| Sunrise surfs and outback treks Australasia has a | | | | Australasia features on most people's itinerary but if |
| wide variety of culture and wildlife to keep you on | | | | you're going to use your time to explore Australia |
| your toes all year! Australasia has long been the | | | | then bring a good book! As befits the world's largest |
| destination of choice for gap year travelers wishing | | | | island, air travel is a popular way of getting around. |
| to work abroad and there are some very good | | | | Look for deals that give you multiple flights within a |
| reasons behind its enduring popularity; its location | | | | certain period of time. |
| makes it a perfect stop off on a round the world | | | | Bus transport is excellent with air-conditioned, |
| ticket and a great place to wind down after a stay in | | | | video-equipped buses putting your hostel room to |
| Asia; the lack of a language barrier for most people | | | | shame. Aside from eating up the miles though, there's |
| makes earning money here extremely easy; the | | | | nothing they can do about the distances here and it |
| developed infrastructure mean traveling around is no | | | | can get tedious. Remember that public transport is |
| hassle; and the country has a natural beauty to rival | | | | better on the glitzy east coast than in other parts of |
| any of its more exotic neighbors. | | | | the country. Train travel here is for enthusiasts rather |
| Australasia is that rarest of things; a tropical country | | | | than people in a hurry. The Indian Pacific is a great |
| which can afford to fit air conditioning in most of its | | | | way to see a huge amount of the country and |
| public buildings! Gappers who spend a year here | | | | unless you get travel sick it's well worth fitting into |
| queuing in bus stations, withdrawing money or | | | | your schedule. |
| shopping in the malls will certainly appreciate it! It's a | | | | **** Varies across the country but overall no |
| good job that there's some respite from the sun | | | | hindrance to great travel |
| because otherwise it would turn you the colour of | | | | Cost |
| the ground here; bright red. That in a nutshell is the | | | | Before thoughts turn to diving in coral reefs and |
| appeal of Australasia; breathtaking beauty in a | | | | traversing the Outback you should give careful |
| user-friendly package. Keep reading the see how | | | | thought to your budget. The last thing you want is |
| Australasia ranks on our Gapometer. | | | | to leave for a year and then come back 6 months |
| ***** Gaptastic | | | | later with empty pockets. Avoid the famous |
| **** Great for gappers | | | | one-armed bandits though and money shouldn't stand |
| *** Worth a look | | | | in the way of a great trip. The lack of a language |
| ** Too much else to see | | | | barrier always presents opportunities for work even |
| * Never mind the Gap | | | | if you do run short. |
| Volunteering | | | | As in most countries, you can live frugally or |
| Australasia knows only too well the dangers of | | | | extravagantly here. Smaller towns make almost no |
| environmental damage. The landscape may look | | | | dent in your wallet while the eastern coast is a more |
| rugged but it's no match for global warming; the | | | | expensive area in which to travel (they don't call it |
| driest continent in the world is getting drier and it's | | | | the Gold Coast for nothing)! You won't live as |
| having a huge effect on all life here, human and wild. | | | | cheaply as in Asia or Africa but living costs here are |
| Since European settlers landed, the continent has lost | | | | still extremely cheap. If you decide to explore after |
| a huge number of its natural species and there's no | | | | you finish doing some volunteering make sure you |
| sign of abatement. Conservation work here gets less | | | | plan a round trip back to your arrival city as a return |
| press than in many countries around the world but | | | | flight home will cost you less than two singles. |
| the Australian Conservation Foundation is becoming | | | | **** Not as cheap as Africa and Asia but just as |
| increasingly concerned about the situation. Volunteers | | | | cheerful! |
| looking for a useful way to spend a gap year here | | | | The wow factor |
| need look no further. | | | | We tend to think of Australasia and Australia in |
| **** A less high-profile victim of global warming, the | | | | particular as a home away from home and as such, |
| area still needs you | | | | not as exotic as other countries in the area. |
| Traveling around | | | | Language, food and music will remind you of home |
| Australasia's great advantage for the gapper is its | | | | here but the Outback, Great Barrier Reef, tropical |
| proximity to Asia. A short hop and you're in the heart | | | | North and stunning Blue Mountains provide more than |
| of Asia, enjoying temples and tuk-tuks. The invention | | | | enough of the exotic. |
| of the around the world' ticket guarantees that | | | | |