Australien - Australia

AdvarselCOVID-19 Information: Australien har lukket sine grænser på ubestemt tid som svar på Covid-19-pandemi. Der er undtagelser for australske borgere, fastboende, deres nærmeste familier, passagerer, der rejser i mindre end 72 timer, folk, der vender tilbage fra New Zealand og visse andre kategorier. Australske statsborgere og permanente beboere, der genindtræder i Australien, bliver screenet og skal registrere sig inden afgang og isolere sig på et udpeget hotel under politivagt i 14 dage efter ankomsten til Australien, muligvis for din egen regning. Manglende overholdelse af isoleringsforanstaltninger kan resultere i tilbageholdelse i karantæne, betydelige bøder og / eller strafferetlig retsforfølgning.

Fra april 2021 er de eneste statsgrænser, der er lukket, Western Australia til Queenslanders, mens Brisbane er erklæret som en rød zone i det victorianske trafiklyssystem.

Rejse fra New Zealand er nu genoptaget med rejsende, der har tilladelse til at komme ind i visse stater.

Hvis du får lov til at komme ind, har de australske myndigheder en meget no-nonsense tilgang til at håndtere udbrud og kan låse hele byer eller stater med kort varsel som reaktion på dannelse af infektionsklynger, hvilket betyder at du kan sidde fast et sted i uger på ende.

(Oplysninger sidst opdateret 9. april 2021)

Der er ingen andre steder helt ligesom Australien, det eneste land, der har et helt kontinent for sig selv. Med en oprindelig kultur, der varer over 60.000 år og virkelig global indvandring fra Europa, Mellemøsten, Asien og Afrika, er kontinentet berømt for sine naturlige vidundere, vidvinklede rum, strande, ørkener, "bushen" og " Outback". Det er imidlertid også meget urbaniseret med en række kosmopolitiske byer - det største og mest berømte væsen Sydney, beliggende på en af ​​de mest berømte havne i verden.

Regioner

Australiens stater og store motorveje
 New South Wales og Australian Capital Territory(NSW) & (ACT)
Australiens mest folkerige stat har også Sydney, den ældste og største by, og omgiver den specialbyggede hovedstad Canberra. New South Wales kyst er foret med strandsamfund; lidt inde i landet er bjergkæderne Blå og Sneet bjerge; længere inde i landet er der stadig fejende landbrugssletter, der giver plads til outbacken.
 Northern Territory(NT)
Fra de røde ørkener omkring Uluru og Alice Springs op til troperne i Darwin og Kakadu National Park, det nordlige territorium er forbløffende smukt og lettere tilgængeligt, end du måske tror.
 Queensland(QLD)
Queensland er berømt for sit solrige varme vejr og tilbyder kystudforskning fra stemningen i området Guld kyst til troperne i Great Barrier Reef til den travle by Brisbane. Det er også hjemsted for tropiske regnskove Daintree National Parkog ø-resorts i Whitsundays. Indlandet ligger rækkevidden af ​​baglandet, og videre på de store vidder og skønhed i outback Australia.
 Sydaustralien(SA)
Berømt for de gode vine fra Barossa Valley, skønheden ved Flinders Ranges og outback og begivenheder og kultur i Kirkernes by, Adelaide.
 Tasmanien(TAS)
Adskilt fra fastlandet ved Bass Strait har den bjergrige del af Tasmanien den barske skønhed fra Cradle Mountain i vest, strandene i øst og ørkenen i syd. Hobart var stedet for den anden europæiske bosættelse i Australien, og mange historiske steder er godt bevarede.
 Victoria(VIC)
Lille, livlig og med noget for enhver smag, Victoria har dramatiske surfstrande langs den sydvestlige og centrale kyst, grønne rullende landbrugsjord og fotogene nationalparker. Australien og Victoria's sports-, shopping-, mode- og madkapital er Melbourne.
 Vestlige Australien(WA)
En stor stat. Den sydvestlige del indeholder hovedstaden og hovedbyen i Perth. Vinavl og naturskønne destinationer for Margaret River og Albany er mod den sydlige region. Helt nord er troperne og destinationen ved stranden Broome. Små byområder, vejhuse, minesamfund og nationalparker er spredt over de lange afstande imellem.

Øer

Tasmanien er den mest betydningsfulde ø i Australien og en stat i sig selv. Der er over 800 øer i Australien, andre hovedøer inkluderer:

  • 1 Lord Howe Island - Et udstillingsvindue for naturen to timers flyvetid fra Sydney, administreret som en del af staten New South Wales.
  • 2 Norfolk Island - Halvvejs til New Zealand, med natur og strande, administreret som en del af staten New South Wales.
  • 3 Juleøen - Berømt for sin migration af røde krabber. Flyrejser fra Perth og Kuala Lumpur.
  • 4 Cocosøerne - Koralatoller, befolket, tilgængelige med fly fra Perth.
  • 5 Torres Strait Islands - Indfødt kultur mellem Cape York og Papua Ny Guinea og kræver tilladelse fra de traditionelle ejere til at besøge. Flyrejser fra Cairns.
  • 6 Kangaroo Island af Sydaustralien, den tredjestørste ø i Australien, der indeholder dyreliv, natur, vingårde og strande.
  • 7 Rottnest Island - et naturreservat med 63 strande og 20 bugter, beliggende nær Perth og hjemsted for den berygtede Quokka
  • 8 King Island - i basen lige over Tasmanien.
  • 9 Whitsunday Islands er et berømt turistmål

Der er en hel del ubeboede øer inklusive Coral Sea Islands, Houtman Abrolhos, det Ashmore og Cartier Islands og de fjerne antarktiske områder i Heard Island og McDonald Islands og Macquarie Island.

Byer

Sydney bybillede om natten
  • 1 Canberra - Australiens relativt lille, specialbyggede nationale hovedstad er hjemsted for masser af museer
  • 2 Adelaide - "City of Churches", et afslappet syd-australsk alternativ til de store østlige byer
  • 3 Brisbane - hovedstad i solbeskinnet Queensland og port til smukke sandstrande
  • 4 Cairns - port til Great Barrier Reef, Port Douglas, Daintree National Park og mange smukke strande og resorts; et godt sted for folk at komme væk og slappe af
  • 5 Darwin - Australiens tropiske nordlige hovedstad i den øverste ende af det nordlige territorium
  • 6 Hobart - malerisk og stille hovedstad i Tasmanien, stedet for den anden fængselsopgørelse i Australien
  • 7 Melbourne - Australiens næststørste by, Melbourne er landets sports-, shopping-, mad- og kulturhovedstad, samtidig med at den betragtes som Australiens mest europæiske by
  • 8 Perth - den fjerneste kontinentale by på jorden på den sydvestlige kant af det vestlige Australien
  • 9 Sydney - Australiens ældste og største by, berømt for sin maleriske havn og naturlige skønhed

Andre destinationer

De Tolv Apostle
  • 10 Blue Mountains - en bjergrig region i New South Wales, herunder det naturlige træk "Three Sisters"
  • 11 Dandenong Ranges - disse smukke områder tilbyder verdensklasse haver og maleriske landsbyer
  • 12 Great Barrier Reef - se første hånd dette naturlige vidunder, ud for Queenslands kyst og let tilgængeligt fra Cairns
  • 13 Great Ocean Road - en spektakulær kystdrev i Victoria forbi mange naturskønne ikoner, herunder "Twelve Apostles" klipperne, der står i havet
  • 14 Kakadu National Park - outback eventyrrejser, oprindelig kultur og naturaktiviteter i det nordlige territorium
  • 15 Nitmiluk National Park - inkluderer den fantastiske Katherine Gorge tæt på byen Katherine
  • 16 Snehvide bjerge - næsten udelukkende beskyttet inden for nationalparker og hjemsted for en række skisportssteder
  • 17 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park - Uluru (også kendt som Ayers Rock) og Kata Tjuta (Olgas) er ikoniske klippeformationer i "Red Center" midt i den australske ørken
  • 18 Watarrka National Park - mest berømt for Kings Canyon, en mægtig kløft, der når en dybde på 270 meter

Forstå

"Vi er en, men vi er mange, og fra alle jordens lande kommer vi. Vi deler en drøm og synger med én stemme: Jeg er, du er, vi er australske." - The Seekers - Jeg er australsk

Det sjette største land i verden efter område, Australien, har en relativt lille (men voksende) befolkning på 25 millioner. Et G20-medlem, det har høj levestandard og livskvalitet. Det er en vigtig aktør inden for de økonomiske og politiske områder i Stillehavsregionen.

Geografi

Røde kænguruer i det nordlige territorium

Landmassen i Australien er både verdens mindste kontinent og verdens største ø; udgør det meste af Oceanienlandområde.

Australiens nation inkluderer det australske fastland og nogle mindre øer (f.eks Tasmanien). Det er verdens sjette største land med et areal på 7.682.300 km² (2.966.152 kvadrat miles). Det kan sammenlignes i størrelse med de 48 sammenhængende Forenede Stater skønt den har mindre end en tiendedel af befolkningen, med afstanden mellem byer og byer let at undervurdere. Australien grænser mod vest af Det Indiske Ocean, mod syd af det sydlige Ocean og mod øst af Stillehavet. Tasmanhavet ligger mod sydøst og adskiller det fra New Zealand, mens Koralhavet ligger mod nordøst. Papua Ny Guinea, Øst Timor og Indonesien er Australiens nordlige naboer, alle meget tættere end New Zealand, og er adskilt fra Australien ved Arafurahavet og Timorhavet.

Australien er stærkt urbaniseret med det meste af befolkningen stærkt koncentreret langs den østlige og sydøstlige kyst. De fleste af landets indre områder er halvtørre. De mest folkerige stater er New South Wales, Victoria og Queensland, men det største arealmæssigt er Vestlige Australien.

Store dele af Australien er skovryddet for at give plads til landbrug, men mange indfødte skovområder overlever i omfattende nationalparker og andre ubebyggede områder. Langsigtede miljøhensyn i Australien inkluderer vandforvaltning, saltholdighed, forurening, trusler mod biodiversitet fra invasive arter og bevarelse af kystområder, især Great Barrier Reef.

Klima

Som et stort kontinent har Australien en bred vifte af klimaer. Det meste af landet modtager mere end 3.000 solskinstimer om året. Generelt er nord varmt og tropisk, mens syd har tendens til at være subtropisk og tempereret. Mest nedbør er omkring kysten, og meget af centrum er tørre og halvtørre. Dagens maksimale temperaturer i den tropiske by Darwin falder sjældent under 30 ° C (86 ° F) selv om vinteren, mens nattetemperaturer om vinteren normalt svæver omkring 15-20 ° C (59-68 ° F). Australske vintre har en tendens til at være mildere end dem på lignende breddegrader på den nordlige halvkugle, og sne falder aldrig i de fleste dele af landet. Temperaturer i områder med stor højde i nogle sydlige regioner kan falde til under frysepunktet om vinteren (og nogle gange endda om sommeren), og de sneklædte bjerge i det sydøstlige USA oplever meter vintersne. Dele af Tasmanien har et temperaturinterval, der mere ligner det nordlige Californien og det er ikke uhørt, at sne falder i nogle bjergrige regioner i staten.

Da Australien er på den sydlige halvkugle, er vinteren juni-august, mens december-februar er sommer. Vinteren er den tørre årstid i troperne, og sommeren er den våde. I de sydlige dele af landet er den sæsonbestemte temperaturvariation større. Nedbøren er mere jævnt fordelt over året i de sydlige dele af østkysten, mens den i resten af ​​syd ud over Stor opdeling rækkevidde, somrene er tørre med størstedelen af ​​nedbøren om vinteren.

Historie

Se også: Oprindelig arv i Australien, Det britiske imperium, Australian Convict Sites

Aboriginal mennesker har boet i Australien i mindst 65.000 år. De ankom i på hinanden følgende bølger fra syd og sydøst Asien. Med stigende havniveauer efter sidste istid blev Australien stort set isoleret fra resten af ​​verden, og de oprindelige stammer udviklede en række forskellige kulturer baseret på et tæt åndeligt forhold til landet og naturen og udvidet slægtskab. I tusinder af år opretholdt australske aboriginals en jæger-samler-kultur eller (i nogle områder) en semi-stillesiddende kultur i forbindelse med et komplekst kunstnerisk og kulturelt liv, herunder en meget rig tradition for historie og sang.

Det moderne indtryk af australske aboriginere er stort set bygget op omkring et billede af "ørkenfolket", der har tilpasset sig nogle af de hårdeste forhold på planeten (svarende til buskarerne i Kalahari), men mange andre levede i skovklædte og velbårne vandede regioner. Australien leverede et behageligt ophold for størstedelen af ​​de oprindelige folk blandt den rigelige flora og fauna på den australske kyst - indtil europæernes ankomst.

Selvom det er lukrativt kinesisk marked for skaller og bêche de mer (hav agurk) havde opfordret indonesiske fiskere til at besøge det nordlige Australien i århundreder, det var ukendt for europæerne indtil 1600-tallet, da hollandsk handlende til Asien begyndte at 'bumpe' ind på den nordvestlige kyst. Tidlige hollandske indtryk af dette ekstremt hårde, tørre land var ugunstige, og Australien forblev for dem noget af et markeringsskilt, der pegede nordpå til det meget rigere (og mere indbringende) Østindien (det moderne Indonesien). Bevidst udforskning af den australske kyst blev derefter stort set overtaget af franskmændene og briterne. Derfor afspejler stednavne på bugter, forager og floder omkring kysten en række hollandske, franske, britiske og aboriginale sprog.

I 1770 ekspeditionen af ​​Endeavour under kommando af Kaptajn James Cook navigerede og kortlagde Australiens østkyst og kom første landgang kl Botany Bay den 29. april 1770. Cook fortsatte nordpå, og inden han forlod landede han på Possession Island i Torres-strædet ud for Cape York den 22. august 1770. Her hævdede han formelt den østlige kystlinje, han havde opdaget for den britiske krone, idet han kaldte den New South Wales. I betragtning af at Cooks opdagelser ville føre til den første europæiske bosættelse i Australien, bliver han ofte populært opfattet som dens europæiske opdagelsesindehaver, skønt han var forud for mere end 160 år.

En del af den førstnævnte Port Arthur dømme forlig i Tasmanien. Resterne af bosættelsen er en del af 'Australian Convict Sites'indgang på UNESCOs verdensarvsliste.

Efter udforskningsperioden blev den første britiske bosættelse i Australien grundlagt i 1788 på det, der er i dag Sydney, ledet af kaptajn Arthur Philip, som blev den første guvernør i kolonien New South Wales. Processen med kolonisering førte til konflikt med indfødte australiere såvel som sygdomme, som de ikke havde nogen immunitet mod. Deres befolkning faldt gennem meget (dog ikke hele) landet og blev fordrevet af de britiske bosættere. Oprindeligt bestående af de østlige to tredjedele af kontinentet blev kolonien New South Wales senere opdelt i flere separate kolonier. Tasmanien (dengang kendt som Van Diemens Land) blev en separat koloni i 1825, som blev efterfulgt af Sydaustralien i 1836, New Zealand i 1841, Victoria i 1851 og Queensland i 1859. Den vestlige tredjedel af kontinentet blev ikke afviklet af europæere, før briterne etablerede en flådebase i Albany, derefter kendt som King George Sound i 1826. Swan River Colony blev formelt etableret i 1829 på det, der er i dag Perth. Swan River Colony blev omdøbt til "Vestlige Australien"i 1832.

Mens Australien begyndte sin moderne historie som en britisk straffekoloni, var de fleste mennesker, der kom til Australien efter 1788, gratis bosættere, hovedsageligt fra Storbritannien og Irlandog i mindre grad andre europæiske lande som Frankrig og hvad der nu er Tyskland. Dømte bosættelser var for det meste langs østkysten med spredte lommer af fange bosættelser i det vestlige Australien. Staten South Australia blev derimod afgjort helt af gratis bosættere. Mange asiatiske og østeuropæiske mennesker kom også til Australien i 1850'erne under Gold Rush, der startede Australiens første ressourceboom. Selvom en sådan forskelligartet indvandring faldt meget i løbet af de fremmedhadige år i den hvide Australien-politik, hilste Australien fra efterkrigstiden velkommen til en række indvandringsserier fra det kontinentale Europa, Middelhavet og senere Asien og resten af ​​verden og blev et meget forskelligt og multikulturelt samfund i slutningen af ​​det 20. århundrede.

Systemet med separate kolonier blev sammensat til at danne det selvstyrende britiske herredømme over Australien i 1901, hvor hver koloni nu blev en del af Australien, hvor New Zealand fravalgte føderationen. Det nye land udnyttede sine naturressourcer til hurtigt at udvikle sin landbrugs- og fremstillingsindustri og bidrog et betydeligt bidrag (i betragtning af dets lille befolkning) til de allieredes krigsindsats i Første Verdenskrig og Anden Verdenskrig i Europa som en del af de britiske Commonwealth-styrker. Australien blev direkte angrebet i Stillehavskrig. Australske tropper ydede også et værdifuldt, om end undertiden kontroversielt, bidrag til Koreakrigen, det Vietnam-krigen, og Irak Krig. Australian Diggers bevarer et ry som nogle af de hårdeste kamptropper sammen med en stor social ånd.

Australien og Storbritannien vedtog Australia Act i 1986 og sluttede enhver restmagt, som det britiske parlament måtte have haft til at vedtage love for Australien. Den britiske dronning forbliver som statsoverhoved med en (australsk) udnævnt generalguvernør som hendes repræsentant i Australien.

I anden halvdel af det 20. århundrede var der vækst i den oprindelige aktivisme ledsaget af en større vilje fra det generelle samfund til at anerkende både den oprindelige kulturarv (især inden for billedkunst) og den mørkere side af kolonihistorien. Væsentlige områder i landet er vendt tilbage til oprindeligt ejerskab som et resultat af landrettighedsbevægelsen. I 2008 leverede den daværende premierminister Kevin Rudd en officiel undskyldning til det aboriginale folk i parlamentet for de grusomheder begået mod dem af det hvide flertal. En aboriginal ceremoni er også blevet indarbejdet i Australiens statsåbning siden 2008 som hyldest til dets oprindelige arv.

Økonomi

Australien har en velstående vestlig kapitalistisk økonomi med et BNP pr. Indbygger på niveau med andre avancerede økonomier.

Serviceindustrien, inklusive turisme, uddannelse og finansielle tjenester, tegner sig for lidt over halvdelen af ​​det australske bruttonationalprodukt - ca. 60%. Inden for servicesektoren er turisme en af ​​de vigtigste industrier i Australien, da den giver beskæftigelse, bidrager med 73 milliarder dollars til økonomien hvert år og tegner sig for mindst 11% af den samlede eksport.

Primær industri - minedrift og landbrug - har tegnet sig for det meste af Australiens eksport i det 20. og 21. århundrede. Jernmalm og kul er langt den største eksport sammen med hvede, oksekød og uld. Minesektoren er følsom over for den globale efterspørgsel efter jernmalm, hvor begivenheder i de kinesiske og indiske økonomier har direkte indvirkning.

Australien har et omfattende socialsikringssystem og en mindsteløn højere end USA eller Storbritannien. På grund af manglende forsyning er manuelle arbejdere og håndværkere godt betalt i Australien, ofte mere end fagfolk.

Politik

Parlamentets hus i Canberra

Australien har et føderalt regeringssystem med seks stats- og to territoriumregeringer samt en national regering. Det har også flere oversøiske territorier i det indiske og Stillehavet, som får betydelig autonomi og ofte ikke fuldt integreret med resten af ​​Australien. Lovene varierer lidt fra stat til stat, men er for det meste ret ensartede.

