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Australia Information

Overview

Vast, diverse and enticing, multicultural Australia revels in a Pacific Rim location that drenches it in sunshine and an affable charisma.

Sydney boasts the finest natural harbour in the world, comprising sandstone headlands, white sandy beaches and endless surf. Melbourne’s Victorian grace and easygoing charm belies a dynamic city that hosts the nation’s premier sporting and cultural events. Brisbane, the river city, is gateway to the tropical northeast, Adelaide is an impossibly well laid-out city oozing grandeur, while Perth is young, brash and alluring.

Australia may be an island, but it is also the world’s largest one, encompassing a range of stunning landscapes, from immense, barren deserts to tropical rainforests and rugged mountains. Isolated from other continents, Australia has an abundance of unique plant and animal life recognisable by cuddly koalas, bounding kangaroos and ungainly emus.

One of the country’s greatest lures is its sense of space. A beach, patch of tropical forest or piece of sandy desert all to yourself is an easy reality. Watersports are ferociously popular, especially surfing. The hulking form of Uluru (Ayers Rock), an impossibly large rock plonked in the middle of Australia that soaks up the reds and oranges of the outback’s fiery sun, is Australia’s most iconic image.

Captain Cook stumbled onto Australian shores in 1770 to find an Aboriginal way of life that went back some 40,000 years. By 1868, Britain had sent more than 160,000 convicts to Australia. 

Experiencing the culture of Australia’s indigenous population is one of the great highlights of a visit. Many tensions still exist between mainstream Australia and its indigenous people. The first European settlers treated the Aboriginal population with appalling brutality, which gave way to racist and cruel policies from subsequent administrations. However, the slow march towards reconciliation was given a boost in 2007 with the new government’s promise of a formal apology.

Author

Robin McKelvie

Top Things To See & Do

For the Top Things To See and the Top Things To Do in Australia, please refer to each individual state section.

Going Out

Food and Drink

There are numerous speciality dishes and foods. Seafood is an integral part of the cuisine scene in all its shelled and scaled forms. Production of organic foods is increasing and available in the cities and larger towns. Bush tucker is food from Australia’s endemic flora and fauna and can be lean and quite delicious - kangaroo meat in particular is growing in popularity and should be eaten rare. Australia also offers an enormous variety of cuisines reflecting its ethnic make-up, including Italian, French, Greek, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Thai, Japanese, Indian, African, Lebanese and Korean.

Things to know: Service varies from waitress and waiter service to self-service. Bistros, cafes, family-style restaurants and pub lunches offer good food at reasonable prices. Most restaurants and hotels are licensed to serve alcohol. Some restaurants will allow guests to bring their own alcohol and are called ‘BYO’ restaurants. Licensing hours in public bars are Mon-Sat 1000-2200, however most pubs are open until 2400; Sunday hours vary. Restaurants, clubs and hotel lounges have more flexible hours.

National specialities:
• Sydney rock oysters.
• Barramundi (freshwater fish).
• Moreton Bay bugs (a shellfish).
• Macadamia nuts.
• Kangaroo.

National drinks:
• Australian wine, especially Coonawarra, Clare Valley, Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley and Margaret River.
• Australian beer, including Coopers, Cascade, James Squire, Little Creatures and Matilda Bay.

The major vineyards (wineries) are outside Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide. The largest single wine-growing region is in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, two hours’ drive from Adelaide, where high-quality red and white wines are produced. For further information, visit Australian Wine and Beer (website: www.australianwineandbeer.com).

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: Not as common as it is in Europe and North America, nor is a service charge added to the bill in restaurants. In top-quality restaurants, 10% is usual for food and drink waiters, but is optional elsewhere. With taxis it is usual not to tip, but round up to the next Dollar.

Nightlife

Australian cities have a diverse and enthralling nightlife. There is something to suit all tastes with theatre and performance arts especially good in Sydney and Melbourne. The Sydney Opera House (website: www.sydneyoperahouse.com) regularly hosts the country’s top orchestras and opera companies. Melbourne is Australia’s cultural city and has a nationwide reputation for its live music scene, which includes anything from jazz to folk or rock music. Venues range from premier music-hosting places such as The Forum to backstreet pubs in Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond. Comedy is also popular in Melbourne.

Most cities have a healthy clubbing scene pulling top national and international DJs. Traditional pubs range from huge double-storey monoliths in Western and South Australia, to graceful Victorian edifices in Victoria and New South Wales. Trendy bars attracting the style-conscious are very popular nighttime venues. Melbourne’s central business district is full of hole-in-the-wall bars.

