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Aussie Road Trip - Beauty Of The Outback
Thinking of venturing on an epic journey into the Australian outback? Check out some of the sights you could be seeing..
Aussie Road Trip - Beauty Of The Outback
Thinking of venturing on an epic journey into the Australian outback? Its a gigantic trip that requires some proper preparation, but the pay-off is experiencing untouched lands for as far as the eye can see, some insanely beautiful landscapes and some of the most famous landmarks in the world.
The rainy season in the outback can transform this red dry desert into a lush green oasis. Its still bloody hot though!
There are plenty of different routes to take depending on your desired end location, but be prepared to drive a couple thousand miles which ever way you go..
The emptiness of the outback can be extremely relaxing; you will lose track of days and suddenly the hours mean nothing, the only thing that matters is where the sun is located.
When the clouds make way for a clear night, the starry skies will blow you away.. Make sure you bring a camera for some long exposure photography!!
Coober Pedy is a small mining town in the outback which is famous for its rich stores of opal. The outskirts of the town a littered with open mines and their deposits sitting next to them. Be careful not to fall in one!
Massive 'Road Trains' dominate the outback highways and are quite something to see, especially if you get one overtake you..
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Watch out for car-eating-cows in the outback... they're almost as bad as the drop bears!
Pretty pink salt lakes can be found dotted around the landscape in South Eastern Australia. It can feel like your standing in a massive strawberry milkshake, if only it tasted like one!
After long stretches of dry desert lining each side of the road, hitting a coast line with a beautiful beach will be one of those moments you will remember forever. Run along the sand and jump into the sea and feel yourself instantly refreshed!
Rust buckets line the outback highways as if warning you of a potential fate awaiting your own car, just be sure to bring enough water and food in case you do break down!
If you don't see an Emu on your road-trip then your not looking hard enough! You will spot so many different birds in the outback, including massive eagles and of course the famed Emu which can normally be see in groups of 3/4, just be careful if you do spot one!
Crossing the Nullarbor can be a bore (it includes a road that is completely straight for 90 miles) but it includes some insane sights like the crumbling cliffs that are slowly returning the land to the sea bed.
And of course there is the jewel of the outback, Uluru. Yes its surrounded by controversy and crowded by tourists in the peak seasons, but when you see it with your own eyes it really does blow you away more than any photo can.
Ready for the land down under?!
So now you've seen a sneak peek of what the Australian outback has to offer, start planning your own road trip and get out there! Its an experience that will relax you to the core but also one that will push you to your limits. At the end of it you will have learnt how to survive on your own in one of the harshest environments on the planet.
If your interested in our road trip from Cairns to Perth here's a playlist of our vlogs:
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, forcing Hannah to do crazy things, and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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Life Recently: Remembering Why We Are Here
How does it feel when travelling is supplanted by working, and you spend your day's a stones throw from paradise whilst you slave away to have the money to grasp it?
Life Recently: Remembering Why We Are Here
Confession: I am really struggling to write this blog post. I have struggled with every post that I have begun writing in the past fortnight.
Every touch of a key is like completing a press-up. And I hate working out, Taran will tell you that.
In the past few weeks I have struggled to focus my time, my brain and my energy into anything other than working and saving, and the subsequent relaxing before and after.
I guess its like a throwback to my life of a few years ago, where it was all work, very little play and a lot of decompressing. There was little room for creativity or the mental capacity to express myself.
I lamented my frustration to a friend the other day, of how something I love as much as this blog has suddenly become an albatross around my neck. He very wisely responded with 'You can't really maintain a travel blog when you are not actually travelling', and he's right.
You don't feel like sharing the duller moments.
When you travel you have lots of free time, much of it filled with fun, excitement and relaxation. You cannot wait to share photos and stories, and we especially love doing so here on the blog and on our YouTube channel.
When you stop travelling to earn the money you need to travel some more, you undoubtedly lose momentum in general, let alone in the maintenance of a travel blog.
The sad thing is however, a life where you work more than you play is the reality for the vast majority of people I know. One day that may be my reality too. And in fact, its a reality I embrace the prospect of when I imagine doing a job I love or building on the next phase of my life.
But I still wonder, what will happen then, to my fundamental need to express, create, write and tell stories?
Will it fall by the way-side, taking my mood with it, like it has in recent weeks?
Will I sit wondering why I feel so flat, low and am endlessly seeking distraction, all the while knowing deep down, that it's because my hearts true creative desires are being quashed?
Having this conversation with you all takes me back to this post, where someone else so acutely and keenly summarized my feelings and I expanded on the point around not letting your job or need to work define you or how your life transpires.
But I made the big life change, I quit the job and left home, travelled some, and soon learned that I had chosen an exceedingly expensive country to spend 2 years in and so would spend much of that time working to support the lifestyle...
Caring a little bit less
As people we constantly chase time. We are acutely aware of each passing hour of each passing day because we always have to be somewhere, or complete some timely task. We live and die by the clock.
But just once and a while we need to care a little less about the things which seem so big and important, and stop perceiving them as so set in stone that we lose all sight of our inner truth.
I need to do this. I need to do it now, I need to do it in the future, when I have to stop and work again to support the travelling I so dream of doing.
I need to accept that there is no true relaxation, without hard work first. There is no freedom and abandonment of convention without adhering to it for a while first too.
I need to sweat the small stuff less, remember the bigger picture, and see myself as being in control, not beholden to some horrible boss or hectic schedule, because these things do not have to be forever, not for me, or you.
Am I saying that I'm unhappy?
No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I have itchy feet.
I never stop feeling the wanderlust even when the comfort of building a temporary home feels like a welcome respite from the constant movement.
I might feel relief at a steady income and a sense of financial security, but it isn't the feeling I chase, merely one I enjoy all the while knowing that I cannot wait to use those hard-earned wages to create more memories.
I need to always remember why we are here. We all need to remember why it is that we get out of bed each morning.
We have to place the pursuits and the people that bring us joy at the centre of the free time we do have.
We have to practise self-care before we practise chastisement, for feeling as if we aren't giving 110% to every facet of our complex lives.
We must try and grasp at our passions like balloons threatening to fly away forever, because whilst it feels hard, like a press-up for instance, it is the only thing that matters.
No matter if you're job demands the best of you, it isn't the best part of you and it doesn't mean more than your hopes, dreams or instinctive psychological needs.
I remember why we came here.
I know why when I look up at the green palms blowing against the backdrop of a pure aqua sky.
I know why when I laugh at something somebody has said, a somebody I never would have met if I never came here.
I know why when I realize that I might be a little bit lost, and in the mindset of searching, but where there's exploration and curiosity, there's always possibility.
Here's an insight into what we've been up to recently:
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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Cairns: A Different Kind of Settled Life
After a few weeks of breaking free from the routine of our house-share in Noosa and travelling once again, we...
Cairns Life: A Different Kind of Settled Life
After a few weeks of breaking free from the routine of our house-share in Noosa and travelling once again, we have already found ourselves settled, but this time, in the tropical North, in Cairns.
We did the whole camper-van-trip to explore Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest (both beautiful), eventually bringing our weary selves back to a hostel in Cairns to chill, armed with some of our best photographs (and memories).
An awesome Daintree sunset!
We didn't just stop for a few short days of rest however. What we ended up doing was joining a waiting list to get work for accommodation in a homely hostel called Globetrotters, and soon, began applying for paid jobs too.
Here we are 2 weeks later, and I've struck lucky already securing a job relatively quickly, and we also both now happily work in the hostel to pay for our beds.