Det nationale parlament er baseret på det britiske Westminster-system, hvor nogle elementer hentes fra det amerikanske kongresystem. På føderalt niveau består det af et senat og et repræsentanternes hus. Hvert medlem af Repræsentanternes Hus (i det mindste kendt som et parlamentsmedlem) repræsenterer en valgafdeling med mere folkerige stater, der har flere valgafdelinger og dermed flere parlamentsmedlemmer. På den anden side, i lighed med det amerikanske senat, har hver australsk stat et lige stort antal senatorer, hvor 12 senatorer vælges direkte af folket i hver stat og 2 senatorer hver fra Northern Territory og Australian Capital Territory. Premierministeren er leder af den nationale regering og er leder af det politiske parti (eller koalition af partier), der har flest medlemmer i Repræsentanternes Hus.

Dronning Elizabeth II af Det Forenede Kongerige er også dronning af Australien og statsoverhoved og er repræsenteret i Australien af ​​generalguvernøren. Dronningens og generalguvernørens roller er stort set ceremonielle, og premierministeren udøver den mest autoritet i regeringen. En folkeafstemning om at ændre Australien til en republik blev besejret i 1999 (ideen om at erstatte dronningen med en politisk udpeget var ikke for de fleste australieres smag). Republikanisme i Australien forbliver et regelmæssigt samtalepunkt, omend lavt på listen over reelle prioriteter.

Australiens kabinet fungerer som den udøvende myndighed og ledes af premierministeren, der udpeger sine kabinetsministre blandt medlemmerne af begge parlamentsmedlemmer. Den retlige afdeling er toppet af High Court of Australia, der erstattede UK Privy Council som den højeste appelret i 1986.

Stats- og territoriumregeringer er organiseret på samme måde som den nationale regering med et statsparlament, der fungerer som lovgiver, en premierminister (Chief Minister in the territories), der tjener som leder af statsregeringen og dets eget retsvæsen. Der er også en guvernør for hver stat, der tjener som dronningens repræsentant i en mest ceremoniel rolle.

De to store politiske partier i Australien er det australske Labour Party (ALP eller bare "Labour") og Liberal Party, der opererer i koalition med National Party (kaldet "Koalitionen"). Der er mindre partier som De Grønne og uafhængige. Liberal Party er et konservativt center-højre-parti, hvor udtrykket "liberal" henviser til en fri markedsøkonomi. Labour Party er centrum-venstre.

Kultur

Australien har en multikulturel befolkning, der praktiserer næsten enhver religion og livsstil. Over en fjerdedel af australierne blev født uden for Australien, og en anden fjerdedel har mindst en udenlandsfødt forælder. Stort set alle store australske byer og byer afspejler indvandringen fra Europa, Asien, Mellemøsten og Stillehavet, der opstod efter Anden Verdenskrig og fortsatte ind i 1970'erne. I det halve århundrede efter krigen voksede Australiens befolkning fra omkring 7 millioner til lidt over 20 millioner mennesker. Byerne Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane og Perth er kulturelt meget forskellige og hjemsted for samfund, der stammer fra alle hjørner af kloden.

I alle større byer finder du en bred vifte af kvalitet af globale fødevarer tilgængelige i mange restauranter. Melbourne promoverer sig især som et center for kunsten, mens Brisbane promoverer sig selv gennem forskellige multikulturelle bybyer. Adelaide er kendt for at være et centrum for festivaler og for tyske kulturelle indflydelser, mens Perth er kendt for sin mad- og vinkultur, perler, ædelstene og ædle metaller og den internationale frynsekunstfestival. Mindre landdistrikter afspejler generelt stadig et flertal anglo-keltiske kulturer ofte med en lille aboriginal befolkning. De fleste landdistrikter byder stadig besøgende velkommen og har generelt en historie og lokale produkter at dele.

Melbournes Kina-by

Der er cirka en halv million australiere, der identificerer sig som aboriginere, der bor overalt i landet i byer og i landlige aboriginale samfund. Selvom det ikke er særlig indlysende for en ny besøgende, er der mange muligheder og kulturelle aktiviteter for folk, der ønsker at udforske den oprindelige kultur.

I modsætning til den populære mytologi er efterkommere fra de oprindelige flåder af britiske fanger et mindretal, og selv i løbet af årene med transport overgik gratis bosættere mindst fem til en. Ikke desto mindre ses det som et æresmærke for nogen at være 'australske kongelige' ved at være nedstammer fra en fange, hvor ringe denne forbindelse end måtte være.

Australiere kan være mere socialt konservative end nogle europæiske kulturer, men har tendens til at være afslappede i deres religiøse overholdelse. Adressemetoder er afslappede og velkendte, og de fleste australiere har tendens til at henvende sig til dit fornavn fra første kontakt og forventer, at du gør det samme med dem.

Helligdage

Fyrværkeri over Perth for at markere Australiens dag

De nationale helligdage i Australien er:

  • 1. januar: Nytårsdag
  • 26. januar: Australia Day, der markerer årsdagen for den første flådes landing i Sydney Cove i 1788.
  • Påske weekend ("Langfredag", "Påskelørdag", "Påskesøndag" og "Påskedag"): en fire dages lang weekend i marts eller april fastlagt efter de vestlige kristne datoer. Mange australiere rejser i påskehelgen, så forvent at hotelværelser og billetkort sælger måneder i forvejen.
  • 25. april: ANZAC Day (Australien og New Zealand Army Corps), der ærer militære veteraner
  • Anden mandag i juni: Dronningens fødselsdagsferie (fejret i det vestlige Australien i september, hvor WA observerer Fundamentets dag en uge tidligere)
  • 25. december: Juledag
  • 26. december: Anden juledag

Mange stater observerer Labor Day, men på forskellige dage. De fleste stater har en eller to ekstra statlige helligdage med Victoria og Sydaustralien have en fridag til et hestevæddeløb (The Melbourne Cup og The Adelaide Cup). Western Australia har Foundation Day typisk den første mandag i juni (anerkender statens grundlæggelse siden 1829), men fejrer også dronningens fødselsdag på en anden dato end resten af ​​landet, enten i slutningen af ​​september eller begyndelsen af ​​oktober på grund af den sædvanlige juni-dato er så tæt på Foundation Day.

Når en offentlig helligdag falder på en lørdag eller søndag, erklæres den følgende mandag (og tirsdag, hvis det er nødvendigt) normalt helligdage i stedet for, selvom festlighederne og detaillukningerne finder sted på selve dagen. De fleste turistattraktioner er lukket juledag og langfredag. Supermarkeder og andre butikker kan åbne i begrænsede timer på nogle helligdage og på helligdage i stedet for, men er næsten altid lukket 1. juledag (25. december), langfredag, påskedag og ANZAC-morgen.

Bortset fra officielle helligdage er der også dage af national eller regional kulturel betydning, der lige så godt kan være helligdage som:

  • AFL Grand Final: Mesterskabskampen i den australske fodboldliga og den mest sete begivenhed til stadighed i den australske sportskalender. Forventer, at alle pubber skal være fyldt med folk, der ser spillet, mens mange mennesker holder store overvågningsfester i deres hjem. Afholdes den sidste lørdag i september eller første lørdag i oktober.
  • NRL Grand Final: Mesterskabskampen i National Rugby League. Særligt populær i Queensland og New South Wales. Afholdes normalt den sidste søndag i september eller første søndag i oktober.

Højeste ferietider

De fleste attraktioner i Australien forbliver åbne året rundt, nogle opererer med en reduceret frekvens eller kortere timer i lavsæsonen. Mange attraktioner (men ikke alle) er lukket på jul og nytårsdag.


Sommerskoleferie start før jul og varer hele januar, og det betragtes som den travleste og dyreste tid at besøge. Feriehuse på strande bookes ofte ud måneder før og opkræver en betydelig præmie. Den lange Påske weekend kan også have travlt, da forældre tager deres børn ud for sidste gang inden vinteren ankommer.

Australske teenagere fejrer slutningen af ​​skolen i slutningen af ​​november og begyndelsen af ​​december i de 3 uger, der er kendt som schoolies. Mængden af ​​teenagere kan helt ændre karakteren af ​​nogle af de byer, de vælger at besøge, især kystbyer som Byron Bay i New South Wales, Guld kyst i Queensland og forskellige lokaliteter langs Mornington-halvøen i Victoria.

Tid

Australien kan have op til fem forskellige tidszoner i sommertid og fire på andre tidspunkter. Tidszonegrænser følger ikke altid statens grænser. For eksempel byen Broken Hill, skønt den i New South Wales følger South Australia-tiden, og Norfolk Island har sin egen tidszone på trods af at være en del af New South Wales.

Tidszoner i Australien fra GMT

I øst har Tasmanien, New South Wales og Victoria altid samme tid. Queensland overvåger ikke sommertid, så det er en time bag de andre østlige stater i denne periode.

I centrum, Broken Hill (NSW), South Australia og The Northern Territory er en halv time bagud om vinteren, men det nordlige territorium observerer ikke sommertid, mens South Australia og Broken Hill gør det. I dagslys forbliver South Australia en halv time bag New South Wales, Victoria og Tasmania, men bevæger sig en halv time foran Queensland. Northern Territory forbliver en halv time bag Queensland, men bevæger sig en og en halv time bag New South Wales, Victoria og Tasmanien.

I vest er Western Australia to timer bag de østlige stater om vinteren og overholder heller ikke sommertid. Det bevæger sig tre timer bag de østlige stater, der observerer sommertid (resterende to timer bag Queensland).

Der er ingen officielle forkortelser eller navne for australske tidszoner, og du kan muligvis se nogle få anvendte variationer. EST, CST, WST sammen med EDT, CDT bruges undertiden. Undertiden AEST osv. Med 'A' præfikset, der adskiller dem fra de nordamerikanske tidszoner med de samme navne.

I de stater, der observerer sommertid, begynder den den første søndag i oktober og slutter den første søndag i april.

Stat / territoriumStandardtidSommertid
Heard og McDonald IslandsUTC 5Ikke relevant
Cocos (Keeling) øerneUTC 6.5Ikke relevant
JuleøenUTC 7Ikke relevant
Vestlige AustralienUTC 8Ikke relevant
Sydaustralien og Broken HillUTC 9.5UTC 10.5
Northern TerritoryUTC 9.5Ikke relevant
QueenslandUTC 10Ikke relevant
New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmanien, det HANDLING og Jervis Bay TerritoryUTC 10UTC 11
Lord Howe IslandUTC 10.5UTC 11
Norfolk IslandUTC 11Ikke relevant

Strøm

I plug Chinese.jpg

Strømforsyningsspændingsstandarden er 230 V med et type I-stik (vinklede strømførende / neutrale stifter med lige jord). Populært omtalt som en "to-fyrre volt stikkontakt". Hotellets badeværelser har ofte en type C- og A-stik mærket "kun til barbermaskiner", der nedkonverteres til 110 V for en nordamerikansk stikkontakt til barbermaskiner. Spænding er kompatibel med Europa, og du skal bare bruge et konverteringsstik, der kan fås fra supermarkeder og dagligvarebutikker (såvel som lufthavnen). Fra Nordamerika eller andre 110 V-lande skal du kontrollere dit apparat for spændingstolerancer, inden du bruger et konverteringsstik.

Se også

Emner i Australien

 Australiens store ting
 Australian Convict Sites
 Australsk slang
 Kørsel i Australien
 Golf i Australien
 Gondwana regnskove i Australien
 Drue græsning i Australien
 Oprindelig australsk kultur
 Togrejser i Australien
 Sydney med børn
 Sporvogne i Melbourne
 Vintersport i Australien

Tale

Se også: Engelsk sprogvarianter

Det engelsk sprog tales og forstås universelt i Australien. Australsk engelsk som almindelig talt er karakteristisk i accent og udtryk. Det udviklede sig for det meste fra talen i Det Forenede Kongerige i slutningen af ​​det 18. og det tidlige 19. århundrede.

Ikke desto mindre, da Australien er en global smeltedigel, især i de større byer, vil du støde på kulturer og høre sprog fra hele verden, og du vil ofte finde områder og forstæder, der overvejende afspejler sproget i deres respektive indvandrersamfund. Foreign languages are taught at school, but students rarely progress past the basics.

Australian English generally follows British spelling conventions and vocabulary choices, although it is also known for its own colour and colloquialisms. People in rural areas may have a broader accent, using some of the slang words that have become outmoded in metropolitan areas, while highly educated urban dwellers sometimes use a cultivated accent similar to that of their British equivalents. Australian slang should not present a problem for tourists except possibly in some isolated outback areas. Australians understand different varieties of English, and you may look foolish in your attempts at the local slang.

There is little regional variation in Australian English, although accents tend to be broader outside of the large cities, and the pronunciation of certain words like "dance" and "chance" varies between regions. Most regional differences come down to word usage. For example, swimming clothes are known as cossies eller swimmers in New South Wales, togs in Queensland, and bathers in Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia. Many indigenous communities around Australia and the Torres Strait Islands speak English as a second language.

It is rare to find signs in a second language, except in urban areas with a high population of Asian immigrants and students, where signs and restaurant menus in Vietnamesisk og Chinese are a common sight; and also around Cairns og Gold Coast in Queensland where some signs (but not road signs) are written in Japansk eller Chinese, due to the large number of tourists. Some warning signs at beaches are written in several foreign languages.

Visitors who do not speak basic English will find communicating with Australians difficult, and should do some advance planning. Some tour companies specialise in offering package deals for Australian tours complete with language guides.

Fewer than 150 Aboriginal languages are still in daily use, spoken by as little as 42,300 people, particularly those living in rural outback communities, and those in the Torres Strait Islands. There are initiatives to revive the languages within Australia's large Aboriginal community, however given the significant differences between the languages (many can't be proven to relate to one another) that continues to prove a challenge. Learning an Aboriginal language will be useful only in specific local areas. Almost all Aboriginal people speak English as well, although residents of some remote communities may not be fluent in the language.

The standard sign language is Auslan (standing for Australian Sign Language). When a sign interpreter is present for a public event, he or she will use Auslan. Users of British and New Zealand Sign Languages will be able to understand much, though not all, of the language. Auslan and NZSL are largely derived from BSL, and all three languages use the same two-handed manual alphabet. Users of sign languages that have different origins (such as the French Sign Language family, which also includes American and Irish Sign Languages) will not be able to understand Auslan.

Hop ind

Visa policy of Australia

Entry requirements

All visitors - apart from citizens of New Zealand - require a visa in advance of travel.

If you are visiting for a holiday of less than 90 days, there are three types of visas you may apply for, depending on your nationality.

Like the ETA and eVisitor, a Visitor 600 is by default issued for a three month stay. Unlike the other options however, a 600 visa can be issued for a longer stay of up to one year. For more than a three month stay, you will likely be asked for supporting documentation about the reason for your visit and your ties to your country of origin and may need to attend an interview. Depending on your nationality, the embassy or visa processing centre may also require you to have an Australian sponsor before issuing the visa. The fee is $140. ETAs and eVisitors are valid for multiple entries within a 12-month period. If you're eligible for either, it may be easier to stay the three months you're allowed, go to New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand or some other country reachable by a low cost airline for a few days and come back - restarting the 90-day clock. Doing this more than once, however, may cause immigration authorities to become suspicious, so proceed with caution if you pursue this route.
There is a special arrangement for parents of Australians, including Australian permanent residents. The 600 visa can be valid for 18 months, three years, or five years and allow a maximum stay of 12 months during an 18-month period, depending on the circumstances.

In most cases, ETAs and eVisitors are approved instantly and the visa will be issued and available for use immediately. If further enquiries are needed you may be asked to return to the application system later to see if you've been approved. Over 90% are processed the same day. In the worst-case scenario your application can be diverted for manual checks that can take months. if you have a complex national history, or any criminal record (including minor offences) you should allow plenty of time for the application.

If you are visiting Australia to work, study or for medical treatment, check to make sure you have the right kind of visa, as a tourist visa may not be sufficient. Breaching the conditions or planning to breach the conditions of your visa will result in visa cancellation, deportation, and/or a period of exclusion.

For all tourist visa classes you must be able to demonstrate your ability to support yourself financially for the time you intend to spend in Australia and meet character requirements. If you have a criminal conviction, contact an Australian Embassy or visa processing centre before applying or making travel arrangements.

New Zealand citizens may travel to Australia without a pre-arranged visa. They may apply for a Special Category New Zealand Citizen visa (subclass 444) when they arrive and it will be granted on the spot if they have no criminal conviction or tuberculosis. This visa allows them to live, work and study in Australia for as long as they like. New Zealand citizens with criminal convictions or tuberculosis may be denied this visa and should seek advice from an Australian diplomatic mission before travel. Non-citizen permanent residents of New Zealand are ikke eligible for this visa and should apply for a visa based on the passport they hold.

Inorganic powder limitation

Passengers on transit through Australia are prohibited to carry more than 350 ml or 350 grams of inorganic powder into aircraft's cabins.

If you are transiting through Australia, remain airside for a maximum of 8 hours, have a confirmed onward booking, have the correct entry documentation for the onward destination and are a citizen of New Zealand, the European Union, Andorra, Argentina, Brunei, Canada, Cypern, det Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Island, Indonesien, Japan, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, Norge, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Filippinerne, South Africa, det Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakiet, Slovenien, Solomon Islands, Sydkorea (ROK), Schweiz, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Forenede Arabiske Emirater, Det Forenede Kongerige (regardless of nationality status), the Forenede Stater, Vanuatu eller Vatikanet, you do ikke need to apply for any advance visa. All other passengers who transit through Australia must apply for a free-of-charge Transit Visa (subclass 771) before travel.

At selected airports, visitors who are citizens of Canada, Irland, New Zealand, Singapore, Schweiz, det Det Forenede Kongerige og Forenede Stater may make use of the SmartGate for automated immigration clearance when entering Australia. Being able to use SmartGate does not exempt you from visa requirements.

Customs and quarantine

Australia has strict quarantine requirements regarding importing animal and plant derived products (any food, wooden products, seeds, etc.) You must declare all such material, even if the items are permitted. Baggage is frequently scanned and may be examined by dogs. You may be fined $220 on-the-spot if you accidentally fail to declare, or even prosecuted in serious cases. Declared material will be examined and, depending on the circumstances, may be retained, disposed of, returned to you, or treated by quarantine at your expense. (You may have to pick the item up at a later time.) Processed and sealed chocolates and other confectionery are usually permitted after being declared and examined, as are reasonable quantities of infant formula with an accompanying infant. Different rules apply depending on the origin country of foods, and the state in which you are entering Australia. Check with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources for more details.

Travellers who are 18 years old or older are allowed to bring up to 2.25 litres of alcoholic beverages and up to 25 cigarettes or 25 grams of other tobacco products (including cigars) into Australia duty-free. These items may not be imported by anybody under the age of 18, and travellers who exceed their duty free allowance are liable to tax on all goods of that category, not just the amount in excess of the limit.

Some shells, coral and items made from a protected species are also prohibited to discourage the trade in items that may originate from a threatened ecosystem or species.

While there are no restrictions on the amount of penge that can be brought in or out, Australian customs also requires you to declare if you are travelling with $10,000 or more (AUD or its equivalent in foreign currency) and you will be asked to complete some paperwork. Not declaring may expose you to a fine, possible seizure of the cash, or in the worst case even arrest.

Med fly

Qantas landing at Sydney Airport

Australia is a long way from anywhere else in the world, so for most visitors the only practical way of getting into Australia is by air.

Australia's major points of entry, in decreasing order of importance, are the airports in Sydney (SYD IATA), Melbourne (MEL IATA), Brisbane (BNE IATA) and Perth (PER IATA). There are also limited international services into Adelaide, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin and the Gold Coast.