In rural areas the pub is the standard venue for socialising. Local drinking holes off the beaten track tend to be very simple affairs and also very friendly.

Shopping

Special purchases include excellent local wines; wool, clothing, leather and sheepskin products; precious or semi-precious stones; and modern art sculpture and paintings. Indigenous artworks and artefacts are prolific in some parts of the country and paintings, boomerangs, didgeridoos and other objects are on view and for sale in Darwin, Alice Springs and the state capitals; many depict stories from the Dreamtime. Ensure you are purchasing an authentic item, however, as much so-called Aboriginal art is fake, consisting of designs ripped off from the real artists. The best places to buy are outlets supported or owned by Aboriginal communities.

Many cities and towns have small shops devoted to the sale of ‘Australiana’, where Australian souvenirs, ranging from T-shirts to boomerangs, can be bought. The country’s national gemstone, the opal, makes beautiful jewellery and the best places to buy are at or near opal mining towns such as Coober Pedy in South Australia. Towns like Broome in Western Australia grew on the back of pearl diving, and cultured pearls are still sold in large quantities and make popular souvenirs.

Shopping hours: Opening hours for most stores in the cities are Mon-Fri 0900-1730, Sat 0900-1700. Late-night shopping is available Friday to 2100 in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart and Darwin. Late-night shopping is available Thursday at the same times in Sydney, Canberra and Perth. Major stores in some states are open 1000-1600 Sunday. Most supermarkets are open until 2000, and are sometimes 24-hour. Corner stores, restaurants and snack bars are open in most cities until well into the night.

Climate

Australia is in the southern hemisphere and the seasons are opposite to those in Europe and North America. There are two climatic zones: the tropical zone (in the north above the Tropic of Capricorn) and the temperate zone. The tropical zone (consisting of 40% of Australia) has two seasons, summer (‘wet’) and winter (‘dry’), while the temperate zone has all four seasons.

Spring to summer: Warm or hot everywhere, tropical in the north, and warm to hot with mild nights in the south.

Autumn to winter: Northern and central Australia have clear warm days, cool nights; the south has cool days with occasional rain but still plenty of sun. Snow is totally confined to mountainous regions of the southeast.

Drought is becoming more widespread with southeast Queensland, Victoria and South Australia all badly affected.

For further details, including climate statistics, see under individual state entries.

Required Clothing

Lightweights during summer months with warmer clothes needed during the cooler winter period throughout most of the southern states. Lightweight cottons and linens all year in the central/northern states with warm clothes only for cooler winter evenings and early mornings. Sunglasses, sunhats and sunblock lotion are recommended year round in the north and during the summer months in the south.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
26 Jan Australia Day.
21-24 Mar Easter.
25 Apr ANZAC Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2009
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
26 Jan Australia Day.
10-13 Apr Easter.
25 Apr ANZAC Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note

Nationwide holidays only. If these dates fall on a Saturday or Sunday, a day may be given in lieu. There are numerous individual state holidays – see individual state sections for details.

Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: No

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: No

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: No

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: No

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No*

Health Care

There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK, in emergencies only, which allows residents from the UK free hospital treatment. Prescribed medicines, ambulances and treatment at some doctors’ surgeries must be paid for. Personal insurance for illness and accidents is highly recommended for all visitors, including UK nationals.

Note

* A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age entering Australia within six days of having stayed overnight or longer in an infected country.

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Australian Dollar (AUD; symbol A$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of A$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of A$2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.

Currency Exchange

Exchange facilities are available for all incoming and outgoing flights at all international airports in Australia. International-class hotels will exchange major currencies for guests. It is recommended that visitors change money at the airport or at city banks.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

Major credit cards are accepted. Use may be restricted in small towns and outback areas, as is ATM availability.

Traveller's Cheques

Widely accepted in major currencies at banks or large hotels. However, some banks may charge a fee for cashing traveller’s cheques. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in a major currency.

Banking Hours

Mon-Thurs 0930-1600, Fri 0930-1700. These hours may vary slightly throughout the country.

Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: No

Australian

Passport Required: N/A
Visa Required: N/A
Return Ticket Required: N/A

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: No

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: No

Other EU

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: No

Passports

Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in chart above.

Visas

Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
(a) those continuing their journey to a third country (who hold confirmation of booking and documentation to enter country) within eight hours of arriving in Australia.