Money, for once, isn't horrifically tight. In Noosa, because we were working and paying rent we had less margin for frivolous spending, or even just minor treats, which we have definitely been able to relax on whilst in Cairns.
Taran recently had his birthday, and I treated him to pizza at a traditional Italian restaurant, and then the next day, we took a ride on a jet-boat which was surprisingly fun and super invigorating.
Yes, we have very swiftly found ourselves establishing a repetitive routine of living, fixed to one place, but we have chosen to do this in a bustling hostel, where many other travellers have made a comfortable home. We have set up a new temporary base in an environment where we feel connected, in-touch with others, in a way that was sorely lacking in Noosa.
We have chosen a city that offers easy access to lots of outdoor activities and trips. If we hadn't already ventured into the Atherton Tablelands or traversed the Rainforest, we could easily do so, or if we want, we can do it again.
Just a few steps out of our hostel and we can walk along the busy esplanade, enjoy the surrounding green mountains, observe the occasional street performer and then relax at the weekend markets and watch a band play.
We have tried to cultivate this time to not simply work and save, as we did in Noosa, but to try and be social, build some less transient but more relaxed friendships, and enjoy truly being amongst our fellow travellers.
Many people here share many similarities with us. Many of them are British, but the thing most obvious to us is that those we have met here are like copies of us a year ago, or us 6 months ago; everyone is at a different stage of their own personal journey in Australia, some of which we have ourselves been through.
Some travellers have done their farm work, as we have, whilst others spend their days permanently attached to their laptops as they desperately seek that elusive job which will grant them a 2nd year visa.
Many are working hard saving up to enjoy parts of Australia that we have languished in for over 16 months, with tales of the places we are yet to see.
Our two weeks of non-stop travel satisfied the wanderlust that had grown during our quiet time in Noosa and so our new time of settled life is certainly feeling different to that phase already. We know we can do day-trips to the reef (already having snorkelled Michaelmas Cay) or trips inland to ride horses and explore waterfalls, if we truly want to.
This little guy posed so perfectly for us!
We are in the proximity of amazing activities, most of which we were able to do within our 10-day camper trip, but that doesn't mean we want to swiftly move onto the next thing. We just love the slow pace in our hostel, the hammocks in the palm-lined garden, and the friendly atmosphere amongst the long-termers, versus the hectic movement of some travellers on shorter itineraries and smaller budgets.
The way you view time during your travels is important; you could plan everything to the nth degree and leave no margin for free time, but alternatively, you could endeavour to experience more than just these tried-and-tested tourist experiences.
Travelling slower, pausing more and allowing somewhere to become home, can lead to something entirely more fun, relaxed and ultimately, help you forge a deeper connection to other people and their experiences, in-turn deepening your own memories beyond a reem of photographs and ticked-off to-do-lists.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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10 Stunning Reasons To Visit Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is a rocky tropical paradise home to an abundance of Australian wildlife...
10 Stunning Reasons To Visit Magnetic Island
If you've never heard of Magnetic Island, its an abundantly interesting and sparsely populated Jurassic island.
When you arrive in the neighbouring city of Townsville you will be greeted with a spectacular view of the entire island just off the coast, and, if you climb to the top of Castle hill you will get an even better view just like the one below!
The atmosphere on the island is extremely laid back and friendly, which you would imagine from a place that only has a population of 2,107. The small bays dotted around the coast-line are home to a few shops and bars, where you can grab a cheap bag of chips and watch the sunset on the beach, which looks awesome set against the silhouetted hills that surround the bays.
The wildlife on the island is vast and you will be sure to spot more than enough to fill your camera up! Make sure to head to Bungalow Bay at 4.30pm where they feed the Lorikeets everyday.
Magnetic Island is famous for its hikes, which will lead you around the mountain tops and along the coast lines. Small sheltered bays like Arthur Bay, pictured below, will be a regular sighting during your walks.
Another incredible sighting is the rock wallabies that can easily be seen at Geoffrey Bay during sunset; many people come to this spot with wallaby seed and carrots to feed the wallabies. If you're lucky the kind old man who comes here every day on his mobility scooter will offer you some feed (if you ask nicely).
Make sure you keep an eye out for the mothers carrying joey's in their pouches! They are incredibly cute if you catch them poking their little heads out to join in the evenings action.
Magnetic Island is also home to over 800 wild koalas, and with it being such a small place you have a great chance of spotting one in its natural habitat! Just grab some water, head out on one of the various walks and keep an eye out for arrows people have made in the ground, as these will indicate where to look.
There are some interesting WW2 ruins dotted along the trails on the Forts Walk, and keep an eye out for bats and spiders in dark rooms like these ;]
Huge rocks make up most of the scenery on Maggie Island, which give the place a feel of real age. Some of these rocks formed over 270 million years ago... If your into rock climbing, you've hit the jackpot!
We had to finish with another koala shot of this little fellow who climbed down his tree right in front of us to say hello. A true money-cant-buy experience!
So now you know why Magnetic Island is a must visit, and you're wondering how you too can experience it!? Go check out our review of what we believe to be one of the best places to stay while you're there!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, forcing Hannah to do crazy things, and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Wanderlust not satisfied?
Budget Travel Will Turn You Into An Adventurer
Travelling on such a small budget will force you to make crazy decisions that you might never have made if you...
Budget Travel Will Turn You Into An Adventurer
When you travel long-term, life becomes a whole lot more unpredictable, but in a good way. You open yourself up to seeing and experiencing things that make you feel incredibly alive. That's why it becomes addictive, knowing that you are going to have your mind blown and your heart made full, exploring beyond your immediate surroundings.
When you know how it feels to travel, how it truly makes your senses heighten, and your stresses melt away, you will never want to stop.
And the best thing about travel, is that it can be done on a budget!
We came to Australia with about £3000 which may sound like a lot of money.. but we made that moolar last 6 months before we did any sort of paid work; in turn I know people who have spent that amount on a 2 week holiday!
Travelling on such a small budget will force you to make crazy decisions that you might never have made if you could afford the comfortable alternative.
When we first landed in Melbourne we set to work researching all the different ways we could travel the 10 hour journey to Sydney, as we knew we weren't going to hop on a Greyhound coach, not just because of the price, but because we kinda feel it takes the adventure out of the experience. We also didn't fancy spending hours sat on a cramped bus, catching brief glances of Australia out the tinted window, not stopping anywhere but at the designated drop-off's.
During our search we found a website called Co-seats, which is a kind of pre-arranged and paid hitch hiking deal; drivers can advertise their car journey, or you can advertise your preferred destination, and you then look for a match, send a text or make a phone call, and agree to pay a certain small amount towards fuel. It really is a super simple process. We got ourselves a ride with a really friendly young couple, who picked us up just after sunrise from a street corner, at the beginning of another busy day in Melbourne.
Over the next few months we continued to look for cheap and alternative ways to travel; we spent a month living in a two man tent and working for accommodation in Byron Bay, at the same hostel featured in the Inbetweeners 2 movie. Hannah cleaned toilets 3 hours a day, and I helped do some basic maintenance across the site, we worked 2 days on, 2 days off.
This saved us so much money and we made some great friends during our time in Byron Bay. We also got into the habit of hitch hiking as much as possible and although we've had some long waits and some strange people pick us up, you just cant beat the unpredictability of it.
We love the idea of the sharing economy that makes up so much of travelling; opportunities to get food and accommodation in return for a few short hours a day of work, plus the social nature of hitch-hiking, where people often love to pick you up just to hear your story.
