One of the first fast friends I made in Australia, Becca is another well-seasoned backpacker who talks about her working holiday and living in Sydney. Here we go in depth about her one-way ticket from Northern Ireland and Thailand, life living in Sydney, the ins and outs of banana farming in Cairns and she even throws me under the bus about my travelling quirk…
Her knowledge on the Australian jobs for backpackers is incredible as she’s had her fair share of roles during the working holiday visa. Read on to find out her number one item to take travelling.
You can follow her here on Instagram!
Why did you decide to relocate to Australia?
I’m not really sure! I was planning a trip to Thailand with the girls and I just got this idea into my head that I would book a one-way flight to Thailand and then decide what to do closer to the time. Then I decided I’ll go to Australia, why not?! I had just finished my degree and didn’t know what to do next. I wanted to escape for a while- so that’s what I did!
Tell me a bit about your first 24 hours of landing after the spontaneous one-way ticket.
My first stop in Australia was Melbourne. I had just spent three weeks with my best friends in Thailand and I cried so much when they left me at the airport. When I landed in Melbourne I started crying again. I was just thinking what the hell have I done, moving across the world by myself! But I pulled myself together and got into a taxi to my hostel (Habitat, St Kilda).
I checked in and snuck into my top bunk thinking I could go to sleep and start fresh the next day. Next thing the light switched on and I sat up and said “hello” which was met with a shockingly familiar accent. Turns out Mike and Graeme that were in my room lived about ten minutes from my house in Belfast. Immediately I felt relaxed. I spent the next day walking the streets with my Lonely Planet guide, getting ridiculously lost, meeting the rest of my roommates (including yourself) and no doubt I drank goon haha!
What’s the working scene like for a backpacker in Australia?
My jobs that I had in Australia went from one extreme to another. I trialled a few sales jobs at first which never lasted long. These are easy to come across but I think you need a certain personality for these jobs and I definitely did not have that. My first longer term job was in Hooters in Sydney ha! I absolutely loved the job- loved the girls I worked with, loved the uniform, loved the tips!
I had to leave this job to do my regional work on a banana farm in Innisfail for a second year working holiday visa. Then on my return to Sydney, I landed a job as an Executive Assistant in an insurance company, thanks to a friend of mine putting a good word in for me. This has probably been my most rewarding and challenging job to date. I grew so much in both my professional and personal life.
Unfortunately, with the working restrictions in Australia, I had to leave this role after six months and spent my final few months in Sydney working in Allianz, which I found through an agency.
Number one job searching tip?
My advice to anyone getting started in Australia is to sign-up to as many recruitment companies as you can and they do most of the work for you. It’s always good to know people too, so make the most of any contacts you may have!
What’s an Aussie road trip you would recommend?
My favourite place in Australia has to be the Whitsundays which is part of the East Coast and I would recommend it to anyone thinking of places to visit. Airlie beach is such a cute, little town but the Whitsunday islands are so, so beautiful.
Along the East Coast, I started in Cairns and worked my way down to Sydney, which was an amazing road trip to do and easy with so many Greyhound buses travelling between every tourist hotspot a few times a day. I haven’t seen the West Coast of Oz or any of the Outback- they’re still on my “to-do” list.
Is there anything in particular that stood out for you during farm work?
My friend Orla, who I lived with at the time, found farm work for us through a hostel on Facebook. We called on the Wednesday and they wanted us there by the weekend, so we flew from Sydney to Cairns on the Friday and got a bus from Cairns to Innisfail to the Shack.
The first farm job I got was horrendous. I hated every second, I cried often and I eventually got fired. They brought humps of bananas in on trailers and I was expected to tie chains around them and try and hook them to chains that went around above my head like a conveyer belt. I physically was not able to keep up with what was a job for a man’s physique.
What happened next?
I then got another job on a different farm dieseling banana trees, which basically meant that the men went up and down the rows of banana trees and cut down the smaller trees and saplings, following this I injected them with diesel to stop any growth.
We woke up every morning around 5am, started work at 6am until 3pm. I worked on the banana paddock with nowhere to go to the toilet all day unless you could find a tree to go behind when all the men were turned another way. After work you came home and covered yourself with baby oil before showering which seemed to be the best way to scrub the dirt off at the end of the day.
Most nights we all got pissed together in the hostel but Friday nights were usually the big night of the week, which usually ended in absolute carnage. It was a great experience, I am glad I done it. I made so many friends and met my boyfriend there, but don’t underestimate how hard the work can be!
What made you move to Sydney and stay there for longer?
After farm work, my boyfriend Kieran went home for a month and I was meant to meet my family in Sydney but circumstances changed and I ended up coming home at the same time. I decided to go back to Sydney with Kieran and we found a flat with a few of our friends from the farm. I love Sydney as a city to live in because the beaches are so close and beautiful. Most of our friends went there after the farm too, so it just made sense for us to live there.
Which Sydney suburb was your favourite? Tell me about the food!
Coogee will always have my heart. It was the first place I lived in Sydney and I loved every second I was there. The beach, the bars and the food spots are perfect. Newtown and Surrey Hills are pretty cool suburbs for food and drinks, which is where we would usually head if we were going for dinner or a night out. I’m such a foodie so it’s hard to pick but my favourite spot was probably Puntino Trattoria – pizza & red wine!
What’s one item you took and then never used?
I’m a pretty savvy packer, if I do say so myself! I didn’t land in Melbourne with about 4 suitcases like this girl in my hostel room (YOU – Arti). I would say that I used everything that I brought with me but in future I would not carry a massive Lonely Planet guide around with me for months. Kindles are a life saver!
What’s the last place you travelled to?
My most recent trip was to Budapest, Hungary just a week before lockdown. Absolutely stunning city. Plenty of things to see and do, cheap and cheerful.
What’s the one item you wouldn’t go travelling without?
Packing cubes. If you don’t know, get to know. They make life so much easier! Whether I’m going on an extended trip with my large backpack or a city break with my cabin baggage, I always use them. They make everything tidy and organised, and I definitely think you can pack more things in when you use them.
Have you any plans for your next destination?
I was meant to be in Krakow for my birthday next week but coronavirus has different ideas. We are just taking the next few months as they come before we make any bookings but the Philippines are high on our list for the next adventure.
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