An elite groom job at a prestigious stud, pre-organised to departure. This programme is found nowhere else. A once in a lifetime opportunity for those passionate about horses to earn money and enjoy Australia for up to a year!
Enjoy 8 nights orientation with admin set up, jet lag recovery time, and the chance to make loads of new solo traveller friends from the offset. Bonus city work available and 12month job support.
Highlights
- Secure a pre-arranged, paid position on an elite equine stud or farm
- Expand and enhance your equine skills while gaining unique and paid work experience with valuable references
- Receive a bonus 8-night welcome orientation in Sydney (exclusive to full support program participants)
- Optional opportunity for city work later in the year
- Enjoy up to 12 months of support for maximum flexibility in your equine career journey
Description
Discover Lucrative Equine Employment Opportunities
A week in the iconic city of Sydney!
This breath-taking city is not to be missed when you head to Australia – and what a way to kick off your adventure! Offering 8 nights to explore stunning views of the opera house and harbour bridge, famous beaches like the white sands of Bondi, restaurants, museums, galleries, night life and MUCH more. You’ll have lots of free time to explore alongside your admin set up assistance with up to 30 other solo travellers. The hostel is so central that you’ll be in the hub of the city with everything at your fingertips.
Your employment as an elite groom
Our team will take the hassle out of finding interesting work abroad by organising everything for you. This will allow you to enjoy every moment of your time in Australia, safe in the knowledge that you have full support for the duration of your visa. The team will take care of your necessary paperwork, travel arrangements and will ensure that you’re well prepared for working in the Australian horse industry. When you start working, you will be employed independently by the stud that hires you but we’ll still be able to support you in every way we can.
This horse training course in Australia comes with a paid job in the Australian equine industry – pre-arranged before you leave your home country. You’ll work from between 3-12 months. Food and accommodation is also included so you’ll have a fantastic opportunity to save money.
After your Australia horsemanship job, you may decide to enjoy your well earned cash and spend it on some touristing! However, remember the bonus of this programme is that you’re also fully set up with the team in Sydney. Your taster week might have given you the appetite to spend some extended time in this dynamic city or another… and no problem! You’ll have support in finding a job and accommodation.
What will I be doing?
One week in Sydney to set up paper work and get over jetlag (those on the full support programme)
- Spend a week with a group of up to 30 solo travellers who’ve just landed into this amazing city!
- Jam-packed schedule of fun activities in combination with the essential work set up admin
- Sydney offers the very best of Australia’s tourist hot spots with The Opera House, Harbour Bridge, white sandy beaches of Bondi and Manly, surf, restaurants, bars… this is a must see destination
- You’ll be staying in the best hostel in downtown Sydney- the heart of the action with plenty of bars, restaurants and clubs to explore
- The team on the ground offer 12 months of job support… so if you decide you want to work in or near any city in Australia after your horse work – no problem!
Onward to your job and beyond
- Following your settling in week, you’ll travel to your paid work abroad job with professional horses and riders
- Jobs are usually a stone’s throw away from Sydney itself!
- Your paperwork including a bank account, tax file number, Medicare and SIM card will be organised for you in Sydney so you’ll be fully prepared to start straight away
- You can work with your first employer from between 3-12 months
- You’re then free to do whatever you like with your savings for the rest of your working holiday visa and beyond if you stay for a second or third visa
- If city work offers a refreshing change, the Sydney team are there to help
- Most people find they have enough to live off and some extra cash for travel
Accommodation
- You will be staying in the centre of downtown Sydney in a 6 -10 bed dorm. This is known to be the best hostel in town. Almost all travellers in Australia stay in hostels because they are so specialised in catering for tourism. You’ll enjoy amazing facilities with speedy Wi-Fi, cafe on site, game room, bar and much more. The hostel offers a great opportunity for social networking, tours and recommendations, freebies and clean, safe accommodation. It is situated in the right location to hit all the tourist highlights! (full support programme).
- Excellent standard of groom’s accommodation at your job and is included as part of your wage! Onsite kitchen in your apartment for self-catering.
Travel arrangements
Airport: SYD Sydney NSW
Arrival day: Sunday – a complimentary pre-orientation night will be booked for you for Sunday night
Transfer details: When you arrive at the airport you will be given a shuttle voucher for a bus to transport you to central Sydney.
Departure day: Monday. Take a short and cheap train ride to your job
Supporting You
Georgie is Director of Operations at Oyster.
