Not the Usual Gap Year

Not the Usual Gap Year

✈️ A Grown-Up’s Guide to Backpacking Australia A bite-sized, interactive experience to help you decide if solo travel down under is for you - and how to make it your kind of adventure!

(Spoiler: it doesn’t need to involve Bondi, beer bongs, or being 22)

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Welcome. You’re not lost, you’re just ready for a different kind of adventure. This isn’t about hostels and hangovers. This is the real Australia. From quiet country pubs to islands lost in time. Let’s figure out if solo backpacking in Australia is for you — and how to do it your way. 👉 Let’s go

Late 20s or beyond? No plan? No partner? No clue what’s next?

G’day,

What this is:

A short, interactive experience for anyone wondering: “Is solo backpacking in Australia really for me?” No tests. No pressure. Just real talk for curious humans.

Forget the 30L beach backpack, this is real-world prep.

Learn how Aussies really talk (and what the heck a servo is)

Get real about fears, worries, and packing way too much.

Explore places you’ve probably never heard of

Wander Differently

Tame the Doubt

Talk Like a Local

Pack Smart

GO!

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Where to go

Taming the doubt

Info

A break isn’t the end of your career. It’s a pause. You’re gaining life experience, and casual work in bars, hostels, or farms is easy to find if you need to top up funds.

You’re not being reckless, you’re being honest about what you want. Not everyone will get it at first, but that doesn’t mean it’s the wrong move. Trust yourself.

“My family doesn’t understand. They think I’m being reckless.”

“I’m walking away from a stable income. What if I can’t get it back?”

You might feel lonely sometimes and that’s okay. The best moments often come when you least expect them. Connection finds you, and comfort is just a message or call away.

You’re building something too, just not in bricks or wedding registries. Growth doesn’t follow a timeline. You’ll return with stories, clarity, and strength they can’t put on a LinkedIn profile.

“Everyone else is getting married or buying houses. I feel behind.”

“What if I feel isolated? What if I hate being alone?”

Set a budget, have a backup plan, and stay flexible. Rural areas are often cheaper and working while you travel is common. Not everything needs booking in advance. You can adjust as you go.

Worried you’ll be the oldest in the dorm? Maybe, but no one’s keeping score. Plenty are mid-career, post-breakup, or just burnt out. You’re not alone and you’ll find your people.

“Am I going to be surrounded by 19-year-olds doing keg stands?”

“What if I run out of money?”

Embrace the Culture

TRUE OR FALSE

False

True

True

False

AFL is Aussie Rules, popular in Victoria and SA. NRL is rugby league, big in NSW and Queensland. Mix them up and you’ll start a debate!

You'll find them outside Bunnings, at schools, and sports games.

Upright and empty? That’s a refill signal. On its side? You’re done.

It means bring food to share, not an empty plate! A classic Aussie potluck invitation.

A beer glass laid on its side on the bar means the drinker is finished.

AFL and NRL are just different names for the same sport.

A "sausage sizzle" is basically a national pastime.

"Bring a plate” means the host is short on dishes.

What to take

🧳 What Would You Pack?

Your turn. Drag each item into the suitcase that you would put it in.

✨ Nice to Haves

✅ Essentials

Reflection

Reflect

What’s changed for you? Think about your must-haves, maybes, and “definitely nots.” What’s pushing you forward, or holding you back?

Plan

Click to open the planning doc. Sketch out your ideas: where you’d go, what you’d pack, what kind of trip this would really be. (Not your average gap year, remember?)

What Now?

Take one tiny step. Save the doc, start a search, message a friend. You don’t need to book a flight — just begin turning thought into action.

Steer Yourself

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” — Dr. Seuss

🪨 Devils Marbles / Karlu Karlu, NT

They look like they’ve been carefully balanced by giants: massive round boulders scattered across the desert like marbles. But this isn’t just a photo stop. Karlu Karlu is a deeply sacred site for several Aboriginal groups, and standing among the stones feels oddly humbling. Go at sunrise or sunset to see the rocks glow red, and let the stillness speak for itself. You don’t need to understand everything to feel that this place matters.

🍻Barcaldine, QLD

This tiny outback town (population: not many) is all red dust, wide skies, and locals who’ll treat you like one of their own. Once known for its five pubs on a single street, Barcy’s still a top spot for casual bar work and a proper slice of rural life. If beer’s not your thing, you’ll find some of the purest artesian water in Australia - icy, underground, and always flowing. It’s a quiet kind of magic. A home away from home that just might steal your heart.

🍺Daly Waters, NT

You’ll hear it before you see it: live music, fairy lights, and the buzz of the middle of nowhere somehow feeling like the centre of everything. The Daly Waters Pub is legendary for its bras-on-the-wall, backpacker banter, and totally unexpected charm. It’s the kind of place where you stop for one night and end up staying for three. Outback hospitality, a cold beer, and a weirdly magical vibe you won’t forget anytime soon.

