You will be the hero in every hostel, since not many people think about entertainment haha)

 And remember, just because your flight to Australia allows you to pack up to 30kg, doesn’t mean you have to! I brought about 27kg with me and had such troubles with domestic flights, as my luggage was way too heavy and I had to pay heaps more.

Know where to start and stay

 Australia is huge and it is important that you roughly know what you want to see in Australia. Write down a basic bucketlist and look up how far apart those places are and if it’s possible to see all of them during you travels. If you are not sure what exactly you want to see, check out my blog about my top 10 Must See in Australia.  

A lot of people want to see the east coast which is definitely the most popular route under backpackers. And a lot of people ask “Where should I start”? It doesn’t really matter if you start in Sydney and head up north or start in Cairns and head south. It does depend on what else you want to see though. If you want to see places like Melbourne, Tasmania or Adelaide, start in Cairns and head south. If you want to see Alice Springs or Darwin, start in Sydney and head north. This saves you taking domestic flights. 

Also, it would be good to have a rough plan how you will be getting around Australia so you can plan your budget. Keep reading to find out more about getting around in Australia and how expensive it can be.

 Regarding accommodation, I recommend to book at least the 1st week of your arrival in advance. Can be a Hotel, Airbnb or Hostel, whatever you feel comfortable with. This gives you time to settle down, get used to the time difference and organize things you need. For further travels I recommend staying in hostels, as it is the cheapest and easiest way to meet new people. If you need hostel recommendation, feel free to check out my blog about hostels along the east coast. The blog also explains how you might be able to stay for free in exchange for some work.

Cancel any subscriptions

Know how long you want to be in Australia for and decide if it’s worth canceling some subscriptions including your bank account, phone number etc. Do you really want to pay $30-$50 a month for a phone number that you are not using? I cancelled mine so it would only remain working for the first 2 weeks in Australia – in case I’d have troubles finding an aussie phone number. 

I also found out that Amazon Prime (the App you download in Europe) doesn’t work in Australia. I had to start a new subscription. Keep that in mind if you want to save those $10 a month by cancelling it. 

Organize AFTER arriving in Australia

 Testing and quarantining on arrival

Testing and quarantining on arrival differs by state and territory. For more information click on the state/territory you will be arriving in.

·     Australian Capital Territory

·     New South Wales

·     Queensland

·     Victoria

·     Northern Territory

·     Western Australia

·     South Australia

·     Tasmania

With Tasmania and the Northern Territory making it really difficult to find proper information about testing on arrival, quarantine etc…

Note: All states/territories require you to get tested within 12-24h after arrival. But it also says you need to head to your accommodation straight after arrival to self isolate until you get a negative result. So how do you get a RAT (Rapid antigen test) then?? You can bring and import a maximum of 3 months personal supply as long as the RAT is TGA approved and in your checked luggage. Also, RAT’s are also quite expensive ($20-$30 each) in Australia. See which tests are TGA approved here.

Australian phone number 

While nowadays nearly every city and accommodation provides WIFI, not having to depend on it, means a lot. No matter if you are only traveling through Australia for 2 months or 2 years, I would recommend getting an Australian number.

3 of the most popular mobile phone providers in Australia are:

·     Optus

·     Vodafone

·     Telstra

 With Telstra being the network that cover majority of Australia*. I personally started off with Optus but for $39 a month I only had 10GB of data which sometimes just wasn’t enough. Thinking back to it, I paid too much money and I wish I knew about the following 2 providers earlier.

Aldi mobile**: For $25 a month you get unlimited calls, sms and mms, 20GB data PLUS unused data rolls over to the next month. There are cheaper and more expensive options with the same concept. Check it out here. 

Woolworths mobile**: This plan is special as it is a long expiry. You can choose 180 or 365 day expire. Let’s say we need a number for 1 year or longer. For $140 a year you get unlimited calls and sms, 100GB data plus unused data rolls over to the next year. But that’s not even the best part. With using this plan you get 10% off your grocery shop once a month. There is a few more option with the same concept and if that sounds like something you’d need, check it out here.

