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Mildura: One Big Family Backpackers Review

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mere bin one big family

I went to do my 3 months farming at the One Big Family Backpackers in Merbein just outside of Mildura. I checked their website and saw some lovely pictures of the place and was told that “Larry” would be the one running the place. I arrived to see that the place was run down and nothing like the photographs had described it to be. There were holes in the walls, loads of the showers and toilets were broken and the rooms had a serious bedbug infestation.   The Facilities   When I went into the kitchen one of the main Read more

5 Tips To Save Money While Travelling and Become a Better Person

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couch surfing australia

Travelling for extended periods of time can be as much about doing it on a budget as it is leaving your comfort zone and developing as a person. At the end of this post I put up a funny photo I stumbled across one day that highlights how good times can happen. Whether you’re on a gap year, working holiday or a 2 month travel getaway making your dollar go further will help you the next day! There’s various ways to cut costs to keep your dream alive but here’s 5 ways that will build a bit of character and Read more

Manjimup: The Tomato Farm Experience

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Fruit Picking Jobs in Ulverstone, Tasmania

Hi everyone, we are a group 8 backpackers with Australian Working Holiday Visas and have been working and living in Pemberton Western Australia. This was to get our 88 days specified work in a regional area for our 2nd year visa. Through the backpackers hostel in Pemberton we got a job at a tomato farm -Allstates in Manjimup-. We worked there for about 3 months and below is the story of how we fared.   Missing Payments   We tried to contact the farmer -Paul Da Silva- several times. Also the hostel owner -Troy Della Franca- tried to contact him Read more

7 Must Do Activities in Melbourne

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Wilson Prom

We hope you enjoy time your in Melbourne, whether its short or long the key is to make the most of it and have a rough plan of what you aim to do. Here’s 7 must do actives while your in Melbourne, if your confused talk to a backpacker travel agent or other fellow backpackers. If you have any recommendations please send them through. 7. Eureka Skydeck   The eureka skydeck offers a stunning 360 degree view around Melbourne. It’s a great way to get a feel for the city and start to understand what Melbourne has to offer. The Read more

Beaufort Cucumber Scam

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Barley Crop Australia

This message was recently posted on the Fruit Picking Jobs Facebook page. If you are aware of this or have heard of this scam please contact us and the fair work ombudsman.   Just want to make fellow bacpackers aware…BEWARE of a scam! We applied for a gumtree add based in Beaufort, VIC on a lebanese cucumber/baby cucumber farm. Really good pay and hours, cheap accommodation (all too good to be true to be honest) but they ask that you pay for accomodation up front.   We googled the BSB and account number. Turns out this BSB: 880100, is actually Read more

My Fruit Picking Disaster

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Fruit Picking Scams

Below is a story from one of our members who stayed at Dons in Mildura. If you’ve ever been scammed or thought someone is taking advantage of you please contact the fair work ombudsman or share your story with our 90.000+ members.   Finding Work   In January 2014, after four months of travelling in Australia, myself and three other backpackers I had been travelling with, decided it was about time we started looking for farm work, so we could get our second year visas. We looked on gumtree and found a lot of similar sounding adverts, all based in Read more

My Mildura Nightmare

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don backpackers mildura

In light of all the recent scam stories coming out from Mildura, one of our members, who will be named “Mary” wrote the following piece about her time at the infamous Dons accommodation.   The Story   In June 2014 my boyfriend and I travelled to Australia from England to start our one year working holiday. We staying in Brisbane for two weeks, looking for any farm work available as we wanted to complete our regional work early. As it was the winter it was hard to find any work going, however we came across an advert on gumtree for Read more

Suspect Operator Targets Backpackers in Mildura

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Fruit Picking Scam

Mildura is once again in the spotlight with reports surfacing on unfair and illegal working conditions by an operator in the area. There are also allegations that include sexual harrasment of staff.   Ombudsman Receives Complaints   The Fair Work Ombudsman received several complaints about a Mildura operator just before Christmas, including allegations of sexual harassment. A director with the ombudsman’s office, Craig Bildstein, said “allegations had also been made that the man had crammed dozens of workers into one home and that up to 12 were residing in the garage”   Operator Ripping Off Backpackers   Mr Bildstein went Read more

Sydney Siege: Stay Safe

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For everyone in Sydney at the moment please stay safe. There is a “hostage situation” unfolding in Martin Place at the Lindt Cafe. We urge everyone to stay safe and listen to police announcements. If your not aware of whats happening here’s some coverage ABC News: Live: Hostages held in siege at cafe in Sydney’s Martin Place A number of hostages have been taken in a siege underway in Sydney’s CBD. At least three people have been seen through the windows of a cafe in Martin Place with their hands raised. Sydney Morning Herald: Martin Place Lindt Chocolate Cafe siege: Read more

Hostelworld Ultimate Race

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hostel world ultimate race

  Hostelworld’s Ultimate Race is one of the largest events ever held of its kind in Sydney for inbound tourists and backpackers!! This is a FREE event for lucky selected participants sponsored by HostelWorld, offering 100 + race participants the opportunity to undertake a number of super awesome race-day challenges located at several of Sydney’s most iconic landmarks, whilst competing for prizes and giveaways to be awarded on a spectacular harbour cruise on completion of the race. While entries for the event are now closed. We’ve been lucky enough to secure 10 FREE tickets for our members to the After Read more