Sydney is a 3-hour flight from Auckland, New Zealand, a 7-11 hour flight from many countries in Asia, a 14-hour flight from the west of the United States and Canada, a 14-hour flight from Johannesburg, a 13-16 hour flight from Sydamerika, and up to a 24-hour flight from western Europa (including a stopover). On account of long journey times from some destinations, most travellers from Europe must have a stop-over, commonly in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Doha, Bangkok eller Kuala Lumpur. Since March 2018, Qantas operates a nonstop flight from London Heathrow to Perth taking "only" 17 hours — the first ever regular nonstop route between Europe and Australia, and plans to start a flight from Brisbane to Chicago in April 2020. Qantas also has plans to introduce more ambitious non-stop routes from Sydney to London and New York later.

If you have to change to a domestic flight in a gateway city, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth all have separate domestic terminals, requiring some time and complexity to transit: check the guides. Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin, Cairns and the Gold Coast all have gates in the en terminal building or within easy walking distance of each other.

Australia's national carrier is Qantas, which together with its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar operate many flights into Australia from all 6 inhabited continents of the world. Virgin Australia flies several routes from North America, south-east Asia and the Pacific islands into Australia. For those coming from Europe, Singapore Airlines and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific make good alternatives to Qantas, British Airways or the Gulf airlines for flights into Australia. Some routes into Australia are operated by discount airlines such as AirAsia X, AirAsia Indonesia, Scoot and Jetstar Airways.

Private aviation

Private aviation companies such as Australia Jet Charter og JetCorpAustralia offer direct private flights year-round using a variety of aircraft. Popular airports for charter jets include Sydney Bankstown Airport, Gold Coast Airport, and Melbourne Essendon Airport.

By boat

Cruise ships are available mostly in the November to February cruising season, and there are usually about 10 ships that arrive in Australia from other countries during this time. You can cruise to Australia, and then fly home. Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean all offer cruises to Australia across the Pacific.

You may sail to Australia in your own yacht, just make sure you submit the right paperwork to Border Force, and arrive at an approved port of entry.

There are no international ferry services operating.

By overland transport

There was a time when a couple of tour operators offered overland trips from London to Sydney, with only a short hop by air from South East Asia to North Western Australia while the bus went by barge. The only such tour operator is Madventure which runs 4 different routes: 26 weeks through Iran, Pakistan, and India; 26 weeks through the Caucasus & Central Asia; 64 weeks around Africa, the Middle East, & South Asia; and 64 weeks through Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, & Central Asia.

For those determined to travel overland as much as possible from Europe, you can travel independently to Singapore from Europe by train and/or bus on scheduled services, and fly from there to Perth (3,500 flight kilometres). For the truly determined overland traveller, you can get a ferry from Singapore to Indonesia and make your way across to Bali, where you can fly to Darwin (2,000 flight kilometres). For the intrepid, ferries to West Timor, a bus to Dili and a flight to Darwin will mean only 700 km in the air.

Travel to Darwin by cargo ship/ barge by ANL and Swire (the only two routine cargo haulers between Dili and Darwin) is not permitted (June 2016). For determined travellers, you may be able to obtain passage from Singapore by freighter vessel, organized through a travel agent.

Komme omkring

Australia is huge but sparsely populated over much of its area, and you can sometimes travel many hours before finding the next trace of civilisation, especially once you leave the south-eastern coastal fringe.

Almost all modern Australian maps, including street directories, use the Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA) as their grid reference, which is for all purposes identical to the WGS84 used by the GPS. You can locate most things on an Australian map or street directory if you just have the "GPS coordinates".

Quarantine

There are restrictions on carrying fruit and vegetables (including honey) between states and even between regions of states that are involved in fruit growing. If you are driving long distances or interstate, or flying between states, don't stock up on fruits and vegetables.

Med bil

See also: Driving in Australia
The Great Ocean Road
Part of the Stuart Highway in Central Australia

Australia has a generally well-maintained system of roads and highways, and cars are a commonly used method of transport. All the mainland state capitals are linked to each other by sealed highways. Some parts are dual carriageway but many sections are one lane each way with occasional overtaking lanes around every 5-20 km depending on the state. Roads linking minor centres (or what can look like short-cuts on the map) can be narrow or gravel roads.

Major hazards on Australian roads are wildlife and large trucks. Be sure to take extra care when driving at dusk or in the dark, as the risk of animal collisions increases significantly. Major regional areas have sealed (paved) dual-lane roads, but isolated areas may have poorly maintained dirt roads or even tracks. Distances and speeds are specified in kilometres and fuel is sold by the litre. There are no tolls on roads or bridges outside of the urban areas of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. While public transport is usable in the cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, a car is handy, sometimes even essential, to get around anywhere else.

Australia drives on the left. Overseas visitors who are used to driving on the right should take care when they first drive, and again when they are driving on country roads with little traffic.

Generally, overseas licenses are valid for driving in Australia for three months after arrival. If the licence is not in English, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required in addition to your licence. Licensing regulations and road rules vary slightly from state to state.

Australia's low population density and large size makes for long driving times between major centres.

The maximum speed limit on most rural Australian roads is 100 km/h. Sometimes this is increased to 110 km/h especially in WA, NT and NSW. Average speed is seldom above 80 km/h due to the poor road conditions and limited overtaking opportunities. On some national highways that traverse mountain ranges and travel through small towns, even averaging 60 km/h can be a challenge.

While major highways are well serviced, anyone leaving sealed (paved) roads in inland Australia should take advice from local authorities, check weather and road conditions, and carry sufficient spare fuel, spare parts, spare tyres, matches, food and water. Some remote roads might see one car per month or less.

Cellular coverage is non-existent outside of national highways and towns and you should take some precautions in case of emergency.

Heat and dehydration at any time of year can kill you. If stranded, stay with your vehicle and do what you can to improve your visibility from the air. Do not take this advice lightly; even local people die out there when their car breaks down and they are not reported missing. If you do have to abandon your car (say you break down and then get a lift), call in quickly to the local police station, to avoid the embarrassment and cost of a search being started for you.

Car rental

Major cities around Australia have multiple outlets providing a wide range of rental vehicles from major international rental companies. In smaller towns car rental can be difficult to find. One-way fees often apply from smaller regional outlets.

Smaller cars you can hire can be manual (stick-shift), whereas anything larger will mostly be automatic.

If you do not hold an Australian driving licence, some rental vehicle companies will require you to take a free driver knowledge test, aimed at tourists, that covers the basic road rules, or will take you on a short drive to assess whether you are competent behind the wheel.

Campervans

EN campervan is a vehicle, usually a minivan, converted into a motorhome (recreational vehicle), most often catering to the vast number of young European and American backpackers traversing the country. The East Coast from Sydney to Cairns is especially abundant with happy, hungover youths travelling around in these vehicles. Driving in Australia has more information on renting or buying a campervan.

Med taxa

Larger towns and cities have taxi services. Uber, DiDi and Ola are available in major cities. There are several smartphone taxi booking applications such as myDriver, GoCatch that make finding a licensed taxi simple.

Outside of cities, towns may have a limited taxi service. Maybe one or two drivers who may be part time. Smaller or remote towns may have no service at all.

When travelling alone, it is customary for a passenger to sit in the front passenger seat, next to the driver, rather than in the back. However, if you prefer to sit in the back then it isn't really a problem.

Med fly

Qantas and Jetstar aircraft at Melbourne Airport

Due to the large distances involved, flying is a well-patronised form of travel in Australia. Services along the main business travel corridor (Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane) are run almost like a bus service, with flights leaving every 15 minutes during the day.

The best fares are almost always available on the most competitive routes, whereas routes to remote destinations with fewer flights tend to be more expensive. Qantas actually do often offer competitive prices, so don't ignore that option just because they are the national carrier. There are only a handful of main airlines in Australia, so it won't take long to compare their prices on domestic routes:

  • Qantas, the full-service national carrier, flying to major cities and some larger regional towns;
  • Virgin Australia, a nationwide full-service airline, flying to major cities and a few larger regional towns;
  • Jetstar, Qantas's discount arm with limited service and assigned seating.

Several airlines service regional destinations. Expect discounts on these airlines to be harder to come by, and for standard airfares to be above what you would pay for the same distance between major centres.

  • Qantaslink, the regional arm of Qantas, covering the smaller cities in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia;
  • Regional Express, covering larger towns & cities on the eastern seaboard and in country South Australia;
  • Skywest, covering regional Western Australia, Bali and Darwin;
  • Airnorth, covering the Northern Territory;
  • Skytrans Airlines, covering regional Queensland.
  • Sharp Airlines, covering several regional towns in Victoria and South Australia.

Charters

See also: Generel luftfart

Scheduled aviation only flies to a handful of the thousands of airports around Australia. There are numerous options to charter aircraft that may take you direct to smaller country towns or even offshore islands. The costs can be comparable to scheduled airlines if there are 3 or more people flying in a group. The Australian Private Pilots Licence permits private pilots to carry passengers and to recover the cost of the plane hire and fuel from passengers, but not to advertise for passengers or fly commercially. That said, if you check the web pages of local flying clubs, there are always private pilots willing to fly on a fine weekend if someone is willing to put in for the cost of the plane and fuel.

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See also: Rail travel in Australia, Across Australia by train
Map of the main inter-city rail lines in Australia

Visitors from areas with well-developed long distance rail systems such as Europe and Japan may be surprised by the lack of high-speed, inter-city rail services in Australia. A historical lack of cooperation between the states, combined with sheer distances and a relatively small population to service, have left Australia with a national rail network that is relatively slow and used mainly for freight. Nevertheless, train travel between cities can be very scenic and present opportunities to see new aspects of the country, and can be a cost-effective way to get to regional towns and cities, which tend to have more expensive flights than those between the state capitals.

The long-distance rail services that do exist are mainly used to link regional townships with the state capital, such as Bendigo to Melbourne, or Cairns to Brisbane. In Queensland, a tilting train operates from Brisbane to Rockhampton and Brisbane to Cairns (Spirit of Queensland). Queensland also has passenger services to inland centres including Longreach (The Spirit of the Outback), Mount Isa (The Inlander), Charleville (The Westlander) and Forsayth (The Savannahlander). There are also inter-city train services operated by Great Southern Railways on the Melbourne-Adelaide (The Overland), Sydney-Adelaide-Perth (Indian Pacific) and Adelaide-Alice Springs-Darwin (The Ghan). However, these are not "high-speed" services and actually cost more than flying, so if you do not enjoy train travel as part of your holiday then this is probably not for you.

Tasmania has no passenger rail services. The Northern Territory has the rail line linking Darwin to Adelaide through Alice Springs only, and the Australian Capital Territory has a single railway station close to the centre of Canberra.

Long distance train operators

Indian Pacific
  • Great Southern Railways - A private train operator running luxury tourist train services, The Ghan, The Indian Pacific and The Overland between Sydney, Broken Hill, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Darwin, Perth and Melbourne.
  • NSW Trainlink Regional - Links Sydney to Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra, and regional connections to most New South Wales towns, including Dubbo, Coffs Harbourog Wagga Wagga.
  • V/Line - Train & coach services in Victoria, including combined Train and Coach services between Melbourne and Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra.
  • Queensland Rail - Long distance passenger train services in Queensland, including its flagship Spirit of Queensland service between Brisbane and Cairns.
  • The Savannahlander - A privately-run train service that links Cairns with the outback town of Forsayth, using old heritage trains, and providing overnight accommodation and tours on the way.
  • TransWA - State government run, operating train services to Kalgoorlie og Bunbury. TransWA also operates coach services to much of the state where former rail services operated in the past, especially the South West of the state.

Rail passes

No rail pass includes all train travel throughout Australia. However, if you are a train buff that intends travelling extensively by rail, there are some passes that may save you money. Plan your trip carefully before investing in a rail pass. Country train services are infrequent and can arrive at regional destinations at unsociable hours.

  • Discovery Pass. Use any NSW Trainlink services (trains and coaches). Get anywhere in NSW, and north to Brisbane and south to Melbourne.
  • Queensland Rail Coastal Pass and Queensland Rail Explorer Pass.

Local public transport

A suburban train in Sydney
Melbourne is well served by an extensive tram network.

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Wollongong og Newcastle have train and bus services integrated into the city public transport, with trams also running in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney, and ferries in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. The remaining capital cities have bus services only. See those city guides articles for public transport details.

Some regional cities and towns have local bus services, but see the destination guides for service information, as frequency can be poor and weekend and evening services non-existent.

By motorail

Australia had a tradition of motorail, allowing you to carry carry your car with you on special car carriages attached to the back of the train. This service is now only available on Great Southern Railways between Adelaide, Perth, and Darwin. You cannot remove your car at any of the intermediate stations.

Med bus

Bus travel in Australia is cheap and convenient, although the distances involved for interstate connections are daunting. Greyhound has the largest bus route network. There are no bus services from the other capital cities to Perth.

By boat

Det Spirit of Tasmania II at Port Melbourne

Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth have ferries as part of their public transport system. Some smaller roads in the regional areas still have punts to carry cars across rivers and canals. The islands of the Barrier Reef have some scheduled services, and there are a few cruises that cross the top of Australia as well.

However, large inter city ferry services are not common.

  • The Spirit of Tasmania. The only long distance ferry route connects Tasmania to the mainland and carries cars and passengers on the route across Bass Strait daily between Melbourne and Devonport.
  • Sealink connects Kangaroo Island, Australia's second largest southern island to mainland South Australia with regular car ferries.
  • Sea SA offers an short cut across the Spencer Gulf between Adelaide (Wallaroo) and the Lucky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula. The service has been suspended frequently, but is operating as of Dec 2018.

Med tommelfingeren

It is legal to hitch hike in some states in Australia, so long as certain guidelines are followed. However, it is less commonly done than in neighbouring New Zealand. In Australia hitch hiking is often frowned upon by locals and police, especially in metropolitan areas.

Hitch hiking is illegal in Victoria and Queensland. It is also illegal to stand on the verge or walk along freeways (often called "motorways" in New South Wales and Queensland) in all states (effectively making hitch hiking illegal in many practical places, in all states).

If forced to hitch hike due to an emergency you may find a motorist willing to take you to the nearest town to obtain help. (Many major inter-city highways and freeways have emergency telephone units to request help.)

It is common to see a tourist hitching in rural areas. The best time to hitch hike is early morning. The best location is near, but not on, the main exit from the town you are in.

På cykel

Cycling the long distances between towns in Australia is not common, and most long distance highways in Australia have poorly developed facilities for cyclists. for example, to cycle between Sydney and Brisbane you would have to allow 2–3 weeks with around 80–100 km per day.

Intrepid travellers do manage to cover the longer distances by bicycle, and have a different experience of Australia. Long distance cyclists can be encountered on the Nullarbor and other isolated highways.

In some states, former railway lines have been changed into rail trails. Rail Trail Australia website has good material of routes off the main highways, with the Murray to the Mountains Train being the best quality trail with the most to see and do along the route. In Western Australia long distance cycle trails have been developed for mountain bikers. The Munda Biddi trail is many days through bushland, with huts provided for camping along the route.

Wherever you cycle - if you leave the urban sprawl of the capital cities, careful planning is required to ensure the correct supplies are carried.

Hiking

Walking through some parts of Australia is the only way to experience some particular landscapes. In Tasmania the Central Highland Overland Track and the South Coast Track are good examples of walking/hiking holiday to do items. The Bicentennial National Trail is one of the longest trails in the world, stretching from Cooktown in Northern Queensland, to Healesville.

Se

Wildlife

A koala
See also: Australasian wildlife

Australian flora and fauna is unique to the island continent, the result of having been isolated from the rest of the world for millions of years. Amongst Australian animals are a large group of marsupials (mammals with a pouch) and monotremes (mammals that lay eggs). Just some of the animal icons of Australia are the kangaroo (national symbol) and the koala. A visit to Australia would not be complete without taking the chance to see some of these animals in their natural environment.

Wildlife parks and zoos

  • Wildlife parks and zoos are in every state capital city, but also check out the animal parks if you are passing through smaller towns, like Mildura eller Mogo, or staying on Hamilton Island. See the Warrawong Fauna Sanctuary if you are in South Australia, or visit the koalas with best view in the world, at Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

In the wild

A Tasmanian devil
  • Kangaroos og wallabies are in national parks all around Australia. You won't see any kangaroos hopping down the street in Central Sydney, but they're common on the outskirts of most urban areas.
  • Wombats og echidnas are also common, but harder to find due to their camouflage and tunnelling. See lots of echidnas on Kangaroo Island.
  • Koalas are present in forests around Australia, but are notoriously very hard to spot, and walking around looking upwards into the boughs of trees will usually send you sprawling over a tree root. Best seen during the day, there is a thriving and friendly population on Raymond Island near Paynesville in Victoria. You have a good chance on Otway Coast, on the Great Ocean Road, or even in the National Park walk near Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.
  • Emus are more common in central Australia. You will certainly see some if you venture into the outback national park at Currawinya
  • Platypus are found in reedy, flowing creeks with soft river banks in Victoria, Southern New South Wales, and the very southern region of Queensland - seen at dusk and dawn - you have to have a bit of luck to see one. Try the platypus reserves in Bombala eller Delegate in New South Wales, or in Emu Creek at Skipton just out of Ballarat.

Convict sites

Much of Australia's modern history was as a penal colony for convicts from the United Kingdom, and there are many historical sites that still stand as a reminder of the days of convict transportation. Perhaps the most famous of these sites are Port Arthur i Tasmania and Fremantle Prison in Fremantle, located near Perth, Vestlige Australien. There are also many other sites scattered throughout the country.

Landmarks

Sydney Opera House, one of most recognized Australian landmarks

Australia has many landmarks, famous the world over. From Uluru in the red centre, to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House in Sydney.

Small Australian towns have a tradition of making big sculptures as landmarks. Se Big things in Australia.

Australia has thousands of heritage-registered sites, with 20 WV-Unesco-icon-small.svgUNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Sport

Part of an AFL match between the Hawthorn and Essendon teams

Sport is an integral part of the Australian culture from the capital cities to country towns. As a testament to this, Australia has a track record of being one of the best performing teams at the Olympics despite its relatively small population. The majority of games are played over the weekend period (from Friday night to Monday night). Australian sports fans are generally well behaved, and it is not uncommon for fans of two opposing teams to sit together during a match, even if the teams are bitter rivals. While the cheering can get really passionate, actual crowd violence is extremely rare.

Football

The term "football" can be ambiguous in Australia, and differs in meaning depending on where you are and who you are talking to. However, the term on its own is almost never used to refer to association football, which is known as "soccer" in Australia. In general, "football", or the slang term "footy", refers to rugby league in the states of Queensland and New South Wales, while it refers to Australian rules football anywhere else in Australia.

  • In the winter in Victoria Australian Rules Football (Aussie Rules, or in some areas just "footy") is more than just a sport, it is a way of life. Catch a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Although originating from and most popular in the state of Victoria, the premier national competition, known as the Australian Football League (AFL), has teams from Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and the Gold Coast as well. Det AFL Grand Final, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground either in late September or early October each year, is the most watched event on the Australian sporting calendar. The AFL now runs a women's league, known as AFL Women's, during the summer. While obviously not as popular as the men's game, it still enjoys a decent following. The next women's season in 2020 will feature 14 teams from all of the current men's AFL markets.
  • In summer, international cricket is played between Australia and at least two touring sides. The games rotate around all the capital cities. To experience the traditional game catch the New Year's test match at the Sydney cricket ground played for 5 days starting from the 2nd of January, or the Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne. Or for a more lively entertaining form, that only takes a few hours, try a twenty-twenty match. The final form is "One Day" Cricket, international matches generally start at 13:00 and finish at 22:00 or 23:00 (a "Day-Nighter"), with most domestic and occasional international matches played from 11:00 to 18:00. Det Australia Day One Day International is held in Adelaide every 26 January. The Ashes is a series of five test matches played between the Australian and English national teams. It is held in Australia every three or four years, and is one of the highlights of the cricket calendar. Whenever Australia hosts the series, the five matches are held in the five largest cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
  • Det Australian Open, one of the tennis Grand Slams, is played annually at Melbourne Park, including the main stadium of Rod Laver Arena, near the Melbourne city centre. Or the Medibank International in Sydney Olympic Park in January.
Hunter Stadium in Newcastle

.

  • Catch a rugby union Super Rugby game, with teams playing from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Japan in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney during late Summer/Autumn. The Australian national team, the Wallabies, also host international teams during winter, including New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina for The Rugby Championship (formerly the Tri Nations tournament).
  • Rugby League is a winter game played mainly in New South Wales and Queensland, with the National Rugby League (NRL) competition being the premier competition. Teams include Melbourne in Victoria, Brisbane, North Queensland and the Gold Coast in Queensland, a team from New Zealand, with the rest of the teams coming from suburban areas in Sydney, and some in regional areas of New South Wales such as Newcastle and Canberra. The competition culminates in the NRL Grand Final, which is held every year in the Stadium Australia in Sydney. The biggest event in the rugby league calendar of Australia is the State of Origin series between teams representing the states of New South Wales and Queensland, which consists of an annual series of three matches of which two are are played in Sydney and Brisbane, and the third is played in either of those cities or sometimes, Melbourne or Perth. Many fans consider the level of play in the State of Origin series to be even higher than that in the Rugby League World Cup.
  • Netball is Australia's largest female sport, and there are weekly games in the domestic Super Netball league (which replaced a previous transnational league that also included New Zealand sides). The Australian national team is arguably the strongest in the world, with England, New Zealand and Jamaica usually posing the biggest challenge to Australian dominance.
  • Fodbold is a growing sport that is aspiring to reach European levels. Many immigrants and second-generation Australians hail from European countries where passion for the sport is very high. The Australia national team (the Socceroos) won the Asia Cup for the first time in 2015 and have raised the sport's profile significantly. There is a national A-League, which is a fully professional league involving teams from Australia and one from New Zealand, with games played weekly during the summer. Most cities have a semi-professional "state league" played during winter, with most clubs being built around a specific ethnic/migrant community, for example a Newcastle league side Broadmeadow Magic, which was built around the cities' Macedonian population. While women's soccer is less popular as a spectator sport, it enjoys a decent following, with the national team (the Matildas) regularly participating in the World Cup. The women's counterpart to the A-League is the W-League.
  • F1 Grand Prix The Melbourne Grand Prix in March takes place on a street circuit around Albert Park Lake, only a few kilometres south of central Melbourne. It is used annually as a racetrack for the Australian Grand Prix and associated support races.
  • Det Supercars mesterskab er en populær form for motorsport, der er unik for Australien, der involverer kraftige biler, der kan sammenlignes med NASCAR-løb i USA - skønt i modsætning til NASCAR, der næsten udelukkende kører på ovale baner, bruger Supercars-serien vejbaner og gadekredsløb. Begivenheder afholdes over hele landet mellem marts og begyndelsen af ​​december. Den berømte Bathurst 1000 afholdes traditionelt i oktober.
  • Hestevæddeløb er Australiens tredje mest populære tilskuersport efter australsk fodbold- og rugby-liga, og løb afholdes regelmæssigt i alle Australiens hovedstæder. Den største begivenhed i Australiens hestevæddeløbskalender er den årlige Melbourne Cup, der også hører til blandt de mest prestigefyldte løb i verden.
  • Greyhound racing, skønt den er mindre populær end hestevæddeløb, har den også en betydelig følge i Australien, som har verdens største vinthundsportsbranche. Greyhound racerbaner findes i alle Australiens hovedstæder såvel som i mange små byer i hele landet.

Rejseplaner

Gør

Australien er kendt for at have nogle af de smukkeste strande i verden (Bondi Beach afbilledet)
Surfers Paradise, der ligger på Gold Coast, er et af de mest populære turistmål i landet og kan prale med nogle af verdens største strande og ligger tæt på en række temaparker

Svømme

  • i brændingen. Australien har tilsyneladende uendelige sandstrande. Følg folkemængderne til den verdensberømte Bondi Strand i Sydney, eller Surfers Paradise på Gold Coast. Eller find en strækning helt for dig selv (men pas på farlige revner på strande, det er betydeligt sikrere at finde en patruljeret strand). Brændingen er mindre og varmere i det tropiske nord, hvor revet bryder svulmen op, og større og koldere i syd med bølger, der ruller ind fra det sydlige Ocean. (Og ja, i midten er det helt rigtigt).
  • i rolige tropiske have. Kabelstrand i Broome bliver fejet uberørt dagligt af tidevandet, har perfekt sand og varmt vand - gå om vinteren.
  • i termiske bassiner. Syd for Darwin er der mange naturlige termiske bassiner som Berry Springs & Mataranka, omgivet af palmer og tropisk løv. Den dyreste udvej i verden kunne ikke drømme om at gøre en pool så god.
  • i ferskvandssøer. Inland Australia har tendens til at være tørt, men der er ferskvandssøer, hvor du mindst ville forvente dem. Udforsk det indre af Cairns ved Atherton Tablelands, eller gå ud til det Currawinya National Park. Pas på krokodiller.
  • i floder. Hvis det er varmt, og der er vand, vil der være et sted at svømme. Uanset hvor du er, så spørg bare efter det foretrukne svømningssted med et vandhul og reb at svinge på. Pas på krokodiller.
  • i menneskeskabte puljer. Den lokale swimmingpool er ofte centrum for samfundslivet en sommer søndag i landets byer New South Wales og Victoria. Mange af strandkvarteret i Sydney og Newcastle har menneskeskabt sten / betonbassiner kaldet 'bade', hvor du kan svømme ved havet.
  • på stranden! Find din plads ved vandet, og kom ud af håndklædet. Tropisk nord om vinteren, sydpå om sommeren. Som altid i Australien skal du beskytte dig mod solen.

Bushwalking

Bushwalking er en populær australsk aktivitet. Du kan gå på bushwalking i de mange nationalparker og regnskove.

Dykning

En dykker, der ser på en kæmpe musling på Great Barrier Reef

Sport

  • Golf
  • Bjergbestigning
  • Mountainbiking. Prøv stierne i Snehvide bjerge eller sort bjerg i Canberra, eller cykle i flere dage langs Munda Biddi Mountain Bike-stien i det vestlige Australien.
  • Ridning. Hesten har en rig tradition i bosættelsen i Australien siden ankomsten af ​​de første europæiske bosættere. At stole på hesten for at rejse de store afstande og barske omgivelser i Australien var grundlaget for et stærkt og varigt forhold mellem australierne og deres heste. I dag inkluderer ridning i Australien mange rekreative og erhvervsmæssige aktiviteter fra kvægmønstre på store stationer til racerindustrien på flere millioner dollars. I udkanten af ​​byer og ude i landdistrikterne vil du se de mange ponyhøje og meget elskede heste, der er et bevis på den vedvarende lidenskab og engagement, australske hestejere har til deres heste og den nydelse, de bringer.

Ski

  • Stå på ski. New South Wales og Victoria har veludviklede skifaciliteter. Tasmanien kan også stå på ski i et par måneder af året i betragtning af det rigtige vejr.

Se Vintersport i Australien

Surf

  • Surfing. Hvis du tror, ​​at Australien er det mest upopulære og fjerneste sted på jorden, hvor du kan gå for at undslippe spor af menneskelig kontakt, skal du bare finde en god surfepause i det fjerneste hjørne af Australien, og du vil garanteret finde nogen, der surfer på den. Australiere elsker at surfe, og hvor som helst der er surf, er der Aussie surfere, når som helst og under alle forhold. Næsten hver kystlinje, undtagen langs den øverste ende fra Cairns over til Karatha, har surf og surfere der for at ride det.

Spændende aktiviteter

  • Faldskærmsudspringoveralt i Australien
  • Luftballonflyvning, i Canberra, Brisbane eller i Rødt center.
  • Kitesurfing og windsurfing i og omkring Geraldton, Western Australia og kl Coronation Beach, Australiens windsurfing og kitesurfing hovedstad

Spille

Hestevæddeløb på Berrigan Cup løbsmøde i den lille New South Wales by Berrigan

Det er blevet sagt, at hvis der er to fluer, der kravler op ad en mur, så skal du bare se dig omkring for at finde den Aussie, der vil køre en bog.

  • Kasinoer. Crown Casino i Melbourne er Australiens største, der ligger på Southbank, men der er andre spredt i hver hovedstad og i Cairns, Launceston, Alice Springs, Gold Coast og Townsville.
  • Dag på løbene. Alle hovedstæder har hestevæddeløb hver weekend med on-track og off-track betting tilgængelige. De er normalt familiebegivenheder, og mode og at blive set er en del af begivenheden. Næsten hver pub i New South Wales vil have en fane, hvor du kan placere et væddemål uden at lade din stol være i baren. Greyhound racing og trav foregår om aftenen, normalt med mindre skarer, mere øl og mindre mode. Mindre landsbyer har løbsmøder hvert par måneder eller endda årligt. Dette er virkelige begivenheder for lokalsamfundene og ser de mindre byer komme til liv. Hoved outback til Birdsville løb, eller hvis du finder gaderne øde, er det sandsynligvis ti over tre den første tirsdag i november (kørslen af ​​Melbourne cup).
  • Det usædvanlige. Lizard løb, stok tudse løb, kamel løb, krabbe løb. At satse på disse løb er helt ulovligt, og du finder TIB (Totally Illegal Betting) bag på skuret.
  • To op. Hvis du er på Anzac-dagen (25. april), vil væddemål på mønter kastet i luften ske på din lokale RSL-klub, uanset hvor du er.
  • Australien har næsten en fjerdedel af alle spilleautomater (lokalt kendt som "pokies" eller "pokermaskiner") i verden, og mere end halvdelen af ​​disse er i New South Wales, hvor de fleste pubber og klubber har spillelokaler (mærket "VIP-lounges" af juridiske årsager), hvor man kan "har et slag" og vælg funktionen.
  • Hvis intet af dette appellerer, og du bare har for mange penge i lommen, hver by og forstad i Australien har en TAB. Vælg din sport, vælg en vinder, og aflever dine penge ved tælleren.

Spil er ulovligt for under 18 år. Dette kan ofte begrænse adgangen til dele af pubber, klubber og kasinoer for børn.

Kongelige shows

Hver af Australiens stater og fastlandet er hjemsted for en kongeligt show, som er landbrugsmesser, der også har forlystelser og andre former for underholdning, og tjener som Australiens ækvivalent med statsmesser i USA. Disse shows afholdes i de respektive hovedstæder og territorier, normalt i løbet af foråret eller efteråret.

Købe

Pitt Street Mall i Sydney er et af Australiens travleste shoppingdistrikter

Penge

Vekselkurser for australske dollars

Fra 4. januar 2021:

  • US $ 1 ≈ $ 1,3
  • €1 ≈ $1.59
  • UK £ 1 ≈ $ 1,78
  • New Zealand $ 1 ≈ $ 0,934

Valutakurser svinger. Aktuelle kurser for disse og andre valutaer er tilgængelige fra XE.com

Den australske valuta er kendt som dollar, betegnet med symbolet "$"eller"En $"(ISO-kode: AUD). Det er opdelt i 100 cent (¢). I denne vejledning angiver "$" -tegnet australske dollars, medmindre andet er angivet.

Mønter kommer i pålydende værdi på 5 ¢, 10 ¢, 20 ¢, de 12-sidede 50 ¢, $ 1 og den lille $ 2. New Zealand 5 ¢, 10 ¢ og 20 ¢ mønter før 2006 var stort set identiske med deres australske kolleger, bortset fra en anden haleside, så det er ikke ualmindeligt at støde på dem blandt din australske forandring. Noter kommer i pålydende værdi på $ 5, $ 10, $ 20, $ 50 og $ 100 (alle i særprægede farver). $ 100 sedler er sjældne og lejlighedsvis svære at bruge i butikker. Australske noter er trykt på plastpolymer snarere end papir. Hvis summen af ​​en transaktion ikke er et multiplum af 5 cent, afrundes beløbet til de nærmeste fem cent, hvis du betaler kontant. Det nøjagtige beløb vil blive opkrævet, hvis du betaler med kort.

Dollaren er ikke knyttet til nogen anden valuta og handles højt på verdensmarkederne for valutaer, især af valutaspekulanter. Dens omregningsværdi til andre valutaer kan være ret ustabil, og 1-2% ændringer på en dag er med rimelighed regelmæssige begivenheder.

Valutaveksling

Australske dollarsedler i en tegnebog

Da den australske dollar betragtes som en vigtig verdensvaluta, er den bredt tilgængelig hos pengevekslere og banker over hele verden.

Pengevekslere i Australien opererer i et frit marked og opkræver en række faste provisioner, procentvise gebyrer, ikke oplyste gebyrer indbygget i valutakursen eller en kombination af alle tre. Du kan undgå rip-off-satser ved at bruge banker i større centre og holde dig væk fra lufthavne og turistcentre. Imidlertid kommer både de bedste og værste priser fra de små private sælgere, og du kan helt sikkert spare penge over bankerne ved at shoppe rundt. Få altid et tilbud, før du skifter penge. Du skal normalt have foto-identifikation med dig, selvom du muligvis er undtaget, hvis du kun ændrer et lille beløb.

Dedikerede valutavekslingssteder er bredt tilgængelige i større byer, og banker kan også veksle de fleste ikke-begrænsede valutaer. Disse udvekslingssteder - især dem i lufthavnen - kan opkræve 10% over den bedste udveksling, der kan opnås ved at shoppe rundt. Australske banker tilbyder normalt en valutakurs omkring 2,5% fra det nuværende midtpunkt for valutakursen. En fast provision på $ 5-8 kan opkræves ovenpå. Nogle forretninger reklamerer for gratis kommission, normalt ledsaget af en dårligere valutakurs. Antag ikke, at hver bank tilbyder den samme udveksling. En simpel beregning giver dig besked om, hvad der giver den bedste pris for det beløb, du ønsker at veksle. Der er vouchers til provision gratis udveksling hos American Express i turistbrochuren i Sydney Lufthavn.

Internationale lufthavnsterminaler har kasseapparater, der kan dispensere australsk valuta med Cirrus-, Maestro-, MasterCard- eller Visa-kort.

Bankvirksomhed

Åbning af en australsk bankkonto er ret ligetil, hvis du har en boligadresse i Australien. Du bliver nødt til at fremlægge bevis for din identitet, f.eks. Et pas, til banken for at din ansøgning kan behandles. De største detailbanker i Australien er National Australia Bank (NAB), Australien og New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), Commonwealth Bank og Westpac.

Pengeautomater er tilgængelige i næsten alle australske byer. Australske pengeautomater er dereguleret og kan pålægge et tillægsgebyr for det, der opkræves af din bank eller kortudsteder. Gebyrerne kan variere mellem institutioner og mellem steder, men ligger normalt omkring $ 2. Pengeautomaten viser afgifterne, og du har mulighed for at stoppe transaktionen, før du debiteres. Tjek med din bank, hvilke ekstra gebyrer de opkræver for udbetalinger i Australien.

Omkostninger

Hurtig skiftende valutavurderinger

Den australske dollar er en af ​​verdens mere dynamiske valutaer, dels på grund af dens forhold til råvarepriser som jern og kul. Inden for de sidste 10 år har 'Aussie' svinget mellem 50 ¢ til $ 1,50 til den amerikanske dollar, hvilket gør udgifterne til besøg fra rimelige til meget dyre, afhængigt af nøjagtigt hvornår du er der.

Australien er generelt et dyrt sted at besøge, idet nogle undersøgelser har rangeret Australien som det tredje dyreste land i verden med hensyn til forbrugerpriser, kun bag Norge og Schweiz.

Sovesal i en hovedstad er omkring $ 30, men kan løbe så lave som $ 15 i Cairns eller billigere backpackercentre. Et grundlæggende motel i landet eller i forstæderne til hovedstaden ville koste omkring $ 100 for en dobbeltværelse. City Center hotelindkvartering i hovedstæder kan fås for omkring $ 150 opad for en dobbeltværelse. Formule 1 / Motel 6-stilhoteller (som ikke er almindelige) kan være omkring $ 60-90 for en dobbeltværelse.

Billeje koster omkring $ 65 om dagen. Offentlig transportdag går fra $ 10-20 pr. Dag afhængigt af byen.

Et café-måltid koster omkring $ 10-15, og et hovedret i en restaurant går fra omkring $ 17 og opefter.

Et grundlæggende takeaway-måltid - en burger, en smuk sandwich eller et par skiver pizza koster $ 5-10, en Big Mac koster $ 4,50, og du kan normalt tage en tærte til omkring $ 3 eller en pølserulle til $ 2,50. En takeaway-pizza fra Pizza Hut, der er stor nok til at fodre to, koster omkring $ 10.

En middy / pot (285 ml) husøl koster dig omkring $ 4 og et glas husvin omkring $ 6 i en lav pub. For at tage væk koster en kasse med 24 dåser øl omkring $ 40 eller en flaske vin omkring $ 8.

En flybillet mellem de nærliggende østlige hovedstæder er omkring $ 120 hver vej, men kan blive så lavt som $ 60, hvis du bestiller på det rigtige tidspunkt eller omkring $ 350 for at krydse landet, forudsat at du er fleksibel med datoer og bestiller på forhånd. En togtur på de statsdrevne tog koster normalt lidt mindre. En bustur, lidt mindre igen. En togtur med de private tog vil være den dyreste måde at rejse på.

Der er normalt ingen adgangsgebyr til strande eller byparker. Nogle populære nationalparker opkræver mellem $ 10 og $ 20 per dag (pr. Bil eller per person afhængigt af staten), mens mere ude af vejen nationalparker er gratis. Kunstgallerier og nogle attraktioner er gratis. Museer opkræver normalt omkring $ 10 per adgang. Forlystelsesparker opkræver omkring $ 70 per person.

Skat

Australien har 10% Afgift på varer og tjenester (GST) det gælder for alle varer og tjenester undtagen uforarbejdede fødevarer, uddannelse og medicinske tjenester. GST er altid inkluderet i den viste pris for eventuelle forbrugerkøb. Kvitteringer (skattefakturaer) indeholder GST-beløbet.

Ordning for tilbagebetaling af turist

Hvis du køber varer over $ 300 på et sted ad gangen, kan du få en refusion af GST, hvis du tager varerne ud af Australien inden for 60 dage. I modsætning til i mange andre lande gælder dette for både australske borgere og udlændinge. Sørg for, at du får en momsfaktura fra leverandøren (som vil have varerne specificeret, GST betalt og leverandørens ABN). Pak varerne i håndbagagen, og præsenter varen (e) og kvitteringen ved TRS efter indvandring og sikkerhed, når du forlader Australien. Hvis nogen af ​​emnerne skal kontrolleres af en eller anden grund, skal du sørge for at finde toldstedet og lade toldembedsmænd se varerne, inden du checker ind i dine poser. Tillad også mindst 30 minutter ekstra før afgang, og indtast om muligt oplysningerne online inden du ankommer til lufthavnen. Restitutionsbetalingen kan foretages med enten check, kredit til en australsk bankkonto eller betaling til et kreditkort. Der er ingen refusion tilgængelig for GST på tjenester. Husk, at varerne nu betragtes som toldfrie, og du bliver nødt til at betale GST for dem, hvis du bringer dem tilbage til Australien, og de overstiger dine toldfrie kvoter.