One of our most memorable experiences so far was the time we met a hippy named Spartacus in Bellingen, who told us about a festival coming up in Nimbin called Mardi-Grass. He offered us a lift in his van (which is also where he and his son Apollo call home) for the 4 hour trip it would take to get there.
It was pouring down with rain that day, and it just didn't stop for the whole journey. We were diverted from a main road due to a massive accident, and pointed in the direction of a small one-way back-road. Headed down a narrow road more akin to an English country lane, after a few minutes of trying to see the road through the windscreen wipers, a feeble effort with the lashing rain, we spotted something sitting on the side of the road.
A cat? Surely not out here in the middle of nowhere..
We wish we could of got a better picture!
We stopped the van, and jumped out as Spartacus said excitedly, 'it must be a Koala!'
We both got a bit excited as we had been yet to see a Koala and weren't really keen on going to a zoo just to hold a docile one for a quick photo op. And then before we could even actually prepare ourselves, Spartacus had wrapped it in his jacket and was bringing it back to the van!
We grabbed some towels as it was really wet and cold, and then we got our first look at it before we wrapped it up like a little baby! Hannah then proceeded to cradle the baby Koala in a state of disbelief and cute overdose, while we drove to the nearest town after contacting a Koala rescue team.
This was such an amazing experience and we still look back at it and cant believe it actually happened.
There's very little chance something like this would of happened if we had just hopped on the Greyhound bus!
Watch the video below if you wanna see how it all went down:
We're not telling you that something like this will happen to you, as we are very aware it was extremely lucky for us to have had the experiences we've had. But we do believe that when you seek out cheaper and more adventurous ways to travel, amazing things can happen, and you get to see a side of a country you probably wouldn't have otherwise.
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If you stick to the pre-arranged tours and activities that are peddled to you as a backpacker, you will only ever experience the same thing everyone else does; you will stay in an pre-determined comfort zone.
For example...
While on the East Coast of Australia, we were searching for a way to experience the famous Fraser Island. We had seen all the various backpacker tours and day trips and knew that we wouldn't be paying their crazy prices, and our plan had been to try and hitch hike around the island; we did end up doing this briefly while on the island, getting a lift down the beach, but lifts are few and far between with everyone's 4x4's packed with supplies.
In the end we got to the island because of a job. Way back in April 2015, we happened across an advert for a remote campsite on the island, and from then on, we sent our resumes multiple times each time the ad resurfaced on Gumtree. Finally, in October, we actually got a response and then a phone interview! We secured the couples position and looked forward to finishing up our farm-stay to start working and saving up again; and of course, visit the mythical Fraser Island.
To actually get to the island, we were treated to a 4 seater plane ride over the island with a beach landing. Long story short, we ended up spending 2 months living and working on the worlds largest sand island, living in a tent, spending every day without phone signal let alone internet access.
Two months of being totally disconnected, the only possible way to communicate with the outside world being a hike up a massive sand dune. Two months of living in a tent that needed constant repairs. Two whole months of being exposed to light pollution-free night sky's full of stars; this was an experience we will remember forever, and we know that going on a 2 day party tour of the island just wouldn't have been the same, nowhere near.
You must try and challenge yourself when you travel.
It doesn't matter what kind of traveller you are, be it a luxury hotel frequenter, a hostel bunk-bed addict or a camping master, you can still experience a crazy adventure and all you need is a little imagination and the right mindset.
By sharing some examples of our improvised travelling method, living every day way out of our comfort zones, we hope to inspire you to seek out the road less travelled; it's the best way to create a travel experience that's entirely unique, utterly unforgettable and completely life-changing.
Make sure to share this with your friends who you think will benefit from it :]
Do you seek adventure? It may be easier than you think (and cheaper) https://t.co/5RYWVVJwIK #adventure #travel pic.twitter.com/IfiN8uUSH2
— Taran & Hannah (@Nomaderhowfar) June 3, 2016
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Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
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Backpackers Working In Australia - A Guide to Knowing Your Employment Rights
Knowing your rights as an employee in Australia are so important...
Backpackers Working In Australia - A Guide to Knowing Your Employment Rights.
See that photo at the top in the header there? Well that was me working on a farm, where despite the heat, the dust and the remote-living, we had a truly amazing time. Actual life-changing stuff.
What came after wwoofing, wasn't so awesome.
I have spoke on the blog before the dream job which turned into a nightmare. I briefly alluded to why that job didn't work out. I still do not desire to dredge it up in a detailed manner, and if I did, I would find myself down all over again, when I have already been through a raft of emotion already. Safe to say its the most negative work experience I have had not just in Australia, but in the entirety of my working life, including when I worked at a bank in a sales and customer service job that I hated.
That sales job literally drove me to depression, but somehow, this was worse...
Landing on Fraser, before arriving at the 'dream' job..
I don't think it is beneficial to my audience or to myself to outline every way in which my recent employer may or may not have been paying very blurred attention to the rights of their employees. Or to go over why we stayed there for two months and tolerated our grievances (clue: we needed the money).
What will be beneficial is to try and help people in my position, who have either found themselves in a difficult job whilst backpacking, or who want to know before-hand what they can do to protect themselves.
First off, it's not cynical to expect or predict that employers will try and exploit you because you are a backpacker. A backpacker traditionally works because they really do need the money if they are to continue their travelling dreams, so some employers will 100% play on this fact, try to short-change you, over-work you etc.
You are not an Australian citizen (who do by the way, also get regularly messed around), you are generally less aware of your rights and thus ignorance is their bliss.
This is not cool, SO not cool (Walking Dead Finale reference, makes this phrase way more sinister).
Always remember your worth, and what you have to give. You are a skilled and worthy human being, not an ignorant idiot primed for manipulation. You do not need to suffer the shit of unscrupulous assholes. I am a big believer in Karma, and if these people are okay with mistreating ANYONE under their employment, then they will eventually be punished by the law. But we don't have to let them get away with it by suffering through it, or not reporting them to Fairwork.
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HERE WE GO, 6 STEPS TO KNOWING YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTING YOURSELF:
1
From a practical stance, when you are looking for jobs and replying to adverts (on sites like Gumtree, less so the likes of Indeed or Seek), it's worth noting how much information is being willingly given in that ad. A company or person who delivers limited info, info that allows you to know exactly what you are going into, is to be treated with caution. If they continue this level of guardedness when you reply to an ad, consider why they are not being upfront by providing the information that anybody would need to make an employment decision. Just listen to your gut. It's the old adage, if something seems to good to be true, it probably is. The best way to be, is to apply for a job with equal parts info on yourself with questions for the employer.
2
If you are offered a job, and you accept, insist upon a few things. Ask for a dated document which states your name, your employers name, ABN (Australian business number) your hourly award wage (refer to this to check what the awards are for your industry as standard: list of awards) a full explanation of your role and responsibilities, and your expected employment hours. This is definitely not a standard thing that every employer will provide. Many will not willingly tell you your pay-rate, you are left to discover that on your payslip.
But let's not beat around the bush, you are only working because you need money, there is no need to behave as if it's something you shouldn't ask about. You absolutely should, and need to, to make sure your employer is meeting the industry standard. If they want to ensure the rights of their own employees they will oblige in writing up an email or document listing all these things. If you wait until you are a few weeks into a job, enjoying the income, and then all of a sudden you realize not only is your pay-grade wrong, but you find yourself being asked to do things way beyond your original job description, it's kinda too late. Not too late to leave, but it's too late to not be exploited. You already have been.
3
When you accept a job, and are informed of your role and your pay-rate, you can check this out and make sure it is correct. If in doubt just email or phone Fairwork to discuss. I recommend downloading the award documentation online, and reading through it. It goes into a lot of detail on exactly what your employer/employee relationship should be. It covers things you might not even consider, and thus you could be mistreated in ways you never would have realized had you not read the documentation. For example, if you work somewhere which includes living on-site in employer provided accommodation, there are rules around what they can reasonably charge you for board and food. Don't get ripped off!
4
It's not unreasonable in time to maybe expect your job to alter or your responsibilities to change but this should be the result of a conversation, and a mutual agreement, not something that is put onto you at short notice. If you feel uncomfortable or out of your depth in a part of your new responsibilities, you must be honest. You DO NOT have to do something that compromises your safety, that of others, or your personal well-being. It is the sole responsibility of your employer to hire people with the correct skills for a particular job role, it is not down to you to meet the short-fall, without any training or consideration for what you want to do in the job. Of course if a change of role is agreed upon, trained and brings a new level of skills to you for future employment, embrace it, but do not feel like you must do it if it becomes apparent that you cant.
Our tent on Fraser Island, this was our home for 2 months!
5
Ensure you receive your payslip every pay-round. Aussie businesses frequently email these through, ensure you give the correct email address and always follow-up if it is not received. Read here to find out what your payslip should include every time. When you leave a job be sure to ask when your payment summary will be sent, either to you or the tax office, at the end of the tax year, or on leaving. This will be a required document for when you do a tax return. A tax return will be a requirement if you undertake regular paid employment in Australia. Head here for info.
6
Always provide your employer with the name of your superannuation account and
tax file number. PRO TIP: Always provide your TFN to your super account during the application process or contributions are taxed at 45%! You can ask your employer or payroll how often they pay your superannuation into your account as some employers pay it every quarter, some every pay round.
Some super accounts will actually be closed if they do not receive funds within a quarter and so it's good to bear this is mind. When an employer has supposedly paid your super, you can usually log into the account online to verify this. Don't assume it's paid and wait until you leave Australia to then claim it back, to find its not been paid. I know of companies who have not paid peoples super and they have had to try and get it out of them.
To learn about what super is, and how to open an account, head here. I will have a post about this and all other important things to do with Australian banking, tax etc soon, so sub to the newsletter below to know when it's out!
There is no way to 100% ensure that an employer won't, at some point in your employment, treat you questionably.
But there are rules in place to protect everyone, including backpackers, who are not 2nd class citizens exempt from respectful and lawful treatment. I hope this advice prevents someone out there going through what we did, and if so, our experience wasn't in vain.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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Getting a Job In Australia: 9 Do's and Don't's for Backpackers.
Being a backpacker and getting a job In Australia is far easier with these 9 Do's and Don'ts...
Getting a Job In Australia: 9 Do's and Don't's For Backpackers.
Job-hunting pretty much always sucks, no matter where you are in the world.
It's competitive and sometimes demoralizing, especially when you go into place after place, essentially begging someone to give you money, and you realize that it isn't anybody's concern but your own if you can eat that week or not. Maybe your parents, but not the people who see backpackers every day, all trying to get the same job's, so they can save up for more travels.
A lot of the time a business owner would prefer to employ a local person not someone who has become voluntarily unemployed to follow their wanderlust....yeah, it makes us seem like we might have our heads in the clouds and leave as soon as we make even a little bit of money.
Some people will give you a chance, and usually if you can give them at least 6 months commitment, you can strike it good.
But sometimes you will be faced with a brick-wall. Some employers in Australia simply won't consider someone from the travelling community, who have a reputation for being flighty and unreliable. In reality that is the minority, as plenty of travellers actually value when someone gives them an opportunity, and end up being a really good member of a team. Plenty of aussie employers know that, and will embrace the positives of having a willing and enthusiastic person on-board, even if it's not forever.
That time we spent two months working on a desert island...
To summarize, when trying to find a job in Australia you are up against 3 things: competition with other travellers, unwilling employers, and other Australians.
But fear not, young backpacker, you can find work, you just need to approach it differently:
1. Don't land anywhere expecting to find work in a week.
In fact, expect to not find a job. I'm not saying that to be pessimistic, but have the mindset that you will need to try super hard to find work sometimes, and so you should always budget and make plans accordingly. Try to find a job before you need one, cause by the point you need one, it could be too late.
2. Don't turn up to establishments looking like a backpacker.
By that I mean, consider not wearing just wearing swim-wear and flip-flops out that day, maybe even buy a cheap but smart outfit, so that when you walk in somewhere, you aren't immediately pigeon-holed as a traveller. Sure, soon enough they'll figure out that you are, but they are more likely to see you as employable if you show you've made an effort and stepped out of your backpacker uniform for a minute. If you take yourself seriously, others will to.
3. Do perfect your resume and make sure it focuses on real experience and transferable skills.
Not all employers will care if you volunteered or worked for accommodation, this might be something you can bring up at an interview, but lets be honest, anyone can commit the couple of hours day that a hostel usually requires for work for accommodation, so it isn't a sparkling addition to your resume. They need to know what you can do, and what you might be able to learn. Always list experience from home (even though there won't necessarily be references an employer can verify) as well as recent experience, as it can create a broader picture of your skill-set and personality.
4. Do visit places in person, even if they advertise online, and usually suggest you email through a resume.
Only replying to a job ad via an email means your resume will probably be lost among all the other ones, whereas if an employer meets you in person, with your resume in hand and a smile on your face, you've made their task a lot easier. Do go into places even if you have no idea if they are hiring, you never know if they might have lost someone that day, or just haven't placed an ad yet.
5. Do send emails sometimes, for example, if you are job-searching far away from the place you want to find work, then consider sending them to employers or companies which interest you.
Be concise, introduce yourself briefly, and list your recent experience and skills, in a few lines, no more. Tell them why you want to work for them, display some knowledge of their brand or business, and make it personalized to them, addressing the email to an actual person's name if you can find it. Let them know at the end that you are contactable by phone or skype for a conversation, leaving the ball in their court, whilst making yourself appear assertive and confident. Be sure to include a photograph in the email or as part of your resume, its much harder to ignore someone when you've seen their face, and they become more than just some words on the page.
6. Do follow up on these emails if you don't receive a response in a few days.
People are busy, sometimes they need a nudge to prioritize your email. A polite and short re-iteration of the initial email should be enough to secure either a yes, no, or a maybe, which is better than no response at all. Always proof-read these emails, use indents, and sign off with a thank you followed by your contact tel.
7. Don't oversell yourself, on paper, or in person.
Aussie's all have top-notch bull-shit detectors, and they are usually not favourable to a backpacker who is just blagging it, flat-out lying, and is irritatingly over-confident from the get-go. They just want someone who will turn up on time, not smell of alcohol and do the job well, not be a winner of Personality of the Year. Then again if you are going for a job at a travel agent, as is common with backpackers, then feel free to ooze charm from every pour...There is a fine-line between confidence and arrogance in all walks of life, but a backpacker fresh off the plane needs to remember they are suddenly a small fish in a big pond full of backpackers, and it's a competition of skills and experience, not who's the most gregarious.
8. Do use a multiple of job-search avenues, such as gumtree, seek and indeed, plus the Facebook accounts of brands or businesses you like.
Try to check these sites first thing in the morning and then again later on, as new opportunities go up all the time. Apply to pretty much everything that is even a little bit relevant to your skill-set. Don't be afraid to ring a number if the ad requests it, it's always nerve-wracking reaching out for an opportunity on the phone or in person, speaking to someone you don't know, but you will miss out a number of chances if you don't take a pro-active stance.