In 2009, Georgie moved to Australia on a working holiday visa and now holds dual nationality. With 6 years of management experience in rural tourism, she has supported Australian programmes and international projects as an Oyster agent since 2016. A lifelong horse enthusiast, Georgie has always dreamed of creating a programme to help international riders find quality jobs with horses in Australia.
Though classically trained from a young age, she has focused on Australian stock riding and natural horsemanship in recent years. Her experience includes teaching stock riding to beginners, working on polocrosse studs, mustering cattle, and equine therapy.
Included
- Access to your own personal ‘My Oyster’ account – our online portal where you can find out much more about the program and manage your booking
- Dedicated contact time with an experienced destination manager to discuss the project, answer any of your questions and for us to find out more about you
- Help and advice from our UK office before arrival and whilst you are away
- In-country support
- Pre-departure information covering medical, safety and project advice
- Gold level, 24/7 Pharos crisis management and incident support cover
- Financial protection: ATOL (if we book your flights); IPP (if we don’t book your flights)
- Thorough orientation on arrival
- Accommodation (see the ‘accommodation’ section above for details)
- Advice on visa requirements
- Oyster plants a tree in Africa with TreeAid to help reduce the impact of global carbon emissions
- Pre-departure job matching service and confirmation of job
- A suggested packing list
- Airport transfer to Sydney
- An orientation setting up your bank account, tax file number, medicare and free SIM card
- Full week of guided tourism activities in Sydney
- Friendly hostel staff with a tour desk to advise on local trips
- Free facilities in the city including tea and coffee, luggage storage, WiFi, discounts on meals and organised events
- WiFi throughout
- Free SIM card
- A job in the horse industry
- Jobs in Sydney
- Support for up to 12 months
On your return:
- References (on request)
Not Included
- Flights – as an ATOL bonded company, Oyster can book flights for you
- You need a valid passport that meets the requirements of the country you will be travelling to
- Insurance (covering your time with Oyster and any planned independent travel)
- Any costs associated with changing your return flight date if you need to
- Independent travel costs
- Home country travel costs
- Spending money for additional trips, food and entertainment
- Cost of your Working Holiday Visa. You must be eligible for a Working Holiday visa 417 or Work and Holiday visa 462 (aged between 18-35 and a permitted nationality for the visa. See here for work visa eligibility criteria)
- Access to approximately $1200 Australian dollars (£600-700) when you arrive (we recommend you have extra emergency funds) – this is for travel costs, work clothes, some food and tourist activities in Sydney
- Cost of travel from to the job (within the budget above approximately £10-20)
- Living and travel costs if you decide to stay in Australia following your job placement
- Living costs in Sydney if you decide to work there following your rural job
Project story
In 2009 Georgie moved to Australia on a working holiday visa. She now has dual nationality and 6 years management experience in the Australian, rural tourism industry. She continues to support Australian programmes as well as many other international projects through her work as an Oyster agent since 2016. Having had a passion for horses her entire life, she has always wanted to set up a programme of her own to help other international riders fulfil their dream of working with horses in good jobs in Australia.
Although riding classically from a young age, for the past years it’s mainly be Australian stock style and natural horsemanship techniques. Georgie has experience in teaching stock riding to beginners, working on a polocrosse training and breeding stud, mustering cattle on horses and working with cattle in the yards. She is also a qualified equine therapist.
More Information
Above all this is a programme for those who have paid or unpaid experience with horses (intermediate to advanced). The intention of the programme is to offer you a chance to earn money abroad and to expand your experience by taking home new equine skills. You do not need pre-existing skills in any particular field but must be a confident rider and horse handler.
To qualify for application:
- You must be aged between 18-35 (UK) and eligible for an Australian Working Holiday Visa 417 or Work and Holiday Visa 462 (includes UK, USA, Canada and most of Europe)
- You must have a very good level of English and be able to communicate clearly
- You must have a driving licence from your own country (if you are eligible in all other aspects then you may be considered by some employers – it is definitely worth enquiring)
- You must be able to provide a good ‘equine’ engineered CV on application for the team to assess and present to potential employers
- References from somebody who can vouch for your riding ability
- You will need to provide short film clips of yourself riding
- Weight and fitness levels are considered before acceptance on to the programme
You will be working as a groom on an elite equine stud. The sort of work available is on top thoroughbred studs. These quality establishments are pre-organised and you will have lots of information about what the job entails pre-departure.