Kreditkort

Kreditkort accepteres bredt i Australien. Næsten alle store leverandører såsom supermarkeder accepterer kort, ligesom mange små butikker gør. Visum og MasterCard er de mest almindeligt accepterede kort, derefter American Express og derefter Diners Club med andre kort enten aldrig eller meget sjældent accepteret. American Express og Diners Club accepteres i større supermarkedskæder og stormagasinkæder. Ethvert kort, der viser Cirrus- eller Maestro-logoerne, kan bruges på enhver terminal, der viser disse logoer. Australske betalingskort kan også bruges via et system kendt som EFTPOS.

Apple Pay, Google Pay og kontaktløse kreditkort accepteres på stort set alle terminaler. Du skal kun indtaste en PIN-kode, hvis købet er over $ 200.

Alle australske kreditkort udstedes med en PIN-kode. Hvis du har et oversøisk kort uden en PIN-kode, kan du stadig underskrive for køb, men forretningsmænd, der ikke er brugt til at håndtere oversøiske kort, er muligvis ikke opmærksomme på dette. Prøv at have en pinkode på dit kort, hvis din bank tillader det. Hvis ikke, skal du muligvis forklare, at du har et oversøisk kort og vente, mens købmanden finder en pen.

Tillæg med kreditkort pålægges alle biludlejningsbureauer, rejsebureauer, flyselskaber og hos nogle rabatforhandlere og servicestationer. Tillæg er langt mere almindelige og højere for American Express og Diners Club (typisk 2% -4%) end for Visa og MasterCard (typisk 1,5%).

UnionPay-kreditkort såvel som AliPay og WeChat Pay bliver mere almindelige i turistbutikker og restauranter på grund af det stigende antal kinesiske besøgende. Det er dog vanskeligt at bruge dem i andre virksomheder.

Haggling

Forhandlinger er ualmindelige i australske butikker, selvom leverandører normalt er villige til at mødes eller slå et tilbud eller en annonceret pris fra en konkurrerende forhandler. Det er også værd at bede om en "bedste pris" for varer af høj værdi eller køb, der involverer flere varer. For eksempel ville det ikke være usædvanligt at få 10% rabat på et smykke, der ikke allerede var reduceret i pris. Den person, du har at gøre med, kan have begrænset autoritet til at sælge varer til andet end den angivne pris. Forsøg på at prutte uden grund vil sandsynligvis blive opfattet som uhøfligt i Australien og vil mislykkes.

Tip

Tip er ikke sædvanlig i Australien, selvom tip accepteres, hvis du frit vælger at give en.

Restauranter er forpligtet til at inkludere serviceomkostninger og skatter i bogførte priser. Du kan dog vælge at give et lille tip, hvis tjenesten var eksemplarisk. Når du betaler med kreditkort, giver nogle højere restauranter mulighed for at tilføje et tip til din betaling, selvom det er helt valgfrit. Andre steder leverer en møntkrukke af kassereren mærket 'Tips', men oftere end ikke forlader spisestederne en. Bartendere tippes sjældent.

Andre typer servicepersonale, herunder hotelpersonale, bærere, rejseguider, madleverandører og frisører, forventer ikke at modtage tip.

Tip forventes heller ikke i taxaer, og chauffører returnerer typisk din ændring til de sidste 5 cent, medmindre du angiver, at de skal afrunde billetprisen til nærmeste dollar. Det er ikke usædvanligt, at passagerer instruerer chaufføren om at runde op til den næste hele dollar.

Kasinoer i Australien forbyder generelt deponering af spilpersonale, da det betragtes som bestikkelse. Tilsvarende vil tilbud om tip af embedsmænd normalt blive fortolket som bestikkelse og kan potentielt behandles som en strafbar handling.

Handelstid

Et skilt, der angiver, at en butik er åben
Et indkøbscenter i Perth

Australiens basis handelstimer er mandag til fredag, 09: 00-17: 00. Butikker har normalt en enkelt nat med sent om aftenen og holder åbent indtil kl. 21 på fredage i de fleste byer og på torsdage i Brisbane, Melbourne og Sydney. Søndagshandel er almindelig i de største byer, men findes ikke i alle landdistrikter. Åbningstider ud over disse basistider varierer efter butikstype, sted og stat. Se vores lokale guider for mere lokal information.

Store supermarkedskæder i hovedcentre er generelt åbne mindst indtil kl. 21 på hverdage (og ofte indtil midnat), men har generelt reduceret timer i weekenden. Dagligvarebutikker som 7/11 er åbne 24 timer i større centre.

Fastfood-restaurantkæder er normalt åbne 24 timer eller i det mindste meget sent. Mange madretter i bycentre lukker typisk ved 16:00 og lukkes helt i weekenden, hvis de er rettet mod kontormedarbejdere, men andre madretter i indkøbscentre har længere timer.

Brændstof / servicestationer er åbne 24 timer i større centre, men lukker ofte kl. 18 og om søndagen i landsbyer.

Australiens weekend er lørdag og søndag i hver uge. Detailhandel er nu næsten universel i større byer i weekenden, dog med lidt reducerede timer. Igen er Western Australia en undtagelse med begrænsninger for store butikker, der åbner om søndagen. I mindre landsbyer er butikker lukket om søndagen og ofte også lørdag eftermiddag.

Turistorienterede byer og butikker kan forblive åbne i længere tid. Turistområder inden for byer, såsom Darling Harbour i Sydney har længere handelstimer hver aften.

Australske banker er kun åbne mandag-fredag ​​09: 00-16: 00 og lukker ofte kl. 17:00 på fredage. Kontanter er tilgængelige via ATM (Automatic Teller Machines) 24 timer i døgnet, og valutavekslingsstederne har forlænget åbningstid og er åbne i weekenden.

Spise

Det australske køkken blev hovedsageligt påvirket af dets britiske koloniale arv indtil 1960'erne og 70'erne, men med en historie med indvandring fra andre dele af Europa som Tyskland, Italien, Grækenland og Polen er indflydelsen af ​​disse kulturer blevet mere tydelig i det australske køkken end dets Britisk begyndelse. Den store tilstrømning af asiatiske migranter har også sat sit præg på det australske køkken, hvor mange australske kokke inkorporerer asiatiske påvirkninger i nominelt vestlige retter.

De forskellige aboriginale stammer har deres egne karakteristiske køkkener, men på grund af det faktum, at de gør udstrakt brug af eksotiske ingredienser, er disse for det meste ikke blevet en del af det almindelige australske køkken.

Generelt er bordmanerer i Australien i overensstemmelse med europæisk normer.

Steder at spise

BYO - Medbring din egen

BYO står for Medbring din egen (alkohol). I mange af de bysamfund, der findes i Australien, finder du små billige restauranter, der ikke har tilladelse til at servere, men som tillader spisesteder at medbringe deres egen flaske vin købt andetsteds. Dette er ofte meget billigere end at bestille en flaske vin i en restaurant. Øl kan tages med til nogle BYO-restauranter, andre tillader kun vin. Forvent at betale et korkgebyr, der kan variere fra $ 2-15, eller som kan beregnes af hovedet. BYO er normalt ikke tilladt på restauranter, der har licens til at sælge alkohol.

Der er ingen mangel på spisesteder i byerne. Ud over gode restauranter, der tilbyder køkken fra hele verden, er der også følgende:

  • Pubber, tællerfrokosten er navnet på en frokost, der serveres i baren på en pub. Traditionelt serveres kun ved frokosttid i loungen. I dag tilbyder de fleste pubber frokost og middag, og mange har en separat bistro eller restaurant. Bøf, kyllingeparmigiana og nachos er almindelige.
  • Klubber, klubber, såsom bowlingklubber, ligaklubber, RSL'er er i mange byer. De er mest almindelige i staterne Queensland og New South Wales. De fleste tillader besøgende og tilbyder nogle gange måltider til en god pris. Der kræves ofte et medlemsgebyr.
  • Caféer, de fleste byer og forstæder har en cafe eller kaffebar, der serverer morgenmad og lette måltider og kager hele dagen. Ikke usædvanligt for dem at lukke efter 15:00.
  • Bagerier, normalt et godt sted at købe rundstykker, en tærte eller en pølserulle.
  • Fastfood restauranter, McDonald's (eller Macca's), Subway og KFC er almindelige. Burger King bliver omdøbt her som Hungry Jacks. Red Rooster er en australsk kæde, der tilbyder grillet kylling og andre mest kyllingebaserede genstande.
  • Tag væk, mælkebarer, sushi-butikker og andre take-away butikker sælger normalt sushi, tærter, grillet kylling, hamburgere, fish and chips, gyroer og kebab.
  • Food domstole, de fleste indkøbscentre har en madret, selv i landsbyer.
  • Picnic, er det australske klima normalt modtageligt for at få mad, du kan, og på vej til den nærmeste park, flod, sø eller strand. Elektriske grillfaciliteter er ofte tilgængelige.
  • Grill, er et populært australsk tidsfordriv, og mange parker i Australien tilbyder gratis grill til offentlig brug. I modsætning til stereotypen "australierne sjældent" Kast en reje på barbien "(også i Australien kaldes en rejer mere almindeligt som en reje). Bøffer, koteletter, pølser, kyllingefilet, fisk og kebab grilles populært.
  • Vingårde, mange af Australiens vingårde har restauranter, der serverer moderne australske retter med udsigt over deres vinmarker, hvor du også kan købe deres vine til at gå sammen med dit måltid. Typisk kun åben til frokost, selvom en undtagelse er Penfolds 'Magill Estate Restaurant i Adelaide, som kun åbner til middag.
Udendørs grill ved Jackadder Lake, Woodlands, Western Australia. Lignende faciliteter kan findes i mange parker i hele Australien.
Center Place i Melbournes CBD er foret med caféer

Indfødte fødevarer

Kængurufilet på en restaurant i Sydney

Det kan komme som en skuffelse, at indfødte fødevarer faktisk ikke findes så meget i australske restauranter og heller ikke forbruges af australiere meget selv. Den fås i supermarkeder og i nogle af de fjerntliggende dele af landet. Traditionelle aboriginale diæter kan omfatte truede arter, hvis forbrug er strengt begrænset til bestemte samfund og sandsynligvis ikke vil være tilgængeligt for dig.

  • Kænguru, hvis du har lyst til noget, er det tilgængeligt fra mange supermarkeder og slagterbutikker. Grill det indtil medium sjældent, men bedst ikke at koge for meget, da det kan blive ret hård. Det smager meget som oksekød. Det kommer lejlighedsvis ind på menuen i restauranter, hovedsagelig i turistområder. Kænguruer er rigelige, skader meget mindre det følsomme australske miljø end hovdyr og producerer også langt færre kulstofemissioner. Kænguru er en fantastisk miljøerklæring at lave, mens du griller.
  • Krokodille, kød fra gårde i det nordlige territorium og Queensland er bredt tilgængeligt omkring den øverste ende og lejlighedsvis andre steder. På Rockhampton, Australiens oksekødshovedstad, kan du se det antikke krybdyr på en gård, mens du gumler på en crocburger.
  • Emu, ja, du kan også spise den anden halvdel af det australske våbenskjold. Emu er fedtfattig og tilgængelig i special slagtere. Prøv våbenskjoldet i en tærte ind Maleny eller på en pizza i The Rocks.
  • Bush tucker, mange ture kan give dig mulighed for at prøve nogle bush tucker, bær, nødder, rødder, myrer og grubs fra Australiens oprindelige bush. Macadamia nødder er den eneste indfødte plante i Australien, der dyrkes til mad kommercielt. Nogle af de andre bush-fødevarer kan være en erhvervet smag, selvom indfødte krydderier bestemt er værd at prøve, og de bliver i stigende grad vist i australske fine restauranter. Bush tuckeris kan undertiden findes på landmændsmarkeder og udendørs festivaler.

Ud over køkkenet

En pavlova garneret med fløde og hindbær

Australien har en hel del britisk inspireret mad, der ikke er kendt internationalt. Absolut værd at prøve.

Vegemite, en salt gærbaseret spredning, bedst spredt tyndt på toast. Hvis du ikke er klar til at købe en krukke, serverer enhver kaffebar vegemite på toast ved morgenmaden. Det er måske ikke engang i menuen, men vegemitten vil være bagest i krukken ved siden af ​​marmeladen. Hvis du køber en krukke, er hemmeligheden det at sprede det meget tyndt og glem ikke smøret også. Det smager svarende til Marmite i Storbritannien eller Cenovis i Schweiz. Australiere er ganske vant til smagen og kan sprede Vegemite meget tyk; men dette anbefales ikke til første-timere.

Det Tim-Tam er en chokoladefudge-fyldt sandwich med to chokoladekiks, alle dyppet i chokolade. Du kan købe en pakke (eller to) fra ethvert supermarked eller dagligvarebutik. Tim-Tams kræves for at udføre Tim-Tam Slam manøvre. Dette kræver at afbide begge ender af Tim-Tam og derefter bruge det som et sugerør til at drikke din yndlings varme drik, typisk kaffe. Den varme drik smelter fudge-centret og skaber en oplevelse, der er vanskelig at beskrive. Finesse er nødvendig for at suge hele kiks i munden i mikrosekunderne mellem at være fuldt mættet og opløse. Tim-Tams sælges i pakker på 11, så sørg for at blive enige om delingsarrangementerne, inden du køber en pakke med din rejsepartner, ellers kan rejsearrangementer blive afbrudt. Om sommeren opbevares Tim-Tams ofte i fryseren og spises iskold.

Det lamington er en terning med svampekage dækket af chokoladeglasur og dyppet i udtørret kokosnød. Det er opkaldt efter Lord Lamington, der fungerede som guvernør i Queensland fra 1896 til 1901. Den hjemmebagte form kan findes på et lokalt marked på lørdag morgen, eller du kan købe en fra et bageri, hvis du er desperat. Undgå for enhver pris de plastindpakkede sorter, der sælges i supermarkeder.

Det pavlova er en marengskage med flødetop, som regel er dekoreret med frisk frugt. Serveres ved specielle lejligheder eller efter en frokostgrill. Ofte kilden til tvist med New Zealand over den originale kilde til opskriften.

ANZAC-kiks er en blanding af kokosnød, havre, mel, sukker og gylden sirup. De blev efter sigende sendt af hustruer og plejeorganisationer til 1. verdenskrigs soldater i plejepakker, men historien er sandsynligvis apokryf. De fås fra bagerier, caféer og supermarkeder og er populære frem til ANZAC-dagen (25. april).

Spjæld er et traditionelt sodabrød, der blev bagt af smørere og stockmenn. Det har basale ingredienser (mel, vand og måske salt) og koges normalt i en glød. Det er ikke rutinemæssigt tilgængeligt i bagerier og serveres kun almindeligt til turister på organiserede ture. Spises bedst med smør og marmelade eller gylden sirup, da det er tørt og kedeligt.

EN Chiko rulle er en dybstegt snack inspireret af æggebollen eller springrullen. På trods af navnet indeholder den ingen kylling. Dens fyldning er udbenet fårekød, grøntsager, ris, byg og krydderier. Skallen er tykkere end en ægrulle, beregnet til at overleve håndtering ved fodboldkampe. Fås overalt, hvor du kan købe fish and chips.

Det Australsk kødtærte betragtes som den nationale ret af mange. En variation er pie flyder fra Adelaide, som er en kage inverteret i en skål med tyk grødet ærtesuppe.

Andre køkkener

Køkkener, der er bredt tilgængelige i Australien, ofte tilberedt af medlemmer af den relevante kultur, inkluderer:

  • Britisk, Australiens koloniale arv er måske bedst repræsenteret af fisk og pomfritter, og næsten alle kvarterer og småbyer i et kystområde vil have en lokal fish and chips-butik. Almindelige fisketyper, der anvendes i Australien, inkluderer flager (forskellige typer af lille haj), flathead, barramundi og King George whiting. I modsætning til i Storbritannien serveres fisk og chips typisk med ketchup og tartarsauce i Australien. British and Irish style pubs are common throughout populated areas of Australia, although they feature Australian staples such as chicken parmas, schnitzels and pasta.
  • kinesisk, synonymous with the term "takeaway" in the past generations. Many Chinese restaurants still cater to takeaway addicts today, mostly of the Australianised Chinese variety, but major cities have small "Chinatowns" or suburbs with a large number of ethnic Chinese residents, that have excellent restaurants serving authentic Chinese food. Cantonese Dim Sum is available in dedicated restaurants in most large shopping malls.
  • Thai restaurants have exploded in number over the past decade. Sydney in particular is known as one of the best destinations for Thai food in the world.
  • Italiensk, the Italian community is one of the largest ethnic communities of non Anglo-Saxon origin in Australia, and they have contributed greatly to the cafe culture that has flourished across the major cities over the past few decades. Restaurants either serve Italian food that has been adapted to suit Australian tastes, or authentic regional Italian food, with the latter tending to be pricier and in more upmarket surrounds. Head to Lygon street in Melbourne or Leichhardt in Sydney if you're a fan.
  • Græsk is not quite as widespread as Italian above, but good options in every city and town.
  • Lebanese and other Middle Eastern, especially in Sydney. EN Manoosh is a tasty pizza variation that is somewhat more healthy as well.
    • A fusion dish that's becoming increasingly popular nationwide is the halal snack pack (also known by many alternate names). It consists of halal-certified doner kebab meat (originating from Turkey) and chips, covered by any of a wide variety of sauces and often cheese. Typically served in styrofoam containers as a takeaway dish.
  • Indisk is available in most cities, and often represent a good mid-range restaurant option.
  • Japansk, including bento takeaway shops, udon restaurants and sushi trains. They are often operated by Koreans, whose own cuisine is also well represented in the major cities.
  • Vietnamesisk, Pho and Cha Gio (spring rolls) are easy to find in the major cities.
  • tysk, South Australia and Queensland in particular have had a long history of German settlement, and German restaurants can be found in major cities and in country towns that were historically settled by Germans. Det schnitzel is a German dish that has been Australianised and is widely available in pubs and cafes throughout the country, though unlike German schnitzels, which are usually made of pork, Australian schnitzels are usually made of chicken or beef. A good selection of German or German-inspired sausages is also available at many butchers.
  • Asian fusion refers generally to Asian-inspired dishes.

Modern Australian

Modern Australian is a recently developed cuisine that is often seen in fine dining establishments, analogous to Modern American cuisine in the United States. This cuisine mixes cooking styles and flavours from different parts of Europe and Asia, paying homage to the diverse origins of Australia's population, and often incorporates native Australian flavours from the bush as well.

Vegetarian

Eating vegetarian is available in Australia and many restaurants offer at least one or two vegetarian dishes. Some will have an entire vegetarian menu section. Vegans may have more difficulty but any restaurant with a large vegetarian menu should offer some flexibility. In large cities and in the coastal backpacker-friendly towns along the east coast, you will find vegetarian and vegan restaurants. The market town of Kuranda or the seaside towns of Byron Bay are a vegetarian's paradise. In other regional areas especially in the Northern Territory, North Western Australia and north Queensland vegetarians are often poorly catered-for, but most towns will have a Chinese or Thai restaurant that will provide steamed rice and vegetables. Sydney and Melbourne in particular cater well for vegans and vegetarians with a lot of purely vegetarian restaurants, vegan clothing stores and vegan supermarkets.

