Jack Johnson plays live in Perth! http://www.enjoyperth.com.au/events/jack-johnson-me-bank-stadium Watch him strum away with a cocktail in one hand and a surfboard under your other arm – just as nature intended! Are you going to Australia? Fancy checking out some live music or festivals during your placement in Perth? You’re in luck – there are loads of events going on – all year round! From Enter Shikari to Gorillaz, to excellent theatre, flower shows and music festivals – check out what’s on when you’re there: http://www.enjoyperth.com.au/events/featured and experience a gig to remember.

If you’d like to find out more about our projects in Australia, click HERE

Carmen took part in the TV Work Experience placement in Australia in October 2008. She emailed us a few days ago:

Hello to all at Travellers!

Hoping you are well. I’ve been meaning to send an email to you for a while, and am only just getting round to it.

 In October 2008 I completed a month’s TV work experience in Perth, organised and arranged by yourselves. In the UK, I had struggled to obtain media work experience other than the odd week here and there, and was looking for a way to get some sound media experience whilst travelling, as I had always wanted to travel after uni, and thought your program was an excellent way to combine the two. 

The stay arranged by yourselves was great; the accommodation was nice, I had contacts in Perth in case I ran into trouble, and made loads of new friends.  I then went on to travel all of Australia (and a week in New Zealand! ) for an additional 6 months (although I had originally planned to go home waaay earlier than that! )

 I came back to the UK from my travels in May 2009. In September 2009, I was offered a 6 month contract with MTV as their creative intern, and upon nearing the end of my contract, have now been offered a year contract at the BBC as production co ordinator. 

 I just wanted to say a massive thank you for my experience, both work and culturally, in Australia. I would hugely recommend this to anyone, especially those who want to break into media via an alternative path. Even for those who do not want to obtain a career in the media, my employer said she was impressed with the month I did in Perth, because it showed I had the initiative to get out there and do something productive, and it was something that stood out amongst the hundreds of CVs she received!

 I really hope you continue with your programs across the world, and that people benefit from them as much as I did. It really is something I will never forget.

 Thanks a million,

Carmen Butcher

Despite the Recession, Australia has seen a record high inthe number of people travelling to and from the country in the lsat year – the statistics show that the numbers leaving or arriving were higher than the figures for the entire Australian population!!

Click on the picture below for the full article:

If you’d like to find out more about our projects in Australia, click HERE

Annette, our volunteer organiser in Australia sent us all the latest from Down Under…

Good day to you all – boy it is hot here!!!!

Summer certainly has hit.  Airconditioners are rattling away and everyones’ bathers are getting a workout.  My family and I have just returned from a few days at one of Travellers’ newest destinations – Bunbury!  Western Australia’s South West (of which Bunbury is a part) was recently rated number one by Tripadvisor as the destination area to go and discover and now I know why.

The beaches are long, deserted, accessible, clean and so refreshing.  The locals have that small town relaxed and accepting feel.  As for the Dolphin Centre and the Wildlife Park – where do I start!

The Wildlife Park- for the first time in my life I patted a kangaroo and got up close and personal with an emu (not an ostrich!!!).  We took around a little pouch of seeds and the birds would literally sit all over you and twitter about – how amazing.

The Dolphin Centre is just that – I did not realise just how many of them are down in Bunbury and how close you can get and just be with them – simply an amazing experience again.

You can read more about either of the places, just click the links to our website:

Dolphin Project

Wildlife Park

Bunbury is the gateway to the rest of the Southwest with Margaret River, Bussleton and Albany boasting a chocolate factory, cheese factory and multiple beer and wine ‘factories’!!!  The Lonely Planet guide named Western Australia’s South West region as one of the TOP TEN most desirable holiday destinations in the world for 2010 saying, “it offers variety in spades!”

For more information about our projects in Australia, click HERE