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NZ Info!!

Air

Air New Zealand is main airline - website bookings are easy for domestic flights, and usually are the cheapest rate available. AIr New Zealand Website. Qantas also offers flights between main centres - Qantas NZ website. Origin Pacific also offers flights between regional airports. Origin Pacific Website

Busses
Main Bus service run by Newmans / Intercity. This is a good option for getting off the main route, and for shorter side trips. Long distances, air travel is likely to be as cost effective, and takes a LOT less time. Website offers bookings Newmans / Intercity website. Newmans / Intercity also offer a stored time value pass called Flexipass

Backpacker busses
There are number of backpacker busses - some of the more well known ones are Stray travel, Kiwi Experience, Flying Kiwi, and Magic Bus

Trains
Trains are predominatly a sight-seeing option, rather than a viable travel option. There are three main routes (plus the Palmerston North / Wellington commuter route) - Auckland to Wellington, Picton to Christchurch, and Christchurch to Greymouth. The train service is run by TranzScenic.

Rental Cars
There are LOTS of rental car companies in NZ. Car hire is one of the best ways to see the country, as much of NZ's best sights are located in out of the way places not easily accessed by public transport. There are generally 3 tiers of rental car companies. There are the multinationals, such as Avis, Hertz and Budget. Then there are the national companies, such as Ace and Rent-a-Dent. Finally, each main centre generally has a number of smaller operators with just one base in that centre. What option you go for depends on where you will be travelling, whether you want to pick up and drop off to different locations etc.

Hitching
Can still be done in NZ, but be very careful what lifts you accept. One recent suggestion after the death of a hitchiker was to take a PCT photo of the driver on a cell-phone if possible. Do not try to hitch on motorways as it is illegal to walk on the side of the motorway, and it is illegal to stop for anything other than an emergency. Generally, hitching out of main centres is fairly difficult, whereas hitching lifts in rural areas is much easier.

This post is a guide only, and is not exhasutive. Two sites for further travel information areNZ Travel on the web and Jasons Website

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*Accommodation *

For information on / reviews of backpacker accommodation in NZ
BBH backpack hostels and Bug Pacific Backpackers guide

For last minute hotel bookings in NZ (and Australia and beyond)

Wot If, Rates to Go, Need it now

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Banks in Australia.

It is pretty painless to open a bank account here in Australia,the Banks opperate on the Governments '100 points' system,were every piece of ID is alloated a number of points.But for recent arrivals,this requirment is waived,and all you need to open an account is your passport with a currant Auatralian visa stamped in it.I think you have, from memory, 20 days grace?

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Now that WHVers can apply for a second WHV based on 3 months seasonal work in regional Australia, I would suggest that anyone wanting to apply print off this form and take it with you when you do your agricultural work - as you need your employers signature to verify your employment

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You can now apply for an NZ WHV online, just follow the link in the OP - and click on "Working Holiday Schemes online"

Following a phone call to the NZ embassy, I can confirm that UK citizens CAN apply for a WHV for NZ, up until their 31st birthday, however, this may affect the amount of time they are allowed on the visa, i.e. until they are 31, instead of the usual 23 months.

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All about The Harvest Trail - seasonal work, where to harvest what & when...

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Fruit picking information.

For those of you looking to do 3 months harvest work to obtain a 1 year extension to your Australian WHV the following information may be useful.

Currently (FEB 2006), the grape harvest is about to get into full swing in the Mildura area, including Robinvale, Swan Hill, Renmark and Berri areas. Harvest will last until at least the end of April with bigger farms going into May. The following contacts maybe useful:

Mildura Harvest Labour Office 03 50221797, 97-99 Lime Avenue. This office will have details of harvest vacancies right along the Murray from Swan Hill to Renmark.

Mildura International Backpackers 03 50210133
Victoria Borderline Backpackers 03 50230671
Riviera Backpackers Motel 03 50233696
Redcliffs Backpackers 0350242905

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Here is a copy of a form you can use to keep track of seasonal work you do in order to qualify for a second WHV:

click here

Make sure you read this info about which areas qualify as "regional" for the purposes of qualifying for havign done "seasonal work in regional areas for that second WHV:

click here

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Tree Planting Information

Current Contracts:
February to end of May 2006
1 hour inland of Byron Bay (Northern New South Wales)

June to October 2006
2 hours East of Melbourne (Victoria)

Crews are set up in accommodation ranging from motels, hotels and caravan parks. Transport to and from the forestry blocks is provided in one of the Company vehicles from the arranged accommodation.

Any person who is interested in doing something for the environment by planting trees, as well as earning great money, tree planting could be the job for you.

Falls under the category of Harvest work. 3 months extenstion to your Australian WHV is a possibility.Text

Visit www.usufruct.com.au for further information or email jobs@usufruct.com.au

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a correction on #6, the passport stamp requirement for a bank account is for the first 60 days.

i doubt Aussie bureaucracy would enable to get 3 forms of ID for 100 points in 20 days...but just to clear that up it is actually 60 days.

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Re: Superannuation

You may also be eligible to get this back - http://ato.gov.au/super/pathway.asp?pc=001/007/126

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6 month extension to Aus WHV

For anyone who's interested (and I know there's been some confusion about this lately), I went to my local immigration office today and the lovely lady behind the counter confirmed that the 6 month extension DOES apply to those already here in Australia before July 1st (before it was thought the changes only applied to those applying after this date).

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It would appear that in my excitement I wasn't very clear in getting my point across so appologies to all for causing extra confusion. Yes I was referring to the extension to the ammount of time you can work for one employer (now 6 months instead of 3)

Not only do the new rules come into effect for those people applying for their WHVs after 1st July 2006, they also apply to all those already here on a WHV before that date. Therefore EVERYONE with a current Australian Working Holiday Visa can work up to 6 months with the same employer (as long as they don't overstay their visa of course).

I was told this by an advisor at the Perth office of the Department of Immigration but anyone with any doubts should probably check for themselves since there are plenty of people still willing to argue that this is not the case.

www.immi.gov.au

From the above website:
"If you are granted this visa you can:
stay up to 12 months
leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid
work in Australia for up to 6 months with each employer
study or train for up to 4 months.

Note: If you applied for your Working Holiday visa before 1 July 2006, you may:
undertake study or training for up to 3 months
work for up to 6 months with each employer

Important: Your visa will have a condition limiting work with each employer to 3 months however, all visa holders have been granted permission to work for up to 6 months with each employer."

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Thanks to all who have contributed to this branch as it is a great start for someone like me who is taking a career break into this part of the world. I do have a couple of questions though:

1) Can someone 30+ years obtain a working holiday visa in either NZ or Aus? I read somewhere in the Thorn Tree that NZ offers to 35 but this is not listed on the official websites.
2) If I can't get a work visa due to my age am I still eligible for a Harvest Tour visa?

Help is always appreciated.