These are the practical, non-visa guides we kept wishing existed while we sorted out our own working holidays — the flights, the bank account, the SIM card, the farm work, the tax back. Everything below is stuff we actually did ourselves in Australia and New Zealand, grouped by when you'll need it. Pick where you are and dig in.
Before you go
Sort these while you're still at home — they're easier and cheaper to get right early.
Flights
One-way, return or flexible? We break down the ticket types, the airlines that fly the route, and how to avoid overpaying — plus a quiz to match you to the right ticket.
Read the flights guide →Travel insurance
It's mandatory for most working holiday visas, but the policies vary wildly. Here's what a working holiday policy actually needs to cover and how the main providers compare.
Read the insurance guide →Your first week
The admin that unlocks everything else — get it done in the first few days.
Banking
You can't get paid without a local account. Which banks are backpacker-friendly, what you need to open one, and how Wise or Revolut bridge the gap until it's active.
Read the banking guide →SIM cards & phone plans
You'll need a local number for bank verification and job calls before anything else. The best providers in each country, prepaid vs plan, and where to buy on arrival.
Read the SIM card guide →While you're there
The bigger decisions once you've landed and settled in.
Farm work & 88 days
The specified work that earns your second-year visa in Australia — what counts, where to find it, and how to keep the paperwork airtight so your days actually get approved.
Read the farm work guide →Buying a car
A live buy-vs-rent calculator to see if a car pays for itself, what to check before you hand over cash, and how to sell it on before you fly home.
Read the car guide →Solo travel safety
Practical, non-scary advice for travelling on your own — hostels, hitchhiking, night buses and staying in touch, from two people who did plenty of it.
Read the safety guide →Super & tax back
Worked in Australia? You're owed your super back when you leave. Use the reclaim estimator to see roughly how much, then follow the step-by-step process to claim it.
Read the super & tax guide →