Finding work on a 12 week Australia trip?

by Julia
(UK)

I am arriving in Cairns on the 15th June and I am making my way south right down to Melbourne. On the 10th August I am flying from Melbourne to Darwin and staying there for 3 weeks. Then I fly back to Sydney and stay for 4 days.

In total my trip is 12 weeks long. However, I am only taking 1700 Australian dollars with me. I am planning to stay in hostels and work as much as possible. But I suppose work is not guaranteed.

I have an Australian passport as I was born there and I am getting a tax file number now, but I haven't lived in Australia since I was 7 so I don't know much and I don't have any family out there to stay with if I become broke.

I am looking at working as much as possible, but I am just worried about not finding work, and because I have limited time, I am worried whether people will take me on for 3 weeks work? I have been looking at fruit picking and this sounds great, problem is when I have looked at the jobs advertised most ask for previous experience with fruit picking, farm tools or own transport all of which I dont have.

Any advice would be brilliant, as I am getting myself into a panic, even if the advice is "don't go with that much money you wolly!"

Julia :)