Compiled by Daniel Bowen. There are a few gaps right now - e-mail dbowen @ custard.net.au with suggestions, corrections, etc
About Australia | Visa and other Immigration requirements | Transport | Money | Visiting | Culture | Miscellaneous other questions | Links to other FAQ sites
Australia's time zones are:
Summer time (one extra hour ahead) is used in all states except Western Australia and Queensland between approximately October and March.
Australia's climate varies widely according to the part of the country. Full details are available from the Bureau of Meteorology. Most major cities get reasonably moderate weather, with a few very hot and very cold days. Snow is very rare in major cities.
Dry/Wet seasons: (to be updated)
By far the best source for all Immigration related information is the official Australian Government's Immigration Department page
New Zealand citizens travelling on New Zealand passports do not require a visa or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) before travelling. All other nationalities require a visa or ETA for stays of up to three months. An ETA can be obtained through some travel agents and airlines.
Working visits: (to be updated)
Finding jobs
Numerous restrictions and qualifying factors apply to permanent migration to Australia.
Strict controls apply to the import of animals, food and natural products to Australia, to prevent the spread of disease into Australia's natural resources. Controls also apply to the import of weapons which may be legal in other countries, but banned in Australia.
Major international airports are at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Darwin, however facilities for international flights do exist at some other airports.
Airlines travelling from other countries into Australia include:
Traditionally buses have been the cheapest transport option, trains more expensive (generally more comfortable than buses and taking about the same amount of time), with planes the most expensive, but of course the fastest.
However airline competition has increased in the last few years, and consequently the cheapest prices for flying are often not much more than the cost of a bus ticket. But note that the cheapest air tickets are generally non-refundable, non-changeable, so you need to be absolutely certain of when and where you intend to fly.
Those on a budget should factor in the costs of getting to/from airports, which are often on city outskirts, and may not be accessible by "regular" (eg low cost) public transport. By contrast, buses and trains usually service the city centres.
Planes
Major airports: Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane, Adelaide (unofficial site), Darwin, Perth, Hobart
Trains
Buses
Ferries
Air passes are only available to visitors from outside Australia. Note that if you are certain of where you will be travelling and when, and it is primarily the high competition eastern seaboard routes, you may do better to book individual tickets.
Some bus passes are available from the bus companies - see links above.
Sydney's public transport system consists primarily of a train network, buses, and ferries on Sydney Harbour. There is also a tram line and a monorail operating around the city centre. Trains and buses serve the airport.
Melbourne's public transport system consists of a train network covering most areas, a tram network in the inner city and suburbs, and buses. Special airport buses and infrequent suburban buses serve the airport.
You can use your overseas licence, as long as the information contained on it clearly indicates the types of vehicles you are licensed to drive in your home country. If your native language is English, then this will not be a problem (generally) as the information on the licence will contain all of the relevant information (generally).
For those from non-English speaking countries, it is probably best to obtain an International Driving Permit - this will be a translation of what is on the licence, so that Australian police will be able to look at the licence, look at the permit, and see what types of vehicles the person is allowed to drive.
In some states, those with overseas licences are subject to special blood alcohol limits - for example in NSW, this is 0.02 (compared to the normal limit of 0.05).
Those who obtain permanent residency can use their overseas licence for three months from the date of visa issue (may vary between states). After that they will need to apply for an Australian licence.
One way rentals
Travellers staying for a long period in Australia may find it more economical to buy a car for that time, and sell it afterwards.
Petrol prices vary from about 85 cents per litre upwards. Prices are cheapest in the big cities, usually at the start of the week. In rural areas the price can be well over $1 per litre.
Sydney: Toll roads in Sydney include the Harbour Bridge, Harbour Tunnel, and many motorways. The toll is generally $2.20. Some lanes are automatic giving no change, and others are staffed, providing change.
