Gap Years in Australia, New Zealand & Oceania
What is the attraction when it comes to Australia, New Zealand and the many Pacific Islands? Is it because they are about as far away as you can possibly get? Is it because many Australians and New Zealanders are our distant ancestors and therefore speak the same language? Is it because everything from the landscape down to the trees, is so very different? Or perhaps it is because the weather that we like to moan and fret about is so much warmer and brighter.
Whatever your reason for liking the region, there are plenty of opportunities in Australia and New Zealand to visit as part of a gap year course. Our advertisers offer courses in the big coastal cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Aukland, as well as many small settlements in the dry Australian interior, with names like Coober Pedy, Cunnamulla, and the famous Alice Springs.
Want a thrill-seeking tour of Australasia as part of a round the world trip? Fancy learning to be a surfing instructor or lifeguard with a course at some of the best beaches in Australia? How about teaching sports to underprivileged children in New Zealand? Or you could take part in wildlife conservation in Western Australia?
Employer: Madventurer
Gap Year Type: Teaching, Sports, Cultural
Country: Fiji
Volunteering with Madventurer in Fiji is a great way to immerse yourself in Fijian life and culture, and the perfect place to spend your gap year. Your projects will include working with villages on development of important facilities such as schools and village halls, teaching the enthusiastic local children English, and getting involved in local sports such as volleyball and rugby. The gap year is designed around the principal of community cohesion, giving everyone a sense of hard work and achievement. Details: Read more...
My Australia gap year experience
By Nate Turner
I have recently returned from a 12 month working gap year in Australia, a trip that was one of the best experiences of my life! I travelled on a 12 month package with Real Gap which started off in Sydney with an amazing week of sight seeing, meeting new people and partying! Real Gap's rep was really helpful, especially during the first week because even though I was excited and looking forward to the adventure, it was still a daunting experience. The work experience program was very helpful in helping me set up my bank account, apply for an Australian National Insurance Number, sign up for job support and providing me with guidance in Sydney when I first arrived. They also helped me find my first job which allowed me to get the hang of how it works over there, after which I felt confident enough to go solo, do my own thing and find my own work with the knowledge that if I needed assistance Real Gap would be there to offer help and advice.
If you go to Australia on a working holiday or working gap year, be sure to go with an open mind and don't expect to land your dream job right away. I started off fruit picking on a vineyard for a few weeks which was hard work, but ultimately enjoyable and paid reasonably well. It also allowed me to work in the beautiful Australian countryside and get rid of my English sun tan! I then signed up to a recruitment agency which was owned by a friend of a friend and they landed me plenty of work, which varied from unloading a 40ft shipping container filled floor to ceiling with tins of Tuna, to helping move and set up furniture for a catalogue photo shoot! Although some of this work was hard going, it allowed me to see new places, experience working life in another country and meet new people who could provide me with other opportunities. I was never destined to be the best Tuna unloader (my office hands were too soft!), so I was fortunate to get an interview through a friend at a Industrial Castings company (it turned out to be one of Australia's largest companies) and I secured an office based Sales Co-ordinator role which was fantastic. This gave me a great opportunity to build my confidence, learn new skills and really immerse myself in the Australian lifestyle. The extra money was great because it meant I could plan weekend trips to various places of interest, I was able to buy a car so I could get about more easily, and I was able to play rugby and surf every weekend. At the end of my time in Australian Gap Year I was offered a position with the same company in their Perth office, and although this would have been an amazing opportunity, for one reason or another I had to return home (not before I enjoyed a 4 week road trip up the east coast to Brisbane!)
If you're planning on taking an Australian Working Gap Year, give yourself plenty of time to do everything you want to do because the country really is that big. There's plenty of work out there but as I mentioned earlier, go with an open mind and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty because it will be worth it in the end. I'm really glad I used a company like Real Gap because they were fantastic in helping me get established, secure my first job and I'd imagine it was far easier and less daunting than doing it by myself, but once you're out there make the most of it and take every opportunity that comes your way.
More Gap Years in Australasia:
Frontier: The experience of a lifetime Employer: Frontier Frontier specialises in offering gap year expeditions for adventurers of any age. Our ethical tours are perfect for providing you with a fantastic experience before going to university or starting a job. Whilst away on a Frontier project, you can also volunteer abroad and you will be able to make... | Volunteer on over 150 Overseas Projects Employer: Kaya Responsible Travel Join one of 180 Kaya Projects across Asia, Africa and Latin America to help improve lives and environments in the world’s developing nations |
Global Volunteering Employer: Lattitude Global Volunteering Lattitude Global volunteering is an international youth development charity specialising in long term, adventurous and rewarding placements. Opportunities available include; teaching, conservation (environment and wildlife), medical, community work and caring as well as outdoor education. | Paid work Employer: Real Gap Top up your travel fund and get valuable work experience around the world! You can boost your CV and earn some cash in amazing destinations from Australia to China. From teaching English to becoming a real life outback ranch hand, test drive your ideal job or try something completely different! |
Coach and Play a variety of Sports in Clubs, Schools, Community Centres and Grassroots Organisations Employer: Travellers Worldwide Whether you’re a professional or just love sport we have a project for you! Sports include Football, Rugby, Cricket, Polo, Badminton, Baseball, Hockey, Swimming, Gymnastics, Tennis, Athletics, Surfing, Capoeira and more! No experience required other than a desire to use Sport to help others! | Volunteer Community ProjectsEmployer: Madventurer Spend your GAP year or career break with Madventurer and become part of something special! Based out of Newcastle University Students Union, Madventurer run Award Winning Projects, exciting Charity Treks and Overland Adventures that span the world, all lasting from 2 weeks to 6 months. Volunteers work as part |
Paid Work Employer: Oyster worldwide Want the ultimate work hard, play hard experience? Get paid work in one of three ski resorts in Canada or in the Aussie Outback or cosmopolitan city of Sydney. From the friendly people of Canada, to the chilled out surf of the Australian coast, both these countries offer excitement and adventure.
