An American In Brisbane: Australia Working Holiday Visa Month 5
Update
An American In Brisbane: Australia Working Holiday Visa Month 5 Update
Published April 19, 2026
This blog post was proudly created without the use of generative AI. It was 100% written and edited by a human, for humans. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!
Living in Australia for a year on a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) is the adventure of a lifetime, and I’m here to tell you all about it! My name is Kevin, and I’m a US citizen currently living and working in Brisbane, Queensland on a WHV. I’ve written an update post every month since I arrived in Australia at the end of last year. This post will cover what I was up to during my fifth month on a WHV!
Below are all of the topics I’ll be discussing in this post. To skip down to any particular one, click or tap the corresponding link!
Recap of My First Four Months in Australia on a WHV
I first arrived in Australia in mid-November of last year (2025), so my Working Holiday Visa is valid until mid-November of this year. Unlike most other Working Holiday Makers (WHMs), I am ineligible to apply for a second-year WHV due to my age. I’ve been based in Brisbane since I arrived, and I started working at the beginning of January.
It took me a few months to feel truly settled here, but things have been going well since I started earning an income! Brisbane is gorgeous, with a river that winds its way through the heart of the city. Because of this geography, Brisbane has dozens of centrally-located riverfront neighborhoods, and all of them have their own unique personality. I’ve explored many of them, but I still have a long list of neighborhoods I want to visit.
Life in Brisbane
As mentioned above, life in Brisbane centers around the Brisbane River. I cross the river on a daily basis, and there’s nothing more relaxing than walking along its banks. I’ve also been riding the CityCats and river ferries more than ever! Taking a boat is such a scenic way to commute (although it is slightly slower than taking buses or trains). With that said, in some instances, it is the most direct route. They also run frequently from early in the morning until late in the evening, even on weekends.
Below are some individual attractions around Brisbane that I visited this month.
Return to Mount Coot-tha
Location: 1012 Sir Samuel Griffith Dr, Mount Coot-tha QLD 4066
I first visited Mount Coot-tha in Month 3 of my WHV, and it’s one of the best places to see the Brisbane city skyline! Mount Coot-that is on the western edge of the city, about a twenty-minute drive away from the downtown core.
Mount Coot-tha has an outdoor observation area, a restaurant and cafe, hiking trails, and a botanical garden. This time, I tried a full meal at the restaurant. It was alright, but not anything spectacular. On my next visit to Mount Coot-tha, I’ll make it a point to check out the botanic garden.
Museum of Brisbane Clock Tower Tour
Address: Level 3, Brisbane City Hall, 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Website: https://www.museumofbrisbane.com.au/whats-on/clock-tower-tours/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MuseumofBrisbane/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museumofbrisbane/
Did you know that you can tour the inside of Brisbane’s iconic clock tower? I actually got to do this on a work outing, and it was a lot of fun! Tours are done in small groups every fifteen minutes during opening hours, and they need to be booked in advance. You can do it in person at the Museum of Brisbane reception, but it’s probably more convenient to do it online and guarantee a time slot that works for you.
From inside the clock tower, you’ll get to look out over Brisbane City. You’ll also see the face of the clock from the inside, plus get a glimpse of the mechanism that keeps it running. Because I did this tour as part of my job, I had the chance to go up a few times, each with a different guide. They were all friendly and welcoming, and no two guides gave the exact same commentary. In other words, you’ll learn something new every time you go up, even if you’ve done this tour before!
Art Museums
QAG Address: Stanley Pl, South Brisbane QLD 4101
GOMA Address: Stanley Pl, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Website: https://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QAGOMA/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qagoma/
This month, I visited two of Brisbane’s main art museums: the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). Together, they’re referred to as QAGOMA. Both galleries are at the northern edge of South Bank, a trendy arts and entertainment district on the riverfront. Aboriginal art is prominently featured at QAGOMA. Entrance to both museums is free, although certain exhibits may require an admission fee.
