My Working Holiday Adventure in Lake Eildon, Australia: Nature and Work

Location : 3 and a half hours from Melbourne.

Weather: Victory weather is unpredictable, so you have to have clothes for all occasions. cold winters hot summers.

How I got to work in Lake Eildon - Victoria

After finishing working on the paradise island of Bedarra, I took a road trip from Melbourne to Sydney, and from there I started my job search again. It wasn't difficult because I already knew the dynamics of how to find a job in hospitality.

My only problem at that time was not having a car, because all the job offers I received were in remote places, so I decided to buy my first car in Australia, I leave you the post of my experience.

I found a job in hospitality in this place, I didn't know anyone, this time I would be alone, however, my decision was made from my intuition, when I spoke with the person who was going to hire me, he gave me confidence and I felt comfortable with him That's why I chose this place, and they also found accommodation for me and gave me many facilities.

Traveling to Lake Eildon

After driving for long hours, I finally reached my destination Lake Eildon, in the middle of the hills and forests, a small town next to an artificial lake with a dam, a place that is practically three hours driving from Melbourne.

I liked the town, it had a calm and summery vibe, so I felt comfortable and in a way I felt at home, I had to look for the restaurant to meet my boss and get directions to what would be my home. the last three months of my working holiday.

Hello Lake Eildon.

Lake Eildon is a famous place from Melbourne which has many houseboats, it is the favorite place to spend the summer and relax.

First encounter with my new job.

My boss, from the first moment I met him, I felt like he adopted me into his family, he introduced me to the work team, we talked for a while and then he gave me directions on how to get to my new house.

Getting to that house was driving curve after curve because it is almost at the top of a hill in front of the lake, however, when I saw it it was...I really am lucky.

My house for 3 months

Home sweet home, here I discovered that home is where you feel comfortable and happy, no matter where you are.

I met the owner of the place where I was going to live, it was a country club, the person rents rooms on the first floor of the house and also has cabins, I leave you the link in case you are in Melbourne and want to visit this beautiful place, you will not regret it Taylor Bay Country Club.

The owner of this mansion would be my housemate for the next 3 months, he showed me my room which was on the first floor and gave me instructions on the house rules, I was happy using all my brain to be able to understand everything in Australian English.

View from the restaurant

That year that area did not have much rain for that reason.

Experience working on the lake

Working in this place was extremely entertaining, we laughed a lot every day, lunch and dinner hours were super busy, many of the customers arrived by boat and others by driving, I really enjoyed seeing the dynamics of the restaurant, it had a family vibe. The regulars knew each other and were friends so I became mate! Every time I arrived they told me hello mate!

As it was New Year's season, my boss invited me to spend the holidays with his family and friends at the restaurant, we waited 12 o'clock all together drinking beers, laughing, I really felt like family, so the first New Year outside of Chile was not bad. .

After the new year, the summer season was slow, there were many fires in the eastern part of Australia, kilometers and kilometers of forests burned, which decreased the movement of people to the area I was working, as clients decreased, The hours at work also decreased, as I was going to be a student again, my goal was to save as much as I could because as an international student I could only work 20 hours a week.

So I started looking for maid jobs, it didn't work out much because they didn't know me, but since they knew my boss, he helped me get a job in one of the boat houses, his friend was the owner so my hours were divided between the restaurant and the boat houses. Here I learned that many jobs are obtained through networking and gaining the trust of the people where you live.

Houseboat - Lake Eildon - Favorite holiday spot from Melbourne, according to locals.

I worked as a waitress, maid, sometimes as a hostess, to be able to save as much as I could, it was tiring yes, but I enjoyed it.

These were my days on Lake Eildon, between the restaurant, boat houses and a private house that I cleaned, I think I made friends for life, I still miss them and talk to some of them.

Lake Eildon gave me many experiences, in this place it was the first time I hit a kangaroo, at night I was returning to my house when out of nowhere, the kangaroo jumped in front of my car, I was not driving fast, but I put it on the side, stopped the car, I thought I had killed it, however, I didn't find it, I arrived home nervous, thank God nothing more serious happened. Also here I had my first hailstorm, that storm hit the town out of nowhere, the hailstones were huge, my car was left with marks, everything happened very quickly and that's how time passed.

I took advantage of my free days to organize myself, read and plan my route to travel to Western Australia, I would no longer be in the state of Victoria, I would begin my life as an international student in Western Australia, more than 3000km away from where I was, the mission It was necessary to arrive by driving, so I planned my journey in luxury and detail.

My friends on the lake didn't want me to leave, and that summer was when COVID started, one of the ladies who worked with us was on a cruise where there were cases, for us it was all unknown and there was fear. They asked me to stay, not to drive all that distance alone, but the decision had already been made, I traveled to Melbourne for a few days to coordinate my papers for the new visa with the study agency, I could no longer change it.

I left the lake on March 17, 2020, with sadness and excitement it was my first trip driving alone across Australia.

recommendations

• The Australian countryside is beautiful however you have to be careful with the animals, Kangaroos, Wombats, Reindeer, Emus that may be on the route, many times they appear out of nowhere, potentially creating an accident, the people of the town recommended me if I came to If you hit an animal you had to check if it was alive or dead and if it was dying you had to call the ranger.

• Always have your documents with you, as I drove every day, I had my passport, Chilean driver's license, original and translated, one night I had an alcohol test, the police made me park when I was driving, and they also asked me for my documents.

• Take advantage of when you live with Australians, talk as much as you can so you will improve your English listening and speaking.

• In Victoria it is common to have storms with hail, but the grains are large and can destroy your bumper and leave marks on your car. I always recommend parking it in a place that can be protected.