Melbourne: There are three toll roads in Melbourne run by Transurban, under the name "City Link". These are the Monash (south-eastern) and Tullamarine (north western) routes, plus the Exhibition Street extension. They are marked by blue (instead of green) road signs. Tolls are payable either by applying for an eTag (which sits on the windscreen and beeps when you pass toll points), or by purchasing a day/weekend pass from Transurban's web site, or by calling them on 13 26 29, or in person from some Shell service stations or the City Link Customer Centres. You cannot pay cash when using the road.
Australian currency comes in coins of 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, $1 and $2. Notes come in $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.
All cash transactions are rounded to the nearest 5 cents. A few retailers choose to always round down. It is illegal however to always round up. Non-cash transactions are not normally rounded.
AUD 1.00 is currently worth about USD 0.50, GBP 0.34, or EUR 0.55. Obviously this varies widely from day to day, so check the latest exchange rates if this is important.
The Goods and Sales Tax is 10%. Normally the price displayed includes this tax - it is not added at the register.
There are Bureau de Changes at most major airports and in the centres of big cities. Banks can change currency.
Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are plentiful all over Australia. Almost all will accept cards on the worldwide Maestro or Cirrus systems, but check with your home bank what fee per withdrawal you will pay. Also check what your daily withdrawal limit is. Australian ATMs usually issue A$20 and A$50 notes. Your card PIN does not have to be 4 digits.
Travellers' cheques in Australian dollars are widely accepted. Travellers' cheques in other currencies generally have to be changed into Australian currency at banks.
Credit cards are accepted at most retail outlets, including some market stalls. Visa and Mastercard (and the Australian/NZ Bankcard) are the most commonly accepted. American Express and Diners' Club are less likely to be accepted at smaller businesses. The US Discover Card is not used at all in Australia. Note that taxi companies do not accept Visa (though some individual cars might).
To open a bank account, identification is required. This is based on a points system, with different weighting for existing cards, passports, etc. The rules are more lenient for visitors from overseas, provided they open the account soon after arriving. Unlike British banks, you do not require any evidence of your credit rating or income.
Banks with branches throughout Australia are:
All of the big four banks charge account fees. These are a mix of monthly account-keeping fees, and transaction fees (often with some "free" transactions allowed each month). You can shop around, but currently the big banks charge very similar fees to each other.
Tipping is not common in Australia. There are a limited number of circumstances where it is common to tip, and it is rarely expected.
In nicer restaurants it is common to tip around 5-10% or up to a round figure, but it is by no means compulsory.
It is reasonably common to round a fare up to the nearest dollar or two. But this is not expected by any means.
(to be updated)
(to be updated)
Hotels
Hostels
Power supply is 240 volts, using a three pronged socket. Plug adaptors for European, North American and other plugs are widely available for around $8-10. Many shavers, camcorders and other appliance are capable of switching between 110 and 220-240 volts, either automatically or with a switch. Check your appliance manual for details.
Many hotels have special North American-style sockets supplying 110 volts, for using hair-dryers or shavers.
The number to dial for emergency services is 000. This is a free call. 112 will also work from mobile phones.
The prefix for dialling Australia from overseas is 61. When dialling from overseas, you should drop the first 0 from the area code - eg 03 for Victoria becomes 3.
From fixed phones, calling local numbers and numbers beginning with 13 are untimed calls. These cost 40 cents from payphones. 1800 numbers are completely free. Calls to 1900, long distance, and mobile phones are all timed calls, with costs varying. All calls made from mobile phones are timed calls.
As with elsewhere in the world, hotel phones are to be avoided, as hefty call costs are usually charged, though for local calls these are generally untimed. Some alternatives to using hotel phones are listed below.
Telstra payphones are common all over the country. Some accept credit cards, though these are not very common, and are usually only found in metropolitan areas. All other phones will accept coins or a Telstra phone card (or a prepaid phone card, see below). Phone cards are available at post offices, newsagents and convenience stores. If this is what you want (eg if you primarily want to make local calls from phone boxes) be sure you get a card for a Telstra payphone, and not a "PhoneAway" card. (For this see below).
For making long distance calls, especially to overseas, you will generally find it cheaper to use a prepaid phone card. These are commonly available at newsagents, post offices, convenience stores and various other outlets. Many require you to dial a local number (eg 40 cents from a payphone, untimed) to make your call. Some will offer a free local number, but add a surcharge to the cost of your call, meaning the money on your card runs out faster.
