First time in Australia: Information to remember for your arrival!
Most of you will land in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns or even Perth, and do roughly the same things, have fun and visit the city a bit!
Some people are not aware of what to do and will waste a week foolishly when it only takes 2-3 hours maximum to get administratively updated.
First time in Australia Upon arrival:
Don’t be lost when arriving from the airport, not knowing how to get to the youth hostel you booked in advance!
What you need to know upon arrival is that some youth hostels offer a “Shuttle Bus” to go from the airport to your youth hostel if you book for 3 nights. You can find some on the brochure offered by the information point at the Airport! You can use this system when you arrive and travel from city to city.
If you want to save money, the best way is to use the Bus! Only in big cities, it costs 3 times less (5 dollars) compared to the “shuttle bus” (10-15 dollars) or the subway (usually 15 dollars)!
The worst is to take a Taxi, even if you say to yourself, I just arrived, I don’t know the city, I’ll take a taxi, it will be safer (“better”), DON’T DO IT! It will cost you at least 50 dollars from Sydney airport to the city, and about 70-80 dollars in the evening depending on the place and the number of suitcases. For other cities, airports are generally quite far away, count at least 40 dollars, if you are 2 with not too bulky luggage, you might get away with it!
The day after your first time in Australia:
What you need to know is that you need a tax number called “TFN, tax file number” to work in Australia and you can request it at agencies “for free” or apply online on the government website; it takes 15 minutes.
In Australia, there is something very practical to receive mail if you don’t have an address, it’s called “poste restante”, it’s a mailbox system. If you want to receive mail, just put the poste restante address of the city and go pick it up with your ID card. Simple and practical, it’s a “free” service. You can use this method if you want to receive mail in your next city before leaving. The “poste restante” keeps mail for 1 month. You will receive the TFN 3-4 days later.
The second day:
Opening a bank account is simple in Australia, you just need your ID card and an address. If you manage a bit in English, ask to see an advisor right away and sign the papers, you can have an appointment the same day or the next day or within a few days to open an account.
Also ask to open a super ANNUATION account, it’s for retirement. When you work, give this number to get what you are entitled to. The employer is obliged to pay it if you earn more than 500 dollars per month! Be careful, they don’t necessarily ask you for it!
Take a Savings account, it’s an account that allows you to have a debit card, you can only use the money you have! You will receive your debit card 4 days later at your address or you can also pick it up at the bank.
There are 4 main banks in Australia, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, NAB! The advantage of the first is that there are many ANZ in New Zealand, otherwise the last two have more ATMs in Australia.
It takes only an hour to open your account and about fifteen minutes another day to pick up your card.
Opening a mobile line for the first time in Australia:
Just buy a mobile kit, you can find them in Seven 11, all around the city; you can even get free SIM cards at some locations.
You have several operators such as TELSTRA, SOMETHING and something else! If you plan to work in the Bush, take TELSTRA, it has more coverage but is a bit more expensive than the other two which are more advantageous if you stay in the city.
After buying your SIM card, go online to activate your number.
It takes an hour to do it. At worst, you can ask someone around you for help to open your line if you can’t do it yourself, someone at the youth hostel will be happy to help you!
– > The following days:
You can take several days to visit the city and go pick up your card at the bank or “poste restante”, as well as the TFN.
Here is what you need to do in the first week, it’s not very difficult!
Now, you can go party!!
– > PS: I advise against taking Packs at an agency or online, which book your hostel, open your phone line, and your bank account. It costs two to three times what it actually costs when it’s very simple!
