Finding a job in Australia is not so easy, but sometimes luck smiles on us and we come across THE good plan! Alexandra, 25 and in WHV, arrived in Melbourne in August. After 3 days, she flew to Cairns, where she found a dream job! Here she tells us about her housekeeping experience on a dream island!
Dream job in Australia
Finding a job in Australia can be complicated. For me, everything was done quickly and I was very lucky. A friend had applied for a job offer on the internet. Quickly the manager asked her if she knew people to complete the team (yes, make friends in Australia, word of mouth is often very effective)! Of course she thought of me! So it was with great excitement that I flew to Cairns.
A job on the Whitsunday Islands
I worked on a small island called Hayman Island which is part of the Whitsundays Islands. It’s a private island, where there is only one resort: The One&Only.
The resort hires plenty of backpackers and jobs are very diverse:
– Housekeeping: clean the rooms, make beds, …
– Helping hand in the kitchen
– Laundry service: prepare towels, sheets, …
– Receptionist: welcome arriving guests on the island, welcome them and show them their room – and not just any guests: One day Brad Pitt arrived! And also the Red Hot Chilli Peppers came here to rest for a couple of days..
Working conditions
You start to work at 7am and finish at 9pm. There is only a 30 minutes lunch break and you can rest a bit in the afternoon. You have to work quite a lot, but it’s paradise!
My experience
The first days are a bit difficult. You have to get used to the schedules, the climate, and the fairly physical work. At first, you won’t really be able to enjoy the place, but once you get up to speed, that’s another story! Be aware that the schedules can vary a lot according to the needs of the hotel. Some days I have 2 hour breaks and I can enjoy the swimming pool and the hotel facilities. Others, I work the whole day with only 30 minutes of break… so it varies enormously.
The Whitsunday Islands
The Whitsunday Islands are made up of 74 islands within the famous Great Barrier Reef. Located off the coast of Queensland, 900 km north of Brisbane, it is one of the most beautiful places in the country. You can admire white sand beaches with crystal clear waters, corals and multicolored fish. Exploring the Whitsundays is an amazing experience and working there is amazing too! You will see places that you would not normally discover. In short, visit this archipelago no matter what! And if you can find a job in a hotel on one of the islands then go for it!