9. Don't be picky when searching for jobs or applying, or consider yourself too experienced.
You can't wait out for the perfect job description with the optimal pay, whilst your bank balance continues to wither away. It's much easier to look for a job that is more suited to you or more fulfilling, when you are already in a job. Plus, no job when your a backpacker is forever. I've come across people who at home, worked in finance, nursing and advertising, who have had to adapt to their surroundings, and now work in housekeeping jobs, including me. I had my own business in England, and was my own boss for two years, and generally I prefer jobs where I can use my brain. However I am still quite content making beds and polishing tap's (not just because I am a clean-freak) but because it means I am in a better position than a lot of other backpackers; I am being paid and can save up to keep travelling, as well as, ya know, eat.
Working on a farm in Australia can be a big learning curve...
So the bottom-line of getting a job in Australia as a backpacker, is respecting the needs of the employers, matching your needs with theirs and appreciating that the competition will be strong; you will need a stellar CV, a great cover letter and a professional approach, for an employer to take you seriously. Happy job-hunting!
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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1 Year In Oz - Photography
Will these 12 reasons be enough to get you on a plane to Australia?!
1 Year In Oz - Photo Book ☀
So its been 12 whole months since we left the UK, the time really hasn't gone fast at all.. In fact its gone quite slow!! This past year has felt like a lifetime in Australia, but that's what happens when you change your routine all the time. We have had 4 different jobs in that time and are just about to start new ones, travelled to beautiful islands, partook in a cannabis festival, took shelter for two days while a massive storm destroyed the camp ground we were staying at, hitch hiked up the east coast, watched whales migrate to warmer seas, spent Christmas on a isolated desert island, jumped out of a plane and so much more!!
So here we are, our 12 most favourite snaps that capture the journey we have been on so far! Enjoy!
1 - Port Stephens, a small area home to the largest sand dune system in Australia! We really did feel like we had just been dropped off in the middle of a desert..
2 - Crystal Falls near the old fashioned town of Bellingen, we went on a trek into the local rainforest filled with views like this!
3 - We worked for a month at a beach resort in a small beach town called Bargara, the views of the milky way were spectacular! Another shot taken on a bloomin GoPro!!
4 - Second year visa farm work in Australia ain't all bad, we landed WWOOFing positions on a small macadamia farm in the middle of know where. This photo was taken during one of the forest burns we took part in (That was Hannah's 4x4)
5 - The storms over our farm house! We spent hours just sitting out on the balcony watching the lightning and listening to the thunder. We also had to run out into and get wet :P
6 - This haunting photo was taken just after sunset on our GoPro in the town of 1770. You can even see a few stars starting to shine in the sky!
7 - After working on the farm we headed to Fraser Island to do some paid work at a camp ground. Over the course of the 2 months we spent there we spotted so much wildlife, this is one of the native Dingos patrolling the beach.
8 - This is Fraser Islands west coast, none of the tours go to this side of the island, which made it such a peaceful experience. Fraser truly is a beautiful place!
9 - The Whitsunday Islands, home to the famous Whitehaven Beach. We got dropped of by a small boat and spent 2 nights camping on the island, during the day the beach was full of day trippers, but in the evening we were the only people on the island..
10 - Sunset on Whitehaven beach, an empty beach and a warm beer (next time we will take a cool box) perfection! We had so much fun here that we would recommend it to anyone travelling in Oz.
11 - Cape Hillsborough, a small area near Airlie Beach. If you go to the beach in the early hours of the morning just as the sun is rising, you will be greeted by a group of kangaroos and wallabies! They all seem to love the attention and pose for the camera like professionals.
12 - Finally we have Noosa, our current base. An up and coming beach town with a beautiful river system running around it (also great views of the mountains as you can see above).
The year ahead will be quite different, as we head up to the rainforest's of Cairns, then into the dusty red outback. We can't wait to see the real and raw Australia!
Thanks for joining us on this epic adventure!! ✌
Cheers for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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Nomads in Noosa: Taking a break from travel?
The beauty of travel is not always found in constant movement or change, sometimes its in living somewhere long enough to love it, but not long enough to hate it.
Nomads in Noosa: Taking a break from travel?
We had only been back in Australia 1 week, and we found ourselves in Noosa, looking at houses and applying for jobs. Then suddenly one of us had a job, and then we had a room in a house to call our own.
It wasn't part of our plan for when we came back from England. In fact we had no plan, which became clear as we spent a few days relaxing in Brisbane totally unsure of our next move.
Noosa was somewhere we had briefly stayed over night, and so we had never seen the beach, said to be one of best on the east coast. So it was a definite sign, a few days of planning in Brisbane and still none-the-wiser in where to go next, when I noticed that a friend of ours was living there. Off to Noosa we went!!!
One of the views along the Noosa national park coastal walk.
When we arrived we found a bustling holiday town, with a super pretty river full of people kayaking and paddle-boarding, leading down to a super sweet beach, the perfect mix of gentle lapping waves and a bit of surf action. Something just felt right about the place. Enough to make me think about living here for a while, looking up house-shares on gumtree, and wondering how much it would actually cost. We also met an awesome young couple at our campsite, Elise and Jordan, who both seemed to love Noosa. They took us on a hike the next day, then we went and ate burgers on the river front. They were there to encourage us and take us around Noosa, helping us decide to put down some roots.
That same morning, the 2nd in Noosa, I had happened upon a job ad on gumtree for housekeeping at a local luxury resort. I applied thinking I didn't stand much chance, yet a few hours later I had a phone call with an invite to be interviewed. We then viewed two houses that same day, choosing the second, a large spread-out and airy house in a nice residential area just 15 minutes from town.
Waking up early the next day in our new bed, a mix of stubborn jet-lag combined with nerves, I went to my interview in my newly acquired dress (thanks to a mad shop dash courtesy of our new buddies, Elise and Jordan), and 10 minutes later I had been hired!! Say whattttt! I was so relieved and a little dumb-founded.
I wasn't super confident, and there was definitely no marvellous display of perfect interview etiquette. I must have just fitted the bill on paper, plus the manager was clearly a busy lady used to making quick decisions. She said to my colleague, referring to me, that she had 'a good feeling about this one'... Admittedly I am only in housekeeping, it isn't rocket science, but I am actually liking it so far. I get to work in a nice quiet hotel, with friendly staff, and I get paid to clean. I get paid for doing one of my hobbies.
The environment is so much better than the previous one we worked in on Fraser Island. Everyone is supportive, motivational, friendly and just chilled out. The tools we are provided with to clean make the job vastly easier. Any housekeeper will understand what I mean when I say 'YAY!' about cleaning floors without mop buckets and using non-toxic chemicals; it's basically awesome.
What's more, the hotel is right beside the beach, and is on the famous Hastings street, a strip of super nice bars, restaurants and my new favourite haunt, Boost juice. I loving spending time before and after work enjoying the beach, cooling off and soaking in the late summer Noosa vibe.
Meanwhile..
Taran is still on the look-out for work but being here, getting ourselves a base from which to be creative, is hopefully going to push the blog to the next level. The last few times we had a base, back in Bundaberg for instance, we were able to create lots more content, and engage with our audience more regularly. We actually had time to not just post sporadic or quick posts but to enjoy writing, sharing, chatting to other bloggers and reading their inspirational stuff.
Travelling might be the opposite of stopping, setting down roots and working, as if you never even left home to begin with. But every now and then it provides a needed break, a moment of pause in which you can experience somewhere like a true local. And every place we live, every job we have, every few weeks where we can pad away on our laptops working on the blog, we are still living out a reality we dreamed of and worked toward for a year. Home might have been England for 25 years, but for now, it can be a little bedroom in a beachy holiday town somewhere in Australia. And then before we know it, it will be somewhere else entirely. Most likely our trusty tent.
The beauty of travel is not always found in constant movement or change, sometimes its in living somewhere long enough to love it, but not long enough to hate it.
Yo!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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Waking Up With Kangaroos!
Rousing ourselves sleepily at 5am, we crawled out the tent, and took the short hop over a fence and..
Waking Up With Kangaroos!
Australian sunrises and sunsets, have a particular serene beauty about them, something peaceful, warm and calm. Australia also has a shit-ton of kangaroos hopping around. When you combine the two, its pretty spectacular.
We stopped at Cape Hillsborough (an hour south from Airlie beach) to see the scene for ourselves; wallabies and roo's gather on the beach at sunrise, get their morning munch on, and just generally pose for the cameras.
Rousing ourselves sleepily at 5am, we crawled out the tent, and took the short hop over a fence down to the beach. A small crowd of equally sleepy people had gathered, like some kind of zombie hord, all stood around staring. Then a man walked down the beach headed straight for the shoreline, and the roo's and wallabies came to life, hopping a great speed towards the man. Turns out he was dropping out some feed for them. Ah, so that's why they all hang out at this beach for breaky!
It was so funny to watch the roo's and wallabies interacting, the roo's often shoving the little wallabies out the way, claiming their food pile. The wallabies didn't dare fight back with their bigger cousins, who's claws can gut a man at record speed.
Gathering with our camera's, a couple of the roo's finished eating and started to inspect the captive audience. One hopped straight over to a young boy who was sat staring at his ipad on a towel (no idea why) much to the kid's shock. It was such a classic moment, seeing this roo demand the attention of the only person not snapping photo's.
This particular roo is the star of the tourist guide for the local region, so its no wonder he felt worthy of all the eyes and lenses.
Quietly sitting, not at all nervous, the roo allowed everyone to observe it. Breaking away from the crowd, they moved to the edge of the beach, where only a few determined photographers remained and had some one-on-one sessions.
Taran got some great photo's, as did I; the sunrise provides a stunning backdrop for a kangaroo silhouette!
If your interested in reading more about Australian wildlife, check out this extensive post by our pals Travelling Weasels: How to Find Australian Animals (and how to avoid the nasty ones)
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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![I Believe We Can Fly [I believe we just touched the sky]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/535a8b5ee4b00a1a8a7975e6/1453896991499-W0TQ4403CXK2O6NGHVED/image-asset.jpeg)
I Believe We Can Fly [I believe we just touched the sky]
"he finally woke up, rising to his feet, clearly utterly oblivious to what had just happened."
I Believe We Can Fly - I Believe We Just Touched The Sky
At home in the U.K., Taran took me indoor skydiving and paragliding, whereas I made him do something he never wanted to do, and that was a bungee jump.
So naturally we had to take the thrills up a notch in Australia, with Taran adamant that a real outdoor skydive was going to happen, despite my flat-out refusal.
It wasn't so much the heights, or flying, that was off-putting to me, just the part when you manoeuvrer yourself to the edge of an open door, thousands of feet off the ground, which seemed beyond extreme....
Well, it took ten months but he finally got it booked and paid for, and there was no going back. I had agreed to do this and only 2 days before the event.
We used the Australian website, book me, to locate the best deal, but we knew we wanted to jump near or over Fraser Island. Working there for 2 months, we naturally developed a connection with the place, and this felt like a cool and almost symbolic way to wrap up that phase of our travels. Plus its a beautiful part of the Queensland coast!
Skydive Hervey Bay were the ones we chose, and we are so glad we did. Great reviews online plus competitive rates were good enough, but Pete and his team were also a solidly friendly and exuberant bunch, who put us at ease immediately. It's hard to be super happy at 7.45am on a Monday, and it's surely hard to be enthusiastic after 6000 jumps, but these guys made us feel good way before the dive.
Soon after arriving, we were into our harnesses, tightened around our legs and shoulders, as we went over the jump procedure. Then came the walk to the tiny plane, just the 5 of us including the pilot and our two jump buddy's. Leaving the ground along the runway, which we have travelled on with Air Fraser, it felt familiar and definitively okay. No nerves just yet. Taking off up into the plush white clouds, we travelled across Hervey Bay and toward Fraser and the ocean. The clouds created giant shadows across the water, the sun glinting off the rest of the blue-green expanse.
There was some mild turbulence as we passed through some thick marshmallow formations, and then it was time for a pre-dive recap...Taran is pulled onto Pete's lap, and attached tightly to him. I am too, and notice how the tight the pull is across my waist; it's all good, it reassured me that the jump wouldn't go like this.
Pete shouted some numbers to the pilot, co-ordinates of where we would jump from I assume, over the din of the loud engines. Then came the great whoosh of reality, as the door was levered open, and we were suddenly not just on a plane ride. This plane was landing without us.
Taran pulled his legs out of the door, dangling out the edge, and suddenly, he was gone!
I couldn't really take in the cartoon-like blue and white outside. I just stared numbly at the empty space on the plane floor, which I soon filled as my instructor shuffled us to the edge. I pulled my resistant feet out of the hole, pulled my hands across my chest, and tilted my chin up. My survival instincts were clearly switched off, and I felt mildly zombie-like, forcing my limbs to hang out a tiny object suspended in the air.
And then we were out! Rolling, spinning, then flattening out into the free-fall, hands moved out to the side, peter pan style. I had expected a strong mighty wind in my face, making breathing a tad hard, but amidst the assault on my senses, I felt quite peaceful. My fear dissipated, and a little voice in my head told me to take it all in, marvel at this true sea-view, and love every second...
All too soon the parachute deployed safely and I was gently gliding slowly down to earth. We spotted a dugong, or maybe a big dolphin, and I steered the parachute briefly. It was then I began to feel nauseous. I get motion sickness all too easily, so it was no surprise, but it did make me want to land faster. Soon enough we were speeding up and purposefully lowering, turning, and coming in to land, legs and bottom pushed up for a seated landing.
I sat there, very aware of the feeling of the sand beneath me, the hardness of being back on the ground, contrasted to the lightness of flying. I took a moment to gather myself, looking to the horizon and breathing deeply to relieve the sickness, when I looked over to Taran.
Slumped forward, limbs limp, Pete was trying to rouse him, speaking loudly to him, repeating his name and telling him to wake up.
I was very confused, and thought, if anyone was gonna take a funny a turn it would be me, and I would be mocked for weeks to come. But nope, Taran blacked out for about 2-3 minutes, which felt like an age. Such relief when he finally woke up, rising to his feet, clearly utterly oblivious to what had just happened. Once we were in the van, headed back to the base, Taran said “Yeah I felt very constricted by the harness, but nope, never fainted in my life” to which I got the trainer to confirm, yep mate, you did just faint.
He laughed in disbelief, as we recounted his little brain reboot session. Turns out Taran was struggling to breathe once the parachute deployed, his arms going numb, but he had managed to hold it together just enough to pull his legs up for landing, stand up, then sit down again, proceeding to switch off.
Relieved, exhilarated, a tiny bit sickly, but with a lazy satisfied smiles on our faces, we sat down as our awesome souvenir video's were edited. Oh yeah, they go-pro the whole thing, if it wasn't enough that they are being safe and making it the best dive experience possible, they also have to be camera-men.
