Planning to go

So you are planning to go...

You need to apply for a visa first which come in different types. Check out the prices of flights. If you want to stopover for a while, check with agents whether you are allowed to stay for a while.

Book flights a few months in advance. Buy travel insurance.

Check Australia Travel Centre on Middle Abbey St, Dublin 1, usitNOW on Aston Quay, Dublin 2, or Trailfinders on Dawson St, Dublin 2.
Web www.austravel.ie www.usitnow.ie

Vaccinations

Depending on the stopovers and how long you are staying, injections may be necessary. Contact your local GP/doctor for advice

Visas

There is a few different kinds of visas. If you only want to stay in Australia for a holiday, a tourist visa is appropriate - it gives you up to three months stay in Australia. If you want to work, a working holiday visa is suggested which gives you a year in Australia (from date of first entry). You are allowed to work as many jobs as you like provided you work up to a maximum of three months with any employer. Some visas are not available to some countries so you should check out if you are allowed to apply for one.

Check with the Australian Embassy as to the conditions required when applying for a visa. For the following countries: Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden or Denmark, you must apply for a visa through the embassy in Dublin (other countries, see below). Applications for this visa costs 95 euros along with a bank statement showing funds of around 3200 euros. For working holiday visas, you must be over 18 and under 31 years old.

Visa extensions are not allowed as visitors are allowed a maximum of twelve months. You could fly to any country outside Australia for a short while (not too short to avoid suspicion) and when you return, you may get a tourist visa automatically.

Should you run out of time and you are still in the country when your visa is up, you become illegal and run the risk of being caught and sent home. To avoid this situation, go to Immigration with a flight ticket proving that you are leaving Australia and a passport and you will be given a bridging visa to cover you up to the flight date. If you do not have a flight ticket yet but have a receipt showing proof that you have booked a flight, you may use the receipt but the flight ticket is safer. Without a bridging visa or a valid visa, you will be subject to lengthy questioning at the airport.

Web: www.australianembassy.ie
For other countries, please check www.immi.gov.au

Flights and stopovers

Flights and stopovers: as Australia is a long way from Europe, stopovers are common. It would be a good way to visit the stopovers and you won't be too jetlagged if you visit each country for a few days. Stopovers may be London, Frankfurt, briefly like a few hours. After this, it may be Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand. If you know where you want to go, check with travel agents on flight prices and seat availability. You may go for a round the world ticket instead.

Luggage

For backpacking, rucksacks are recommended and they come in many sizes, in litres. Depending on how much you are taking with you, you may go for around 80 litres size. Some of them come with zip-on day packs which makes it handy if you want to attach your day bag onto it while carrying the rucksack. Check your local camp and adventure shops

What to take

As Australia is warm, depending on when and where you are going, you do not need much or any heavy clothes. You can just bring very few and buy more in Australia or wherever you stop over on the way. Some things include the following:
Clothes such as t-shirts, light trousers, shorts, shoes and runners
Sleeping bag, suncream, insect repellent, hat or cap, sunglasses
Passport and visa
Padlocks for lockers and rucksack

You do not have to take all of them with you as you can buy them in Australia or perhaps cheaply in Asia before arriving in Australia.
You need not take out money for stopovers - if you have a credit card, take out the amount you need.

Are you set to go? Here is a few things you should do first when you arrive in Australia