FAQs Australia Outback Farmwork

What happens on the Training Course?
You spend 5 days gaining an introduction to Outback life.  You will learn the basics of motorbike riding, tractor driving, chainsaws, horse riding and cattle mustering. It also means that you can gradually acclimatise to the temperature and working outside on a farm before you start your job. Its great fun, tiring and will stand you in good stead with your employers. The farm course is preceded by 3 days on Rainbow Beach which allows you to get over your jet lag and top up your tan before the course. You also have a day and night in Brisbane when you first arrive from your flight. top

What is the training course like?
The training course is great fun and you learn lots of exciting new skills. Everybody that we have heard from has really enjoyed it and makes very good friends.

“The training farm was amazing we had a really great time made lots of friends and the people we stayed with were great fun” Emma Sweeney 2009

“I really enjoyed the course - driving tractors and bikes is great fun and the team there were very good… I would definitely recommend it to others, and regularly do just that when I meet backpackers in the city who are struggling to find work.” Tom Shaw 2009

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Who does this programme suit?
This programme suits people who are happy to work hard and don’t mind getting dirty. They would have a positive attitude, be determined and polite and get on easily with others in a team. Practically, a participant would be physically fit to do farm work, not be bothered by working long hours or in the heat (30 ºC plus) and be happy to work outside with animals. These people should have a full (not provisional) driving license and should have a credit or debit card before they go. Farming work or animal experience is desirable but not necessary.  top

Where will I be working?
There are more people from the training farm working in Queensland than any other state or territory; however there are jobs offered and taken all over Australia, so you could be working anywhere! All of the jobs are in rural Outback locations. Queensland is in the North East corner of Australia which makes it perfectly situated for you to travel down the popular East Coast after your job ends if you do end up there. top

When I can go?
Oyster sends participants to arrive in Brisbane at around 6.30am every Thursday with the exception of Christmas and Easter. top

What age do you have to be?
To be eligible you need to be between 18 and 30 when you apply for your visa.   Most participants we send are aged 18-24. top

Will I be alone on the programme?
You won’t be alone; usually you will join an Oyster group of around 4 – 5 when you arrive in Brisbane. You spend your time at Rainbow Beach together getting to know each other well. There may also be people from other organisations around the world there who will be joining you on the farm training course.
Once you arrive in Goomeri (a small town where you are met by our partners) there will be a group of 15 to 20 of you who will be split between 2 training farms. Once you are on your training farm you will be taught in 2 groups of 4 or 5. You will make good friends over this time and many people stay in touch after they have gone off to their jobs. You may even think about travelling together after your jobs finish. top

Can I apply with a friend?
Yes and you can be found jobs together in the Outback too. Please note though that it can take an extra week or two to find work if you are in a pair or more. Please mention on your application form if you would like to work with a friend. top

What will the weather be like?
Northern parts of Australia has its weather is split more into wet and dry seasons. The wet season is from November to May and is the hotter and wetter half of the year. January to March can be particularly wet and the temperatures are much hotter averaging between 30ºC and 50ºC with the addition of humidity. The dry season is between May and October with temperatures averaging 20 ºC. There are clear blue skies and little rain. Further South temperatures and humidity is milder and Winters (late May to August) can feel quite cold with snow in some parts of Victoria and New South Wales! top

What work can I do?
The work you will be doing in the Outback is farming work, often on Cattle Stations, there is also some equine working as a groom for polo ponies, you may be a station hand responsible for maintaining the farm (i.e. fencing work or repairing things around the farm) and helping to look after the animals, if you are a good horse rider then you may be mustering sheep or cattle from horseback, you may be working on a dairy farm or processing beef cattle as they are mustered. Sometimes farm work jobs will be offered to girls with some cleaning or childcare work as well. Our partners have 1,800 different employers so there is a huge variety of jobs you could be offered. top

What is the advantage of booking this programme through Oyster Worldwide?
By booking through Oyster Worldwide, you will receive a meet and greet service at Brisbane airport, a night in Brisbane, transport to Rainbow Beach and 3 days there, 3 night’s hostel accommodation and transport to the training farm. You will also have your Tax file number sorted out, a bank account opened for you and your Medicare health insurance organised. You also receive an interview and briefing, as well as significant help and preparation before you depart, i.e. helping you to book your flights, organise your visa, set up insurance etc. Importantly we are always here to answer any questions that you have and can be another source of support for you whilst you are in Australia. If you booked directly from Australia you would not receive any of these things and would have to fund yourself for 28 days whilst waiting for your Tax File number. You could also have a long wait for places as priority is given to overseas bookings from companies such as Oyster Worldwide.   top

What are the steps to getting a job?
Firstly you should apply to us by filling out our application form and pay the refundable £50 interview deposit, this forms the first part of the program cost. However, if you decide that this programme is not for you then we can refund this after your interview. We will then call you to talk about the trip and arrange an informal phone interview.  If you are offered a place we will then email or post you a detailed pack with forms that you must return to us to formally accept your place. top

Why do I have to pay a £50 interview deposit?
For two reasons, to ensure we get serious applicants, and to cover the administrative cost of recruiting, interviewing and support you receive from us while you are making your decision to go to Australia.
The £50 can either be paid on our website with a credit or debit card by clicking on the PayPal link, or by sending a cheque to our office or by bank transfer.  top

Am I guaranteed a job?
Yes, we guarantee that you will get a job after taking part on our training course. Our Australian partners have been training and finding jobs for people since 1992 and nobody has ever failed to get a job.
Having said this to get the best job possible you should prove yourself to have a good attitude and pick up the skills well in the training course. The trainers will rate you and your employers will be told your scores. top

