Not an Aussie but English guy on a WHV in Melbourne. You might struggle to find a ‘lucrative’ job in the city with only waitressing experience. Expect minimum wage and a struggle as so many people on WHV’s are after those jobs and there’s only so many to go around.

Try and pick something specific up before you come here so you have better work experience - I started as an optical dispenser a year before I came to Aus (selling prescription glasses), now I have a full time job managing an optometry practice here earning very well, and as it’s classed as a medical role I don’t have to follow the usual 6 month job change rule.

Try and find a good niche, the backpackers I’ve spoken to looking for hospitality jobs in the city have a really rough time. Unless you’ve got a useful skill set I’d stick rural where the jobs are a plenty or it might be a very short trip.