Phase 1: Destination Australia

DESTINATION GUIDE: Australia

Almost a year ago, a colleague and friend whom was hired with me, decided to leave our highly-paid, corporate office job to move to Australia. Let me give you some background information: I was hired out of college into a program at a large tech company with thirty recent college grads. We grew to be a very close family. When he announced to the group that he was jumping ship, (and leaving the country) we were astonished by his bravery. Now I am just jealous that he was courageous enough to do it first. Talking to him about his travels in Australia made me realize that I could take the plunge too. Maybe an Aussie adventure is just what I need.

Reasons To Go:

Tasmania

 

For years, I have been looking for a place to which I can escape. Escape the noise, the clutter, the people, the madness. Tasmania is that place. Drive along the Eastern coastline to be overwhelmed by beautiful, empty, white sand beaches. Make sure your coastal drive includes a stop in Freycinet National Park to be witness to the glory that is Wineglass Bay. Tasmania, commonly refereed to as Tassie, is a beautiful seductress that has stolen the hearts of many over the years. Will you be next?

Hunter Valley

My adoration for wine began in college. My high school sweetheart’s parents moved to Sonoma, CA when we graduated. Thus, I spent many years frequenting the glorious extravaganza that is summer in wine country. Nothing could be better than sitting on a porch in the sunshine, wine glass in hand, over-looking the neatly tangled rows of grape vines. You can obviously see what drew me towards Hunter Valley in NSW, about 75 miles north of Sydney. For those of you who know nothing about wine, Australia is known for making some damn good bottles. This region is specifically known for the Shiraz (red, spicy, sweet, licorice flavors) and Semillon (white, usually blended to make Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc). The Shiraz produced in Washington are some of my favorite wines, so I felt an intense need to sample the same varietal grown in a much warmer climate. Sorry about the wine tangent… I love wine. If you also love wine, visit Hunter Valley.

Ningaloo Reef

Every bucket list known to man includes “scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef.” I am just a girl, sitting behind a computer, begging you to choose the Ningaloo Reef, instead. You are probably confused. Why would I care where you want to go scuba diving? The Great Barrier Reef is supposed to be the dive of a lifetime. However, because it has become a status symbol for divers all over the world, the reef is starting to decompose. The Ningaloo Reef, though lesser known, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. It is much closer to shore than the Great Barrier Reef, and thus more accessible to your Average Joe with a snorkel and flippers. I promise that it is just as, if not more, beautiful than its more widely appreciated cousin. If I can help divide the thousands of divers a year between the Ningaloo Reef and the Great Barrier Reef, maybe I can help preserve both of these natural wonders for a few more years. PSA over.

Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy is a small town north of Adelaide with a population a little over 1600. The city is home to the world’s largest opal mining area, providing the world with most of its gem-quality opals. None of this sounds very interesting, does it? Why would this tiny town be a reason for me to visit Australia? Well, the entire population lives underground like mole people. You think I am kidding, but I’m not. Due to the excessive heat and lack of rain in the summer, miners who settled here preferred to sleep in caves that they had dug out of the hillside. Eventually, this lead to digging deeper holes and a a complex system of tunnels that connects them. What exists today is a fully-functioning town, underground. I’ve got to see it for myself.

Grampians National Park

Lovingly referred to as The Grampians, this national park is known for being home to the largest collection of indigenous rock art sites in Australia. The sandstone mountain range gives you a panoramic view of the valley below. Nature lovers will go nuts over the availability of hiking trails, waterfalls and other outdoorsy bullshit. I am going for the view.

Tiwi Islands

Whenever someone tells me that I “can’t” go somewhere, I am immediately more interested in going there. That is exactly how I felt about the Tiwi Islands. Though, tourism is not prohibited, it is limited. You can only reach the island through one of the daily tours that leave from Darwin. The aboriginal people living here were largely cut off from mainland development until the 20th Century. There is now a clothing factory on one of the islands, but many people still supplement their day to day lives with a hunter/gather tasks. The Tiwi Football Grand-Final Day is in late March, and that is the only time you can visit without a tour guide.

Tailem Bend’s Pink Lake

Just off the Princes Highway, between Tailem Bend and Meningie, you will find a body of water that is quite unlike many others. The lake, not unlike flamingos, are full of a special type of algae called beta caratines. This type of algae is known for its bright red color, and how it turns the bodies of water that it inhabits, as well as any animals that eat it, a bright shade of pink. Though I don’t advise swimming in the Pink Lake, it does make for a great Instagram shot.

Pool of Siloam

So where can you swim? Do you have dreams of traveling to Israel and floating in the Dead Sea? Well, you can avoid all the drama between Israel and her BFF Palestine by visiting the Pool of Siloam in Beachport, South Australia instead. The claim is that the salinity of the lake is seven times higher than the Dead Sea. It is said that the salt water in the pool has healing properties as well. Sounds like a great place to float out the hangover after a long night of drinking beer with your Aussie friends.

Dalhousie Springs

Dalhousie Springs are a group of 60 natural springs in Witjira National Park in the Australian Outback. This is truly a desert oasis, one that is more than a figment of your imagination. Though 4WD is definitely recommended, it is not completely necessary to get there. The water temperature ranges from 100°F (38°C) to 110 °F (43°C) and is highly mineralized, though is non-toxic. In case you accidentally ingest some, you won’t die, but it probably won’t taste great. I warned you.

