A noobs guide to oz?

Hey Andy, no probs except that we don't know how long your life time will be and where you will touch down - more details please!

i hope to spend 12months down under (if things go ok with my visa app) im looking to leave nxt week or the week after...

Am i mad just doing it? Has anyone done anything simular?

I was hoping to start off in Sydney, but im open to suggestions if anyone knows of better places to start my journey

Only about a million others! You'll be fine.....
Are you planning to work or holiday or both?

Im looking to work and holiday...But mainly holiday :-P

Head straight for Manangatang. Everything you want or need to experience in Australia is there.

If you're coming from the UK in early March, you could arrive in Perth (see Emirates, or discount fares via SIngapore and BKK). Setting aside the need to work somewhere, you could look at this:<BR><BR>Mar-Apr: Perth and SW WA (good for work)<BR>May: West Coast WA / Kimberley<BR>June: Darwin (good place to work)<BR>Sept: Cairns and Whitsundays<BR>Oct: SE Qld (all beautiful)<BR>Nov: NSW Coast (including Byron Bay)<BR>Dec: Sydney (including New Year)<BR>Feb: Victoria / Tasmania (both beautiful)<BR>Mar: South Australia (including Alice Springs)<BR><BR>And so back to Perth. The itinerary above will keep you in excellent weather (generally) for the whole year. WIll hardly ned a sweater. If you work in seasonal work (fruit-picking) for three months in total, you can stay a second year and do it all again, stopping in places you really liked the first time around. If you have some spare dollars (you are supposed to have $A5,000 to come in on your WHV Visa) then spend about $A2,000 on a vehicle - will save you much money over 12 months.<BR><BR>Now go and buy a Lonely Planet Guidebook to Austraya.

If you're determined to start in Sydney, go anti-clockwise from about April, along with everyone else.

Yep! Ian says it all (so fast too)- not forgetting Manangatang which has its own entry in Wikipedia.