I am helping our nieces to plan their gap year travel. They plan to leave the UK in October/November and will be away for the year. They plan on working for at least part of the time in Australia and will be getting the appropriate visas etc. My, or rather their dilemma is which way around to plan their travel.

Options include:

1. Fly London to Sydney RTW via a short stop in LA . Six months in OZ (and possibly NZ). The problem is that this would leaving for SE Asia around April time through to Oct which is not the greatest time weatherise.
2. Fly return London to a SE Asian hub and using that as a base for exploring the region (at an optimum time of year) before moving south to Australia in April and spending six months there before heading back home.

On one level weather is clearly important , on another there is a desire to work to boost funds sooner rather than later.

I have a pretty good handle on Asian weather pattern but less so in Australia. Is their a good time to go or avoid. They have friends in Brisbane so I imagine that that will be their primary base.

Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated. I am going around in circles on how best to counsel them!

Hi Crellston,

Australia's a big place, covers several climate zones. Generally speaking, wetter and warmer in the far north.

Have a look at https://www.bom.gov.au for weather patterns in the various areas they might visit.

Here's a couple of maps & links that might be useful. VISA FINDER: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...sa/visa-finder

Australia – size map: https://www.virtualoceania.net/austr...ustralia.shtml

Sydney map:

https://goo.gl/maps/PFmeA45BAKXruh4F8

Really, the best thing is for your nieces to have a good look at Australia.com, and the map and work out what it is they would like to see & do. From there, we can guide them on when would be best in what area. If I was on a gap-year, I'd want to have NYE in Sydney. And ask the Bank of Mum, Dad & Aunt for my Christmas & Birthday gifts in $ to help finance it.

Remember - Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere - seasons the reverse of the UK & US.

I think getting the work bit out of the way first would be a good idea. Then follow that up with travelling and having fun. They'll have a bit of money by then and if they work first, then it gives them something to look forward to. I'm sure most young people are fine when they do their working holiday in Australia but there have been some horror stories. Tell the girls to always let someone responsible know where they will be and stick together.

Regarding weather, the northern part of Australia, say from Brisbane heading north, from April to October it should be nice weather. No guarantee but there's a reason so many Victorians head north for the winter (June/July/Aug). From about Nov to April, it's the wet season in the north (Qld, Darwin etc) with sometimes severe storms, certainly humidity and rain. If they are intending to work in the southern states, Victoria or Tasmania, then that time of year will be cold, some rain and grey skies a lot of the time. If they are working hard to put money aside for travel, maybe it doesn't matter too much.

If their plan is to arrive in Australia around Oct/Nov, and work first, then maybe head initially to Sydney or Melbourne. Work in Vic/NSW then around April head north towards Cairns area or fly across to Asia. Costs are quite high in Australia and I'm guessing their funds will go a lot further in Asia.

Hi Guys,

Thank you for your comments and links.

After some discussion with our nieces it seems that the option 1, to start off the trip by working for circa 4 months, probably in or around Brisbane is (currently) the preferred option. Think the attraction is to build up funds by working early on, rather than have to play catch up later. Whether that turns into reality remains to be seen . Xmas in Sydney sounds like a great idea, though I am guessing that, given they worked in hospitality through college , that is where the will work and xmas & New Year will probably yield bumper rates for working?

If they spend say two months travelling the rest of Australia, what would be the best way to get around, flights, buses , tours, camper van? I remember seeing lots of backpacker buses in NZ but not sure if they exist in the same way in Australia.

Assuming that they proceed with option 1 I need to get to work on sorting out the optimum route for the weather in SE Asia assuming they arrive in Feb March, the tail of the dry season for much of the region.

All this planning for others is giving me itchy feet....

Well, come on down, crellston. It's time to visit again. The grand-kids are not getting any younger!

From what we hear in the media, there are lots of places desperate for staff. The problem seems to be finding accommodation. Before settling on a town or city for work, they should check what accommodation is available and the cost. Rent seems to be increasing everywhere and some places taken from permanent rentals towards the holiday/AirBnb market.

As far as travelling around for the rest of the trip, it depends on where they want to go. They could hire a campervan (they have really small two person vans that seem popular) and drive maybe from Melbourne to Sydney along the coast, or Sydney to Brisbane. If they want to see Uluru or the Cairns area, they'd need to fly. There are trains but they are very slow and not cheap. I'm out of touch with buses, they used to exist when I was backpacking, in the dark ages.

