Australia + Melbourne 8-Day Welcome Week

You will meet your group and guide on Monday, so you need to be in Melbourne by Sunday night. No matter the day or time you land, your airport transfer will take you to the hostel where you can relax before an incredible week ahead. Want to arrive a few days earlier to get over your jet lag or explore on your own? Sunday night is the first night of accommodation included in the tour, but if you want to book any extra nights, just let us know and we’d be happy to arrange it for you!

Meet your guide and your new travel family! After getting to know each other, we’ll get your bank account, SIM card and Tax File Number set up, so you can start to explore Melbourne stress-free. We’ll take you on a guided walking tour of Melbourne where you’ll learn why so many travellers love this incredibly dynamic and laid-back city. We’ll end the day with a family Welcome Dinner along the iconic Yarra River in the heart of the city.

The food and drink scene in Melbourne is one of the best in the country, so we dedicate a whole day to it. We start with a local favourite: Queen Victoria Market. This place is a feast for all your senses! Spend the morning meeting local vendors and exploring everything this incredible spot has to offer. Before starting our very own street art, food, and drink tour, we learn about Australia’s Indigenous people during an insightful Aboriginal Heritage Walk through Melbourne’s Royal Botanical Gardens. This day is all about seeing Melbourne through a local’s eyes, which we’re sure you’ll be in no time!

Time for our epic overnight road trip! Join us for a drive to Mornington Peninsula and Philip Island, two of the most beautiful regions in Australia. The trip begins on Mornington Peninsula with some much-needed beach time before we take in some spectacular scenic viewpoints. After lunch, you’ll be tasting some of our favourite local wines from the area. From there, we’ll crank the tunes as our trip continues to the stunning Phillip Island. At sunset, you’ll get to witness the smallest penguins in the world emerge from the ocean and waddle across the beach. Yes, you read that right: tiny penguins! We’ll stay overnight on Phillip Island, where you will wake up to the sound of Australian wildlife.

Australia is famous for its surf culture, so this is your chance to blend in with the locals by learning this quintessential Australian sport! This day also includes a couple of hidden secrets along the way. Most importantly, though, you’ll get up close and personal with some of Australia’s most famous and adorable creatures. That’s right – we’re visiting with kangaroos and koalas! Ticking two bucket list items off in one day! 

Time to start planning what’s next! Whether you want to continue your memory-making with more travel, or you're ready to start earning some money for your travel fund, we’re here to help you figure it all out. In the morning, we’ll have two presentations: one on employment and one on travel, covering everything you need to know to make the most of your time in Australia. Once we’ve finished, it’s back to doing what we do best – ticking that Aussie bucket list. Melbourne has many celebrated suburbs and St. Kilda is as famous as they get. We’ll head to this diverse beach suburb and take in its iconic esplanade and famous landmarks. The afternoon will be spent eating at one of the many delicious cafes, lazing on the beach, and trying out paddle boarding (weather permitting!)

It’s time for our one-on-one work and travel sessions! After taking in the presentations from Friday, today is your chance to ask all your questions. We understand every traveller is different, so that’s why you’ll sit down with one of our work and travel experts so they can provide individual support and give you every bit of help putting together your personal Australian adventure. By the end of your appointment, you will be feeling more confident and excited about what is to come, meaning it’s time to celebrate. How? A bar crawl, of course, for your final night with your travel family. 

Time to look back on what we hope was one of the best weeks of your life. You’ve left your comfort zone, seen and experienced new things, made amazing memories, and, most importantly, you now have new mates for life. Let’s fire up the barbecue and reflect on this amazing city and how much better it was to experience it all together. I’m not crying, you’re crying!