A gap year in Australia
Gap years in Australia
Find out more about Australia
Fire up the barbie and pass us a beer, you big galah! So you want to take a Gap year in Australia? Of course you do – great surf, acres of sizzling bush, rare wildlife and laid-back nightlife – no wonder hundreds of backpackers fly out every year. iGapYear can get you out there, if you promise to write home and explain why you’re not on the flight back. Here’s all you need to know…
GAP opportunities
There’s no shortage of work in Oz; you can join the fruit-picking brigade, teach English to immigrants, or get involved in conservation work. You could even take a course in teaching water-sports and then gamble on finding a position that allows you to stay.
Check that your package includes arrangements for a Working Holiday Visa from the Australian government. (You can, of course, organise this independently, if you want to try your luck at finding work on arrival.) The country has a reciprocal arrangement with the UK allowing young people to enjoy an extended holiday and to take a casual job once there. Fruit-picking, gardening, cleaning and the usual office-temp positions are often readily available, although this option is a lot riskier than packages that give you a job offer before you fly out.
Alternatively, don’t forget that you can easily drop Australia into an itinerary that allows you to explore the added delights of Fiji and Asia. It may be worth knowing that Australia is a land of opportunity for educated Brits – it’s currently experiencing a skills shortage. Actively seeking young professionals to boost its economy, the country is more than welcoming towards backpackers.
Getting Around
With Australian flights costing what they do, most GAPPERS choose a RTW ticket that includes Sydney. They offer better value, with prices starting at around £700 (a LHR>SYD return ticket will cost at least £400). These tickets are flexible, so you can stay in Australia for longer than planned if its attractions become too much to resist.
Australia is a sparse country. Not many people (less than 3 per square kilometre), and even fewer roads. Its rail network is thus pretty simple – choose from four directions on two lines, and you can reach most of the major destinations. Perth in the West and Sydney in the East are separated by more than 4,000km. Travel it on the Indian Pacific railway, a panoramic trip that takes you straight through the Blue Mountains, over deserted outback and past some of Australia’s original outposts. Between Adelaide (South) and Darwin (North), the Ghan takes you on another awe-inspiring train journey; make a stop at Alice Springs to experience Ayers Rock.
If you’re a bus baby, book your country-wide pass at Greyhound: Australia’s national coach operator offers a backpacker ticket for about £1000. This lets you explore the entire Oz coastline and all the major cities.
Places of interest
Sydney is a second-generation version of your average city; refined and stylish, it’s achieved a reputation as a sort of super-city. The laid-back quality of life gives it a more leisurely feel than London or New York, and the relentless sunshine gives you a tan while you explore. Its soaring opera house is a world-famous postcard snap, but nothing beats being there in the sparkling harbour. Bright and breezy bars named after hip world destinations (like The New Brighton) sprawl side-by-side with skyscrapers and trendy shopping malls.
After Sydney, the hippest hangout is Melbourne, where a student-rich population gives the city a party vibe. Where next? Stop at Perth (which is said to get 300 days of sunshine per year – more than any other Australian city), pick up an Aboriginal souvenir, and then move on to peaceful Adelaide and hop on a bike to see some of the churches.
Oh, yes: and don’t miss hiking in the Blue Mountains, surfing on the Sunshine Coast, strolling through a hillside vineyard, or gaping in wonder at Ayers Rock. It’s impossible to be bored in Australia… and even harder to climb back onto your plane to fly home…