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The Journey · Stage 02
First month
The first few weeks in Australia are overwhelming — new city, new systems, new accents, all at once. Don't try to do everything. Here's the order that actually matters, written by someone who fumbled most of it the first time. Living in a new place can be daunting, but you'll be fine.
Watch out
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Start here
Woolworths, Coles, or any 7-Eleven sets you up in 10 minutes with your passport. eSIM works too if you bought one before you flew.
Open an Australian account online with a passport — about 20 minutes. Your employer needs an Australian account to pay you. Skip the branch queues.
Flatmates.com.au is where most newcomers find their first share house. Naver and Hojunara are the Korean-community listings channels. Inspect 3–5 places before signing. Photos lie. Most newcomers spend 2–4 weeks house hunting before settling.
Once you've picked a suburb — see how to get around →Free from ato.gov.au. Without it your employer withholds tax at the emergency rate — you lose 30–40% of your take-home pay until you do.
Week 1 checklist
The order that actually matters
You can't navigate, message, or call anyone without a phone. Woolworths, Coles, or any 7-Eleven will set you up. Bring your passport. Cost: $10–$30 AUD for a prepaid starter. Telstra has the best coverage.
Commonwealth, ANZ, Westpac, NAB all let you open online with a passport — about 20 minutes. Your employer needs an Australian account to pay you. Skip the queues.
Banking in Australia →Sydney's public transport runs on Opal — trains, buses, ferries, light rail. Grab one at any train station or convenience store. Tap on, tap off. No card, no ride.
How to get and use Opal →Free from ato.gov.au. Without it, your employer withholds tax at the emergency rate — which means a lot less take-home pay. Do it in your first week if you're job hunting.
If you're on a reciprocal visa (UK, NZ, some EU), Medicare covers you. Everyone else needs private cover from day one — it's not optional. Compare at iSelect or choose a fund directly.
MyGov is the single sign-on for tax, Medicare, Centrelink and more. Set it up once in your first month with two forms of ID — saves you hours later when you actually need it.
Pro tip
After this guide
The three unblockers set up. Your phone works, your employer can pay you, you can get around Sydney.
No emergency tax on your first pay. The 30–40% hit is the most common newcomer mistake — you've avoided it.
Medicare or private cover in place. You can sort a GP when you actually need one — most people wait until they're sick, and that's fine too.
ATO, Medicare, Centrelink reachable from one login. Tax time becomes a one-click task, not a panic.
Heads up
Honest take
Guides for your first month