Daintree Rainforest

You may have noticed in my previous posts that I have a thing for waterfalls. Something about the way the water falls gracefully down the rock face, soothes the soul. In the Daintree Rainforest, you will be surrounded by the sound of rushing falls, bird songs and the whisper of the trees blowing in the wind. As the oldest continuously surviving tropical rainforest in the world, it is home to some very interesting flora and fauna. Try out the Chocolate Pudding Fruit which is a variation of the persimmon that has the texture and taste of chocolate pudding. There are a couple of plants to avoid in the rainforest: The Wait-A-While vine which is covered in spines and can cut you through clothing and the Stinging tree filled with tiny, pricks that causes intense itchiness. Avoid those, and your experience in the Daintree Rainforest will be a beaut!

Climate:

Due to its size, the climate of Australia varies greatly. The northeast is home to the rainforests and with them come tropical temperatures and, of course, rain. The southern region is home to the vast majority of Australia’s mountain ranges and the center of the landmass is composed of mostly desert. The entire country is known for being very dry, so even areas inhabited by rainforests will be relatively dry during the majority of the year. Read: Make sure to pack lots of sunscreen.

Languages:

Want to hear a fun fact? Australia does not have an official language. None. English is widely spoken though, with a little over 97% of the population speaking English and 80% claiming its the only language spoken in their household. Luckily for me, I talk English good, so I will fit right in. However, the second most prevalent language in the country is Mandarin at 1.7%, so if I really wanted to (I don’t), I could probably try to learn that.

Government:

The governmental system in Australia has always been fascinating to me. The country is a commonwealth of England, and thus, is technically a constitutional monarchy. The Queen is the figurehead of Australia, though she resides in her home in the United Kingdom. All government decisions are made by the Prime Minister, Parliament, and the Governor-General. I have only interacted with one Aussie recently, and she was not too pleased with government decisions made in Australia, however to be fair, who is ever satisfied with the decisions that are made for them?

Health Care System:

Australia’s health care system called Medicare was founded in 1984 and is a combination of state and private care. Everyone pays 1.5% of their income to Medicare, and the very wealthy pay 2.5%. Most people are covered for 100 percent of in-patient care and roughly three-quarters of primary care through this system. Many people do opt to buy additional coverage though, so that would be an additional expense to consider.

Safety:

For the first two countries that I researched, the State Department site has had three or four folds of information about danger that exists in said country. However, Australia has nothing aside from don’t drink too much, and be aware of your surroundings. Australia gets an A+ for safety. I even researched how many people are killed by kangaroos each year, and came up empty.

Visa Requirements

US citizens can visit Australia with an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) visa for up to 90 days. They have a pretty nifty website that helps you choose the right visa for you, if you do plan to overstay the 90 day mark. It doesn’t seem to be too hard, as an American, to be approved to stay in the country for up to 12 months either.

Vaccination Requirements:

YOU DON’T NEED ANY ADDITIONAL VACCINATIONS. I cannot stress this enough. Anywhere that allows me to enter without having to visit a sanitized, cold doctors office to be stabbed repeatedly with a needle, is my kind of place. Count me in.

Cost of Living:

Out of the three locations I have researched so far, before even looking, I just knew that Australia was going to be expensive. I have said this before and I will say it again, but cost should not be the single determining factor for choosing your destination. You need to choose a place that is right for you, not just for your wallet.

Rent:

In my search for an affordable flat in Australia, I chose Melbourne as my base camp. One thing to note when looking for accommodation in Australia is that the listings will list the price weekly instead of monthly. I used my $300 a month budget as a starting point, all the while knowing that I would probably have to pay at least $500 a month for lodging. The cheapest apartment that I could find was $150 a week or $600 a month. Wonderful.

Food:

The cost of living in Australia is very similar to that of the US. When compared to New York, the cost of food is about 80% what you would pay in NYC. For comparison, I spend about $500 a month on food in Seattle, so I would budget to spend $375 a month on food.

Local Transportation:

The only information I could come across, as far as prices go, for local transportation was a weekly bus pass that costs $57 for unlimited use. I would have to do more research on this, but I would venture to guess $150 a month would suffice.

Health Care:

Health care costs are tied into taxes, so unless you are planning on purchasing additional coverage, this would be a minimal cost.

Travel and Sightseeing:

Due to the heightened costs in all other categories, I am going to increase my normal travel budget from $200 to $300 a month. You shouldn’t penalize yourself for the higher costs by denying yourself the ability to travel and experience all that Australia has to offer.

First of all, let’s get that nasty budget part out of the way. My yearly budget for Australia is $25,650. That is a difference of over $10K from Thailand and $6100 from Ecuador. Overall, Australia still holds strong as one of my top destinations. The first reason being the easy visa process and the lack of vaccinations required for entry. This would make the process of moving abroad much more streamlined, and would reduce my anxiety level by half, at least. The second reason I would choose Australia is the ease of communication. This was the single determining factor in me studying abroad in London and is swaying my decision now. However, high costs and minimal cultural differences may affect my end decision. Only time will tell.

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Cheers :)

Day 6/560