You’ll have the chance to experience a new way of working with horses no matter what industry you work in or what sort of work that you have done before. As a horse-person you will be aware of all the physical jobs and hours that come with paid horse work, and it is important to know that we cannot not guarantee riding will be part of the paid package.
It is likely that if you are working in any one field, there will be cross-overs into others, and you will get to brush shoulders with many different contacts in the equine world.
- You need to apply at least 2 months before you go, but we recommend booking at least 4 – 6 months in advance of departure
- Work visas can take anything from between 1 and 8 weeks so it is best to start the process as soon as you can
Australia is best known for its hot, dry climate. However it can also get very wet and cold. Inland areas are often chilly in the winter at night, even if day time temperatures rise. It’s best to bring layers and be prepared for the changes. Whenever you are going, make sure to pack for rain and cooler temperatures.
Australia is larger than Europe and thus the climate can vary dramatically depending on where you are. Spring is September to November, summer is December to February, autumn lasts from March to May and winter begins in June and lasts through August.
Typically the northern parts of Australia are warmer and tropical all year round because these regions are closer to the equator. In the north, there tends to be two seasons; wet (summer) and dry (winter). Southern Queensland experiences what’s known as subtropical, with a combination of wet and dry but also following the general rule of four seasons. Sydney and the rest of New South Wales are fairly mild in the winter with minimum temperatures often staying above 10°C. The summers are beautiful but can often reach scorching temperatures.
You should be warned that there are some instances where Australia may become very cold during the winter, especially at the higher elevations in Tasmania and Victoria, snow may be abundant and temperatures are below freezing. It is much more seasonal down south so wrap up in winter! In saying that, Melbourne is known as the city with four seasons in one day and has experienced some of the hottest days in Australia on record.
The weather dictates a lot of the what happens in rural Australia and everybody is always talking about it. You may find yourself getting hooked on following weather forecasts such as BOM (Bureau of Meteorology).
When you arrive at Sydney Airport you will catch a pre-booked shuttle bus to your upmarket hostel in the city, the journey takes just under an hour.
Early Arrival
It is advisable to catch the same flight as the rest of the group in order to arrive together. However, participants will be coming from several different airports so this is not essential.
If you choose to arrive a few days early, this is no problem. In this instance, you will need to book extra nights at the hostel yourself. If you are staying in alternative accommodation, please make your way to the hostel in the afternoon on the day of our programme for check in.
We predominantly work with studs in the Sydney and northern New South Wales area.
City work will mostly be in Sydney but the team can help you find work in some of the other major cities and some work in rural locations too.
You can expect to start on the minimum wage. Under the terms of the Fair Work Act, those aged 18 may be paid only 80% of the adult wage, and those aged 19 may be paid 90% of the adult wage.
The national minimum wage is currently $882.00 AUD per 38 hour week (before tax), with reductions for tax and keep. Our jobs offer approx $900 AUD per week
Our employers pay this or more with free accommodation and no energy bills, council tax. Food is usually a separate cost to give you flexibility.
Pay rates and workplace conditions are set by Australian law. All people working in Australia, including those from overseas have rights and protections at work. These cannot be taken away by contracts or agreements. If you have questions about your pay and conditions while in Australia, you can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free help. You can also contact the Fair Work Ombudsman by phone within Australia on 13 13 94 (Translating and Interpreting Service 13 14 50).
To be able to qualify for a 417 or 462 work visa, you must be between the ages of 18 and 35, and hold a passport from one of the eligible countries stated by the Australian Embassy.
It is important that your level of English is sufficient to be able to operate safely with horses. When working, it is vital that you understand verbal instructions to ensure that you and others are safe.
- There are always things to do with horses in your free time
- You’ll meet other grooms and be able to socialise at local events and in the small towns
- There is always a local pub
- Head to the coast for the weekends or enjoy the many national parks on offer
- Post job placement, you’ll have the whole of Australia to explore and travel
Yes! We’d love for you to enjoy the orientation and job with your friend.
The Sydney programme runs throughout the year with up to 30 travellers from all over the world taking advantage of this introduction week and set up in Australia.
You will join other grooms and take part in a 2 week trial – these are real jobs and you’ll need to work hard and prove yourself! You may start with 1-2 other grooms but there will certainly be others already working there.