| Conservation volunteer Employer: i-to-i Whether you’re an eco-warrior or an animal fanatic there are countless opportunities to do your bit for wildlife and the environment. Care for lion cubs in South Africa, conserve a tropical Thai island or work in rainforests in Ecuador, it’s time to dig out your adventure hat and get going! |
Hands-On Conservation, Wildlife Rehabilitation & Animal Research ProjectsEmployer: Travellers Worldwide Amazing work with Lions, Pandas, Elephants, Orang Utans, Dolphins, Sharks and many other species, in Rehabilitation Centres, Game Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries as well as the Amazon Rainforest. Make your mark on endangered species and help preserve our planet and the environment | Adventure tours Employer: Inspired Breaks Leave the tourist track behind and set off on the trip of a lifetime! Get your fill of culture and adventure, volunteer and catch a glimpse of the hidden sights most travellers miss. From Cambodia to Peru, you’ll get a unique view of local life and see the best each destination has to offer. |
Professional and Tailored Work Experience Internships Across the GlobeEmployer: Travellers Worldwide Kick-start your career with hands-on work experience in Law, Medicine, Journalism, TV/Radio/Media, Business/Marketing, Dentistry, Graphic & Web Design, Tourism, Hospitality, Photography, PR, Physiotherapy and many more. Tailored projects for professional career development! | Voluntary workEmployer: Inspired Breaks Want to teach English in Thailand, help with wildlife conservation in Australia or work with a Himalayan community? Our volunteer options across the globe offer not only the chance to do something worthwhile with your career break but also a fantastic opportunity to visit amazing destinations. |
Adventure travelEmployer: Real Gap Our trips and tours across the globe offer the perfect combination of adrenalin-fuelled activities, cultural immersion and sightseeing. Whether you want to unleash your wild side with lions on the African plains or take in the best of Thailand, we can help you plan your ultimate gap year trip! | VolunteeringEmployer: Real Gap Fancy helping with teaching work in Malawi, rehabilitating monkeys in South Africa or caring for disabled children in Vietnam? You can make a real difference to hundreds of projects around the world, whether you want to save the planet, protect a species or impoverished youngsters a better future. |
Round the world travelEmployer: Real Gap Can’t pick just one destination? How about setting off on a thrill-seeking tour of Australasia or getting a real dose of culture journeying across South East Asia! Choose from our range of round the world options or mix and match our trips to create your perfect gap year experience. | SportsEmployer: Real Gap Fancy riding the waves in Australia, mastering kung fu in China or trying scuba diving in Thailand? Use your sporting abilities to make a difference in underprivileged communities, gain new qualifications or just work on your skills on a whole host of amazing destinations around the world. |
Teach EnglishEmployer: i-to-i Work on your classroom skills as you help to improve the future prospects of youngsters around the world! You can give impoverished youngsters a better start in life with classes in everything from English to sports and gain some valuable experience and an in depth knowledge of the local culture. | Language Learning Gap Year Employer: ESL Languges Is there a better way of learning a foreign language than living abroad in total immersion, while working or studying? With ESL – Language Studies abroad, you get the unique opportunity to embark on such a long-term learning adventure, with the help of our renowned partners schools all over the world. |
Inspiring Care, Social Work and Orphanage ProjectsEmployer: Travellers Worldwide Challenging Care projects available in Orphanages, Crèches, Schools, Hospitals and Social Centres working with orphans, abused children, street children, children with learning and physical disabilities, and adults. Project available across the globe in some of the most needy and poor communities | Surf Gap Year Experiences, Instructor and Life Guard Courses Employer: Non Stop Ski and Snowboard NONSTOP offer a range of amazing gap year surf experiences. Based in two contrasting, but equally epic, surf locations we can help you to become a globally recognised instructor or lifeguard and get your surfing skills up to a professional level |
Get Work Experience Abroad on Volunteering PlacementsEmployer: Kaya Responsible Travel Join one of 180 Kaya Projects across Asia, Africa and Latin America to help improve lives and environments in the world’s developing nations, whilst developing your CV | Teaching - Challenging Projects with Underprivileged Communities around the WorldEmployer: Travellers Worldwide Teach children and adults from all backgrounds in Schools, Orphanages, Crèches, Children’s Homes and Social Care Centres. Subjects include English, Arts & Crafts, Drama, Music, Sports, Maths, and IT. We can tailor your experience so you teach what you’re skilled in! |
Worldwide Adventures Employer: Round the World Experts. Our Round the World Experts is committed to providing great travel at the cheapest available price. You may be a school leaver looking to do a GAP year, taking a career break or wanting to book that well deserved trip of a lifetime; Round the World Experts will | Season Instructor Internship Employer: Top Ski Resorts Ski Jobs & Snowboard Jobs - Train, get certified and work all in one season! We offer paid Internships within top resorts as well as a guaranteed Instructor job offer to instruct at a top mountain resort! |