Australian Working Holiday Advice Needed!!!

Relax, get your own visa, it's a perfectly straightforward process, and go round all the banks after you arrive and decide which one offers the best services before you open an account. There are plenty of people on these forums who have done it, and you can always ask for advice if you need it. Probably, the Australia forum is a better place to ask.

The "service" you're paying so much for doesn't do anything you can't do for yourself.

Jobs are advertised online, or you can visit potential employers and introduce yourself. No need to rely on anyone else, although some temp agencies in Australia are pretty good.

You'll have a great time. And the whole point is to fend for yourself. Figure out the visa, save the money, and feel good about yourself. Good luck with it!

This has been well covered on Australia Branch including bank accounts and finding jobs. No nee to wait to open a bank account. You can do it before you leave home then you just need to go to the bank and activate the account. NAB hAS A SAVINGS ACCOUNT WITH ZERO FEES SO MAYBE START there. Finding a job is probably going to be your biggest problem. With limitations on how long you can work for an employer, even though you might be suitable, its a big turn off. Many have to resort to fruit picking.

Please don't apply for an agency or through a company for a visa that you can apply for yourself, even f they offer you a job afterwards. The job will most likely be for pennies, or simply for your accommodation, and therefore worth maybe $200 a week.

Seriously, finding a job isn't hard. Look online, walk around downtown (or wherever you are), speak with other backpackers or look on job boards in your hostel. There are a lot of ways of finding a job, and I think a lot of these companies take advantage of people's fears of finding a job.

Setting up an account before you arrive is super easy. fill out an online form with one of the major banks (I used Commonwealth) and then simply turn up, let them see your passport, and they issue cards. The online form takes less than 10 minutes, and form walking into the bank to leaving, takes about 10 minutes also. Easy peasy!

Do it yourself. You can also do something like WWOOFing, helpx or workaway while you look for a paying job. These offer room and board in exchange for work.