USEFUL LINKS, WHERE TO LAND & STARTING OFF

MAP OF AUSTRALIA

Start in an area that excites you. Choose by what you want to see; ocean vs. outback, maybe it’s both. Be AWARE of DRY and WET SEASONS. Remember seasons could be opposite to yours.

I landed in late June 2013 in Cairns, Far North Queensland, and then I traveled down the east coast arriving in Melbourne mid January 2014. My record temperature was 47°C and averaged 28-35°C.

I suggest buying or reading a lonely planet book. All the stats you need to know are in there: weather, important phone numbers, attractions, events and so much more.

I chose just to travel just the East Coast for the year. I wasn’t in a rush and I liked being in one spot longer than just a day or two. Each person’s style to travel is different; find what works best for you.

ACCOMMODATION

Sleeping in a room with others was no big deal to me. It was easy having had sisters and brothers growing up. I stayed in hostels and rented a room in a house when I was working longer term.

Hostel prices vary on location, day of week and year. I averaged $25-30AUS/night. When renting a room in a house I spent about $160-250/week.

Australia often requires weekly rent payments, not monthly, keep that in mind when doing your research. A bond is usually required; this is based on landlord's requirements of rental. A bond is similar to a damage/security deposit.

Under the accommodation heading I listed 5 great accommodations sites. I frequently used Gumtree, Airbnb and Hostelbookers.

BANKING

It is very simple to walk into a bank and get an account set up. Try to get an account without monthly fees or one with a low fee. Mine was free as long as I deposited at least $500.00 a month; it was $4.00/month if deposit did not occur.

You’ll need your passport and an Australian address, usually the hostel you’re staying at. Change the address with the bank as you go or even better get everything sent my email – it is 2015!

I usedCommonwealth Bank, it was awesome. Another popular one amongst travelers is ANZ, Australian and New Zealand Bank, definitely useful if you plan on heading to NZ.

Doing a search of the branch locations and ATM locations will be helpful if you decide to go with another bank, especially if you’re hitting the Outback.

TAXES

Apply for a TFN, Tax File Number, your employer will ask you for it. If you don’t have one you will be taxed at an extremely high rate.

I highly suggest filing and obtaining information on taxes by a professional once you are there. Taxes are filed for June 30; start of the new tax year is July 1. Taxes are not my strength and I outsourced this process.

Australian government funding for retirement is called Superannuation or Super. Create one superannuation account; this will most likely be created for you once you have your first job. Ask for your Superannuation account information from your employer. This can be your Super account that other employers can use once you move on. Knowing this information will keep your money in one place instead of various accounts.

PHONE

Unlock your phone before you leave to Australia. You could do this once you arrive, but save yourself the hassle and do it before you go. Contact your service provider and get them to unlock your phone for you; expect to pay a fee. It was $50.00 CAN for me to do this with my iPhone.

Unlocking your phone allows the use of Australian SIM Cards. Telstra is a very popular mobile service, I had great coverage (which is important in Australia), there are lots of mobile services; look at their Coverage Map if you choose another company.

Telstra, Optus and Vodafone are most popular for travelers and Australians.

For those with inquisitive minds feel free to contact me at . You can also find me on facebook or at