When I first arrived in Brisbane, I was lucky enough to have a friend sub-letting her room while she was on a holiday in Indonesia. Thanks to her, I had no issue in getting a temporary accommodation. However, after a few days I realized that my stay at hers is only for a few weeks, therefore I must start looking for a permanent place.
Again, I considered myself lucky because as an AusAid-sponsored student, you arrived in the country earlier than other students. This happens because AusAid requires the sponsored students to attend an introductory session, which is conducted six weeks prior to the beginning of the new semester. The early arrival is beneficial as you have more time, more available options, yet with less competition :D
For me, nothing is trickier than looking for accommodation, especially when you're new to Australia and have limited network. I didn't know what to do and where to start. However, after an information session, and tens of asking around, I reckon a couple of things that might be useful when looking for accommodation: