Once the Melbourne Cup hangover wears off there's plenty going on in Australia this November, kicking off with Steve Irwin Day on Tuesday November 15, where Australia and the world pays tribute to the Crocodile Hunter and his conservation work.

The main festivities will take place at Irwin's old stomping ground at the Australia Zoo at Beermah near Brisbane, Queensland. The day starts with an authentic Aussie sausage sizzle which is included in the admission price.

The freebies continue if you wear khakis Irwin-style. You'll get 10% off the gate entry price and an unspecified gift, so embrace your inner Indiana Jones for a good cause - all proceeds go to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and other conservation projects the Croc Hunter was involved with.

Guests will also be treated to a live performance by iconic Aussie bluesman Xavier Rudd in the Crocoseum. If you've never seen Xavier you're in for a treat, mixing blues, roots, folk and traditional Aboriginal music to create a big sound that is uniquely Australian.

Keeping with the khaki theme, any budding adventure junkies should pencil in the Adventurists Afternoon Tea on Saturday 12 November at the Justice & Police Museum in Sydney's Circular Quay. Afternoon tea is a tradition for adventurists, offering a peaceful break from epic journeying and world record breaking where they can relax with a cuppa and swap stories.

The Sydney Afternoon Tea will feature a talk from Jon Muir, Australia's most famous adventurer and the first man to walk solo and unaided across the Australian continent, as well as make the first sherpa-less ascent of Everest from the South.

If you're partial to drinks a little stronger than tea, never fear! The Adventurists Afternoon Tea is sponsored by Hendrick's Gin and lashings of the spirit will be on offer.

But if an excuse to drink and plan more adventures is the last thing you need on your Aussie holiday, perhaps take a minute for some spiritual healing. The Buddhist Spring Festival kicks off on the 5th of November at the Tibetan Buddhist Temple just outside Melbourne. A number of talks and seminars on Buddhist teachings as well as guided tours of the gardens are available. On the Saturday join in the Ceremony for World Peace and rack up some karma credit points!

 - Aleks Vickovich is Online Editor with the Australian Visa Bureau, an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people lodge applications for a Working Holiday Visa to Australia.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

While Halloween is traditionally an American holiday, Australians are getting in touch with their dark side this October as well, with a series of 'zombie walks' across the country. These events - started in the US ten years ago - see large congregations of people dressed as zombies marching through urban areas, often with the aim of raising charitable funds or promoting an issue or cause.

Adelaide will host its fifth annual zombie walk on Saturday 8 October. "After a cold winter in Adelaide, it seems the city streets will run warm with the tides of blood soaked zombies!" the Adelaide Zombie Walk website says.

"Expect to see characters and creatures groan and stumble down Grenfell Street & Currie Street, from Rymill Park to Light Square".

The Adelaide zombies are raising funds for the Adelaide food bank, with participants urged to donate a cold coin (AUD $1 or $2) or can of food.

The sunshine state will follow with a zombie walk in Brisbane to take place on Sunday 23 October, starting at Wickham Park and ambling its way through to Centenary Place in Fortitude Valley.  This year organisers are hoping that the Brisbane Zombie Walk wins the Guiness World Record for largest gathering of zombies. Last year, Brisbane's zombies raised $13,000 for the Brain Foundation of Australia and are hoping to raise a similar amount this year.

Brisbane will also host an all-ages zombie walk after-party called ROTT N ROLL at the Tempo Hotel featuring burlesque acts and live music.

If parading around town dressed like a corpse isn't your thing, there are plenty of other events going down in Oz over October.

It is Spring Carnival season in Melbourne, with some of the world's best horse racing events taking place throughout October in the lead-up to the famous Melbourne Cup. Don't forget your fancy hat (or chequebook!).

Australia's largest spring flower show - Floriade - will run from 17 September to 16 October in Commonwealth Park in Canberra, showing off more than 1 million blooms. And once the sun goes down and hides the flowers, Floriade NightFest takes over with cocktails, night markets, DJs and wine bars.

For an authentic taste of rural Australia head to Ararat in country Victoria for the annual Ararat Show. Attractions include rides, pet shows, floral and agricultural displays and arts and crafts.

 - Aleks Vickovich is Online Editor with the Australian Visa Bureau, an independent consultancy specialising in helping people lodge applications for a Working Holiday Visa to Australia.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.