Quick vegetarian options include:

  • 'Smashed Avo' is a mix of avocado and feta cheese, served on toast and with an egg. A popular breakfast option and (unfairly) associated with free spending millennials.
  • Sushi rolls and tofu pockets, available at sushi shops everywhere
  • Vietnamese spring rolls (Bahn Mi) are also readily available with vegetarian fillings
  • Korean restaurants offer rice bowls (such as Bibimbap) with no meat
  • Pie shops of spinach rolls (filled with spinach and ricotta cheese)
  • Most food halls have a dedicated salad counter

More remote outback areas may have very few vegetarian options (lots of processed meat pies and little else), so it is worth packing some vegetarian supplies before you go.

Religious diets

People observing kosher or halal will easily be able to find specialist butchers in the capital cities, and will also find a number of restaurants with appropriate menus and cooking styles. Outside the capital cities, it will be much more difficult to find food prepared in a strict religious manner. Fast food chains often offer Halal certified meals in areas with high Muslim populations in Western Sydney and Melbourne.

Allergies

Australian restaurants generally provide options for people with common allergies such as nuts and seafood. Ask the waitstaff if in doubt.

Det gluten free diet fad has spread to Australia, and there is no shortage of gluten free products in supermarkets, bakeries and restaurants, albeit often at higher price than the regular versions of those products.

Markets

All of the capital cities and many regional towns in Australia host a "farmer's market", which is generally held each week in a designated area on a Saturday or Sunday. These markets mostly sell fresh fruits and vegetables, as hygiene standards in Australia forbid the selling of meat directly from market stalls. Butchers who set up shop at a farmer's market would usually trade their wares from a display cabinet within their boot (trunk). The attraction of markets is the lower prices and freshness of the produce. The attraction for the traveller will be the cheap and excellent fruits on offer - depending on the region and season. In regional areas the market is usually held outside the town itself in an empty paddock or sports field, markets in capital cities are easier to reach but the prices are typically more in line with those you would find in supermarkets. See the destination guides for details.

Drikke

Beer

Drinking beer is ingrained in Australian culture. Although Fosters is promoted as an Australian beer overseas, it is rarely consumed by Australians in Australia, and is almost impossible to find. Beers are strongly regional and every state has its own brews: Coopers and West End in South Australia, Carlton and VB in Victoria, Tooheys in NSW, XXXX (pronounced "fourex") in Queensland, Boags and Cascade in Tasmania, and Swan in Western Australia. There are also local microbrew choices, which can be harder to find, but are often worth seeking out. A range of imported European and American bottled beers are available in all but the most basic pub.

The XXXX Brewery in Brisbane

Light (Lite) beer refers to lower alcoholic content, and not lower calories. It has around half the alcohol of full strength beer, and is taxed at a lower rate, meaning it is also cheaper than full strength beer. Low calorie beer is sold as low carb.

Because Australians like their beer to stay cold while they drink it, draft beer glasses come in a multitude of sizes, so that you can drink a whole glass before it warms up in the summer heat. The naming of beer glasses varies widely from state to state, often in confusing ways: a schooner is 425mL everywhere except South Australia, where it's only 285mL, a size that's known elsewhere as a middy eller pot, except in Darwin where it's a handle, but in Adelaide a "pot" means a 570mL full pint, and a pint means what a schooner does elsewhere, and... you get the idea. The local beers and the local descriptions are covered in detail in the state guides.

Bottle naming is a little easier: the standard sizes across Australia are the 375 ml stubby and the 750mL long neck, eller tallie. Cans of beer are known as tinnies and 24 of them make up a slab, box, carton, or a case.

Wine

Australia produces quality wine on a truly industrial scale, with large multinational brands supplying Australian bottleshops and exporting around the world. There are also a multitude of boutique wineries and smaller suppliers. Very good red and white wine can be bought very cheaply in Australia, often at less than $10 a bottle, and even the smallest shop could be expected to have 50 or more varieties to choose from.

The areas of the Barossa Valley (near Adelaide), Hunter Valley (near Sydney), Yarra Valley (near Melbourne) and Margaret River (near Perth) are particularly renowned for their wineries and opportunities for cellar door sampling, but northern Victoria and Mudgee also have a large variety. You are never too far from a wine trail anywhere in southern Australia.

Try the local wines wherever you can find them, and ask for local recommendations. Try not to get taken in by the label, or the price tag. The best wine is rarely the one with the best artwork, or the most expensive price. However, it is probably wise to avoid the house wine if it comes straight from a cask (4-litre container). Wines at the cellar door are almost invariably sold at around 20% premium to the same wine in the shops in the local town.

If you still prefer overseas wines, the Marlborough region of New Zealand is usually well represented on wine lists and in bottle shops in Australia.

Se også Drue græsning i Australien.

Spirits

Bundaberg Rum (Bundy) is an Australian dark rum particularly popular in Queensland and many Queenslanders will not touch any other brand of rum. It is probably the most famous Australian made spirit, mass-produced in Bundaberg and available everywhere.

For many years one had to search to find other Australian distilled spirits, mostly from niche players, but there are distilleries in every state of Australia if you look hard enough and more are popping up all the time–Adelaide gin distilleries 75° and the Adelaide Gin Company have grown in esteem over the past few years. The tiny Sullivan's Cove distillery in Tasmania made waves in 2014 when one of their whiskies was named the World's Best Single Malt, kicking off a mini-boom in Australian whisky, and they repeated the feat in 2018 and 2019. If $8,000 for a bottle of their 2014 French Oak is a bit steep, drop into the Lark Distillery on the scenic Hobart waterfront precinct, book a gin blending experience at Archie Rose in Sydney, pick up a bottle of 151 East Vodka in Wollongong or after a few days in Kununurra you are definitely going to need an Ord River Rum.

Mixed drinks are also available, particularly vodka, scotch, bourbon and other whiskey mixers. Spirits are also available as pre-mixed bottles and cans but are subject to higher taxation in this form, so it is cheaper to mix them yourself. Spirits are served in all pubs and bars, but not in all restaurants. A basic spirit and mixer (vodka and orange juice for example) will cost you about $7 at a bar or nightclub, but can vary ~$5–12.

Legal aspects

The legal drinking age throughout Australia is 18 years. It is illegal either to purchase alcohol for yourself if you are under 18 years of age or to purchase alcohol on behalf of someone who is under 18 years of age. The only legally acceptable proof-of-age is an Australian drivers licence, state-issued proof-of-age card or a passport, and it would be wise to carry one if you want to purchase alcohol or tobacco and look under 25. It is illegal to go into a gambling area of a pub or club when under 18.

Often there is a lounge, restaurant or bistro area in a pub or club that permits under-age people provided they are accompanied by a responsible adult over 18 and don't approach the bar or wander around. Some city pubs even have video games and playgrounds for children. Some country pubs have large open areas out in the back where kids can run and play.

In general, you can take alcohol (say a bottle of wine or beer) to consume at a park or beach. Alcohol consumption is banned in some public places as 'street drinking'. These are often indicated by signs and is particularly the case in parks and footpaths where public drunkenness has been a problem. However, if you are a family with your picnic basket and blanket out at lunchtime with a bottle of wine, you are unlikely to encounter any problems.

Alcohol can be purchased for consumption on premises only in licensed venues: pubs, clubs and many restaurants. You can purchase alcohol for private consumption in bottle shops, which are separate stores selling bottled alcohol. In some states you can buy alcohol in supermarkeder. In those states where you can't, bottle shops and major supermarkets are often found in very close proximity. Although licensing laws and hours vary from state to state, and individual stores have different trading hours, as a rule of thumb, alcohol is generally available in towns to take-away seven days a week, 08:00-23:00, from bottle shops, supermarkets, licensed grocers/milk-bars and pubs. Outside of these hours though, it is almost impossible to buy alcohol to take home; unless you're in the middle of Sydney or Melbourne, so if you're planning on a party at home; it's a good idea to stock up and check on the local trading hours so you don't run out at 00:30 with no opportunity to buy more. Alcohol is not available at petrol stations or 24-hour convenience stores anywhere in Australia.

Public drunkenness varies in acceptability. You will certainly find a great deal of it in close proximity to pubs and clubs at night time but much less so during the day. Public drunkenness is an offence but you would only likely ever be picked up by the police if you were causing a nuisance. You may spend the night sobering up in a holding cell or be charged.

Driving while affected by alcohol is stigmatized, policed by random breath-testing police patrols in Australia, and inherently dangerous. Drink driving is a very serious offence in Australia, punishable by a range of mechanisms including loss of licence. The acceptable maximum blood alcohol concentration is 0.05% in most states and 0.01% in New South Wales, often lower or not allowed for operators of heavy vehicles and young or novice drivers. Police officers are also empowered to randomly test drivers for the recent use of prohibited drugs. Refusing any of these tests is a criminal offence. The operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of prohibited drugs or alcohol will always result in arrest and a required court appearance many weeks from the date of arrest and it can comprehensively disrupt travel plans. Random breath-testing is common early Saturday and Sunday mornings, and many people are caught the morning after.

A shout

The Birdsville Hotel in far western Queensland

Buying a round of drinks is a custom in Australia, as in many corners of the world. It is generally expected in a pub that when you arrive and make your first trip to the bar that you will offer to buy a drink for others you are drinking with. Similarly this will likely be done to you when someone else joins the group. This is called a shout, and incurs an obligation that you will generally return the favour in a following round, and that also you will generally maintain the same drinking pace as your associates in the round throughout the evening. If someone in the same round as you has an empty glass, who is ahead of you in drinks bought, you should declare that it is your shout, and make your way to the bar. If someone offers to buy you a drink, but does not offer to buy for the person who already has bought you a drink, you should say you are already in a shout, and decline. If they buy you and the people in your round a drink, they have joined the shout. Its generally not polite to switch between shouts during an evening. It you are in a large shout, and you decline a drink, you still have to buy a drink for the round when it comes to your turn. You are well advised if you wish to skip a round, to do so on your shout. It is generally poorly received to buy a round, and then to refuse a drink when one is purchased for you. Often the drink will just be bought for you without even asking. Don't be surprised if someone who bought you a drink earlier in the night, later says that it is your shout. Not joining a shout can be awkward in some groups. The best way is to say you are driving, and you will buy your own drinks. This is also an acceptable way to drop out after one round, when the score is even.

Non-alcoholic

Milo is a malt and chocolate drink now made by Nestlé that was invented in Australia, and has since become immensely popular in parts of Sydøstasien. It can be found in any Australian supermarket.

Australia has a strong coffee culture, especially Melbourne, a city with extensive Italian immigration. The joke is that Italians visiting Melbourne think the coffee is worse than their home city's, but better than every other city in Italy. Even service stations and fast food places will sell decent coffee. However, because of the strong preference for local coffee shops, many of the major chains in other countries don't exist -- Starbucks has a tiny handful of stores in Melbourne and Sydney, and none elsewhere in the country. Don't be taken aback by the lack of chains; try the local flavour instead!

Lære

Main article: Studying abroad#Australia

Australia is a popular destination for University students, especially from øst Asien, Sydøstasien og Indien. Australia offers world class universities in an English speaking environment, along with potential opportunities to actually gain resident and work visas on a path to citizenship. If you are intending to study in Australia, you will need to be on a visa class that allows this. Students and academics invited to visit Australian universities will generally also need an appropriate visa, even if their visit is of a short enough period to be covered by a tourist electronic visa. For very short term or part-time courses, check with your Australian consulate or embassy.

Australia also happens to be a great place to get Barista certification, with graduates being maybe able to command higher wages in coffee shops back in their home countries. Such courses can usually be conducted on a standard tourist visa.

Søvn

Camping by the Yarrangobilly River, NSW

Accommodation is readily available in most Australian cities and tourist destinations. As with everything else in Australia it tends to be on the expensive side by international standards.

Hoteller

When is a hotel not a hotel?

In Australian English, a Hotel can also refer to what most of the rest of the world would call a pub. While country hotels (pubs) tend to have accommodation on site, most city hotels do not. A country hotel that does not have a public bar is typically called a motel.

All state capitals have a number of 4 or 5 star standard hotels, often with upmarket restaurants, bars, room-service, and other premium hospitality services. Other 2 or 3 star hotels are scattered around the inner-cities and inner suburbs. Best to check local guides and reviews to know what you are in for. Most hotels offer internet connectivity, occasionally for an inflated fee. Most hotels (distinct from the country pubs known as hotels) have private bathroom facilities. It isn't unknown for all options to run out during major events in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Pubber

Bendigo's Shamrock Hotel

Most pubs in Australia offer some form of accommodation. It can vary from very basic shabby rooms, to newly renovated boutique accommodation. The price is usually a good reflection of what you are in for. It is still quite unusual to have a private bathroom, even in the nicer pubs. The rooms are often on the second floor directly above the bar area and can be noisy, particularly on Fri/Sat nights.

Outside of the major centres, the pub is called a Hotel. A motel won't have a public bar. A motel that does have a bar attached is called a Hotel/Motel.

In very small towns local pubs offer the only accommodation available to travellers. Accommodation in these pubs tends to be budget-style with shared bathrooms but private rooms.

Pub accommodation is even available in the centre of Sydney, making getting back to your room after a beer a simple endeavour.

If you travel as a single, and want a private room, pubs usually have single rooms at a discount over a double room. Most motels will charge the same price for one or two people sharing a room.

Motels

Typically, motel-style accommodation will have a private room with a bed or number of beds, and a private shower and toilet. Many motels have family rooms, that will usually have a double bed and two single beds in the one room.

Motel rooms in the cities will generally cost upwards from $80. Usually the cost is the same for one or two adults, with any extra people charged an additional fee. Prices for additional children can range from free to $20 per child. During quiet times its not unusual for motels to offer standby discounts.

Most motels will serve a cooked or continental breakfast to your room in the morning, for an additional charge. Some may have a restaurant or serve an evening meal. Some may have a toaster in the room and kettles are widely provided.

Hostels and backpackers

Budget hostel-style accommodation with shared bathrooms and often with dormitories is approximately $20–30 per person per night. Facilities usually include a fully equipped kitchen with adequate refrigeration and food storage areas. Most hostels also have living room areas equipped with couches, dining tables, and televisions.

There are several backpacker hostel chains in Australia. If you are staying many nights in the same brand of hostel, consider their discount cards, which usually offer a loyalty bonus on accommodation, and other attraction and tour discounts negotiated by the chain.

Holiday parks

Holiday parks are an Australian holiday institution and a great way to stay if you have your own wheels. These are basically an upgraded version of caravan parks, but as the new marketing indicates, they now cater to regular travellers as well. A typical holiday park offers the following types of accommodation:

  • Cabins fully equipped with bedding, kitchens, TV, wifi and more, for travellers without their own home on wheels. Most can house 4 or more people with rates starting from around $100/night.
  • Powered sites for parking your caravan/campervan/motorhome/RV. Some parks offer ensuite sites featuring a little bathroom with shower & toilet.
  • Unpowered sites are for those intending to pitch their own tent, starting from around $20/night.

Regardless of where you stay, the price includes access to communal facilities including BBQs, showers, kitchens, self-service laundries, pools, tennis courts and jumping pillows. The largest park chains covering the country are Top Parks/Discovery Parks og Big 4, but there are also plenty of independent options.

There are a couple of caveats to holiday parks:

  • They're typically located on the outskirts of towns, so they're not very practical unless you have your vehicle.
  • Most cater to families, which is great if you have kids, but not so much if you're looking for peace and quiet.
  • During school holidays, parks tend to jack up their rates and require multiple-night minimum stays, and the best ones sell out anyway.
  • If you change your mind, too bad, since reservations are typically nonrefundable.

Camping

Camping is a popular pastime. In addition to camping at holiday parks, national parks often provide cheap or free camping sites, which expect you to be more self-sufficient. Often toilets are provided and sometimes cold showers. Paid camping permits are sometimes required at popular parks, with some popular spots filling up during the holidays in summer. In Australia it is common to be within an hour's drive of a national park or recreation area that will permit some form of camping, even in the capital cities. Expect to pay around $5–10 per night per person for a camping permit, and national park admission fees in the more popular national parks (e.g.: Wilsons Promontory National Park, Kosciuszko National Park, etc.), however entry and camping is free in the majority of national parks further from population and tourist centres.

Some other camping areas are run by government or even local landowners. Expect around $10 per person per night, depending on the time of year.

You can try your luck sleeping on a beach or pitching a tent overnight in a highway rest area, or out in the bush for a free bed. Most rest areas and beaches prohibit camping and many even prohibit overnight parking to discourage this. Generally the closer you are to civilisation or a tourist area, the greater the chance of being hassled by the authorities.

Camping in state forests is often preferable to national parks if you're after a camping experience over sightseeing, as collecting of your own fire wood is allowed (sometimes felling of trees is permissible dependent on the area) and camping is not restricted to camp sites. Some other activities that are generally allowed in state forests that are not allowed in national parks are: bringing in dogs/pets, open fires, motorbikes and four-wheel driving. State forests are generally free to stay in, although you will need to check locally if public access is allowed.

Farm stay

Much as the name suggests, this usually involves a cabin or homestead accommodation on a working property. Suited for a stay of two or more days, this accommodation usually allows you to get a little involved in the running of the farm if you wish. It is common for dinner to be provided in the homestead, and a breakfast pack to be provided to your cabin.

Holiday home

Holiday homes are homes rented by their owners, often using local real estate agents or specialised web sites. Sometimes located in prime positions, but also sometimes in the residential sections of cities and towns. Minimum rental periods of at least 2 days usually apply, rising to a week during periods when they are busy. At a minimum will have bedrooms, a lounge, bathroom.

Bed and Breakfasts

The Henty Central Hotel in the New South Wales town of Henty provides bed and breakfast accommodation. Many country towns have similar hotels.

Bed and Breakfasts tend to be a premium form of accommodation in Australia, often focused on weekend accommodation for couples. They certainly don't offer the discount form of accommodation they do in part of the Det Forenede Kongerige, and the local motel will usually be cheaper.

Sometimes extra rooms in a person's home, but often a purpose built building. You should expect a cosy, well kept room, a common area, and a cooked breakfast. Possibly private facilities. Substantial discounts often apply for mid-week stays at bed and breakfasts.

Resorts

There are many true resorts around Australia. Many have lagoon pools, tennis, golf, kids clubs, and other arranged activities. The island of the Whitsundays have a choice of resorts, some occupying entire islands. Port Douglas also has many resorts of a world standard.

Serviced apartments

Serviced apartments are a very popular form of accommodation in Australia, with all capital and most regional cities having multiple such hotels. These often include hotels located in prime positions in the centre of town.

Guests are typically able to stay for as little as one night, and discounts are often available for bookings of a week and over. Rooms tend to be larger than in standard hotels, and amenities typically include a kitchen, washer and dryer, and separate bedrooms. Apartment hotels generally don't offer breakfast or have a restaurant, but there are usually cafes located nearby (often next door) which cater to guests.

Houseboats

Houseboats are available to rent on some scenic rural rivers, and provide an excellent opportunity to spend time in the wilderness. These usually have kitchens in them so you can bring your own food to cook.

Station wagons and vans

In most parts of Australia it is illegal to sleep in your vehicle but it is possible to get around this by simply rigging up curtains all around the windows so no one can see in from the outside. Trade vans can be picked up for as little as $1,000, with a more trustworthy van setting you back no more than $3,000-4,000. Add a mattress, pillow, portable gas cooker, cookware and a 20 L water container and you are off. If you get caught the fine could be as much as $150 each, so do it at you own risk. But if you are strategic in where you stay you probably won't get caught. Just be sensible and don't disturb the locals. Also, be aware of parking restrictions in certain parts of the cities and town, although overnight parking restrictions are rare. The parking inspectors can be ruthless and a $100 fine is not uncommon.