Day Trips
This month, I did a few day trips (on weekends with decent weather). Since I’m already approaching the halfway point for my year in Australia, I’ve tried to explore more of the Brisbane metro area, as well as the neighboring Gold Coast.
Caboolture
Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link
Caboolture sits at the northern edge of Brisbane. It’s far enough away from Brisbane City that it feels more like a separate town than a neighborhood within the city. Caboolture has a bit of a rural feeling to it. When I visited, I got lunch at a local restaurant and strolled through Centenary Lakes Park and the Caboolture Arboretum.
Gold Coast
Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link
This was my second time visiting the Gold Coast (my first was during Month 3). On my first visit to the area, a friend and I spent a morning and afternoon in Surfers Paradise, and we also ventured up north towards Main Beach for dinner. On this visit, I headed south towards Broadbeach and Mermaid Beach.
The Gold Coast south of Surfers Paradise is fairly quiet and residential. Broadbeach has beautiful green parklands right along the water, and I basically had a long stretch of Mermaid Beach all to myself. Next time I visit the Gold Coast, I’d love to go even further south to Burleigh, Currumbin, and Coolangatta.
Wellington Point
Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link
The Eastern part of Greater Brisbane is known as Redland City (or the Redlands). Unlike Brisbane’s city center, the Redlands have an actual coastline. However, the Redlands Coast isn’t on the open ocean, but rather Moreton Bay. As such, the water is shallower, calmer, and a lighter shade of blue. Moreton Bay waters are nothing like the often rough, dramatic waves on the Gold Coast.
Wellington Point is a narrow peninsula in the northernmost part of the Redlands Coast. There’s also a sand bridge that connects Wellington Point with nearby King Island, a conservation park. I’m not sure if the sand bridge (pictured above) gets submerged during high tide, but luckily it was easy to cross when I visited.
Cleveland
Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link
Within the Redlands, Cleveland is a large suburb not far from Wellington Point. Both are easily accessible on the Cleveland Line, a busy train route that connects the north Redlands to Brisbane City.
In addition to a beautiful coastline and numerous parks, Cleveland also has a picturesque lighthouse at the end of a long pier. I’m hoping to revisit Cleveland (and the Redlands in general) regularly in the coming months. It’s the closest portion of Moreton Bay to my home, and it’s also the jumping-off point for North Stradbroke Island, one of two large bay islands near Brisbane (the other being Morton Island). I’ll update my future WHV posts about any return trips to the Redlands!
Housing & Job Updates
I’m currently living in the same apartment I found right around the end of 2025, and things are all good in terms of accommodation. The rental market in Brisbane (and in Australia in general) is brutally competitive, so I don’t have plans to move for now. Things could always change, but I generally am very pleased with the living arrangement I found, located in the vicinity of Woolloongabba and Kangaroo Point.
When it comes to work, I’m still teaching at the same school I started working at back in January. I took on a few extra shifts this month that involved traveling around the city with my students. I enjoyed acting as a tour guide for a few weeks, and I found it amusing that I was showing them around a city that I myself am still getting to know! Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun on those outings, and my regular teaching hours were good as well.
A Few Restaurant Highlights This Month
As a foodie, one of my favorite things to do is try different restaurants in Brisbane and on my day trips! This month, I had a standout meal from Shiraz Restaurant + Bar. It’s a fabulous Persian restaurant in the southern part of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. I ordered a lamb shank that was so juicy and tender! This restaurant was a bit pricey, but it was a worthwhile splurge.
I also really loved the massive slab of fried fish I got when I ordered fish and chips at Oxley’s On The Bay in Wellington Point. It was flaky, crispy, and freshly deep-fried, while the white fish inside was tender and juicy.
I also tried two memorable Vietnamese restaurants this month: Quan Thanh in West End and Phở Phố Cổ in Brisbane City. At the former, I ordered a delicious vermicelli salad bowl with mixed meat, and at the latter, I ordered a bowl of phở. Some sources online indicate that Phở Phố Cổ specializes in Hanoi-style Vietnamese food. As much as I love Vietnamese food, I’m not an expert enough to be able to tell the difference. Nonetheless, the broth had rich, bold flavors that I really appreciated.
