Backpacking in Australia?

Question

Am seriously thinking of going backpacking around australia for a year, have took the online assessment and passed. Just wondered what other people that have done this think of there experiences. Any places to go, any place not to go. Any feedback would be gratefully appreciated.

Answer 1

DO IT, it will be the best thing you ever do!

If you have 12 months there, I reccommend living in Sydney for 3 months(ish) - get a job and learn the culture etc... You'll have an awesome time they, city has EVERYTHING. try and organise employment before you get there, if you've got a degree or worked for someone with international offices, do some research and mail out cvs left right and centre before you leave! this will hopefully get you an enjoyable job and more dollario!

Most things are on the east coast... Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Fraser Island*, Whitsundays*, Cairns. BUT Peth is beautiful (west), ayres rock in the middle, darwin (north)... if you've got 12 months, do it all, think about buying a cheap car too. you could pick up a car/camper for $1000 and sell it when you leave.

The best advice i can give is to plan where you go first according to the time of year. The australian summer should be spent in the south of the country ie melbourne, sydney. This is because the nasty jellyfish come out to play in the queensland waters at this time. May-Sept is when they "go away". Christmas and New years is fantastic in sydney (peak summer). The aussie winter yields the best weather in cairns, its not muggy and rainy then, just warm and sunny.

* - you must do these!

Answer 2

I just came back from a wonderful backpacking trip to Australia and New Zealand. You're going to have a wonderful time. There is so much to see, and the hostels are clean, well managed and full of other interesting travelers. Stay in xaBase hostels...they are the absolute best. When you're in Melbourne, make sure to stay at the one just outside in St. Kilda....it's a short tram ride into town and it's right on a gorgeous beach. Have a great trip!

Answer 3

Get the LONLEY PLANNET guide book for australia, this has lods of info and places to go and how to go about it.
A lot of travellers use the oppertunity to travell around malaysia, india, thailand, louse, cambodia and the philipines whilst in this part of the world, Australia is expensive just like the uk but these other places are doable on a tight budgett.
www.virtualtourist.com is a good site to look through peoples own pages on where they've been to adn get tips or ask questions.

Answer 4

go for it! i did it the other year and now i live here!
the east coast is very aimed at backpacker cheap beer, cheap trips etc.
everyone does cains, QLD to sydney, NSW but don't miss out on the rest like perth, WA. adelaide, SA. and NT or tassie.
you will prob need to work at some point don't have a set place or time for this as you may get a great offer early on.
if you get a chance visit NZ while your that end.
for touring Aus i highly recommend OZ experience, its a hop on hop off bus thats does all the main places but will also give you some great stopovers in the outback, cattle stations, farms etc and you can arrange your OZ experience pass b4 you go, try somewhere like STA travel or check out OZ experience's website.

Answer 5

do it !! you will love it,,,, i spent two years there,, working and travelling from place to place,, start in sydney and work up the east coast, down the west coast (if you have time,)or fly from darwin to perth which cuts out the harshest part of the west coast and then you can do the bottom part, adelaide, melbourne back up to sydney.. don't stay too long in any one place, tempting though it is,,,, work in the citys and what i did was buy a car with people i met along the way, which you can sell for hardly any loss at the end or bus pass it, and take it leisurely getting from city to city chilling in the gorgeous places inbetween,,,,,,,i camped as it was cheap, when not working, but stayed in the loads of hostel when working, good luck

Answer 6

if youre not an aussie, stick to the coastlines when backpacking, if you want to see the outback pay for a proper tour its a hard hot life in the aussie outback and can be very dangerous.....theres mountains of backpackers lodges all over the coastline and theyre always busy so you'll meet heaps of people that will tell you wheres best to go. Queensland is awesome cause you can do all the coastline and out on to all the islands in the whitsunday passage.........have fun!

Answer 7

I've been to quite a few places in Australia and taken lots of panoramic photos. Follow this link and then click on the thumbnails to open the photos: http://www.360travelguide.com/listimage.asp?StartNum=1&CountrySelect=Australia&LocSelect=All+Locations

...I hope that gives you some inspiration about where you'd like to go.

Answer 8

I haven't done it myself, but have camped all across Victoria and it is truely divine.

You should be sure to go to Cairns, I've heard it is back packer central!

Have lots of fun, and remeber to practice common sense (to keep safe).

Answer 9

THERE IS HEAPS OF WORK IN MILDURA, NORTH WEST VICTORIA.. fruit and vegetable picking etc...and there are heaps of back packer hostels..