Who is eligible?
You should be between 18 and 30 years old and be from the list of eligible countries given by the Australian Embassy for the Working Holiday visa: UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, France, Finland, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Taiwan.  You need skill in the English language to a good conversational level or better! You must also have a full driving license (not provisional) and a credit card (preferable) or debit card with a visa or mastercard logo on. top

Do I need qualifications?
You don’t need any qualifications just a “can do” attitude, bags of enthusiasm and willingness to have a go.  Any relevant experience that you have, may mean that you may earn more in your wages and will help you to get a better job. top

What is included in the price of £1145?
Included in the price, is the cost of your 9 day induction and training course, transport to the beach and training farm and your food and accommodation throughout.  (You will need a little money to cover food and trips in Brisbane and on the beach). You will get a meet and greet at Brisbane airport, admin in the UK and ongoing support whilst you are in the UK and Australia.  You are also given an Aussie hat, T-shirt and SIM card. We also offer all of the above without the job for £995. top

What is not included?
The price of your visa (set at Au$230 until July 2010), your flights (from around £670 to £1000), insurance and the cost of transport to your job from the training farm (you should budget A$500).  You will also need funds for food and activities when you are in Brisbane and at the beach. You should also budget for any unexpected hostel stays or transport costs if your job is to terminate early or it takes you a couple of days to get to your job. This is where a credit card can come in very useful. top

Can I choose where I work and what I will be doing?
Due to the fact that our partners have so many employers on their books, they don’t search for work but instead jobs are offered to particular people by the employers. You are able to turn down job offers if you don’t want to do them but do think carefully before you do this.  top

Can you change the job if you don’t like it?
You should give your very job your best shot, we require you to try it for at least a week. Then if you do want to change to another job, one can be found for you, although you should be aware that this may not be immediate and you will need to be in mobile coverage to receive job offers. We are able to find you as many jobs as you would like for up to a year! top

How long are the jobs for?
The minimum length of the job is 3 months and you can spend up to 6 months in the same job. If you want to have another job after 6 months, we can find one for you which should be better paid after 3 or 6 months of farming experience. top

How long can I stay in Australia for?
On your first working holiday visa you can stay for a year working in Australia. If you have done 3 months of farm work or more then you are eligible to apply for a second working holiday visa which will allow you to extend your trip for another year or receive another Working Holiday Visa before you are 31 years old. This cannot be done if you are a citizen of Chile, Thailand, Turkey or USA. top

What are the working hours like?
The hours will be similar to those in the UK.  5-6 days a week and 30-40 hours a week. top

Do I need to buy clothes before I go?
No, just take what you have. Australian farmers wear loose comfortable jeans, thin chequered shirts and work boots which look like riding boots (they must be without laces). You will be taken to a farm outfitters shop when you arrive at your training course where you will be given the opportunity to get decked out in Australian farm clothes so that you don’t stick out too much. You may find it easier to buy things out there or if you have work clothes, bring them with you. Good work boots are £30 - £40. An Aussie hat is included in the price! top

How do I get a visa?
You apply online once you have had your phone interview. Once you have accepted a place we will email or post you an information pack with all the links you need.  It normally takes around 48 hours to get a visa but do allow longer. top

I have a criminal record. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily, you would need to tell us more before we could take your application further. top

Will I have access to the internet or telephone?
All of the farms will have a landline that you will be able to use to call home (although you will have to use a pre-bought phone card) and most will have internet which the farmers may let you use. There will most likely not be wireless or mobile phone reception so please do bear this in mind. top

Can you tell me more about flights?
You need to arrive at Brisbane by 6.30am on the Thursday that your program begins.  Book a direct flight into Brisbane, don’t fly via Sydney or Melbourne, there is no need and it takes longer.  There are about 40 international arrivals into Brisbane every morning.  Oyster are ATOL bonded and can book your flight for you or we recommend you go direct to Australian Specialists  - Hallmark Travel on 01342 312305 ask for Charmaine Hallmark.  They have a reputation for excellent service as well as the lowest fares. We can also recommend STA. top

When do I need to apply?
As soon as you can, we have a limited number of places for each program.  You need to apply at least 2 months before you go.  In certain circumstances, we might be able to accept late applications but not less than 6 weeks. top

What will insurance cost?
Our recommended policy costs £206 for 6 months and insures you for working rather than just backpacking.  There are cheaper policies but generally you get what you pay for. top

How much will I be paid?
This does depend on what level of skills and experience you have.  Wages tend to be around Au$350 after tax per week with food and board included. top

What's special about Oyster?
Our team in the UK and overseas have considerable experience in arranging gap year programmes abroad. Our UK staff have all undertaken Oyster projects and others and know what makes a great gap year. We offer carefully chosen programmes in different parts of the world to deliver this.
“I had an amazing time in Brisbane and at Rainbow beach. I met some lovely people there and had lots of fun. Then the week at the training farm was such an experience; I did things I never would have been able to do, which was awesome.” Hannah Sellers 2009 top

How long have you been going?
Most of our programmes have been running since 2000 and we have been operating under the name of Oyster since 2006. We will be happy to put you in touch with those who have travelled to our programmes in the past. They will be able to tell you directly about the service and expertise offered by the UK team and our representatives abroad.  Australia is our newest destination launched in 2008 - our partners have been running this program since 1992. top

Is Oyster a member of the Year Out Group?
Yes, we are a full member of the Year Out Group. Our procedures have been assessed and the Year Out Group has taken into account that our programmes and staff are well established. top

“Having an absolute ball over here! What an experience it's been already! Thank you soooo much, you've given me a really wonderful opportunity!” Megan Murray 2009

Find out more

Contact Roger (01892 770771; roger@oysterworldwide.com).