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Outback Work & Travel - Australia
Earn lots of money for your travels down under by spending your first 3+ months working in the outback! You will receive full training on arrival for your new adventure in one of the planet's biggest areas of untouched wilderness.
This program will get you 'off the beaten path' and straight into true Aussie life, whether that is working on a rural farm as a Ranch Hand or Homestead Helper (like an au pair), or using your horseback riding experience on a Polo farm. Whatever your skills, there is a role out there for you that would be perfect for your gap year!
Key Information
- Very competitive wage
- Outback farm training
- Accommodation and food
- Drive a tractor, Ride horses, Drive cattle and more
Work and Holiday in the Australian Outback
For all types of position you will be accommodated by an Aussie family on their ranch and go through one week of ultimate agricultural training such as off-road motor biking, tractor driving, horse riding, cattle rounding and chainsaw operation before starting your guaranteed job and saving for your travels.
Your training week will give you an introduction into the agriculture industry and you will discover what area of farm life would best suit you. While proving your worth on the ranch you will receive job offers from one of 1,800 farms from all regions of Australia and be able to leave training to start the job of your choice.
You will be paid a very competitive rate (AU$350+ per week after taxes) plus your accommodation and food are included as part of your job role.
This Smaller Earth program gives you a job like no other and a 100% authentic Australian outback adventure!
Work and Travel in the Australian Outback
The Australian working holiday visa allows you to work for up to one year in a variety of jobs all around Australia. On this Smaller Earth program you will recieve extensive training allowing you to gain well paid employment on a farm for the first few weeks or months of your trip.
You can continue to work on farms for as long as you like or you can move on to a different type of employment anywhere in Australia, it is entirely up to you. You could be a 'homestead helper' and assist in chores around the home and help look after children or if you're really into horse riding, you could find yourself training polo horses! If you complete a minimum of 3 months of agricultural employment then you are also eligible to apply for a second working holiday visa to extend your trip for another 12 months.
Love the outback? You can choose other jobs such as Outback pubs and Outback roadhouses. Chefs and cooks are in short supply in the outback and therefore are very well paid. If you are an individual who possess these qualifications, you can expect to receive the highest wage. This is for pubs, roadhouses and cattle farms.
Whether you work on one of the host farms or in a pub/roadhouse, food and accommodation will be provided. This means you can save everything you earn to further fund your travels or extend your gap year!
Eligibility
Although this varies depending on your country of citizenship, in general you must:
- Be outside Australia when you apply and are granted your visa
- Not have entered Australia on a Working Holiday Visa before
- Be aged between 18 and 30 years at the time of applying
- Not apply more than 12 months before you intend to travel
- Not be accompanied by dependent children during your stay
- Have sufficient proof of funds (see below)
- Meet health criteria (see below)
- For some jobs, the ability to drive a vehicle with a manual gearbox is required
Sufficient Proof of Funds
You also must have access to sufficient funds to support yourself for the initial stage of your holiday. Generally, $5000 may be regarded as sufficient, but the amount may vary depending on your length of stay and the extent of your travel. You should also have a return or onward ticket or the funds for a fare to depart Australia. You may be asked to provide evidence. Evidence may include a certified copy of a bank statement and an air ticket out of Australia.
Health Criteria
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to undertake a medical examination which may include a chest x-ray, HIV, Hepatitis B and/or Hepatitis C test. All required health examinations must be completed before a decision can be made on your visa application. If you need a medical examination, the cost is not included in the visa application fee you pay when you submit your application.
What’s Included
• Pick up at Brisbane airport upon arrival
• Transport to Rainbow Beach
• Transport to Springbrook Farm
• Welcome lunch in Goomeri and all meals on the farm
• 9 days of training and accommodation
• Tax file registration assistance
• Bank account set up assistance
• A Global Gossip phone and internet card
• A 500km Greyhound pass
• Free Internet at Springbrook Farm
• Help and advice 24/7 while in Australia
• Free phone emergency number
• T-shirt
• Water bottle
• Aussie hat
• Application form for your second working holiday visa (if applicable)
What's Not Included
• International flights
• Insurance
• Visa cost
• Any extra living expenses or excursions
Arrival & Orientation
You need to arrive on a Thursday between 6.30am and 8.30am. Upon arrival at Brisbane airport you will be met by either Rosemary or Liz , two born and bred Australians who will welcome you to life down under! They will then take you to the YHA hostel in Brisbane city centre and there you'll be given a map of the city and shown how and where to convert your electronic visa into a paper one in order to apply for Medicare. While you're at the hostel you will be given a bus ticket to Rainbow Beach for Friday morning and a welcome letter.
Friday to Sunday:
You will take a Greyhound bus to Rainbow Beach on Friday and there you will have the chance to sun, surf and relax! Take the time to unwind and get over your jet lag, so that you can be ready and prepared for the week ahead!
Monday AM:
You will leave Rainbow Beach in the morning and take the 10am bus to Goomeri. Here you will stop for some lunch and will complete some paperwork in order to be ready for your first week of work. This will include setting up your bank account, medicare and tax file registration number. You'll then have the chance to do some shopping before your trainers will pick you up and take you over to their farms for the rest of the week. This is where you will begin your training for life in the outback!
Monday to Friday:
During the introductory training week you will ride a motor-bike across farm grounds to check things such as cattle and fences. You will ride a stock horse and move cattle and you will also work the cattle on foot in the yard. You will get to drive tractors, do routine maintenance and operation work as well. Lastly, you will learn about Australian fencing techniques and will learn how to use a chainsaw as part of timber control. Quite importantly, you will be taught about many aspects of outback and farm safety! Here's a summary of what you can expect during your training week:
- Look after cattle; muster them, drive them and work with them in the yards, drafting and doing routine jobs such as injecting and spraying.
- Ride the horses, learn how to care for them and for the tack, use the horses to muster and drive the cattle.
- Ride agricultural motorbikes, learn how to use them for jobs such as checking the cattle, checking fences and bringing in the horses.
- Drive tractors, maintain them and understand how they work. How to use implements such as forks and buckets; how to mount and use ploughs, seeders, post hole digging and slashing.
- Learn how to use a chainsaw safely, how to look after it and to sharpen the blade. You will then be able to use the chainsaw to cut down small trees, and possibly to cut fence posts from bigger trees and debark them.
You will also help with the household jobs on the farms such as laying and cleaning tables, washing up and keeping your own space tidy as you would to any employer.
It's really important to note that even though you will be working in the outback and on a farm, you must still look presentable to an employer! Dress appropriately and remember that you will need a job after your training week; so the more you do to impress during this first week, the more likely it it that the employer will offer you a job on a farm!
Saturday:
Once you have completed your training you will then be able to choose the job you wish. You can either choose to stay on the farm (if they offer you a job and you have shown hard work during the training week) or find employment on another farm, and with 1800 farms to choose from, you should get a job in no time! There are a variety of job choices available to you following your training week. If you would prefer to leave the cattle handling to someone else and work in the farmhouse, then a job as a 'homestead helper' is for you. You will help with chores around the house and will help look after the children of the family. There are also an abundance of jobs working with and training polo horses, so if you are an animal lover then this is a great option for you!
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