Moving to Australia Is Not For The Weak
I moved to Australia in 2024 on a Working Holiday Visa, and although I’ve had an amazing time so far, there’s definitely a bunch of things I probably could’ve done waaay better. From job hunting the wrong way to packing poorly, here are the 5 biggest mistakes I made when moving to Australia – and what I would do differently if I could start over. Hopefully, my experience can help you avoid the same pitfall.
1. Spending Too Much Time Job Hunting Online
One of my biggest anxieties about moving to Australia was not finding a job. I only had my hostel for the first week booked and a train to go into the countryside, and that was basically it. During my first week at my hostel, I spent an insane amount of time applying to jobs online, and guess what – none of these led to anything. But as soon as I started putting myself out there, speaking to people and dropping my CV off I managed to land not only one but multiple jobs.
💡 Tip: Don’t rely only on online applications. In Australia, networking and face-to-face interactions often work better, especially for hospitality and casual work.
2. Moved to Australia with a Backpack
I didn’t research much before moving Down Under, but one thing I looked into was what people recommend to travel with. I knew I was going to be on my own for a little while and thought moving with a backpack might be the easiest solution. And I have to say it probably was for the first few weeks. But then I bought a car, which made everything so much easier. Looking bad now I’m regretting not moving here with one or two suitcases. I could’ve brought so much more clothes and wouldn’t have to buy so many things.
Lesson learned: If you’re moving to Australia long-term, pack smart – don’t limit yourself to just a backpack.
4. Not Researching Enough About Harvesting Seasons & The 88-Days
This one is a big one. And I honestly don’t know why I did not spend more effort into researching and figuring out the different harvesting seasons for the produce. A side note: if you’re on a working holiday visa and you want to stay in Australia longer than 1 year, you will have to do farm work or hospitality work in specific areas of Australia. In the first year, this is only around 3 months, but it took me probably closer to 7 months until I finished my visa days, just because I ended up being in the wrong spots at the wrong time – so frustrating!
💡 Tip: Check out the harvest seasons and regional visa requirements before you move to make the most of your working holiday. The Backpacker Jobboard website has great resources for that. And if you’re interested in where I did my 88-days check out this post.
5. Buying The Wrong Clothes
Because I didn’t move here with many clothes, I ended up having to buy so many things. That’s all fair and good, but I honestly spend so much money on things that I couldn’t really use down the line. Also, because I lived in 3 different states, some of the clothes I had were not really useful anymore (think of going from sunny Queensland to windy Melbourne).
💡 Tip: Research the climate of the areas you’ll visit and pack versatile clothing that works for multiple regions in Australia.
