Kissing goodbye to ordinary life and picking up a backpack can be a little daunting. You’re probably going to be on the other side of the world, experiencing four seasons and needing everything but the kitchen sink over the next year. This working holiday packing list will get you through it! And I should know, after packing all the wrong things for my two years in Australia on a working holiday, I’ve learnt a lot.
On the plane – hand luggage working holiday visa packing list
Don’t make my mistake, I packed a shedload of snacks to get me through the incredibly long flight. But as we prepared to land, they announced that biological materials could not be brought into Australia, and boy did I sh*t bricks!
Your hand luggage should have only packaged, processed foods which you can be sure to eat before landing. Slip in a pen for completing landing forms, a blanket for napping, a neck pillow, head phones, ear plugs and an eye mask. Something to chew on will help with landing and take off.
Keep an empty water bottle with you and fill it for free as soon as you’re past security.
A light weight container for half eaten food is great, so that you don’t have packets opening up and smearing across your bag. This will be useful for your destination, too and will help you cut down on plastic for lunches etc.
The rest of the space is for entertainment – books, music, magazines, your phone and iPad – the works. The best solution to a 28 hour journey I’ve found is a video game that can be played without internet. Sit down, plug in and watch the hours disappear as you control your Sims.
Always check you have the right adaptor for the power points that will be on the plane by Tweeting the airline!
Handling the weather – cold and hot temp essentials
Depending on the weather Google tells you to expect in your new climate (checking for the averages over a year) you can sub in from this selection – a fan, a wide brimmed sun hat, sun cream and after sun.
If there’s even the merest hope of beach, a beach towel, bikini and flip flops go straight in the bag.
No matter what, you need a sarong. This’ll handle everything from ‘I need a quick cover up’ to ‘I’m suddenly cold’.
Personal choice, but I always bring a parasol, it’s the perfect little bit of portable shade.
I’d always recommend packing sunglasses as a no brainer – even snowy destinations throw up a lot of UV.
And on the other hand, your winter selection should include thermal underwear, waterproof boots (wellies to us Brits), an anorak, warm hat, gloves and one all purpose coat that is undeniably warm.
Workin’ for the man – job supplies on your working holiday
Five minutes in front of the waves and you’ll forget all about corporate life. But you’ve probably promised your bank balance that you’ll pick up some casual work at least.
For this you need to find space on your holiday packing list to wedge in a smart interview outfit (something that says you’re serious), all those certificates you worked so hard for in school and any professional checks you have proof of – such as being safe to work with children.
Don’t bring copies of your CV (you can always print at the library when you get there, and who the heck applies on paper these days?) but do bring a USB stick with the file on it.
If you’re not certain of the internet where you’re going, set yourself up with a dongle to supply internet.
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Travel essentials and gadgets for your working holiday
You need a good camera – don’t try to survive on an old Nokia like I did – and its charger. No need to invest in a universal power adaptor though (too bulky) just a set of adaptors that matches your most used gadgets.
With this goes your Fitbit, a power bank (or two!) and charger. Either use cloud back ups or pack an SD drive.
Pack a deck of cards for drunken nights with new friends and a small pouch for protecting easy to lose items (like earrings).
Shower caps always come in handy – both for protecting dirty shoes in your bag and (in a pinch) for when you need to shower and don’t know how clean the hostel floor is.
Since you’ll likely end up in some shared accommodation, a clothes line and some powder for hand washing clothes in the sink is a winner.
Rather than wear the battery out on your phone, bring a basic mini alarm clock with you, a torch for emergencies and a micro travel towel (many hostels charge extra for towel hire).
A mini luggage scale with a small tape measure is worth its weight in gold, so that every time you pack up and head for a new part of the country you can always be sure your bags are in the weight limit.
Clothes and toiletries to pack for a working holiday
We’ve entered a section that’s essentially personal choice and I’m well aware that not everyone wants to dress like they’ve just left the 1950s, like I do.
But here’s a word to the wise on commonly forgotten things:
Your shoe selection should cover sandals, running/walking shoes and pair of smart black shoes which can do both work and a night out. Resist the urge to pack too many more!
Remember that you’ll be living and washing clothes like at home so pack staples that can be layered and interchanged with each other. A good starting point is three trousers, five tops and building a few extras onto that such as skirts, jackets and jumpers.
Bags to take on your working holiday
Lock all bags with a padlock, not just for security but so that you’ve a lock for your locker when you land. Add luggage tags and pray that you and your bags are reunited!
It’s always worth tying a bright strap around your case, or painting the handle with a dab of bright nail varnish to make it less likely that someone else mistakes your bag for theirs.
Inside any big bag you bring there should also be a canvas bag (for popping to the shops) and you might also need a small evening bag for nights out and a smarter bag for work. Go for the Russian doll setup!
Talking of bags, I’m a wheelie suitcase girl but if you’re in for a backpack adventure, you’ll want a front loading backpack not a top loader – otherwise reaching bits at the bottom will drive you bananas.
Wondering how to get the best start on your new life in Oz? Take a read through my top tips for getting a bank account, getting ready for work and more.
Never forget these – essentials for your backpacking list
Pack a photocopy of your passport to carry around while you leave the original safely at home. Dig out the actual passport too and make sure that’s packed here.
On the subject of boring papers, you also need your boarding pass, a copy of your working holiday visa and proof that you can support yourself on visa (a bank statement showing there’s more than hopes and dreams in your account).
If you’re wondering what amount of savings you need to prove you have, you can find out about the financial requirement for working holidays for Brits, WHVs for South African citizens and the options for Australians.
How about your bank back home, have you warned them that you’re abroad and made a note of the phone number to call if you need them? It’s pretty likely that you’ll get overexcited with some spending in your first few weeks and trigger their security bot, leaving you desperate to get your card unfrozen!
In your wallet should be either a card that allows you to spend with a good exchange rate abroad (Moneysavingexpert.com is the place to find one) or one of those fancy pre-paid currency cards.
Next comes a print out of your travel insurance, your driving licence, a record of all your vaccinations (some are required for the visa) and a letter from your doctor confirming any prescriptions you need. Have you got a starter supply to last you while you figure out how to get a new doctor? Ooh and if you wear glasses or contact lenses, bring your eye prescription for those too.
Remember that if your documents are in a different language from the one where you’ll be taking your working holiday, you’ll need to bring professional translations.
If you’re meeting someone at your destination (a friend in Oz? a couchsurfing host?) pack a treat or two from home as a thank you gift.
Don’t forget to print this working holiday packing list and bring it with you – that way you’ll know exactly what you packed and won’t forget anything as you move around 🙂
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Thanks for sharing these essentials. Will definitely add some of these items to my packing list.