Advice for Budget Travelers in Australia

Australia is not a budget travel destination. Visitors may be surprised by how expensive some things are, even by European standards. Notable examples are: Alcohol, snack foods, electronics and clothing.

If you approach things the right way, its a country where you can have a lot of fun on a reasonable budget. The following tips will help you out and hopefully save you a whole lot of cash.

Among other things, this page includes some tips how to save money on:

• Transport
• Accommodation
• Work and Travel

Images to the right of this article are from my gallery of images taken during my most recent trip up the east coast of Australia in October 2008 - clicking on the thumbnails will take you to the image in the gallery page.

1. Getting Around

   • Buy your own car

     Buying a car to drive for a few months and sell again is a popular option. If you time your trip properly, and drive from somewhere with lots of cars for sale (eg. capital cities such as Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne) to the other ends of the backpacker trail (eg. Darwin, Cairns) you may even sell the car for a small profit.

     Foreign citizens can normally register a car in their own name in Australia - but you need is proof of an address, such as a confirmation receipt from their backpackers. Check requirements from the department of transport in the state you intend to purchase the vehicle.

     Many motoring associations overseas have reciprocal roadside assistance deals with Australia, so if you're a member (for example) of ADAC in Germany, the RACQ will cover you in Queensland. Again, check details with the emergency assistance service in the state you want to drive in.

   • Ride share

     - the cheapest way to get from one place to another, especially if you want to see things in between, is to car-pool with other backpackers. Rides can be found either on backpacker notice boards or online. Have a look at Gumtree for a popular bulletin board where you can post (and read) free adds. Otherwise use the noticeboards (the real ones) at hostels.

   • Trains

     - Although the Australian rail network isn't the best in the world, contrary to popular belief, it is possible to get around by train. If you are determined to travel by rail, there are some rail passes available that can make trains a viable and sometimes even cheap alternative. Check out Seat 61 for details on how to get around by train, and links to reserve rail passes for foreign passport holders. Note: for some trains, it is necessary to book ahead well in advance of intended travel.

   • Long Distance Coaches

     There are a range of Greyhound bus packages that allow you to get to the most popular spots. Bus travel is of course slow compared to flying and often costs more in Australia, but if you plan your itinerary properly, its a very efficient way to travel. A slightly cheaper pass is available on , but this only covers the east coast and has less frequent services. Alternative packages are available on backpacker buses such as Oz Exerience, although these can be very close in format to a package tour.

   • Budget Airlines

     If you want to cover big distances cheaply without stopping in between, budget airlines are the way to go. Try Skyscanner to do a search across the main budget airlines - both locally and internationally - hint: this site can search a whole month's specials if you click the right box. If you can't find a cheap fare on the search engines, check the airline sites directly: the main ones are Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Tiger airways. If all else fails its also worth checking on Qantas for an online deal. Often flying from a regional city to a capital is much cheaper than flying capital to capital (eg. Sunshine Coast to Sydney is often cheaper than Brisbane to Sydney). If you are flying to save money, make sure you factor in the cost of getting to and from the airport, which can be very expensive in some cities. If you opt for a taxi from Tullamarine airport in Melbourne, this will probably cost more than the flight.

2. Accommodation

   Accommodation is naturally on of the biggest expenses in Australia. Expect to pay at least A$20 per night for a hostel bed in most cities.

   • Camping

     - Camping is the cheapest way to travel if you have your own car, or are car pooling. Its also the best way to get close to some of the best parts of the country. If you don't bring a tent from overseas, they can be purchased cheaply from many camping stores or shops like Big W, Target or K-mart. Otherwise, travelers leaving will also be looking to get rid of their equipment.

   • Backpackers Hostels

     Although lots of hostels are over-priced in Australia and often pretty poor quality, they are still one of the most convenient options for travelers. An added bonus if you're feeling lonely is that you'll never be short of a friend or 20, depending on the size of the dorm. Its worth checking for the best price on a hostel - sometimes booking through hostelworld , or in advance through the hostel you're currently at is much cheaper than the walk-in rate.

