The Backpacker's Guide to Australia

Everything a working-holiday traveller actually needs on the ground in Australia — finding a room, sorting a car, planning road trips, ticking off your 88 days of regional work, and getting your tax right. Written for backpackers, by backpackers.

Finding a room or share house

Accommodation is usually the first thing to sort after landing. Beyond hostels, most backpackers move into share houses to save money and meet people. Rooms turn over fast, especially in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and the Gold Coast.

• Decide on a city and a budget (backpacker rooms often run roughly $180–$350/week depending on the city and whether it's private or shared).
• Look for rooms directly from other travellers to avoid agency fees and bonds where possible.
• If you're leaving for regional work, you can list your room so someone takes it over while you're away.

On the Back2Back app you can browse and post rooms and share houses directly, filtering by city, price and room type.

Buying, selling or renting a backpacker car

A car unlocks regional work and the classic east-coast road trip. Backpacker cars — often a Toyota, a station wagon or a campervan — get passed from one traveller to the next.

• Buying: check the rego (registration) expiry, odometer and service history, and always run a PPSR check before paying.
• Renting: renting from another backpacker is often cheaper than a rental company for a few weeks of regional work.
• Selling: when you leave, sell to another traveller with photos, price and honest condition.

Back2Back lets you buy, sell or rent a car from other backpackers, with each listing showing price, transmission, year, odometer and rego.

Road trips & finding travel mates

Driving the East Coast (Sydney to Cairns), the Great Ocean Road, or crossing to Perth is a rite of passage. Sharing the trip splits fuel and makes it safer and more fun.

• Post where you're heading and when, or find a driver or passengers going your way.
• Agree up front on fuel splitting, driving shifts and rough dates.

Back2Back's road-trip matching connects drivers and passengers travelling the same route.

The 88 days of regional work (second & third-year visa)

Working Holiday visa holders (subclass 417 and 462) can extend their stay by completing specified work in eligible regional areas — commonly known as your 88 days (with a further period unlocking a third year).

• Eligible work typically includes plant and animal cultivation (farm work, fruit picking, harvesting), fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, construction, and mining — in eligible postcodes.
• Tourism and hospitality generally do not count.
• Your work location postcode is what matters, not your employer's office address.

Tax, TFN, ABN & superannuation

Getting paid correctly means getting your paperwork right.

TFN (Tax File Number)

You need a TFN to work as an employee and be taxed at the correct rate. Apply free through the ATO once you arrive.

ABN (Australian Business Number)

An ABN is for contractor or self-employed work (some jobs, like certain delivery or trade work, require one). Not every backpacker needs an ABN.

Superannuation

Employers pay super on top of your wages into a super fund. When you leave Australia permanently, you can claim it back as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP).

How much tax will I pay?

Working-holiday makers are taxed under specific brackets. Back2Back includes a free tax calculator that estimates your take-home pay and likely refund on a TFN, an ABN, or both combined.

Frequently asked questions

Is Back2Back free?

Yes — it's a free app for backpackers and working-holiday travellers in Australia.

Which cities does it cover?

All of Australia — rooms, cars and road trips are posted nationwide, from Sydney and Melbourne to Perth, Cairns and regional towns.

Do I need an account to browse?

You can browse rooms, cars, road trips and the guides without an account. Posting a listing or messaging requires a quick sign-up.