Sydney Australia has more work for backpackers than any other city in Australia which is why thousands of backpackers flock there to earn some 'bucks' to keep their travelling adventures alive.
If you're like me, you may have travelled for a few months before getting to Australia. My first hit was India following the road to Nepal via Varanasi then Thailand and Laos, ending up back in Thailand having really ran out of money. However, an Australian Working Visa and a cheap flight to Sydney kept the journey in motion.
After four months of buzzing around Asia the prospect of working in an office as a 'Temp' for a few months would depress anyone. But this is Sydney we are talking about and to be stuck with nothing to do at the weekend means you'd really have to be trying to be boring. Two hours train ride away you're in the Blue Mountains and bush walking, canyoning, mountain bike trails and leeches. The Royal National Park and Pittwater are both 1 hour away and beaches...everywhere beaches!!
But let's talk wet for a moment. Do your travel plans include Scuba Diving? Because of the climate, the quality of instruction and safety standards, Australia has to be one of the best places in the world to learn. Sydney doesn't quite have the Barrier Reef but there are some great reasons why Sydney is the place to learn if you're on a working visa.
You can do a PADI Basic Open Water Course in a weekend and an evening, which means you can carry on a earning in the week to cover the cost of the course. If you are planning a trip to The Great Barrier Reef, it is far better to go pre-qualified, simply because you can go straight into the diving when you get there, instead of spending time in a classroom learning theory. Sydney also has a great variety of dive sites to offer that are good for wreck dives, shore dives, night dives and shark dives. The price is very competitive too, offering cheaper courses than Queensland competitors. In the UK, a Basic PADI will cost approx. £180; in Sydney it costs about $250 (Australian), approx. £100.
Recommendation
Deep 6 Diving in North Ryde have been in operation for some 25 years. Their Instructors know the dive sites of Sydney inside out. They run courses for beginners as well as advanced courses.
I did my PADI Rescue Diver Course with them over a couple of weekends whilst working in Sydney, hence the personal recommendation. The course was great and the manager, Marinka, is happy to talk about the courses with anyone who's considering Scuba Diving in Australia.
Deep 6 Diving
Tel. 9858 4299
E-mail: info@deep6diving.com.au
Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our Pacific Insiders page.
