Field Note Nº 003 · Settling In
Your first week in Australia: do it in this order
My first week in Australia was jet lag, excitement, and standing in queues holding the wrong documents. Nobody gives you the sequence — and the sequence matters, because half these things depend on each other. So here is the exact order I'd do it all again in.
01. Get a local SIM (day one)
Everything else on this list needs an Australian mobile number — banks, government forms, delivery apps, all of it. Grab a prepaid SIM at the airport if you must, then switch to a cheaper plan once you've compared options. Don't sign an expensive contract in week one.
02. Open a bank account (day one or two)
Many Australian banks let you start the account online before you even land — worth doing. Otherwise, walk into a branch with your passport early, because you'll want the account ready before any job or bond payment. Ask for an account with no monthly fees; they exist.
03. Apply for your Tax File Number (TFN)
Free, online, official government website — takes maybe fifteen minutes once you have an address. Without a TFN you get taxed at the highest rate the moment you start working, and future-you will be very annoyed at past-you. Do it in the first few days, it arrives by post.
04. Sort your health cover
Students: activate your OSHC and actually download the membership card into your phone. Permanent residents and eligible visa holders: enrol in Medicare. Either way, know which clinic near you bulk-bills before you need one at 11pm with a fever. Ask me how I know.
05. Get the transport card + Google Maps confidence
Every city has its own card — Adelaide's metroCARD, Sydney's Opal, Melbourne's myki. Load it up, take one aimless ride, and learn how the buses actually work. The day public transport stops feeling scary, the whole city opens up.
06. Proof of address — start the paper trail
Australia runs on "100 points of ID" and proof of address. Get your name on something official fast: a bank letter, a phone bill, anything. If you're in temporary accommodation, ask your provider for a letter. This little paper unlocks rentals, licences, everything.
07. Then breathe, and go be a tourist for a day
Seriously. Somewhere in that first week, put the paperwork down, take a bus to the beach, and watch your first Australian sunset. You just moved across the world — that deserves at least one golgappa-less celebration. The admin will still be there tomorrow.
My experience, not official advice — visa conditions differ, so always confirm details on the official government sites.
one queue at a time — Anand 📋