Savvy Packing Tips For Backpackers Starting Regional Work

Savvy Packing Tips For Backpackers!

Currently doing regional work in Australia for her Second Year Working Holiday visa, Londoner, Arti Rajput talks us through her packing essentials for living and working on a farm. 

When in Australia, you need to know your weather. Not the weather in every state. The weather in your state. I was in Melbourne, so the four seasons in one day lent itself well when I had to pack for regional Victoria. Considering I came to Australia with two large suitcases and a small cabin trolley, I down-sized to a 35 litre backpack and the cabin trolley for my farm work.

Surprisingly, Beverford has around fourteen per cent rainfall a year – it’s estimated in all of 2017 to have 176.6mm (47 days) of rain; a far cry from England. My first thought was to pack enough socks and underwear – when I run out, they are my warning sign to put on a wash. I didn’t consider that my clothes would be getting dirty every single day.

Packing for regional work in Australia is very dependent on the state. I’m farming during autumn and winter in Victoria. If you spent these seasons up north your wardrobe would vary in comparison. Considering I’ve acclimatised to the cold weather here, the Brit in me would still wear a bikini if I was farming in Queensland. I’d probably change my mind after having a huntsman or two climbing up me. Not to mention the snakes; I guess there are plenty of perks to farming in colder weather.

Wets

If you’re working in the paddies, surrounded by crops then it’s quite likely that you’re going to get exceptionally wet. At Scotties Point Farm there hasn’t been much rainfall this season, but that doesn’t stop the broccoli juice from raining down on you once you’ve cut it.

When it’s not splatting in your face, the early-morning dew coupled with a field of frost can really give you an idea of what it’s like to be wet for eight hours a day.

Wellies, also known in Australia as gumboots

These are essential and go hand in hand with your wets. Even when it isn’t raining or cold, they are great for walking through all the mud. Keep in mind, if you call them wellies, someone will have a great debate about the wording of many things in Britain.

Warm Clothes

Don’t overestimate the Victorian weather. It’s better to put on a strip-tease for the crops rather than shiver from the cold. Hoodies, jumpers, hats, joggers, leggings and double-layered socks. I personally like to spice it up, all my socks are funky with animals printed- live a little. Your wets go over everything.

Sun cream

I know it’s autumn and winter, but this is still Australia and the sun beams down on us most days out in the paddies. I’ve developed a sun spot on the tip of my nose, a sort of memoir for the days on the farm. That’s even though I use 50 SPF. Never forget your sun cream. Also, a good bottle of insect repellent will work wonders with the flies in slightly warmer weather.

Your Best

Don’t make the same mistake I did. I only packed one going-out outfit. Terrible timing as I was due to go to my boss’s fancy fiftieth shin-dig in a converted shed, along with plenty of dinners with the very welcoming people of Swan Hill. If you manage to make this faux-pas then you’ll realise thrift shops are a ‘thing’ in Australia and in nearly every small town. Op-shops were made for bad-packing decisions. A $4 pair of heels later and I was rightfully over-dressed for dinner at the local Beverford Tavern.

Sleeping Bag

Considering I also came to Australia without a sleeping bag, I recommend acquiring one before doing your regional work. I’m quite lucky, I seem to have a donate-to-Arti fund where I meet fellow travellers and they feel sorry for my spoiled-travelling-self. Therefore, donating the necessities I seemed to bypass.

You may be staying in a working hostel with central heating or you might stay on the actual farm, without any heating in the bedrooms. We light fires most nights, but the sleeping bag is always in use.

Boredom Fighters

Books, PSP, laptop, colouring book, heck even knitting wool and needles of that’s what it will take. There’s a lot of down-time at the farm. Evenings watching TV can get boring, especially when you’re 20 kilometres from the closest town. Going out every night isn’t as option.

Take a deck of cards, a Kindle for endless reading, speakers for when the silence gets to you. I bought an exercise book to learn Italian. Anything time-consuming is always welcome.

If you forget to pack anything important, then I’m sure the closest town will have places to stock-up with. Farm work can be hard, but very rewarding and something that will truly stand out when you think back to your working holiday in Australia. Plus, there’s nothing that beats the feeling of having earned your three months or 88 days. You never know when you’ll need a dress to sit on a ride-on-mower.

Backpackers Sunday roast Redfern close to Newtown Marrickville and Glebe