*If you intend to travel the outback of Australia, Telstra won’t be enough. You will need a satellite phone which is more reliable but also expensive.

**Woolworths and Aldi both use Telstra so you are most likely to have better reception going with them.

Tax File Number

If you are planning on working in Australia, you will need a tax file number (TFN) in Australia. A TFN is necessary for tax and superannuation purposes and without one, you are not able to file your tax returns.

You won’t be able to apply for a TFN without an Australian number so make sure to organize that first. You will also need your valid passport. But let’s get into it.

 You can apply for your TFN here. You will have to fill out your passport details and personal details first. Then there is a few questions about if you have ever applied for a TFN or lodged a tax return before. Ideally all questions are to be answered with NO.

Note: If you already have a TFN, you don’t need to apply again. The TFN will be yours forever, no matter if you got yours 5 years ago!

 You then will have to fill out your postal and home address which can be a tricky one. Usually you can ask your hostel if you can use their address as the postal address but only if you are there long enough. If you don’t have a place where you will be for at least 2 weeks at a time, so the letter can be sent to you , contact me and I will try to help you out. As a home address you can simply use your address in your home country. 

The last step will be to fill out contact details. Your name and an Australian contact number are needed now. If you haven’t organized your phone number yet, check out some tips here.

You are ready to submit now. After that it will confirm your application where your reference number is shown. Make sure to write this number down, just in case you haven’t heard back within 4 weeks, you can contact ATO.

Australian Bank Account 

The most important thing when organizing an Australian bank account is to get it for free. Many bank account have a monthly fee which we as backpackers don’t want to pay. Down below I have a few options which banks do free accounts:

Westpac Choice*: A monthly account fee of $5 is WAIVED for anyone under 30 years old or for full time students. You may pay other fees if you withdraw money overseas etc… But you will probably only use the account within Australia so don’t worry about that. For more information click here.

Commonwealth Everyday Account Smart Access*: A monthly account fee of $4 is WAIVED for anyone under 25 years old or if you deposit at least AUD2,000 each month. For more information click here.

More banks to consider when opening a bank account for FREE:

·     NAB

·     St Georges

·     ANZ (for free if you are under 25 or full time student)

Note: To open your bank account you will need your TFN. If you haven’t organized it yet, click here to find out what you need. You might also be able to apply offshore, however you will need to finalize your bank account in Australia as you need Australian contact details (phone number, address etc).

The next question would be “How do I transfer my € USD$ £ etc into my Australian bank account?” You basically have to options:

·     Bring cash or

·     Use Wise

 The first option might sound a bit silly but definitely saves you transfer fees. I brought about 3.000€ with me, all in cash. I had it in a small bag which I could hang around my shoulder. This bag was covered by a shirt and a hoodie and has not left my body for the entire flight until I could deposit it. haha. Didn’t have any problems at the airport either. 

Later on when I needed more money I used Wise. Easy enough process all via their App on my iPhone. I have transferred 3.500€ at an exchange rate of 1.57 (October 2021) and received AUD5,488.25. They only charged a fee of 14.78€ which I thought was great!

Transportation

Australia is a huge country and you will need to figure out how you get from A to B. There are a few options so let’s dive into it:

Greyhound bus

If you brought more time with you and you don’t mind spending time on a bus, you will love this one. Greyhound is Australia’s largest coach network and it’s super handy when it comes to traveling. The bus even offers free Wifi and USB outlets to charge your phone. You can also select your preferred seat. 

If you are just planning on doing 1 or 2 trips, buy a one-way ticket but if you intend to travel up the east coast (most famous route) getting a travel pass can save you so much money. They offer 4 different kinds of so called Whimit travel passes and it’s totally worth it.