All other nationals must obtain a transit visa before travel if intending to remain in Australia no longer than 72 hours and a stopover is intended. Transit visas are free of charge.

Note: (a) Not all airports remain open all night; travellers should check with the airline. (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the Department of Immigration at the high commission to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Visa Note

Australian visa regulations (including visa application charges) change from time to time. The information provided here is valid at the time of publication, but visitors should check that this information is still current by visiting the Department of Immigration online (website: www.immi.gov.au) or by calling the Australian Immigration and Citizenship 24-hour Information Service (tel: 0906 550 8900, in the UK; calls cost £1 per minute).

Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visas
The ETA is an electronically stored authority for travel to Australia for tourism, short-term business or elective study purposes, that allows multiple entries for stays of up to three months for people from certain countries (see below). The ETA is valid for 12 months from date of issue, or for the life of the passport if it is less than 12 months. An ETA is invisible and therefore will not show up in your passport.

All nationals referred to in the chart above are eligible for an ETA except: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.

Other types of visa
Visitors not eligible for an ETA, or seeking a longer stay than an ETA offers, may apply for Tourist (Non ETA) and Business Short-stay (Non ETA) visas. 

There are also student visas, employers’ visas for overseas workers and sponsored family visitor visas available; enquire at the Australian high commission.

Types of Visa and Cost

ETAs: Visitor/Short Validity Business: Free of charge. Business Visitor (Long Validity) A$75.

Note: A service fee of A$20 is charged when applying for an ETA online through the DIMIA ETA website. Some travel agents and airlines issuing ETAs also charge a processing fee.

Non-ETAs: Tourist and Business Short-stay visas: A$75.

Visa fees are generally adjusted on 1 January and 1 July each year.

Validity

Visitor ETAs are valid for 12 months from date of issue (or until the passport expires, whichever comes first) and permit multiple entries into Australia for a stay of up to three months on each visit. Short Validity Business ETAs are valid for 12 months from date of issue (or until the passport expires, whichever comes first) with stays of up to three months on each visit and can be used for single or multiple entry travel. Business Visitor (Long Validity) ETAs are valid for 10 years (or the life of the passport) and permit multiple entries for a stay of up to three months for each visit.

For non-ETA visas, the validity varies according to the type of visa, the purpose of the trip and the validity of the passport. Visas are usually valid from three to 12 months. The validity will be stated on the visa label in your passport.

Applications to:

ETA: Authorised travel agents or airlines; by telephone; some nationals may apply online through the main Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) (website: www.eta.immi.gov.au) (Visitor and Short Validity Business ETAs only).

Non-ETA: Australian embassies, high commissions and consulates; see Contact Addresses.

There is a Tourist Short-Stay visa available online (website: www.eta.immi.gov.au) for all nationals referred to in chart above.

Working Days Required

ETA: When issued through DIMIA’s ETA website, or through travel agents or airline offices, usually processed and valid immediately or within three working days.
Non-ETA: 10-15 working days.

Contact Addresses

Note

Addresses of Tourist Representatives for individual states can be found at the head of each state entry.

Australian High Commission in the UK

Australia House, Strand, London WC2B 4LA, UK
Tel: (020) 7379 4334 or 09065 508 900 (immigration and citizenship enquiries; calls cost £1 per minute).
Website: www.uk.embassy.gov.au
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700 (general); 0900-1100 (visa and immigration); 0930-1530 (passport).

Tourism Australia in the UK

Australia Centre, Australia House, 6th Floor, Melbourne Place, Strand, London WC2B 4LG, UK
Tel: (020) 7438 4601.
Website: www.australia.com

Embassy of Australia in the USA

1601 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 797 3000 or 1 888 990 8888 (visa information line).
Website: www.austemb.org

Tourism Australia in the USA

6100 Center Drive, Suite 1150, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
Tel: (310) 695 3200.
Website: www.australia.com

Travel Advice

Warning

Australia is a vast country. Journeys need to be planned, particularly if travelling to remote areas.

Most visits to Australia are trouble-free but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners. The Australian authorities have carried out a number of arrests as a result of investigations into terrorist networks.

Tropical cyclones occur in some parts of Australia, mainly Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia. The cyclone season normally runs from November to April.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

• Australia Overview
• Australia Things to See & Do
• Australia Events
• Australia Climate
• Australia Public Holidays
• Australia Health
• Australia Currency
• Australia Passport & Visas
• Australia Contact Addresses
• Australia Travel Advice