Australia Working Holiday Culture & Living Tips Complete Guide (2025)

"How is Australia different from Korea? Will there be culture shock?"

Australia is famous for its laid-back (relaxed) culture. But going without knowledge can be surprising or lead to mistakes.

This guide was created from experiences of over 5,000 working holidaymakers. It covers everything from Australian culture to saving tips and safety rules.

---

1. Core Keywords of Australian Culture

1.1. Laid-back (Relaxed)

Features:

• No rushing
• "She'll be right" (it'll be okay)
• Values work-life balance

Examples:

• Cafes: 10-minute wait after ordering is normal
• Repairs: "Come in 2 weeks" → comes in 3 weeks

1.2. Egalitarian (Equality)

Features:

• Little distinction by position/age
• Even managers called "Mate"
• No formal speech (everyone uses "You")

Examples:

• Workplace: Call boss by name
• Age: Age differences ignored

1.3. Direct Communication

Features:

• Don't talk around things
• Say "No" clearly

Examples:

• Korea: "That's a bit..." (refusal)
• Australia: "No, I can't" (clear refusal)

1.4. Casual (Informal)

Features:

• Relaxed dress code
• Shorts and flip-flops daily

Examples:

• Work: Shorts and t-shirt OK (except offices)
• Restaurants: Casual, no formality

---

2. Australian Etiquette Different from Korea

2.1. Greetings

Korea:

• Bow to greet
• Use formal speech based on age/position

Australia:

• Eye contact + "G'day" (Good day)
• Handshake (first meeting)
• "You" to everyone

💡 Tip: Eye contact important! Not looking is rude.

2.2. Dining

Korea:

• Elders eat first
• Finish your plate

Australia:

• Everyone starts eating
• OK to leave food
• Split the bill (Dutch pay common)

Restaurant Tips:

• Tipping not mandatory (service charge included)
• 10% if good service

2.3. Conversation

Taboo Topics:

• Asking age (rude)
• Asking salary (privacy)
• Politics/religion (sensitive)

Safe Topics:

• Weather
• Sports (AFL, cricket, rugby)
• Weekend plans

2.4. Time Commitments

Korea:

• Arrive at exact time

Australia:

• 5-10 minutes late OK
• "Aussie time" (relaxed)

---

3. Australian Slang & Expressions

3.1. Essential Slang

Slang	Meaning	Example
G'day	Hello	G'day mate!
Mate	Friend (all genders)	Thanks, mate!
Arvo	Afternoon	See you this arvo
Brekkie	Breakfast	Let's grab brekkie
Cuppa	Cup of tea/coffee	Fancy a cuppa?
Reckon	Think	I reckon it's good
Heaps	A lot	Thanks heaps!
No worries	You're welcome	No worries, mate!

3.2. Abbreviation Culture

Australians shorten everything!

Original	Aussie Abbreviation
Breakfast	Brekkie
Afternoon	Arvo
McDonald's	Maccas
Afternoon tea	Arvo tea
Barbecue	Barbie
Australian	Aussie
Definitely	Defo

3.3. Common Expressions

"How ya going?"

• Meaning: "How are you?"
• Answer: "Good, thanks! You?"

"She'll be right"

• Meaning: "It'll be okay"

"Fair dinkum"

• Meaning: "Really?" or "Genuine"

"No dramas"

• Meaning: "No problem"

---

4. Australian Money-Saving Tips

4.1. Food Savings (Monthly $200-300)

Tip #1: Woolworths/Coles Half Price

• Every Wednesday: Catalog released
• Check "Half Price Specials"
• Savings: 30-40%

Tip #2: Evening Discount Stickers

• Evening 7-8pm: Same-day expiry products 50% off
• Bread, meat, salads, etc.

Tip #3: Shop at Aldi

• 30% cheaper than Coles/Woolworths
• Own brand instead of branded products

Tip #4: Buy in Bulk

• Rice 20kg: $30 (per kg $1.50)
• Frozen foods: Bulk cheaper

Tip #5: Use Staff Meals

• Working at restaurant/cafe = free meals
• Save $200-300/month

4.2. Transport Savings (Monthly $100-150)

Tip #1: Weekend Discounts

• Sydney Opal: Sunday $2.80 (unlimited)
• Melbourne Myki: Weekend discount

Tip #2: Bicycle

• Second-hand bike: $50-150 (Gumtree)
• Transport cost $0

Tip #3: Walking

• Within CBD: 20-30 minute walk possible

4.3. Mobile Savings (Monthly $20-30)

Tip #1: Use MVNO

• Amaysim: $20/month (35GB)
• Catch Connect: $15/month (20GB)

Tip #2: Use Wi-Fi

• Accommodation, cafes, libraries free Wi-Fi

4.4. Entertainment (Monthly $50-100)

Free Activities:

• Beaches (Bondi, St Kilda)
• Parks (Royal Botanic Gardens)
• Free museums (NGV, Museum of Sydney)
• Festivals (various year-round)

Cheap Activities:

• Movies: $10-12 (Cheap Tuesday)
• Sports: Meetup.com (free groups)

---

5. Australian Safety Rules

5.1. UV Radiation

Danger:

• Australia's UV radiation world's highest
• High skin cancer rates

Precautions:

• ☀️ Sunscreen SPF50+ (daily)
• 🧢 Hat and sunglasses
• 🕐 Avoid 11am-3pm

5.2. Venomous Creatures

Snakes:

• 7 of world's 10 deadliest snakes in Australia
• Precautions: Careful in bushes, wear shoes

Spiders:

• Redback, Funnel-web
• Precautions: Clean house, shake shoes before wearing

Jellyfish:

• Box Jellyfish (northern coasts)
• Precautions: Obey no-swimming signs

Sharks:

• Most beaches safe (Shark Net)
• Precautions: Swim at beaches with Lifeguards

⚠️ Reality:

• Rarely encountered in cities
• No need to worry excessively

5.3. Security

Safe Country:

• Generally safe overall
• Most CBD areas safe at night

Caution Areas:

• Sydney: Kings Cross (night)
• Melbourne: Footscray (night)

Basic Rules:

• 🚫 Avoid alleys alone late at night
• 💼 Manage belongings (bags, phones)
• 🍺 No excessive drinking

---

6. Australian Healthcare

6.1. GP (General Practitioner)

Visit:

• Appointment required (phone or online)
• Cost: $70-90

Bulk Billing GP:

• Free (government subsidized)
• For low-income people

6.2. Pharmacy (Chemist)

Chemist Warehouse:

• Australia's largest pharmacy chain
• Affordable

Over-the-Counter Medicines:

• Cold medicine: $5-15
• Pain reliever (Panadol): $5-10
• Allergy medicine: $10-20

6.3. Emergency

000 (Emergency Number):

• Free
• Ambulance, Police, Fire

⚠️ Ambulance Cost:

• $1,000-2,000 (without insurance)
• → Travel insurance essential!

---

7. Australian Weather & Seasons

7.1. Seasons (Opposite to Korea!)

Month	Season	Temperature (Sydney)
Dec-Feb	Summer	20-30°C
Mar-May	Autumn	15-25°C
Jun-Aug	Winter	8-18°C
Sep-Nov	Spring	12-23°C

7.2. Climate by City

Sydney & Brisbane:

• Warm and humid
• Mild winter (15-20°C)

Melbourne:

• 4 seasons in one day
• Unpredictable

Perth & Adelaide:

• Dry and warm
• Very hot summer (40°C+)

7.3. Clothing Preparation

Summer (Dec-Feb):

• Short sleeves and shorts
• Swimsuit
• Sunscreen and hat

Winter (Jun-Aug):

• Light jacket (like Korean autumn)
• Sydney & Brisbane: No puffer jacket needed
• Melbourne: Light puffer jacket

---

8. Australian Public Holidays

Major Public Holidays

Date	Holiday	Notes
January 1	New Year's Day	New Year
January 26	Australia Day	National Day
Mar-Apr	Good Friday, Easter Monday	Easter (varies)
April 25	Anzac Day	Remembrance Day
2nd Mon in Jun	Queen's Birthday	Varies by region
December 25-26	Christmas, Boxing Day	Christmas

⚠️ Note:

• Holiday work: 2-2.5x hourly rate!
• Most stores closed

---

9. Working Holiday Success Tips

Tip #1: English Study (Daily 30 min)

Methods:

• Listen to podcasts (commute)
• Write English diary
• Language exchange (Meetup.com)

Tip #2: Networking

Participate:

• Backpacker events
• Sports groups (soccer, badminton)
• Language exchange

Tip #3: Set Saving Goals

Goals:

• Save $1,500-2,000/month
• 1 year: $18,000-24,000

Methods:

• Budget management (app: Money Brilliant)
• No impulse buying
• Use staff meals

Tip #4: Travel Planning

Australia Travel:

• East coast (Sydney→Brisbane)
• Great Ocean Road (Melbourne)
• Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Holiday Use:

• Bali, New Zealand (cheap flights)

Tip #5: Second Visa Planning

88 days:

• Research farm jobs in advance
• Check seasons (Harvest Trail)

---

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Are Australians friendly?

A. Yes! Most are friendly and helpful. "Mate" culture makes them approachable.

Q2. Is there racism?

A. Major cities are multicultural with almost none. Occasionally experienced in regional areas but rare.

Q3. Is Australian accent hard to understand?

A. Difficult first 2-3 weeks, but you adapt after 1-2 months.

Q4. How is Australian food?

A. Multicultural variety. Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Greek - all available.

Q5. When you miss Korea?

A. Visit Korean marts (H-Mart), Korean restaurants, and Korean community groups.

---

Conclusion

Understanding Australian culture makes working holiday life 10x more enjoyable!

Key Summary:

1. ✅ Laid-back culture (relax)
2. ✅ Direct communication (No means No)
3. ✅ Equality culture (little position/age distinction)
4. ✅ Beware of UV (sunscreen essential)
5. ✅ Use saving tips (save $500/month possible)

Next Steps:

1. Memorize 10 Australian slang words
2. Download saving app (Money Brilliant)
3. Find language exchange meetups (Meetup.com)
4. Plan travels

Best of luck with your Australian working holiday! 🇦🇺✨

---

Related Articles

• Australia First Week Survival Guide
• How to Make Australian Local Friends
• Melbourne Working Holiday Complete Guide

About the Author The WHRESUME team is in their 3rd year living in Melbourne and genuinely supports Australian working holiday makers. This guide is based on feedback from the working holiday community and analysis of official Australian sources.

💬 Feedback Welcome: If you find outdated or inaccurate information, please let us know via Contact Us!