   • Couch-surfing

     Check out and join Couch surfing for a free accommodation option, where you'll have a much better chance of meeting some local Australians.

3. Supermarkets -vs- convenience stores

   In Australia there is usually a BIG price difference between supermarkets such as Woolworths, Coles or Aldi and small convenience stores. If possible, head into a supermarket and do your shopping there. Wherever possible avoid buying anything other than fuel from petrol stations. While you're at the Supermarket, check out the back of "shop-a-dockets" (ie. your receipt) - these often have meal specials and other discounts.

4. Goon

   While most alcohol is expensive, the exception to this is wine, and particularly the chateaus de cardboard , or "goon" (wine in a cardboard box) which is a backpacker favorite. As an added bonus, you can use the bag as a pillow when you pass out. If you want to pretend you're an underage local, try the famous "passion-pop" as the name suggests, this is bubbly wine flavored with passion fruit. Planning to start your social night out with a few bottle-shop drinks at the backpackers, rather than spending the whole night on full-price drinks at the bar is always a good idea.

   As a radical alternative, you could always try a few nights of sobriety. Although this will put you at odds with most of the backpackers, there is a greater chance of actually seeing interesting things the following day.

5. Work and Travel

   Australia has working holiday arrangements with a growing number of countries. Once you get here there's often no shortage of work, particularly in the hospitality and agricultural sectors. In many rural towns, there are "working backpackers" or accommodation that is specifically set up for seasonal workers. In these places, transportation to farms and workplaces is usually organised by the hostels and employers.

   Working in rural and regional areas can be an efficient way to save money, partly because when you're staying for a few weeks in the middle of nowhere to work, there's not much to spend all that cash on until you get back to sailing on the coast. Make sure you arrive in time for the harvest season for a particular area. Get there at the wrong time and you'll be sitting around bored and not earning any money.

   Check out the Australian government's website for more details of when and where to work: Harvest Trail

   A word of caution: if you arrive in Cairns and expect to be able to walk into work in the middle of winter, you should realise that you'll be there with the rest of the country's backpacker population that are escaping the cold weather down south. If you plan to make your fortune in Sydney, you should also count on spending far more than you expect on living expenses.

   Other options: Many of the stories you hear about backpacking and earning money fruit picking can be a little out dated. The supply of backpackers looking for work is always increasing, so you may find that there is a lot of competition for work. You may find its easier to find temporary work in cities like Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide which aren't quite as over-run with backpackers as Sydney or Melbourne.

6. Backpacker specials

   There are a lot of special deals available for backpackers. These are often advertised in backpackers accommodation or backpacker magazines that can be found at hostels.Often the deals available once you arrive are much better than what can be booked from home or via a company's website. If you're planning to book a tour through an agent, take any adds that you find with you, and beware of the tactic of up-selling.

7. Stopovers

   If you're flying to Australia from Europe, its worth planning in a stop-over for a few days (or more if you can) in South-East Asia in between. If you do, this is a prefect opportunity to stock up on all the clothes and shopping you need, especially if you're flying from Winter into Australia's summer.

8. Winter

   This may come as a shock for some, but winter in Australia is between June and August. For the Europeans who are used to seeing the eternal sunshine presented on Home and Away, Neighbours or McLeod's Daughters Daughters, yes, our weather is better than yours, but it does get cold. Don't arrive in Winter in Melbourne and expect to get around in swimwear. If you don't bring warm clothes you'll soon be shopping for them at prices that often seem very unreasonable. (Having said that the image to the right was taken in Winter in Queensland - and was taken right before swimming in one of the most beautiful lakes on earth - Lake McKenzie, Fraser Island)

9. Don't book from Overseas

   Australia is a country that is very well set up for travel. Things are very easy to arrange at short notice once you arrive. Reading up and getting informed before you arrive is well worthwhile, but shelling out money on tours and accommodation from an overseas travel agent will almost always be a lot more expensive than doing it locally. The exceptions for this are around the new year period in Sydney and Byron Bay, where accommodation can get very scarce.