You should visit your doctor or travel nurse to find out what vaccinations you will need. Typically you will need your routine travel vaccinations to be in date and it is essential that your tetanus is up to date. Australia does not require any additional vaccinations to Europe.
For any more information, including entry requirements related to Covid-19, please see the Fit for Travel website or the UK government’s travel advice page for Australia.
This will vary depending on the exact location of your job but there will always be medical facilities in a town or city near by. The studs that you will be working on will have procedures for emergencies. It is possible to get an air ambulance to remote locations but most of our studs are not remote.
Usually the day after leaving Sydney you will travel to the location of your job. Occasionally you may have to wait a couple of days in between.
Most jobs last for about 3 months, sometimes longer. It is possible to work for one employer for up to 12 months on a working holiday visa.
It is likely you will meet lots of people in the equine world and subsequent jobs could follow if you want to continue working throughout your visa.
You will have extensive information on your job offer before you depart for Australia. We want to manage your expectations before you arrive so that you know exactly what you are going to be doing. In unique circumstances, it may be possible to find you another job, but you must be prepared to wait at your own expense for us to find you something suitable.
If you walk out on the job then it is unlikely that you will be offered another. Communication is key and if you aren’t getting on well with your job you must let the team know in order for them to help you.
It is essential that you have a full driving licence to be able to work in rural Australia. The ability to drive a manual vehicle not only makes you more employable, it also means you are much safer to work.
Here are a few reasons why:
- The majority of the jobs on offer are on properties that can only be reached by car. Employers will always require their workers to drive somewhere, be it in or around the property. A major job role for our workers is transporting horses or people to games, races or events
- Holding a driving licence means that you have reached a certain level of comprehension of how cars and gears work. Knowledge of using gears is important when driving four wheeler quad bikes or tractors – this may be required at your job. These are not skills that we expect you to have before you arrive but knowledge of gears is important
- Safety, safety, safety. Using machinery and driving when you do not have a licence is dangerous. We do not want you or the employers to be put in compromising situations
The Aussies love their meat. Expect fairly simple meals that will fill you well for all the hard work you will be doing. There is usually a beer to accompany most of what you eat! Other than that, you will find all the typical western foods with a few extras thrown in such as vegemite and milo!
In saying this, there are plenty of vegetarian and gluten free options available, and places on the coast are very accommodating with dietary requirements. In many cases you will be cooking for yourself in groom’s accommodation so you will be able to eat exactly what you like.
All dietary requirements can be met at the training farm and in Sydney.
It is usually limited in rural areas but WiFi is accessible in most places. Telstra is the network to sign up with to increase your chances of rural signal.
Eastern Australia is 10 hours ahead of GMT (GMT +10) but if your job is located slightly further afield then this might vary
Providing you follow all instructions given by your employer, you should feel secure working in Australia as you would be at home. Probably more so.
Whilst Australia is developed country, it is important however, as in any big city, to be aware of your surroundings, keep your belongings in sight and keep your wits about you. Crime levels in Australia are low.
Australian electrical appliances operate on 240v at 50hz but the socket outlets are not compatible with the other countries’ plugs. This means you will need a specific Australian adapter.
This paid work abroad programme aims to help you hit the ground running once you arrive in Australia. It therefore involves support and advice, rather than supervision. You will have a lot of interaction with our UK rep (Georgie) and the team on the ground during the first week or so. When you get to your job, you will probably feel able to do most things independently or with the help of your employer. However, you will still be able to to call on us at any time for support.
Oyster has responsibility for your safety on all activities directly organised by us. However, during your free time, and after the first week of intensive support, we will not be in control of your activities and you will need to take responsibility for making safe decisions. We will provide plenty of guidance about this. We will also be able to provide help in an emergency for up to 12 months.
Take a Gap Year in Australia to one of the most popular destinations in the world for work and travel. Some of the greatest attractions for people wanting to work there include that the English language is spoken, the laid back culture is very appealing, the weather is great and there is a variety of work on offer.
This Gap Year Program gives you the opportunity to embrace life down-under, safe in the knowledge that you have support and a group of young like-minded people around you.
Travelling in Australia is safe and easy and by obtaining an Australian working holiday visa, you can get a paid job to keep the cost of living down. Start by getting a job in Australia on this gap year program to kick start your Aussie Adventure.
Got a question or want to chat to Project Manager Georgie who has first-hand experience of the project? Call +44 1892 771 977 or email: – [email protected].