If they are based in Brisbane, that's an easy drive to the Gold Coast and not much further to Byron Bay which is popular but can be pricey. A short drive north to the Sunshine Coast - roughly Caloundra to Noosa. They can also visit Stradbroke Island from Brisbane - train to Cleveland, bus to port then ferry, day trip or stay there.

True but we are rationing ourselves to bi annual visits. Flight costs from the UK are horrendous post pandemic and IMO are unlikely to drop much anytime soon. Sadly , I am not getting any younger and the days of flying long haul in economy are probably behind me! 2024 is probably the next trip down under.

The girl’s parents plan on visiting the kids at some point and have suggested we go with them. Though I think that would be to meet them in Asia. If that plan develops we may well do what we did this year and split our time between a family visit to Sydney and a week or two in Asia with them.

Interest you should mention Noosa. Son is there at the moment on hols and Aussie friends we pet sit for always head there when they go back - must be some place. We may have to have a look 😉

Thanks for the advice Kay. They seem to have got a handle on the accommodation/ work aspect. They have friends who have been working and living in the Brisbane area for a few months now so they on the ground help to rely on. They have been avidly watching YouTube videos of backpacker life in Australia and I think it is not an exaggeration to say they have fallen in love with the place before even setting foot there!

There are three of them, two sisters and their cousin so the cost of accommodation is split three ways which will help. I think longer tern rentals are going to be out so it will be a matter of Airbnb or similar I think.

Hi, if they are going down the AirBNB option, send a message to the host, many give discount for long rentals. However, the times they are coming is close to summer "peak" times and up north "QLD" rainy season...accommodation would be the next thing I would sort out...Re Work in Hospitality, they should not have a problem getting work as that industry is crying out for workers and as it will be peak season for many places it will be even more so...

Also if they are looking to travel about a bit by car, there are often rental returns that can be hired for very cheaply, they usually have limits and times on them though they may find one to fit...Also get them to sign up for Jetstar and Virgin newsletters they both offer cheap flights (usually well in advance) between many areas and be sure to get the insurance on those flights...it's often $12-15AUD but worth it. The trains run along the east coast as do buses, these are usually overnight trips due to time it takes (Bris-Syd 8-10hours drive), though to be honest, they aren't always cheaper than flights between major cities...

REE Asia, depending on the destination often Sydney or Melbourne are the best to fly out of...though there are some direct flights from Brisbane and Darwin...
Also depending on destinations as SE Asia is large some destinations can go until March-April, we travelled Indonesia in April and no rain then and minimal in May...

My apologies Crellston, I forgot you'd been here a few times before!

Anyway ....There's a new airline, Bonza doing regional flights at fantastic rates and opening up new routes. Friend flew Sunshine Coast to Rockhampton last week for $59.

If the girls are aiming to work in hospitality, it would be a distinct advantage to have their RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certificates. I'm not sure if they are internationally recognised or whether they would need to do them here. I'm pretty sure you can do it online. I googled and there's a plethora, so usual caveat - make sure they go with one which is properly accredited.

What fun for a gap year! It will be great experience for them and they're certainly coming at a great time.

Sadly, the Fodors Australia Forum has dwindled to an occasional post these days, so you might like to pop over to Trip Advisor, where the Australia Forum is much more active.

No problem Bokhara2 . Thanks for the tip re Bonza. I shall pass that on. Also thanks for the tip on the RSA - who knew there was such a thing??

It is a shame the way activity has slowed on this forum. Indeed , most other forums are the same with the exception of the US and Europe. I think it is a combination of covid and people getting fed up with the moderation of the forums. I stopped using the forums for a while but tough I would give it another go. Sadly, we see so many bizarre one time posters that I am questioning whether to continue.

I am a Destination Expert on TA for Peru & Bolivia and whilst it is a great place for hard information and getting questions answered (usually!), it lacks the friendly informal atmosphere of Fodor . Indeed on our visit down under last year we met up with fellow Fodorite , Sartoric and hubby and had a great time staying with them for a couple of days. Also met up with mlgb and Tdiddy in Los Angeles last year. Don't often get that on TA!

I'd give the Australian TA Forum a go, Crellston. You might be pleasantly surprised. We're a friendly bunch and several of us post there and here. I've met Sartoric - she came to a GTG in Sydney one time when there was an international Fodorite passing through. Charming & interesting person.