1.15 Whimit Travel Pass for $339

2.30 Whimit Travel Pass for $419

3.60 Whimit Travel Pass for $469

4.90 Whimit Travel Pass for $599

I had the 60 day pass as this gave me heaps of time to travel up and down the east coast. Friends of mine had the 30 day pass and they kind of felt like they had to rush a little. So I can definitely recommend the 60 day Whimit Travel Pass.

After you purchased the ticket, you can spontaneously book any trip via your phone.

Tip: Do NOT purchase your Greyhound tickets in advance (e.g. still being in your home country). You will save money purchasing your tickets in a local travel agency or online in Australia.

Renting a car

Renting a car is a great way if you want to travel independently and to rural areas but keep in mind you cannot rent or hire a car in Australia if you are under 21 years old. And once you hire your car, the younger you are, the more expensive it will get. Car rentals are about $20-$40 a day and for long-term rental it would be about $1,000 a month. 

It is only worth it if you are planing on traveling to a rural area and just for a couple of days. 

Car

Owning a car is great as you can go whenever and where ever you want. But it’s not as cheap as you would think. Following you have the costs for a car for the first year:

An average used car that is still reliable to drive another 5 years will cost you about $5,000. Registering a car costs another $1,000 which includes the green slip (insurance that protects you from liability if you injured a person in an accident) as you can’t register a car without it.

 You won’t need this for a registration but you cannot drive a car without it: a third party compulsory insurance. If you are under 25 years old, this costs about $400, if you are older, you are considered less risk and the yearly costs will go down. You also have to check your car yearly (pink slip) which will be around $50 but only if absolutely nothing is wrong with the car.

 Also, you can choose to have a full comprehensive insurance which will be additional $1,000 if you are under 25. Some states/territories require you to have an Australian driver licence in order to get insurance. If you need to transfer your licence, that will be an additional $100. Additional to all that, you will have to pay for fuel ($80-$100 weekly) and replace any broken things on your car.

 In total a cheap used car will be around $10,600 in your first year of purchasing one. It doesn’t really matter where you buy your used car, a dealership or Facebook marketplace – as long as you know what to look out for, you should be sweet.

 More options

 Public transport in bigger cities is great! Domestic flights are also an option. Just keep in mind, Australia is huge and domestic flights can take up to 8 hours. It’s a good solution for faster travels but it’s not cheap. Australia is ranked 12th priciest country for flights. Meaning you pay $40 for each 100km you fly. If you want to know more about how expensive Australia can be, check out my blog “Exposed – How Expensive is living in Australia”.

How to find work

The whole point of your work and holiday visa is to work at some point during your holiday. And finding work is usually not that hard. No matter if you are still at home or already in Australia, joining backpacker groups on Facebook is always a good idea. Heaps of people will be posting in such groups once they need workers etc… I have found my babysitting job through one of those groups.

Once in Australia and you want to work in shops, cafe’s etc, be bold, prepare your CV and just walk in and ask if they need someone. It is harder for them to deny you in person, than it would be via email. 

If you are on your first year of Work and Holiday and you want to extend another year, you are required to do 88 days of specified work. I personally didn’t do it but you will also find it easier to find such jobs in Facebook groups. 

The following industries and areas are approved for specified work:

·     tourism and hospitality in northern or remote and very remote Australia, from 22 June 2021

·     plant and animal cultivation in regional Australia

·     fishing and pearling in regional Australia

·     tree farming and felling in regional Australia

·     mining in regional Australia

·     construction in regional Australia

·     bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas only, after 31 July 2019

·     critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors anywhere in Australia, after 31 January 2020

For more information click here.

Important: For many jobs like bar staff, construction etc, you will need to undergo a course. Let’s say you want to work in a bar therefore working with alcohol, you will need to do you RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) course. I did mine with EOT, everything was online and the process was smooth. They also offer courses for construction.

This was basically it. If I forgot anything or you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. I know live permanently in Australia so I have had my fair share of experiences and I’m happy to help you out wherever I can. 

One last tip: don’t stress too much about all those things. Eventually everything will fall into place and you don’t need to have a full 1 year plan for your trip through Australia. Be spontaneous and have fun!