Working holidays are not a new concept. Generations of gap year students have been taking a year off from study to pull beers in Scotland, serve croissants in Paris or teach English in India.

But what if you’re an older person or a family and you’d rather spend your holiday closer to home? Working holidays within Australia are a great way to see the country without breaking the budget.

Justine Lewis and her husband Warren run Workabout Australia, a company that specialises in finding work for travellers. 

“We have a lot of retired people on our books,” Justine said. “Often, they finish work, but are not keen to sit at home and spend their day’s gardening. 

“They want to see the country but may not have the funds to do so. By picking up seasonal work, they’re able to live out their dreams of travelling while ensuring they have enough money to keep going.”

Justine says there are a lot of companies looking for reliable short term workers. 

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Anything from fruit picking, labourers, cleaners and plant operators – Workabout Australia even listed jobs with The Great Moscow Circus this year. 

Some of the most popular regions for travellers are the far flung places. Bourke, Broken Hill, Northern Territory and Western Australia are often high on the list for potential working holiday makers. 

This is a time to explore places you may never have seen before or have always wanted to go. Kym Leech and Lyn Hutton are a retired couple from the Gold Coast who are currently on a working holiday around Australia. 

“We have been able to follow a pathway that has taken us to exotic destinations, and we’ve made lots of new friends along the way,” Lyn said. “If you think this way of life may suit you, give it a try. If not you can always come home. But working your way around Australia means you afford to stay on the road a lot longer, just following the sunshine.” 

The most important part of your working holiday process is planning. For some jobs, you may need a licence, registration, police checks or authorisations. It’s important to research these before you go.