For those who don’t know, I’ve been writing in-depth restaurant reviews of every place I try over on my “Kev’s AUS Food Diary” Instagram account. Follow me there to stay up to date on all my restaurant reviews!
Finances
On each of my WHV monthly update posts, I’m providing a monthly review of my finances and a rolling cumulative total of my earnings and expenses. Here is the breakdown for Month 5.
- TAKE-HOME INCOME: 4,615 AUD (3,325 USD)
- Rent: 400 AUD (285 USD) per week, all utilities included; total rent for fifth month of my WHV: 1,770 AUD (1,275 USD)
- Restaurants, bars, and cafes: 685 AUD (495 USD)
- Groceries and household items: 1,025 AUD (740 USD)
- Miscellaneous (clothes, appliances, transportation): 70 AUD (50 USD)
- Bills: 155 AUD (110 USD)
- Travel expenses: 575 AUD (410 USD)
- TOTAL FIFTH-MONTH COSTS: 4,280 AUD (3,080 USD)
- MY MONTH 5 SURPLUS: 335 AUD (245 USD)
Below is a summary of my cumulative finances for Months 1 through 5.
- Month 1 Income: 0; Month 1 Expenses: 4,010 AUD (2,835 USD); Month 1 Net: -4,010 AUD (-2,835 USD)
- Month 2 Income: 1,400 AUD (985 USD); Month 2 Expenses: 3,510 AUD (2,480 USD); Month 2 Net: -2,110 AUD (-1,495 USD)
- Month 3 Income: 3,930 AUD (2,780 USD); Month 3 Expenses: 4,325 AUD (3,060 USD); Month 3 Net: -395 AUD (-280 USD)
- Month 4 Income: 4,195 AUD (2,930 USD); Month 4 Expenses: 3,595 AUD (2,515 USD); Month 4 Net: 600 AUD (415 USD)
- Month 5 Income: 4,615 AUD (3,325 USD); Month 5 Expenses: 4,280 AUD (3,080 USD); Month 5 Net: 335 AUD (245 USD)
When you add it all up, my net earnings for Months 1 through 5 are -5,580 AUD (-4,000 USD). Note that conversion rates have shifted since I arrived (from 0.65 USD = 1 AUD in November 2025 to 0.72 USD = 1 AUD in Apr 2026). This accounts for a slight discrepancy between my AUD and USD summation.
I’m glad I had another month of modest savings, but as you can see, I still haven’t broken even from my initial costs of settling in. I am probably going to have to find a second job in Month 6 to start saving up a bit more. As long as that happens, I’m hopeful I’ll break even sooner than later. Since I need to leave Australia by November, it’s already time for me to start preparing for moving expenses.
My Plan Moving Forward
As mentioned above, my biggest goal for Month 6 is to find an evening and/or weekend job to supplement my current income. Although the cost of living in Australia is a slightly lower than in the US, it’s still pretty high overall. I’m also nervous that flights out of the country are going to be pretty expensive by November due to geopolitics, so I’m trying to budget more than I otherwise would for that.
If you’re wondering what my plans are for the end of this year and 2027, I’m still not sure! I’m most likely to move directly from Australia to a country in Asia to start a new job teaching English, but nothing is set in stone yet. Vietnam is my most likely destination at the moment, and Taiwan is probably second on my list. Thailand and Japan are also countries I’m considering moving to.
Stay Up to Date on My Working Holiday! 🇦🇺
Thanks for reading the fifth installment of my Working Holiday Visa blog series! If you’re curious about how the other months of my year-long stay in Australia went, be sure to check out the full list of posts here. Wish me luck, and check back regularly for updates!
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This post was published on Apr 19, 2026
This blog post was proudly created without the use of generative AI. It was 100% written and edited by a human, for humans. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!
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