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Don't forget to budget for your rental bond

In Australia, a rental bond (security deposit) is a legal requirement. Many doctors forget to take this into account and it ends up as a nasty surprise when they eventually find a flat (usually for the credit card). The money is handled by an official government agency and governed by strict regulations. You are legally not allowed to move into accommodation until it has been paid. Different landlords, agencies and accommodation types all have different requirements but as a guideline you can expect to pay 4 weeks rent as bond for unfurnished accommodation and 6 weeks rent as bond for furnished accommodation. See the links below if you require more information.

The great Aussie language barrier

The Aussies are a bunch of characters. As a general rule, halve a word and stick an "O" onto the end of it. Here are some of the most common words I could think of (feel free to add more)
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Mobile Phones

These days, mobile phones are a fact of life. When you first arrive you will need to get a local sim card as soon as possible as international roaming fees are prohibitively expensive. You are unlikely to get a fantastic deal when you first arrive so the best advice is go with th esimplest option straight away. You can change the details later on. Read on to learn more.
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BYO Restaurants

Most restaurants in the area are BYO or Bring Your Own. Simply put, you can bring the booze. Some places allow you to bring wine and beer but nicer venues usually prefer only wine. Either way, it is absolutely fantastic as you get to drink what you want and you don't have to pay restaurant prices.

Find accommodation quickly

There is plenty of good accommodation around but when large groups of doctors arrive at the same time usually the "early bird gets the worm" ie the sooner you start searching for a flat/house the better your chances of finding your preferred choice.

Cheap cinema tickets