All cities and towns in Australia have free public toilets. Many parks, and most beaches have free electric barbecues as well. Popular beaches have fresh water showers to wash the salt water off after you swim, so for those on a tight budget (or for those that just love waking up at the beach) simply wash in the ocean (please do not pollute the ocean or waterways by using detergents or soaps) and rinse off at the showers. Almost all taps in Australia are drinking water, the ones that aren't will be marked. Service stations (petrol/gas) almost always have taps, so these are a good place to refill the water containers each time you refuel.

Some of the best experiences you may have in Australia will be by taking that road on the map that looks like it heads to a beach, creek, waterfall or mountain and following it. You may just find paradise and not another soul in sight. And lucky you, you've got a bed, food and water right there with you.

Travelling in a small group lowers the fuel bill per head, as this will likely be your biggest expense.

Enjoy, and respect the land by taking your rubbish/bottles/cigarette butts with you and disposing of them properly.

Work

Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and permanent residents of Australia can work in Australia without any further permits, but others will require a work visa. It is illegal for foreigners to undertake paid work in Australia on a tourist visa. Be aware that any form of compensation for services performed, monetary or otherwise (e.g. room and board), counts as payment in Australia, meaning that such work would be illegal on a tourist visa. Volunteer work is allowed provided it is incidental to the trip (i.e. not the main purpose for the trip). Foreigners in Australia on a student visa are allowed to work for up to 20 hours a week during term time, and full-time during the school holidays. Working illegally in Australia runs a very real risk of arrest, imprisonment, deportation and being permanently banned from re-entering Australia. All visitors who do not hold Australian permanent residency or citizenship (including New Zealand citizens who aren't also Australian permanent residents or citizens) are not allowed to access Australian social security arrangements for the unemployed, and will have limited, or more usually, no access to the Australian government's health care payment arrangements.

Payment and taxes

Most Australian employers pay via direct deposit to Australian bank accounts and therefore you should open a bank account as soon as possible. Some banks allow you to open account from abroad, for example Commonwealth Bank and HSBC.

You should also apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) as soon as possible. You can apply on-line for free at the Australian Tax Office website, though you can generally get it quicker if you just go to one of their offices. You can start working without one, but you are advised to get one as soon as possible as your employer would have to withhold tax from your salary at the highest rate should you not provide one. Register your TFN with your bank as soon as possible, otherwise any interest you accrue will be taxed at the highest rate. The Australian financial year runs from 1st July to 30th June, and tax returns for each financial year are due on 30th October, four months after the accounting period ends. Check with Australian tax agents about Australian tax liability and filing an Australian tax return.

Australian employers will make compulsory payments out of your earnings to an Australian superannuation (retirement savings) fund on your behalf. Visitors on temporary working visas who are not citizens of Australia or New Zealand should claim this money when they leave Australia. This payment is known as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) and you can apply online. New Zealand citizens can transfer their superannuation money to their New Zealand KiwiSaver account; contact your provider to arrange this.

Working holidaymaker scheme

Vineyards in South Australia

Australia has a working holidaymaker program for citizens of certain countries between 18 and 30 years of age. It allows you to stay in Australia for 12 months from the time you first enter. You may work during that time, but only for 6 months at any one employer. The idea is for you to take a holiday subsidised by casual or short-term jobs. If you're interested in a working holiday, some useful skills and experience might be: office skills to be used for temp work; or hospitality skills to be used for bar or restaurant work. An alternative is seasonal work like fruit picking, although much seasonal work will require that you work outside the major cities. Working for 3 months in seasonal work will allow you to apply for a second 12-month visa.

You can apply online for a working holiday visa, but you must ikke be in Australia at the time. It takes just a few hours to process usually and it costs about $440 (as of March 2017). On arriving in Australia ask for the working holiday visa to be "evidenced", so you can show your future employer.

It's recommended to arrive in Australia with sufficient funds which is a minimum of $5000 if you are on a working holiday visa. The cost of living in Australia is quite high and it may take a few days or weeks to get a job.

Work visas

Work visas in Australia change frequently and sometimes without any notice, so always check with your local Australian High Commission, Consulate or Embassy and the Immigration Department's website.

The most straightforward way to get a work visa (subclass 457, 186 & 187) is to find an Australian employer who will sponsor you. Your employer will need to demonstrate that they cannot hire anyone with your skills in Australia. Locally advertised jobs are usually explicit in requiring a valid work visa before your application can be considered. Getting the visa might take a couple of months from the beginning of the application process and you will need a medical examination by a doctor approved by the immigration officials before it can be granted (among other things, you will need a chest x-ray to show that you do not have tuberculosis). An employer with a good background and efficient immigration lawyers could get your 457 approved within a week. Your work visa will only be valid for the employer who sponsored you and you will have to leave within 30 days of your employment ending.

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa (subclass 187) is the easiest employer nominated visa to acquire, although you will have to live and work in a designated 'regional' area. These areas are mostly rural and far removed from the larger cities, although Adelaide does count in this scheme.

Skilled independent visas (subclass 189, 190, 489) may be pursued if you have a valuable specialised skill and don't want to be tied to a specific employer.

There is also a temporary graduate visa (subclass 485) which allows graduates of Australian universities to stay on and work in Australia, and is usually valid anywhere from 18 months to 4 years depending on your level of education, and your major. Your major must be from a list of skilled occupations for which there is a labour shortage in Australia. This list is updated every year, and whether or not you qualify for this visa is dependent on the list at the time of your graduation, ikke at the time you begin your studies.

Immigration

You can apply to immigrate as a skilled person or business person, but this process will take longer than receiving a work visa. You can also apply for permanent residency as the holder of a work or study visa, but your application will not be automatically accepted. If you have a lot of money, there are several investor's visas available which allow you to live in Australia with a view of obtaining permanent residency. After four years of legal residency which must include one year as a permanent resident, you are eligible to apply for Australian citizenship.

Volunteering

There are several volunteer opportunities in Australia. Many worldwide organisations offer extended travel for those wanting to volunteer their time to work with locals on projects such as habitat restoration, wildlife sanctuary maintenance & development, scientific research, & education programs such as Australian Volunteers, World Wildlife Fund, Gap 360, Go Discover Abroadog Xtreme Gap Year.

Respekt

Unless you are actively trying to insult someone, a traveller is unlikely to insult or cause offence to an Australian through any kind of cultural ignorance.

Australian modes of address tend towards the familiar. It is acceptable and normal to use first names in all situations, even to people many years your senior. Many Australians are fond of using and giving nicknames - even to recent acquaintances. It is likely being called such a name is an indication that you are considered a friend and as such it would be rare they are being condescending.

It is generally acceptable to wear revealing clothing in Australia. Bikinis and swimming attire are okay on the beach, and usually at the kiosk across the road from the beach. It is normal to wear at least a shirt and footwear before venturing any further. Most beaches are effectively top optional (topless) while sunbathing. Just about all women wear a top while walking around or in the water. There are some clothing optional (nude) beaches, usually a little further removed from residential areas. Thong bikinis (more commonly called g-string bikinis in Australia as thongs refer to flip-flop footwear) are fine on all beaches and some outdoor pools for women and men, although they are not as common as conventional beachwear. Some outdoor pools have a "top required" policy for women.

Cover up a little more when visiting places of worship such as churches. In warm conditions casual "t-shirt and shorts" style clothing predominates except in formal situations. Business attire, however, is considered to be long sleeved shirt, tie, and long trousers for men, even in the hottest weather.

Using Australian stereotypical expressions may be viewed as an attempt to mock, rather than to communicate. If you pull it off well, you might raise a smile.

Australians are often self-deprecating; however, it is rude to ever agree with a self-deprecating remark. Boasting about achievements is rarely received well.

Social classes do not feature as prominently in Australia as they do in many other countries, and you will notice that tradespeople and manual labourers are very well paid and accorded a lot more respect in Australia than elsewhere. Be careful not to imply that you are looking down on people whose jobs may be considered menial by the standards of other countries. Service workers, including hotel staff, waiters, cleaners, taxi drivers and shop employees, expect that customers will treat them as equals.

Most Australians are happy to help out a lost traveller with directions, however many urban dwellers will assume that someone asking "excuse me", is asking for money, and may brush past. Looking lost, holding a map, looking like a backpacker or getting to the point quickly helps.

Indigenous Australians

Uluru

Aboriginal Australians likely arrived in the Australian landmass 60,000 years ago and number over half a million people today. They have faced significant discrimination over the years since European settlement took their traditional lands, and sensitivity should be given at all times. Aboriginal people actually come from many different 'nations' with distinctive cultures and identities that spoke up to 250 different languages before European settlement.

Many areas of Aboriginal land are free to enter. Some areas carry a request from the Aboriginal people not to enter, and you may choose yourself whether or not to honour or respect that request. Uluru holds great spiritual significance to the Anangu people, who live in the area; while climbing it used to be a popular tourist activity, it has been banned since 2019. The Anangu feel themselves responsible if someone is killed or injured on their land (as has happened many times during the climb), so please keep off.

Some Aboriginal land requires permission or a permit, and some areas are protected and illegal to enter. You should check before making plans to travel off the beaten track. Permits are usually just a formality for areas which regularly see visitors, or if you have some other business in the area you are travelling through. Often they are just an agreement to respect the land you are travelling on as Aboriginal land. Some Aboriginal Land Councils make them available online.

If you need to refer to race, the politically correct term is Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal people is usually okay and referring to sacred sites and land as Aboriginal sites, or Aboriginal land is okay too, though these terms only refer to people indigenous to mainland Australia or Tasmania. Avoid using Aborigine eller Aboriginal as a noun to describe a person, as some people see negative connotations in these words. The contraction "Abo" is deeply offensive and should never be used. The word Native is also offensive. People indigenous to the Torres Strait Islands do not identify as "Aboriginal"; just stick to the term Torres Strait Islander instead.

Other areas to consider when interacting with Indigenous Australians are:

  • Australia Day is considered a day of invasion by many Aboriginal people
  • Det er bedst ikke at nævne navnet på en afdød person til en indfødt australier. Selvom den oprindelige skik varierer, er det bedst at undgå muligheden for lovovertrædelse.
  • Tilladelse til at fotografere en aboriginal person skal altid stilles, men især i de mere afsidesliggende områder som Arnhem Land, Northern Territory.
  • Undgå at respektere hellige aboriginale steder som at klatre på Uluru eller de tre søstre osv.

Religion

Det moderne australske samfund er ret sekulært, og kun et mindretal af australierne går regelmæssigt i kirke. De fleste australiere er tolerante over for mennesker i alle trosretninger, og folk, der bærer religiøse påklædninger som hijaber, kippahs eller krucifikser, vil generelt ikke blive chikaneret, selvom islamofobi eksisterer. Forsøg på at forkynde eller gener andre med din religion vil dog oftere end ikke resultere i et negativt svar.

Pas på dig selv

Nødsituationer

Nummeret 000 (kaldet 'triple zero' eller 'triple oh') kan ringes op fra enhver telefon i Australien gratis. Dette nummer forbinder dig med politiet, brandvæsenet, kystvagten eller ambulancetjenesten, når du har fortalt alarmoperatøren, hvilken service du har brug for.

Hvis du vil kontakte disse tjenester, men situationen ikke er en nødsituation, skal du ikke ringe til 000: du kan ringe til politiets hjælpelinje 131 444. Dette inkluderer anmodning om et opkald til støjklager. Råd om information om giftstoffer, som også kan rådgive om slange, edderkop og insektbid, findes på 131 126. Oplysninger om lokalisering af nærmeste lægehjælp kan fås ved at ringe 1800 022 222 (undtagen Tasmanien).

Hvis du har brug for hjælp under en oversvømmelse, storm, cyklon, tsunami, jordskælv eller anden naturkatastrofe, kan du kontakte statens beredskabstjeneste i hver stat (undtagen Northern Territory) på 132 500. Du vil være forbundet med din lokale enhed, og hjælp kan organiseres derfra. Hvis nødsituationen er livstruende, skal du ringe til 000 i stedet.

Du kan ringe til 000 fra alle mobiltelefoner. Mobiltelefoner, der sælges i Australien, genkender det som nødnummer og vil bruge ethvert tilgængeligt netværk til at foretage opkaldet. Men hvis du har en telefon, der er hentet uden for Australien, ved hjælp af det universelle alarmnummer 112 er en bedre idé. Brug af 112 bruger ethvert tilgængeligt netværk, fungerer selvom din telefon ikke roaming og fungerer, selvom telefonen ikke har et SIM-kort. 112 fungerer også fra australske købte telefoner.

Høre- eller talehæmmede mennesker med TTY-udstyr kan ringe 106. Dem med internetforbindelse kan bruge Internet Relay Service via hjemmesiden.

Opkald fra fasttelefoner (fasttelefoner) kan spores for at hjælpe nødtjenesterne med at nå dig. Nødetjenesterne har begrænset evne til at spore oprindelsen til nødopkald fra mobiltelefoner, især uden for byområder, så sørg for roligt og tydeligt at give detaljer om din placering. På grund af nummersekvensen for nødopkald foretages omkring 60% af opkaldene til alarmnumrene ved en fejltagelse.

Ingen vil sandsynligvis svare på dit opkald, medmindre du effektivt kan kommunikere til operatøren, at du har brug for hjælp. Hvis du har brug for hjælp, men ikke kan tale, bliver du omdirigeret til en IVR og bedt om at trykke 55 for at bekræfte, at du har brug for hjælp og ikke har ringet ved et uheld. Dit opkald forbindes derefter til politiet.

Bortset fra 112 fra en mobil, nødnumre fra andre lande (f.eks. '911', '17' eller '100') fungerer ikke i Australien.

Kørsel

Bevar en følelse af perspektiv. Turister er langt mere tilbøjelige til at blive dræbt eller såret som fodgængere, chauffører eller passagerer på australske veje end alle andre dødsårsager og skader tilsammen.

Kørsel under påvirkning af alkohol eller stoffer er forbudt. De fleste stater bruger en foreskrevet standard alkohol i blodet for at afgøre, om kørsel er kriminel. Det foreskrevne (tilladte) indhold varierer fra nul til 0,05. Der udføres tilfældig åndedrætsprøvning for blod og alkohol.

Australien er et kæmpe land, og det kan tage længere tid at køre mellem byer og byer, end du forventer, især hvis du er vant til at køre på motorvej eller i Europa i Nordamerika. Mens de store motorveje kan sammenlignes med de i udlandet, skal sekundære motorveje i landdistrikter behandles med en vis omhu. Hastighedsbegrænsninger varierer efter sted, vej og efter stat. Undgå stress af træthed ved ikke at planlægge at køre for langt på en dag. Myndighederne anbefaler på det kraftigste en pause (hvor nogle går uden for bilen) hver anden time.

Kørsel mellem byer og byer har en risiko for at ramme eller gå ned på grund af sving for at undgå vilde dyr. Kænguruer har en vane med at blive skræmt af biler og så forvirrende springe foran dem. Vær ekstra forsigtig, når du kører gennem områder med vegetation tæt på vejen og i daggry og skumring, når dyrelivet er mest aktivt. Dyreliv er normalt ikke et problem i større byområder (med undtagelse af Canberra, hvor en række parker giver rigelig levested for kænguruer, der ofte krydser hovedveje).

Byaustraliere jaywalk, undviger biler og forudser lysrækkefølgen. Selvom de fleste chauffører stopper for et rødt lys, er det almindeligt at køre gult lys, så det er altid en god ide at sikre, at trafikken er stoppet, før de træder fra kantstenen. Folk fra lande, der kører til højre, vil tage et stykke tid at vænne sig til at se den rigtige vej, når de krydser.

Strande

En livredder på Bondi Beach i Sydney

Omkring 10–20 oversøiske rejsende drukner hvert år i Australien. De fleste af disse drukninger forekommer ved havstrande, hvor statistik sætter besøgende i væsentlig højere risiko end lokalbefolkningen. Tjek Strand sikkerhed websted.

Strandbesøgere burde svøm mellem det røde og gule flag som udpeger patruljerede områder. Strande patruljeres ikke 24 timer i døgnet eller endda i hele dagslys. I de fleste tilfælde er de lokale frivillige surf livreddere eller professionelle livreddere kun tilgængelige i visse timer og på nogle strande kun i weekenden og ofte kun om sommeren. Hvis flagene ikke er oppe, er der ingen, der patruljerer. Mange strande i landdistrikterne patruljeres slet ikke. Hvis du vælger at svømme, skal du være opmærksom på risiciene, kontrollere forholdene, holde dig inden for din dybde og ikke svømme alene.

Mange strande i Australien har et pludselig drop off, som kan overraske ikke-svømmere. Hvis du er i tvivl, så spørg de lokale.

Hårde surfbrætter og andet vandfartøj som surfski, kajakker osv. Er ikke tilladt mellem det røde og gule flag. Disse fartøjer må kun bruges uden for det blå 'surfcraft tilladt' flag.

Australske havstrande kan undertiden have stærke revner, som selv de stærkeste svømmere ikke kan svømme imod. Rips er næsten usynlige kanaler med vand, der flyder væk fra stranden. Mange lokale kan se rip, så spørg hvis du er i tvivl. Disse kanaler tager vandet ud, som de indkommende surfbølger bringer i land. Strandbesøgere kan fejlagtigt bruge disse kanaler eller områder, da de kan fremstå som roligt vand og ser ud til at være et lettere område, hvor man kan svømme. Problemer opstår, når svømmeren prøver at svømme tilbage i land mod den udgående strøm eller rive, trætte hurtigt og ende med at drukne. Rips kan genkendes af et eller flere af disse tegn: et kruset udseende, når det omgivende vand er temmelig roligt; skum, der strækker sig ud over brudzonen; brunt, sandfarvet vand; bølger bryder længere ud på begge sider af rip.

Hvis du bliver fanget i en rip ved en patruljeret strand, skal du spare på din energi, flyde eller træde vand og løfte den ene hånd. Surf livreddere vil komme ud til dig. Vent ikke, indtil du er så træt, at du ikke kan svømme mere. Du vil sandsynligvis opdage, at lokale svømmere eller surfere også hurtigt kommer til din hjælp. Normalt er flagene placeret, hvor der ikke er rip, men det er ikke altid tilfældet, da rips kan bevæge sig.

Hvis du bliver fanget i en rip ved en ikke-kontrolleret strand, skal du være rolig for at spare energi og svømme parallel til stranden (ikke imod strømmen fra strømmen). De fleste revner er kun få meter brede, og når de først er fri for undergrunden, kan du svømme eller fange en bølge for at vende tilbage til kysten. Svøm aldrig alene. Tro ikke, at den rigtige teknik får dig ud af enhver situation. I surfingen ude på stranden kan trædevand være hårdt med bølger, der banker dig hvert par sekunder. Medmindre du har set det ske, er det svært at forstå, hvor hurtigt en rip kan føre dig 50 m ud til havet og ind i meget større bølgebryder. Hvis du er på en ikke-patruljeret surfstrand, skal du fortsætte med stor forsigtighed og aldrig gå ud af din dybde.

Strandskilte har ofte et nummer eller en alfanumerisk kode. Denne kode kan gives til nødtjenester, hvis det kræves, så de hurtigt kan finde dig.

Krokodiller og Box vandmænd findes på tropiske strande, afhængigt af årstid og område. Hajer forekommer på mange af Australiens strande. Se afsnittet nedenfor om farlige væsner. Patruljerede strande overvåger havet for enhver hajaktivitet. Hvis du hører en kontinuerlig sirene gå ud ved stranden, og et rødt og et hvidt kvarts flag vinkes eller holdes ude af tårnet, indikerer det en hajobservation, så tag dig til kysten. Når det er klart, vil der lyde en kort eksplosion af sirenen, hvilket normalt betyder, at det er sikkert at vende tilbage til vandet.