You may find that cards issued by bigger companies (such as Telstra and Optus) have slightly higher rates, but that their service is more reliable, and customer support is better. Remember if you don't use all the credits on one of these cards, you can probably use it after you leave Australia too - just hold onto the phone numbers list that comes with the card.
Your local telephone company may also issue cards that can be used in Australia, either prepaid or billed to your home phone account.
(to be updated)
Phones from many GSM countries can be used in Australia. The most common GSM standard used is 900 MHz, but 1800 is also used. 1900 (used in the USA) is not used in Australia.
The most important thing to do if you are planning to bring your phone is to check which band your phone uses, and with your local provider about roaming availability and charges.
GSM is primarily used in cities, but is also available in some rural areas. The links to mobile phone companies below have coverage maps available.
The CDMA network in Australia (run by Telstra) is primarily used for rural areas, but is available in cities too. A coverage map is available on the Telstra web site.
For coverage away from population centres, where conventional mobile phones don't work, satellite phones can be used.
Internet cafes are relatively common in built-up areas. They can generally be found in city and town centres.
Many public libraries offer Internet access for free, though it generally has to be booked in advance, and time may be limited. Some libraries may require you to become a member, but this is generally free, and open to anybody, no matter where they live.
(to be updated)
ISP trial offers are frequently available on the cover CDs of computer magazines, often allowing a month's free Internet access. These may be useful to you if you are in Australia for a short time. Some may require a credit card to register - if this is the case, be sure to cancel the account when you leave.
Even if you are staying longer than the trial period, you may find it cheaper to use a local ISP than to use a roaming feature of your regular home ISP.
The biggest ISPs, which offer Points Of Presence nationally, are:
The television system used in Australia is PAL-B/G. For media (eg taking video tapes), this is compatible with the versions of PAL used in most of Europe, but is incompatible with the NTSC system used in North America and Japan. Note that there are problems transferring PAL equipment (video recorders and TVs) between Europe and Australia, in particular with the sound system.
Many domestic video recorders in Australia are multi-standard, and can play (but not necessarily record/duplicate) NTSC tapes. Some NTSC tapes (particularly tourist-related titles) can be found for sale.
Australian release DVDs are region 4 (though a few may be multi-region), and most are encoded in PAL. If you plan to buy DVDs in Australia, check first if your DVD player can play region 4 discs, and that your DVD player and TV can display PAL signals.
In a life-threatening emergency, dial 000. This is a free call from any phone. You can also dial 112 from a GSM mobile phone. The operator will ask if you want police, fire brigade or ambulance.
The tap water in Australia is safe to drink, though in some areas it might not taste the best.
You can generally walk into any General Practitioner's surgery and get treatment. Some GPs may prefer if you ring ahead. The fee for a normal consultation is around A$40.
(to be updated)
Visitors from a few countries are covered under the Medicare free health system, by reciprocal agreements.
Ambulances are not covered at all under Medicare, even for Australians. For visitors, ambulance fees should be covered by their Travel Insurance.
It is highly recommended that you take out travel insurance before travelling, and this includes coming to Australia.
The drinking age in Australia is 18. It may be useful to have some photo ID showing your age if you look young.
Drinking and driving is against the law - in general the limit is 0.05. Enforcement of this is rigid.
(to be updated)
(to be updated)
Most big events sell tickets online and over the phone through these companies:
(to be updated)
(to be updated)
Why does Qantas have no U in it?
Which other countries drive on the left hand side of the road?
Was the character of Crocodile Dundee based on a real person?
Where can I find Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter?
Do you really all drink Fosters' Lager?
Thanks to contributions from: Dave Proctor (DP), Stan Feigenbaum, Dave Noble and all others.
Last updated 30 Dec 2001. Enquiries, comments, suggestions, broken links, corrections: dbowen @ custard.net.au
If you'd like information on Australia from a more humorous angle, check out the Toxic Custard Guide To Australia