Skydive Hervey Bay were so good to us, and it made something we were apprehensive about, not just a smooth and safe adventure, but they left a really great impression on us. Not everyone in Australia has treated us with much regard or respect, lumping us in the category of middle-class English small-minded loutish backpacker, following the crowd, will work for shit money and tolerate crap. But there's clearly some good guys out here, and luckily there the ones who push you out of planes.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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We Found Heaven on Earth (Whitehaven and the Whitsundays)
Camping on Whitehaven beach was a privilege and an amazing experience; we never wanted to leave!
We Found Heaven on Earth:Whitehaven and the Whitsunday's
There are corners of this world where the beauty is so pure and breathtaking, you find your anxieties, fears and your entire reality, disintegrate.
They're just too perfect, too natural and real, for any of your everyday concerns to matter. One corner that has had this affect upon us is Whitehaven Beach, the Whitsunday Islands.
Soft white silica sands, and a haven in every sense of the word, this sun-soaked azure paradise was somewhere we really wanted to visit before arriving in Australia.
Famous for the crystal waters, abundant with turtles, dolphins and other sea-life, if you only have a short time in Australia, it is a must-see.
We may have only just returned from a stunning island (Fraser, lower down the Queensland coast) but we knew this one would be special, so we headed here as soon as we could.
There are the usual backpacker tours that run all around the Whitsundays, most of which involve 2 days of island-hopping, with everyone crammed onto a boat, unable to experience anywhere for too long.
We got pursued by one of the tour salespeople whilst walking along Airlie Beach main street, vying for our business. He tried to say that you couldn't camp on Whitehaven, but we just smiled and walked off, knowing that the next morning we were booked onto a boat bound for the island, and the permits were all in place. Ignorant or just trying to fool us into handing over cash for the easy option of a backpacker tour, we were so glad that we had done our research into this place.
Getting the independence to camp on the beach seemed pretty amazing compared to spending $500 to share a tiny boat with 12 others, and only getting to spend around an hour at each destination.
We used a water taxi to get to Whitehaven (we used Scamper, who arranged permits for us, which cost $155 for a return trip, plus $40 for a camp kit which has everything 2 people might need, plus $15 for stinger suits) and pitched up for two nights in the small camping ground. By camp-ground I mean the patch of land set back only a few steps from the waters edge, with space for very few tents, sheltered by a smattering of trees, and frequently visited by guana's and wallabies.
The site itself is $5.50 per night, a standard permit cost in a national park in Australia, which is super reasonable considering you get the privilege of sleeping, eating, drinking (and using a relatively luxurious long-drop toilet) on one of the most pristine stretches of beach in the whole of Australia.
Some curious guanna's made their presence known straight away, trampling around the site to see what goodies we had brought.
During the day we snorkelled and just revelled in the beautiful warm ocean. At one point a boat which was anchored just off the shore, was also providing shelter to hundreds of little fish, all of whom went crazy for the fish feed that was thrown overboard at us!
We truly were away from it all, wrapped up in the quiet sounds of mother-nature, the gentle lapping of the ocean, an expanse so clear it doesn't feel real.
Hannah with a fish for a head!
In fact it feels so smooth and clean to swim in, it's a struggle to get out. Although you wear a full-body stinger suit if your going to swim out properly, as this area is notorious for the Irukanji, a deadly jellyfish. It may look a bit daft but the last thing you want on an island is sting!
I know its probably odd to bring a laptop to a deserted island, but I knew once the dark evening descended I'd probably feel inspired to talk about it all!
We were 3 of only 5 people in the camp-ground, and thus the only people on the whole island overnight, bar a few boats moored just off the shoreline, the only things punctuating the landscape with their lights and engine noise.
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DAY 2
On our second day we did a 2hr walk along the beach to reach the end point, a famous expanse of shallow waters often seen on postcards and mostly photographed from Hill Inlet. We didn't fancy the mountainous climb in our flip-flops so we just did a pleasant flat walk, followed up by more snorkelling.
We saw lots of stingrays but they are so flighty we could never get too close. We also saw some tiny sharks! Tiny as in the size of large fish as opposed to the size of a boat...
We both got a bit burnt on the walk back, the sun beating against our backs. We decided to brave a quick swim without our stinger suits and its just ridiculous how water can feel so smooth and soft.
That night after dark we walked again down to the edge of the sand, dipped our toes in the dark gentle waters, and just marvelled at the beauty around us. I even got a bit teary-eyed. It is simply stunning beyond what I could of expected or what I can get across. You really have to experience it to understand that its more than just a pretty beach.
So I guess you could say we quite liked Whitehaven, just a bit.... it truly has stolen our senses and given us some peace, if only for two days, but we'll probably think about it forever. It will be the happy place we go to in our minds when we're on another 13 hour coach ride (we travelled from Rainbow to Airlie overnight and our feet are still swollen from the long trip).
It truly is the most beautiful place we have seen in Australia, alongside the Blue Mountains and Port Stephens.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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Living And Working on The World's Largest Sand Island! [Fraser Life]
Just 2 weeks ago we got some awesome news, we had secured paid work on Fraser Island!
Living And Working on The World's Largest Sand Island! - Fraser Life
Just 2 weeks ago we got some awesome news, we had secured paid work on Fraser Island! Now we sit here a few days in, having seen our first Dingo, amazing night skies and having hanged with a sleepy python.
We only got here last week and yet we continue our record of managing to see all the famous Australian animals some people manage to evade the entirety of their time here.
Back to where this all began...
Having accepted this hard-fought for job opportunity, we would be leaving our farm-life and pretty much beginning new work right away. It was a whirlwind of change, and it was a rushed goodbye. I would of happily stayed on the farm longer, in our lovely home. But another beautiful setting was beckoning us on.
Arriving on the island via a tiny plane, it was a pretty amazing way to show us the vast sand island that sits adjacent to Rainbow Beach and Hervey Bay. A rickety 4x4 ride later and we found ourselves at our new home. Mixed feelings of apprehension and enthusiasm meant our first few work days were a bit intense. Lots of new things to learn as well as people. Hospitality is something fairly new to us both, although it suits us quite nicely.
I work in the store (which is also a coffee shop, cafe and reception desk). It is the centre of the camp's operations, and it is a super well-stocked shop, so you are never ever short of work to do. Taran is in the yard, doing maintenance and cleaning across the site. We no longer see each other all day as we did on the farm, so its always lovely to return to our little two room tent each evening. No TV's or luxuries here, just our laptops to play games and write blog posts on. No internet either. Well its available, either at cost, or at the top of a sand-dune out the front. But when its not easily there on tap you use it more wisely. And you don't waste time scrolling through nothingness!
Sharing our tent with a few ants and some spiders (which remain outside and are remaining alive to act as our fly-guard team) we live nearby the other workers caravans. It's a mostly British team, so I don't think we will ever feel lonely whilst we're here. I did have one moment not long after we started work, which bordered on panic. My brain was already working at full capacity trying to take in all my new surroundings and responsibilities, and suddenly, I found myself thinking 'I'm on an island. I'm trapped, I can't get off'. It sounds funny even to myself now, but at the time I was a bit overwhelmed.
Travelling has been all about changes, making transitions and starting over, and each new change has brought us new skills, knowledge and fun! Sometimes we've approached a new change with too much fear or too much excitement, neither emotion based in reality. You usually find something much different, sometimes worse, but mostly better.
Nothing has been a waste of time on our trip so far. Everything has been purposeful. Even the weeks on end where it seems like you are doing little to nothing, those weeks make the ones where you work yourself silly much more bearable.
