Working-holiday visitors describe an 'Australia effect' on looks and lifestyle

Travelers and temporary workers in Australia are posting social-media “glow-ups” they call the “Australia effect,” showing tans, changed haircuts and a more relaxed style after months of physical work and outdoor living. The trend is linked to the Working Holiday Maker Program, established in 1975, which allows citizens of 44 countries to stay in Australia for up to three years.

Applicants must be 18 to 30 (35 for some countries), have two years of higher education, speak “functional” English, meet health and background requirements, be willing to work in areas of need such as agriculture, health care or bush fire recovery, and arrive with savings (the government recommends about $3,000).

Participants and commentators describe physical and psychological shifts. Social-media reels have highlighted features like a “baby mullet,” frequent trips to hardware stores such as Bunnings and a taste for a “snag,” while workers report more sun, muscle and simplified wardrobes.

Travelers quoted include Abigail Phillips and her fiancé Alex Meston, Vincenzo De Leo, who said he lost nearly 30 pounds and gained confidence, Magda Slavíkova, Andre Ali and Haesung Kim; Beverley Mitchell described a “little bikini, bare face, barefoot” lifestyle but said she quickly burned through her savings.

Key Topics

Culture, Working Holiday Maker, Australia, Bunnings, Bondi Beach, Vincenzo De Leo