hey everyone,

I'm from san francisco and in a few months I plan on heading out to Oz and am hoping to find an apartment in st. kilda to be nearby the beach and action. 30 mins max for walking distance would be preferred, but the closer to the beach, the better. I don't need my own bathroom or kitchen, but would prefer to have my own bedroom =) I've done some research, but it appears that it would be best for me to wait until i get there to decide where I would live? I plan on being in Oz for 6 months - 1 year and would like to spend no more than $200/pw.

i have experience working in banks and accounting firms, but am hoping to land a job at a local cafe or bar (no bartending experiencing, but i'm down to learn!) as a 23 year old. would it be hard to get a job on a working holiday visa? I've heard that previous travelers have ruined it for future travelers because of leaving their job early or without notice to their boss....but not sure how true this is...

as for kiting, i read in a previous thread there was a lot of work put into trying to designate certain areas in st. kilda for kiters, schools, teachers, etc. I'm hoping that by the time i get to st. kilda i will not be stuck on water starting still...but say for instance that i am, would i simply launch from the "kite access corridor"? i'm assuming it would be best to body drag out about 100m... i'll be practicing here in the bay area and hopefully will be up and riding by the time i get there in september or so. i've done some searches, but can't seem to find the exact months for kiting in st. kilda. any help here would be appreciated.

oh yeah, i should probably mention that i have taken some lessons already.

thanks for all your input and advice.

-d

thanks for the advice, sam.

does summer start in september? and if i were to arrive before then, how long do you think it'll take for me to secure a place? i've heard that some people have taken 6 months to find a place in the st.kilda area. i guess if i can find a decent paying job i won't mind increasing my weekly rent from 50-100 more.

how many hours do most fruit pickers work a week? i'm assuming its not a full-time (40 hr) job?

yeah, the only reason why i don't want to find a job in relation to my resume is because i hate the corporate world and everything about it. i only do it just to save up for traveling. as a last resort, i'll find a job working in the office. but honestly, i prefer a blue-collar job that involves interacting with people. not sure how fruit picking will do for me, but it won't hurt to try!

any thoughts on when kiting season starts and ends in st kilda area?

thanks again,
d

what's avg wind speed during summers months starting in november?

and does summer start in mid-sept for melbourne?

does anyone know if there are actual real estate agent offices in the st kilda area that rent rooms for the length period that i want? so far ive been just referencing the internet for rooms.

no way! we get loads of 20+ knot seabreezes, i rekon we got about 20 this summer and that was a **** one. usually an average breeze is 18 knots or there abouts tho. We start getting some consistent winds from the south in about mid september, but it can be unpredictable, mid october is when summer starts to come thru

i feel like more people go to gumtree looking for a place, rather than offering. when a post goes up, hours later there's like a few hundred hits. i've tried flatematefinder, but that hasn't landed me a place yet. would it be better for me to wait until i get there? or will i still be referencing sites like gumtree and flatmate? i'm planning to stay a hostel first (a week or so, or maybe longer, if need be) so i can at least scope out some of the places.

so sounds like fruit picking and the cafes are out of the picture =) how does bartending sound? my friend is a bar manager here in the city so im sure i can get a few months of experience before i arrive in melbourne. also, if i end up with an office job in the accounting/finance field, is the typical dress code business casual (collared shirt, slacks/khakis, w/optional tie) or casual (jeans okay)?

since im trying to reduce the amount of luggage ill be bringing, should my 9m work just fine? i have a 136 board and weigh 150lbs. if i can avoid bringing my 12 and will have no use for it, i certainly won't mind leaving it at home. i think ill just pack my 9 in a suitcase and carry my board in a board bag.

i just booked my flight and will be arriving the 1st of oct. hope to be seeing you all out there soon!!!! thanks for all the great advice!!!

Hey,

For flats in the St Kilda area you should be fine to use Gumtree or simply book yourself into a backpackers for a couple of nights (XBase or similar) and then simply cruise down Acland street and go into any of the internet or drycleaning shops and there are ads placed on the pinboards from locals looking for flatmates. Average price in St K would be a minimum of $250/week unless you want to share with 10 others.. you might get lucky though..

Best of luck with the job hunting..

hy there, get a job in hospitality like a bussy or something like that to start....you ll be looking to get something around 18 per hour and is not a rocket science job ...i live in st kilda and you can easily find a very decent room in elwood for around 200 bucks and is only 5 minutes walk from st kilda.....send me your resume and i can give a hand to get a job...i work for a company that runs many bars and restaurants..
ian

Hey Ian,

Thanks for lending a hand. I'm currently on a working holiday visa and was told by some friends that I'll have to get to take the RSA in order to bartend, so I'll take care of that upon arrival, as I'm currently on the road still (running around Gold Coast). Since I have no bartending experience, I was also advised by locals to embellish my resume with some hospitality experience. I did, although, work at a ice cream shop when I was 14 for 2 months =) Any thoughts?

I'll be in St Kilda on the 1st and will certainly do some apt hunting in Elwood. I recently met a couple from Melbourne and they told me, just as you said, that Elwood is cheaper and just as close to the beach.