Seasons to Visit: Australia is an all-year round destination but during the summer, December to February it is hot in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland.
Entry Requirements: Passports and Visas. A valid passport is required and everyone needs a visa except for holders of New Zealand and Australian passports. Tourist visas and Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visas are valid for three months. ETAs are just under US$11; standard visas cost US$35. Longer-term visas can be applied for.
Dress: Australians are informal dressers, but for special occasions, such as business meetings, theatres and dining at good restaurants, men may need a jacket and tie or suit and women a more formal dress. Most of the time just keep clothing light and comfortable. Bring a sunhat, sunglasses and suntan lotion if you expect hot weather, but keep a jacket or sweater handy as nights may be cool.
Food/Restaurants: Restaurants are scattered throughout the cities and suburbs, and cater for all kinds of cuisine, including vegetarian, Asian, European and American. They range from the international, upmarket class to pizzerias, buffets and cafes. Australian meals are generally similar to English and American. Due to the multi-cultural composition of Australia, the cuisine of many nations is represented.
Shopping: Special purchase includes excellent local beverages; wool, clothing and sheepskin products; opals; modern art sculpture and paintings. Exhibitions of bark paintings, boomerangs and other tribal objects are on view and for sale in Darwin, Alice Springs and the State Capitals. Many depict stories from the "Dreamtime". 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.
Transportation: There are direct flights from British airports to Australia's international gateways. Sydney, Kingsford Smith (SYD) and Melbourne, Tullamarine (MEL) are the two busiest international airports, with Sydney in particular stretched to the limits of its capacity. Perth (PER), Adelaide, West Beach (ADL), Darwin (DRW), Cairns (CNS) and Brisbane International (BNE) also receive many flights from Asia and Europe. It is not possible to fly directly to the capital city of Canberra from the UK. In addition to taxi and car hire facilities, there are airline, government and private buses operating to and from most of these airports. Sydney also has a rail link operating from Sydney Airport, servicing both the domestic and international terminals. The airport link to central Sydney takes just 12 minutes. Most major car rental companies are located at the above airports, as well as telephone and banking facilities.
Health risks: Sunburn, heat exhaustion, drowning |
