Working Holiday in Australia: My Job Experiences
image by :pixabay.com
Working holiday has been a trending topic for a long time now—an opportunity to work and fund your travel along the way sounds like a fantastic idea. Among all the countries offering this chance, the Australian Working Holiday Visa has been the most popular!
Why?
First of all, it doesn’t have a quota. In most cases, you’ll get the visa as long as you fit the criteria. Second, Australia has one of the highest wages in the world! Sounds fantastic, right? For me, it was.
Now, let me tell you about the jobs I’ve done during my working holiday!
Waitress
Location: Chinese Restaurant
Working Hours: 11-12 hours a day
Wage: AU$100 per day (about AU$8-9 per hour; minimum wage was AU$16 at the time)
How to find a similar job: DON’T
The first two weeks I landed in Sydney, I did nothing but sightseeing, shopping, eating, drinking, and partying. Sydney turned out to be way more expensive than I thought, so I ran out of money FAST!
I signed up on Gumtree and sent out my resume. Within a day, someone contacted me—they were looking for a Mandarin speaker, so I was the perfect candidate!
I visited the office the next day. The job was out of town, but the employer provided food and accommodation. The salary was AU$100 per day, working from lunchtime through dinner. I was desperate, so I took it.
Long story short: the job was miserable. I quit after one week and returned to Sydney with my AU$600. All I can say is, don’t EVER work in a Chinese restaurant in Australia. I haven’t heard any good stories from that kind of job. Avoid it by all means!
Note: Just because you pay a job agency doesn’t mean they’re legit. Be careful when discussing job details with agents and understand your basic labor rights!
Catering Staff / Temporary Staff
Location: Wherever I was needed
Working Hours: 3-5 hours per gig, depending on the season
Wage: Usually AU$25-30 per hour plus great tips!
How to find a similar job: Submit your CV to Pinnacle
Wondering what catering staff does? Imagine planning a big party with food and drinks ready—but you need someone to cook or serve. You contact a catering agency, they find staff, and you get the job!
This was one of the coolest jobs I’ve done! I worked at parties, weddings, and special occasions. It paid well and gave me lots of free time. The only downside was no guaranteed hours.
Note: These jobs often end later than promised. Hosts were usually nice and fine with staff leaving on time, but I preferred to stay longer to finish dishes and clear glasses—and I always got great tips for that!
If you want to save money fast, this job is probably the best second job. Short hours with high wages help you save quickly!
Food and Beverage Staff in a National Park
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Working Hours: 35 hours per week in the slow season; 60 hours in holiday season
Wage: AU$22/hour with overtime and holiday bonuses
How to find a similar job: Search jobs by location (e.g., “Job on Fraser Island”)
Working in a national park meant nothing but wildlife around—wild kangaroos, hiking trails, scenic lookouts. Great for nature lovers and good for saving money since there’s little to spend on. The employer provided food and accommodation for AU$50 per week near the hotel.
The money was great but the work was tough. National parks bring student groups, so serving 100 kids is no joke. I worked as a barista by day, bartender by night, and sometimes made sandwiches or served food.
Due to the rural location, cell phone service was almost nonexistent. I spent lots of time chatting with people, which made for my best memories there.
Note: Make sure your phone works before you leave—or you won’t be able to keep in touch with family!
Bartender in a Country Club
Location: Cue, WA
Working Hours: 35 hours per week slow season; 50 hours holiday season
Wage: AU$20 per hour
How to find a similar job: Gumtree
Cue was so rural it was unbelievable—the nearest town was 100 km away, with only 250 residents including Aboriginals, miners, teachers, and police.
The desert weather was extreme, and resources limited. It was a great experience, especially since everyone in town knew who I was!
Note: If you go to the countryside, bring enough supplies like medications, skincare, and snacks. Also, invest in good sunglasses—you’ll be wearing them a lot!
These are some of the jobs I did during my Australian Working Holiday. I also bartended at several other places, but those were similar, so I didn’t include them.
And no, I never worked on a farm. I went to rural areas but the jobs didn’t meet the criteria for a second working holiday visa. I regret it a bit because I had so much fun in Australia, but that’s also why I don’t regret my choices!
Having a job in a different country feels very different from just traveling through. I hope this article helps you understand what it’s like to work in Australia.
If you have questions, leave a comment and I’ll get back to you soon!
