A working holiday is the best excuse there is to see Australia properly. You've got a year or more, a way to top up your savings, and a good reason to get out of the cities and into regional Australia.
This guide covers how road tripping fits around regional work, what the visa rules say about specified work, and how to use a campervan without blowing your budget. It's general information, not visa advice, so always check the current rules with the Department of Home Affairs.
Working holiday visas in brief
Australia has two working holiday visas for young travellers: the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). Which one you get depends on your passport.
To get a second or third year, many travellers need to complete specified work in regional or northern Australia. For a second 462 visa, Tourism Australia explains that this means three months of specified work, equal to 88 days full-time, done while your first visa is still valid.
Working holiday visas on the Department of Home Affairs site→What counts as specified work
For the 462 visa, Tourism Australia lists these types of specified work, each limited to particular areas:
- Plant and animal cultivation, such as fruit picking and farm work
- Tree farming and felling
- Fishing and pearling
- Construction
- Tourism and hospitality in northern, remote or very remote Australia
- Paid or volunteer disaster recovery work in declared disaster areas
The work must be paid properly under Australian law, with tax and super taken out. Cash-in-hand work doesn't count. Keep your payslips, bank statements and an employer reference as evidence.
Why a campervan works well on a working holiday
Regional work is often in small towns with limited accommodation, and harvest seasons move around the country. Having your own wheels makes it much easier to follow the work and then travel properly once your days are done.
- You can get to farms and regional towns that buses don't reach.
- You can travel between harvest areas as seasons change.
- When your work is done, you're already set up for a road trip.
Check the rules on where you can sleep, though. Some farms and towns have dedicated worker accommodation or campgrounds, and overnight parking in towns is often restricted.
Where can you park a campervan overnight in Australia?→Hire or buy?
Plenty of backpackers buy an old van for a working holiday. It can work out cheaper over many months, but it comes with repairs, registration and the hassle of selling at the end. Hiring is simpler for shorter trips, and long hire discounts make it more competitive for longer ones.
Buy or hire a campervan in Australia?→Long hire campervan discount→Plan your road trip around the seasons
A common plan is to work for a few months, then road trip with the money you've saved. Fit the road trip to the season:
- The tropical north, from Cairns to Darwin, is best in the dry season, roughly May to October.
- The south, from Sydney to Melbourne, Tasmania and the Great Ocean Road, is best from about November to April.
- The east coast between Brisbane and Sydney is good most of the year.
Budgeting on a working holiday
Your biggest costs on the road are usually the vehicle, fuel and somewhere to sleep. Splitting a campervan with friends and mixing free camps with paid campsites makes a big difference.
Australia road trip budget→Campervan trip on a budget→Travelling Australia with friends in a campervan→Finding regional work safely
Look for work through official job boards, recruitment agencies, hostels in farming areas and direct approaches to farms. Be wary of anyone who asks you to pay for a job, holds your passport, or pays well below the minimum wage.
You have the same workplace rights as any other worker in Australia, including minimum pay rates. The Fair Work Ombudsman has free information on pay and conditions, including for piece-rate work like fruit picking.
Fair Work Ombudsman: pay and rights for visa holders→Paperwork checklist
- Your visa grant and passport
- A Tax File Number, so you're taxed correctly
- An Australian bank account
- Your driver licence, plus an International Driving Permit or English translation if it isn't in English
- Payslips and records of every day of specified work
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to do 88 days of regional work?
Many working holiday makers do, to get a second year. Some nationalities, such as UK passport holders, no longer need to. Check the current rules for your visa and passport with the Department of Home Affairs.
Does cash-in-hand farm work count towards my second visa?
No. Specified work must be paid lawfully, with tax and superannuation deducted.
Can I live in a campervan while doing farm work?
Often, yes, but check where you're allowed to park and sleep. Some farms and towns have worker campgrounds.
Is it better to hire or buy a campervan on a working holiday?
Hiring is simpler for trips of a few weeks. Buying can work out cheaper over several months, but comes with repair and resale risk.
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