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Click here for the Grey Nomads website -> The Grey Nomads Forum -> "I digress ..." -> A little minor peeve
Post Info TOPIC: A little minor peeve
Wild Dingo


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A little minor peeve
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Seems work on the road is something earmarked for the foreign backpacker and occasional grey nomad couple...

Having a general poke around between Pt Augusta and Alice for work left me quite livid in fact

Now Im an Aussie bloke of ahem mmm mature years well I can apparently get a seniors card at 55... but I digress... been in the workforce for 41 years now so can turn my hand at anything that comes my way from station work to kitchen cook from a qualified counsellor to a truck driver and tour guide so experience isnt an issue or so Im finding on the road... its being AUSTRALIAN in Australia!

See now at several places along the way Marla for one Curtain Springs for another Ayres Rock resort for yet another I have been turned away with the and I quote "no sorry theres no work at the moment send your resume by email and we will see in a few weeks" now this isnt such a thing I will admit but and here is the cruxer for me anyway

At two of those above places Id no sooner been told there was no work when a couple of backpackers from Germany and France walked in and asked the same question to be promptly given jobs in the kitchen and garden!!!

Ive heard of the occasional caretaking or garden and kitchen hand cook positions going to grey nomad couples and thats great but for a single bloke wandering about his own country? nope not a thing on offer or even considered on offer the preference is for either the couple or a foreign couple

Now to the "i digress" point that I feel obligated to make since thats the title of this section of the forum... my digression is that we have one of the most remarkable hospitable countries in the world... even more enjoyable and affordable IF your a foreign backpacker!!

 

Oh and I love the buggars!! the long lonely road would have been far more long and lonely if it wasnt for the continual meeting up with the young forgein backpackers in the little wicked bongo vans see I get bored pretty easy and when Im bored I cook... too much food for one... so I hunt these travellers up who are normally eating a "meal" of 2 minute noodles and feed them! In fact this last run from Pt Augusta to Alice I had 2 young French girls stalking me all the way!!! for the free tucker! ;o) So Im not against them just the businesses that prefer to hire them over Australian travellers

Ever had a tour guide who was french english or german or even Aussie but from the other side of the country guiding you and regaling you about say a place like Broome? yep thats fun!... but I digress (yet again!!)

Its now cuppa time... so chin chin tipples up and tally ho old chaps!!! oorrooo from the red centre 



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Happywanderer


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Thats a shame Wild Dingo as I hear often there is plenty of work out there, maybe you are not looking in the right places.

I did enjoy your rendition of the problem anyway. Well said.

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Wild Dingo


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Well... there is always that I suppose!... Never mind not fazed by it just one of lifes small pet peeves you know?... I reckon one day I will wander into some out of the way place and they'll look at me and say "well young fella yer look like a fine upstanding yound man I think you'll do" and give me a right great job!!

Till I take me hair out from under me hat and say "HEY! Imagine that!" mmmmm sounds like a song huh! ;o) Must have a yarn to young Billy and see what he reckons eh... oh hes passed? and he did do a song about just that? aaahhh great minds eh!!! ;o)

As I say not bothered or fazed by it... BUT at the time? gawd I tell yer I was ready to choke the chook and hang the rooster!!! man was I somewhat cranky!... hence why I have the wee bike with me! To take a nice ride and CALM DOWN... a bit of "ooommm" meditation and alls fine with the world my friend

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gypsy rover


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Ahh Dingo, they missed out on hiring a real dinkum Aussie character.  Their loss I reckon.  Glad to see it certainly didn't but a dent in your sense of humour.  Keep smiling mate, something'll turn up.

Cheers!

Chris



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Cruising Granny


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I hate to state the obvious Dingo, but you're too willing and probably "over qualified". That's right, too qualified.
They think that because of your willingness to work and because of your experience, you wouldn't want to lower your standards by being a "dish pig" or cleaner.
I realise, because I've done it, a job is a job, and a means to funding one's survival and/travel. I don't know you, but I get the impression you are no longer ambitious to reach the top of the kitchen staff management. You just want to top up the diesel fund and the fridge.
Keep on there. Maybe check the internet when you have service to look for outback jobs. Go through the motions of applying via email, send your resume', and wait, or send a follow up email asking about the progress.
Some of those bush jobs are handled by agencies in the city, rather than relying on travellers popping in and asking for work.
Fancy that. Can you imagine someone just turning up at an outback roadhouse and asking if there's any jobs going?
Hang in there and keep trying, but don't forget to have fun and stay upright.


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blaze


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I reckon the work is in non tourist areas, but will myself be looking in Alice in a couple of years (the speed we are travelling, maybe longer). I also reckon the backpackers airnt paid much of an hourly rate.
ceers
blaze

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Cruising Granny


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There are some special conditions for employing OS backpackers. There are time limits of employment, they have to be paid our wage, but they pay top tax dollar, depending on any relations Australia has with the country of origin.
I met 2 girls at the Lyndhust Hotel who were backpacking around Oz. They will be there a total of 3 months, subject to Australian employment conditions, and then they'll move on to finish their travels in Oz.
To be honest, many tourist destinations such as Broome could never manage without the extra man/people power to do the extra jobs created by volumes of visitors. Populations double or more, and the locals could never provide all the staffing it takes to work the bars, the restaurants, the kitchens, the cafe's and all the cleaning.
I would like to see more locals filling some of those jobs, but that's just a dream.
So Dingo, keep plugging as you go. Someone will recognise your skills and abilities, not to mention your enthusiasm. Good luck!

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Transport has no borders.

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pricey43


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blaze wrote:

I reckon the work is in non tourist areas, but will myself be looking in Alice in a couple of years (the speed we are travelling, maybe longer). I also reckon the backpackers airnt paid much of an hourly rate.
ceers
blaze

 Blaze,

We have worked in Alice on 2 occasions. No problem. They are only too happy to employ somebody who they know will turn up each day, be it for 6 weeks or 4 months.

 One of the employment agencies works purely with temp. and casual work.



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