Australia has a lot to offer both Gap Year and independent travellers. You can surf, dive or sail on its incredible coastline (which includes the Great Barrier reef), encounter unique wildlife and marvel at its vast landscapes. It’s also home to cool cities like Sydney and Melbourne for cosmopolitan chilling, plus the locals are friendly and welcoming. It frequently tops the Gap Year charts, but there are some cons to counteract the many pros.
Pros:
12 month work visas for 18-30 year olds.
No language barrier.
Cool cities, amazing landscape and the Great Barrier Reef.
Established backpacker infrastructure – plenty of youth hostels, tours and activities.
Interesting stopovers possible on outward and return flights.
Cons:
The vast size of the country can be an issue as internal flights are expensive and trains are slow.
Depending on where you live, the air fare is costly and its not cheap to live there.
It’s a western culture, so often similar to that at home – although for some this is a plus point.
It gets very hot and is home to a significant amount of dangerous animals in the cities and the wild.
Due to its isolation, it’s not cheap to visit neighbouring countries.
There are less available jobs here than in other countries.