🌿Norfolk Island

Step off the map and back in time. With no traffic lights, its own language, and some of the friendliest people you’ll meet, Norfolk Island feels like a secret the world forgot to tell you about. Swim in the turquoise calm of Emily Bay, often ranked among the best beaches in the world, then wander through pine forests, history, and a whole lot of heart. Quiet, proud, and utterly unique, this island will stay with you long after you leave.

⛏️Cobar, NSW

Cobar might be a mining town, but don’t let that fool you; it’s also full of unexpected charm for the curious traveller. With its wide streets, historic buildings, and colourful murals, it’s the kind of place where you can grab some bar work, learn a bit of local history, and still catch a red dirt sunset at the end of the day. It’s real, welcoming, and full of character: a stopover that often turns into something more.

Meet Sarah

29, single, burnt out, and starting to feel like everyone else is sprinting ahead while she’s stuck in neutral. She’s built a solid career and ticked all the boxes but none of it feels like hers anymore. The idea of travelling solo across Australia keeps tugging at her, but then come the whispers: “Will I fall behind?” "Am I too old to do this now?”“What if I hate it, or worse, love it and don’t want to come back?” Her friends are talking weddings. Her family says, “Isn’t this something you should have done ten years ago?” Sarah’s not even sure what she wants next. But something in her says it might be time to find out.

Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Welcome to Australia. You don’t just see Uluru, you feel it! There’s something grounding about standing in front of this vast, ancient monolith, surrounded by red dirt that stains your shoes and settles into everything, in the best way. It’s not about ticking it off a list - it’s about slowing down, tuning in, and connecting to a deeper, older kind of story.

🌋 Mount Gambier, SA

A city built on an extinct volcano? You bet. Mount Gambier’s famous Blue Lake shifts colour with the seasons: electric blue in summer, steely grey in winter. Add in ghost tours at the old Gaol-turned-hostel and lush sinkhole gardens tucked into the town, and you’ve got a place that’s eerie, epic, and oddly comforting. A little weird. A lot wonderful.

These are the 'nice-to-haves' or home comforts you could leave behind. You'll manage just fine without them. 💡 Don’t forget, you can always buy things once you're there.

Parachilna, SA

You might miss it if you blink, but you’d be missing out. This one-road wonder in the Flinders Ranges is home to epic sunsets, rugged landscapes, and the legendary Prairie Hotel (where you can serve emu, camel, or roo if you’re game). It’s remote, yes, but that’s the charm. Fewer people, more stars, and the kind of outback experience that sticks with you long after you’ve moved on.

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🔥Hobart, TAS

Hobart in winter is something else: crisp sea air, snow-dusted peaks, and toasty open fires that make you want to stay just a little longer. It’s artsy without trying too hard, with boutique backpackers, moody cafés, and markets that feel like treasure hunts. The pace is slower, the views are stunning, and it’s the kind of place that makes solo travel feel like self-care. Come for the scenery, stay for the stillness.

🐧Penguin, TAS

Yes, it’s really called Penguin, and yes, there are actual penguins! This coastal town is small, charming, and has a big sense of humour (you’ll spot it in the giant penguin statue and themed bins). It’s the kind of place where you slow down, breathe in the sea air, and feel like a local after a single stroll down the beach. If you’re craving calm, colour, and a reminder that travel doesn’t have to be loud, Penguin delivers.

🥾 Wagga Wagga, NSW

It’s fun to say, and even better to stay! Halfway between Sydney and Melbourne, Wagga’s a lively regional city with a country-town heart. Think river swims, local wine, footy nights, and friendly-as-hell locals. Jobs pop up in cafes, retail, and the nearby army base if you’re lucky. It’s big enough to keep you busy, small enough to feel like home. Come for the name, stay for the vibe.

🏜 Kata Tjuṯa / The Olgas, NT

You might come for Uluru, but it’s Kata Tjuṯa that often stays with you. Massive, rounded domes rising out of the desert, this sacred site holds deep significance for the Anangu people. Walking through the Valley of the Winds is quiet, powerful, and just a little surreal, like nature built its own cathedral. It’s not about getting the perfect photo. It’s about being there, moving slowly, and feeling something shift inside you.

It's completely your call of course, but these are the things you really need!

💎Coober Pedy, SA

Welcome to the underground town where it’s so hot, people live in caves. Coober Pedy is dusty, strange, and unforgettable. An opal mining hub where you can sleep in a dugout, meet travellers from all over, and grab a camel pizza at the legendary John’s Pizza Bar. It’s remote, yes, but that’s part of the magic. If you’re looking for weird, wonderful, and way off the tourist trail, this is your spot.