We hope to see all of this sandy paradise bit by bit over the next 3 months, all the while just enjoying our good fortune. Living on a remote farm to living on an island, we aren't doing this Australia thing in half-measures. And we've never been happier.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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8 Realities of Farm Work [The good, the bad, the eight-legged]
So do you want to live and work on a farm in rural Australia? Well here's some useful tips on the realities of the experience!
8 Realities of Farm Work - The good, the bad, the eight-legged
It's one of the few ways you can obtain a 2nd year visa in Australia, and for some, it is a bit of a scary prospect. It can be a completely alien environment for many, especially those not used to outdoor work or Australia's heat. But now, nearly at the end of our 88 days, we are no longer scared of it, or apprehensive about what's involved.
So do you fancy living and working on a farm in rural Australia? Well here's some useful stuff we've found out along the way....
Weather
It will be hot, and you will pray for cloud cover when your out in the fields. But not the grey kind, cause rain means mud! Of course the crops need a nice shower now and again, and drout is a terrifying reality, but if it does rain, you will struggle to have anything to do. Although if your house relies on water in the water tank, rain will be a mixed blessing. Basically you will experience the extremes, and you will celebrate the rain and the sunshine, as long as they come in balance!
Early Morning Starts
Because of said hot weather, you do have to begin your work whilst it's not yet horrifically warm. At first waking up at 6am will seem beautiful, the farm is always a pretty site just after sun-rise. Maybe 5 days in, you will be thankful for even an extra hour in bed. But soon enough you get used to it. Your body clock adapts, and even at the weekends you want to get up early enough to make the best of the day. Plus sleep will be a warm blanket of beautifulness each night.
Cute Creatures
Whether it's moths trying to invade your house at night, spiders trying to sneak in with your laundry, or frogs hopping on your veranda, you will share your farm life with a whole host of nature. There's also the cuter ones; the roo's, the wallabies and maybe a farm dog.
Crawling Critters
By the end of your time you will be less likely to want to squish each and every little bug that harasses you. You will become a better more tolerant person for allowing these guys to share your house and your bedroom curtain.... Who am I kidding this spider dude was removed from the house, but not killed. I'm getting there!
Sweat And Dust
Never will be a hot shower be so welcome as after a day where sweat and dust fuse to create an extra new layer of skin. But you will shed it and regain it by the end of the next day. Just embrace it. Revel in it. You will be clean again one day. Definitely bring a lot a bumper size of body wash and a nail brush.
Remote Living
We were quite lucky at our farm, as it's only a 40 minute drive from the nearest big town, and ten minutes from a small one. A lot of farms are much farther in-land, and this can lead to a bit of cabin-fever over time. Food shopping will be a bit different too; it might be weekly or even monthly. It just takes some getting used to and some well-though-out shopping lists.
The best way to push through the remoteness is to enjoy all the relaxation that can come with being in the middle of nowhere. Look after your home, enjoy it, walk around your farm and explore it. Sometimes you have some beautiful local gems, like our farm, that has a lagoon about a 20 minute drive away, as well as Fraser Island and other beaches an hour down the road.
If you aren't so lucky as to have lots of attractions nearby, use the time differently. Maybe read or learn a new language. Make time to truly rest. You may want to invest in a wifi dongle and some data though, staying connected to those you love will still be important, and will help you through the weeks or months.
Pump Those Muscles
It's part and parcel of farm-work, that there will be some lifting, throwing, chopping, digging and then there's the old vehicles with temperamental gear sticks. I hate to admit the amount of times I tense my right bicep to see how it's coming along. It's worrying, but so satisfying to see your body change and strengthen amidst the hard-work.
Bum-Fluff And Grease Those Nipples
Yes these are actual farm terms, this post didn't take a weird turn. As you'd expect, your face, hair and clothes will inevitably get a good coating of dirt, but your hands too, these bad boys will be the hands of a mechanic by the end. Be prepared to work on the vehicles and tractors you use; before you know it your changing oils, and greasing nipples, which is as it sounds, applying gooey grease to certain parts of the machine to keep it all moving smoothly.
If you find yourself doing a tree-pruning job, remember to bend your knees when you bumfluff; the water-shoots or weeds around macadamia tree's will sometimes need you to hand-prune them, and so bumfluff, you must!
We wouldn't swap any of the sweat, spiders, 6am starts or greasy hands for having been anywhere else the last 3 months. It's been a really awesome experience, made even better by living on the farm, getting to admire and enjoy the results of our labours from our veranda, with a cold cider
It's natural to be afraid of the unknown and to want to avoid the difficult, and farm-work isn't always easy. With positivity and a good attitude, you can get out as much as you put into your farm-work, and it will end up being a really memorable phase, where you at first adapt, and then thrive.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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6 Months of Travel In 6 Stunning Photo's
These 6 photos show the awesome diverse range of landscapes in Australia, check em' out!
6 Months of Travel In 6 Stunning Photo's
March 26th, it all began in Melbourne. City life was all we knew of Australia for the first fortnight. By that time we were ready to see something a little different, and a little bit more special.
Port Stephens
...is a beautiful place that we had the pleasure of staying at for 10 days. Having broken away from the pace of Sydney and Newcastle, we camped beside a kangaroo at an awesome bush hostel, and spent an evening on the deserted beach, which was when the above sky happened. Some nights later a brutal storm hit, causing a power-cut and widespread problems across New South Wales. We were trapped, although in no hurry to leave this quiet yet beautiful spot.
The Blue Mountains
...were our first taste of one of Australia's natural wonders, and they did not disappoint. Swathes of green as far as you could see, with peaks of mountains meeting the clouds. It was peaceful and unforgettable. Katoomba was also great, such a quintessential mountain town, with the Flying Fox hostel being our most favourite hostel in Australia yet.
Bellingen
...was somewhere we were recommended by the hostel owners at Port Stephens. A small but lively bohemian town, situated on the edge of the Waterfall Way, this place was breathtakingly beautiful and yet a fairly well-kept secret. It's national park-land had lots of waterfalls nestled amongst it's hilly rainforests. It did rain a lot in Bellingen, but we will always remember it fondly; we met some great people and experienced a truly eclectic hostel.
1770
...is a super small beach community, but attracts a large crowd for its gentle crystal waters, perfect for fishing or dolphin-spotting. We camped at a great site, right on the edge of the sand, and took some of our best photographs with our go-pro. Travelling with our Brisbanite mate Rachel, she brought us on a mini-road-trip that allowed us to see this special spot.
Macadamia farming
At the end of July we settled on our WWOOFing location in Queensland, working towards a 2nd year visa whilst getting to experience rural Australia. Kangaroo's outside your window each morning, utter peace and quiet (apart from the cockatoos), and working amongst the trees, it's been different to the rest of our travels, but really rewarding at the same time.
Rainbow beach
...was a Saturday escape from the farm, where we could let our hair down, and paddle in the warm spring seas. Turquoise waters, sand dunes leading up to stunning panoramic views, and all followed up by a cider and fish and chips; we had such a fun day here. We also visited Tin Can Bay which is just down the road, where we fed wild dolphins their breakfast!
We've had plenty of moments in the past 6 months where we've stopped, taken a deep breath, and stared in silence (and that's not just in the middle of an argument).
Beautiful has been the most over-used word to date on this blog, but we really have seen some stunning sights, taking them in patiently, trying to capture each and every detail in our memories. 6 months doesn't seem a long time; it really it feels like we've only just found our stride, and yet we've been amazed time and time again.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, forcing Hannah to do crazy things, and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know us here!
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Taran & Makoto here, together we form Nomader How Far photography.
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