Naturkatastrofer

Som et stort land er Australien ramt af en række naturkatastrofer.

Cykloner

Tropiske cykloner (orkaner) forekommer i troperne (den nordlige del) af Australien mellem november og april, og du skal forstå, hvordan en tropisk cyklon kan påvirke dig i den tropiske våde sæson. Virkningen af ​​cykloner varierer med deres intensitet og din nærhed til dem. Svage cykloner koster måske bare en dag eller to af din ferie til regn og vind, mens du holder dig indendørs på dit hotel, og en times kørsel fra cyklonens centrum kan stadig have godt vejr. Mere alvorlige tropiske cykloner kan være dødbringende for de uforberedte, kan tvinge dig til at evakuere og kan forstyrre dine rejseplaner alvorligt. Selv cykloner med lav intensitet eller tropiske fordybninger i mere afsidesliggende områder kan lukke veje i dage til uger ad gangen.

I gennemsnit oplever en by i troperne en tropisk cyklon hvert 30. år eller deromkring. Den tynde befolkning i Australiens nord- og nordvestlige del (hvor cykloner er mest udbredt) betyder, at mange cykloner passerer kysten med ringe indflydelse på byer.

Stadig, hvis du planlægger at rejse til troperne i cyklonsæsonen, skal du forstå og gennemgå Bureau of Meteorology's informationsside inden du begiver dig ud, og hold øje med siden, mens du rejser for tidlige advarsler om eventuelle problemer, der udvikler sig.

Oversvømmelser

I det tropiske nord Våd sæson forekommer i sommermånederne december, januar og februar og bringer voldsomme regn og hyppige oversvømmelser til disse regioner. Det er ikke usædvanligt, at nogle kystområder afskæres i en dag eller to, mens vandet trækker sig tilbage. Det kan stadig være et godt tidspunkt at besøge nogle af de velbefolkede, turistorienterede områder, og med undtagelse af usædvanligt kraftige oversvømmelser kan du stadig se de dunkende vandfald og andre attraktioner, der kan gøre dette til et interessant tidspunkt at besøge.

Oversvømmelser i outback og det indre Australien er sjældne og forekommer årtier fra hinanden, så du ville være uheldig at støde på dem. Men hvis du planlægger at besøge indlandet eller outbacken, og området er oversvømmet, skal du overveje det igen. Landet er fladt, så vandet kan tage uger at gå videre, hvilket efterlader jorden uklar. Insekter og myg bliver vanvittige med alt det ferske vand, der samles rundt, og disse ting spiser insektmiddel til morgenmad og er stadig sultne. Vejene lukker, hvilket ofte tilføjer mange timer til køretiderne. Mange attraktioner ligger ofte på en kort grusvej ud for hovedveje, og disse strækninger bliver umulige, selvom hovedvejen forbliver åben. Planlæg at vende tilbage om et par uger, og landet vil stadig være grønt, søerne og floderne vil stadig flyde, og fuglelivet vil stadig være rundt.

Den vådeste periode syd for landet er normalt omkring vintermånederne juni, juli og august. Der er sjældent nok regn ad gangen til at forårsage oversvømmelse. Hovedstæderne er sjældent, hvis nogensinde, væsentligt påvirket af oversvømmelser.

Styrtflod

Flashflod forekommer i mange østlige byer mindst en gang om året, generelt om sommeren, og er en gener. Bliv dog indeni og følg rådene fra SES og ABC lokalradio. Forsøg aldrig at køre i oversvømmelsesvand, snesevis af biler ødelægges hvert år af tanken "det er ikke så dybt". Du vil ikke være den person, der flyder under broen og venter på, at politiet redder dig.

Flash-oversvømmelse medfører ofte stort hagl, som kan skade biler. Søg parkering undercover (ikke underjordisk).

Det er normalt forudsigeligt. Du vil generelt høre brummen om en storm, der kommer fra lokalbefolkningen, og bom.gov.au viser en advarsel om hårdt vejr.

Vandforsyning

Australien er et meget tørt land med store områder af ørkenog kan også blive meget varm.

Når du rejser i fjerntliggende områder, væk fra lukkede veje, hvor potentialet for at blive strandet i op til en uge uden at se et andet køretøj er meget reelt, er det vigtigt, at du har din egen vandforsyning (4 gal eller 7 L pr. Person pr. Dag ). Lad dig ikke vildlede af indtastninger på kort som 'brønd' eller 'kilde' eller 'tank' (eller noget, der tyder på, at der er en vandmasse). Næsten alle er tørre, og de fleste indre søer er tørre saltpander.

Mange byer har vandrestriktioner, hvilket begrænser brugen af ​​vand til aktiviteter som vask af biler, vandhave eller offentlige brusere. Det er almindeligt at se skilte i indkvartering, der beder besøgende om at begrænse længden af ​​deres brusere.

Det er almindeligt, at mange regionale byers offentlige badeværelses vandforsyning ikke er drikkevand. Drik ikke fra en vandhane mærket "Do not drink" eller "Non-potable", da dette generelt kun er ubehandlet grundvand.

Jordskælv

Selvom Australien ikke er placeret på nogen pladegrænser, opstår der jordskælv fra tid til anden. Disse er normalt mindre og forårsager meget sjældent store skader eller dødsfald.

Bushfires

Bushfires er en sæsonbestemt fare i mange dele af Australien - og hvis du vover ud i bushen eller landdistrikterne, betaler det sig først at kontrollere brandfare og status for enhver bushfire-aktivitet. Selvom de fleste brande hurtigt kontrolleres, kan busbrande på meget farlige branddage være livstruende - især hvis de er til fods eller ikke har beskyttelsen af ​​en betydelig bygning.

Hvis du bliver fanget i et bushfire, vil de fleste brande hurtigt passere. Du skal finde ly, der beskytter dig mod røg og strålevarme. Et hus er bedst, så er en bil, så en clearing, en hule eller på stranden den bedste placering. Våd alt, hvad du kan. Bliv lav og dæk munden. Dæk dig selv med ikke-brændbart (uldentøj) eller tæpper, og reducer huden, der udsættes direkte for varmen. Hvis du har adgang til en vandhane, skal du samle vand tidligt; stole ikke på vandtryk, når ildfronten nærmer sig.

Fire Danger Rating (billedet til højre) fortæller dig, hvor farlig en brand ville være, hvis en startede. Det er ikke en forudsigelse for, hvor sandsynligt et bushfire er.

Brandfaresymboler findes overalt i Australien
  • Alvorlig: Varme, tørre og blæsende forhold. En brand, der starter under disse forhold, kan være ukontrollerbar. Kun velforberedte bygninger, der er aktivt forsvaret, kan yde sikkerhed. Forlad ved det første tegn på ild.
  • Ekstrem: Varmt tørt og blæsende forhold. Enhver brande, der starter og griber ind, vil være ukontrollerbar, uforudsigelig og hurtig bevægelse. Kun boliger og bygninger, der er bygget til at modstå bushfires, der er godt forberedt og aktivt forsvaret, kan yde sikkerhed. Undgå skovklædte områder, tyk busk eller langt, tørt græs. Det anbefales at efterlade sådanne områder for at sikre, at du ikke bliver fanget i et buskild.
  • Katastrofal / kode rød: Disse er de værste forhold, der er mulige for en busk eller græsbrand. Undgå skovområder, tyk busk eller langt, tørt græs. Det anbefales at forlade skovklædte og buskede områder.

Det er værd at bemærke, at mange lokale forlader deres hjem for at søge tilflugt i store byer hele dagen på de få dage om året, der er udpeget som "katastrofale".

Nationalparker og statsskove

Hvis brandrisikoen er ekstrem eller højere, kan nationalparker være lukket, især landområderne, så du bliver nødt til at have en alternativ plan, hvis du har til hensigt at campere eller vandre i parker om sommeren. Hvis der er brand i en park, lukkes den normalt helt.

Hvis du opholder dig i en park eller skov i en ekstrem brandfare periode, er den sikreste mulighed at forlade natten før eller tidligt på dagen. Hvis du hører om en brand eller ser røg, skal du hurtigt handle.

Rejser under aktive brande eller i brandsæsonen

Hvis du kører uden for byer i løbet af bushfire-sæsonen, skal du stille ind på lokal ABC-radio. Under et bushfire eller enhver anden igangværende nødsituation lyder der hvert 30. minut en advarselsirene efterfulgt af en opdatering af den aktuelle bushfire-situation i dette område. Du modtager muligvis evakueringsadvarsler på din telefon.

Nød- og bushåndtering er et statsansvar i Australien - så find det websted eller den app, der passer til den stat, du befinder dig i. Websider som f.eks. WA i nødsituationer og VicE Emergency liste alle aktuelle nødsituationer i deres respektive stater og er ofte den mest opdaterede metode til at få information om en aktuel nødsituation.

Det er muligt, at du kommer i en situation, hvor det bliver for sent at rejse.

I bushfire-sæsonen skal du have en plan bestående af to flugtveje og evnen til at pakke det, du har brug for hurtigt.

Butikscentre eller hovedgader i bebyggede byer er sikre steder at være i under ekstreme eller kode røde dage, medmindre du hører andet via radio.

Hele landsbyer kan undertiden evakueres, når der er en buskild, der truer dem. Ofte kan der ikke være tegn på ilden ved evakueringstidspunktet, men du skal gå tidligt, da evakuering gennem en brandfront er farlig. Det bedste råd er bare at komme videre, og ikke blive rundt for at se.

Belysning brande

Sørg for, at brande, du tænder, er lovlige og holdes under kontrol. Brandvæsenet driver en totalt brandforbud systemet i perioder med ekstrem brandfare. Når et totalt brandforbud er på plads, er alle udendørs brande forbudt. De fleste parker vil annoncere for et forbud, og det er dit ansvar at kontrollere de lokale brandfare. Bøder eller endda fængselsvilkår gælder for at tænde brande, der kommer ud af kontrol, for ikke at nævne den følelse, du måtte få af at være ansvarlig for ejendommen, dyrelivet og personskader, som du kan forårsage.

Giftige og farlige væsner

Se også: Skadedyr

Selvom Australien er hjemsted for mange af de mest dødbringende arter af insekter, krybdyr og marine liv på planeten, er det usandsynligt, at den rejsende støder på nogen af ​​disse i et bymiljø, og selv i bushen forsøger disse skabninger at undgå mennesker for det meste . Langt størstedelen af ​​dødsfald som følge af bid og stik i Australien skyldes allergiske reaktioner på bier og hveps.

Nogle af de oplysninger, der spredes om Australiens farlige dyreliv, blæses ud af proportioner, ofte med sjov af australierne selv. Du bør dog tage advarsler om vandmænd og krokodiller alvorligt i troperne og holde afstand fra slanger i nationalparker og buskland.

Hvis du rejser i landdistrikterne, ville det være en god ide at medbringe grundlæggende førstehjælpsudstyr inklusive kompressionsbandager og at lære, hvad man skal gøre efter en slange eller edderkoppebid.

Slanger

Det er ikke almindeligt at støde på slanger i urbaniserede områder i Australien, men de er almindelige i græsarealer, nationalparker og andre buskmarker. Slanger vil generelt forsøge at lægge så stor afstand mellem sig selv og dig som muligt, så hvis du ser en slange, mens du går ud, skal du bare gå rundt eller gå den anden vej. Det er ikke tilrådeligt at gå blindt ind i tætte busk- og græsarealer, da slanger måske gemmer sig der. For det meste frygter slanger mennesker og vil være langt væk, inden du nogensinde får chancen for at se dem.

Aldrig prøv at samle enhver slange, selvom du mener, at det er en ikke-giftig art. De fleste mennesker, der blev bidt af slanger, forsøgte at hente slangen eller dræbe skabningen eller ved et uheld at træde på en mens de gik ud.

Australien har nogle slanger, der er dødelige. Så behandl alle slanger med respekt, og søg straks lægehjælp for enhver slangebid. Tag et førstehjælpskasse, der er egnet til slangebid, hvis du går uden for alfarvej. Hvis bides, skal du immobilisere såret ved at indpakke det berørte område tæt med strimler af tøj eller bandager og søge øjeblikkelig lægehjælp. Rengør ikke såret, da giftrester kan testes for at bestemme det anti-gift, der skal bruges. Hvis du er i et isoleret område, send en anden til hjælp. Giftet hos nogle slanger (især taipan) kan træde i kraft inden for femten minutter, men hvis såret straks immobiliseres, og du hviler, er det muligt at forsinke udbruddet af giften, der spredes med et til et par timer. Polyvalente anti-giftstoffer fås på de fleste hospitaler, der indeholder giftgift for alle farlige australske slanger.

Edderkopper

Sydney tragt-web edderkop i en advarsel kropsholdning

Selvom det er berømt for sine arachnider, er dødsfald fra edderkopper i Australien ekstremt sjældne. Det er almindeligt at se edderkopper i Australien, og de fleste vil ikke skade dig. Bær handsker under havearbejde eller håndtering af bladkuld. Kontroller eller ryst tøj, sko osv., Der har været ude, inden du tager dem på. Læg ikke fingrene under sten eller i træhuller, hvor edderkopper kan være. Nogle edderkopper findes almindeligvis inde i bygninger og hjem, herunder de store og hårede Huntsman edderkopper, der generelt er harmløse og reducerer skadedyr som kakerlakker. De store edderkoppeweb, der er spændt mellem træer, der er optaget af have- eller kuglevævende edderkopper, er mere en irritation end en fare.

Imidlertid er nogle edderkopper også meget farlige. Verdens mest giftige edderkop er Sydney Funnel-Web edderkop, fundet i og omkring Sydney og det østlige New South Wales - normalt under klipper og bladkuld. Edderkoppen er hvor som helst op til 5 cm stor og er normalt sort. Hvis du befinder dig i et område, der er kendt for at have Funnel-Web edderkopper, og du bliver bidt af en edderkop, som du mener kan være en Funnel-Web, er det vigtigt, at du kommer til hospitalet så hurtigt som muligt. Funnel-Web tilbringer det meste af sin tid under jorden (det kan typisk kun leve i 30 minutter uden for et fugtigt hul), og det er derfor meget usandsynligt, at du støder på en, der går rundt. Den sidste bekræftede dødsfald var i 1979.

Det Rød ryg edderkop (normalt let identificeret ved et rødt mærke på underlivet) er almindeligt, og efter en bid er det vigtigt at søge lægehjælp, skønt det ikke er så presserende som med et tragtnet. Røde ryggen gemmer sig typisk på mørke steder og hjørner. Det er meget usædvanligt at se dem indendørs; dog kan de gemme sig i skure omkring udendørs borde og stole og under sten eller andre genstande, der sidder på jorden.

Førstehjælpsbehandling af edderkoppebid kan variere i Australien sammenlignet med andre områder i verden. Søg altid lægehjælp, når der er opstået en bid. Hvis det er muligt, skal du prøve at identificere det væsen, der bit dig. Tag et foto, eller fæld det, så det passende anti-gift kan administreres hurtigt. Men risikér ikke at blive bidt igen.

Vandmand

Rejsende i det nordlige Queensland, det Northern Territoryeller nordlige Vestlige Australien skal være opmærksom på risikoen for fatale svirp fra Box vandmænd hvis du svømmer i havet mellem oktober og maj. De er meget svære at opdage og kan findes i meget lavt vand. Sting fra disse vandmænd er 'ubehagelige' og ofte dødelige. Eddike, der påføres straks på klæbemidlet, mindsker mængden af ​​injiceret gift, men øjeblikkelig lægehjælp er påkrævet. Faresæsonen varierer fra sted til sted. Generelt findes vandmænd tæt på kysten, da de reproducerer sig i flodmundingerne. De findes generelt ikke på Great Barrier Reef, og mange mennesker svømmer på revet uden at tage nogen forholdsregler. Find pålidelig lokal information. Nogle lokale på stranden kan være kavaler over for risiciene.

Irukandji er en anden art af bittesmå (fingernegl) vandmænd, der befinder sig i farvandet ud for det nordlige Australien og de omkringliggende øer i Det Indiske Stillehav. De er også meget svære at se og kan være farlige, selvom brod er sjældne. I modsætning til kassen vandmænd findes de på revet. Den oprindelige brod kan gå ubemærket hen. Der er debat om, hvorvidt de kan være dødelige, men de kan bestemt placere et offer på hospitalet og forårsage ekstrem smerte i dage. Hvis du har kvalme eller skødesmerter kort efter at du er kommet ud af vandet, skal du søge lægehjælp.

En "stinger-suit", der er resistent over for vandmændssting, koster omkring $ 100 eller kan lejes for omkring $ 20 om ugen.

Blå ringblæksprutte

Fundet i stenbassiner omkring Australiens kyster er den lille Blue Ring Octopus. Normalt en kedelig sand-beige farve, væsenet har lyse blå cirkler på huden, hvis det er truet. Blue Ring Octopus er sjælden og genert. Undgå at placere din hånd under klipper eller i sprækker i klippepuljer eller nær kysten, da det er her, de har tendens til at gemme sig. De fleste lokale gør det samme. Det har et kraftigt lammende toksin, som kan forårsage død, medmindre der gives kunstig åndedræt. I Australiens historie er der kun to bekræftede dødsfald af Blue Ring Octopus.

Krokodiller

Saltvands krokodille

Rejsende i det nordlige Queensland, det nordlige territorium eller det nordlige vestlige Australien bør være opmærksomme på risikoen for fatale angreb fra saltvands krokodiller i og støder op til nordlige farvande (hav-, flodmundings- og ferskvandssteder) mellem King Sound, Western Australia og Rockhampton, Queensland. Saltvands krokodiller i disse områder kan nå 25 fod i længden og kan angribe i vand uden advarsel. På trods af hvad deres navn antyder, kan de findes i både salt og ferskvand. På land ligger krokodiller normalt ubevægelige, men de har evnen til at bevæge sig med ekstraordinær hastighed i korte bursts. Der er relativt få angreb, der forårsager skade - de fleste angreb er dødelige. Farlige svømmeområder vil normalt have fremtrædende advarselsskilte. I disse regioner svømmer du kun i indre farvande, hvis du specifikt rådes til, at de er sikre. Siden 1970 har der været omkring et krokodilleangreb på et menneske hvert år.

Jo mindre ferskvandskrokodille er, i modsætning til saltvand, sky og undgår mennesker, hvis det er muligt. Ferskvand kan angribe for at forsvare sig selv eller dets æg, eller hvis det skræmmer. De kan påføre en grim bid, men på grund af deres små kæber og tænder vil dette sjældent forårsage død hos mennesker.

Farlig flora

Gympie-busken (Dendrocnide moroides), også kendt som det stikkende træ, er en stikkende plante, hvis mikroskopiske stikkende hår på blade og grene kan forårsage svær smerte i op til flere uger. De findes for det meste i det nordøstlige Queensland, især i regnskove. Imidlertid kan Gympie-busken og andre nært beslægtede arter (der er omkring fem) stikkende træ findes i det sydøstlige Queensland og længere sydpå i det østlige Australien. Folk, der bushwalking i sådanne områder, rådes til ikke at røre ved planten af ​​en eller anden grund.

Forbrydelse

Forbrydelse satser i Australien er nogenlunde sammenlignelige med andre lande i den første verden: få rejsende bliver ofre for kriminalitet. Du bør tage normale forholdsregler mod posefri, plukning af lommer og lignende. Nogle byer har områder, der kan være farlige om natten, men disse er generelt uden for turiststien og meget usandsynligt for dig at vandre ind ved et uheld.

Det australske politi er tilgængeligt og troværdigt, og du bør rapportere overgreb, tyveri eller anden forbrydelse til politiet så hurtigt som muligt.

Der er to typer politi i Australien; det statslige / territoriale politi og det australske føderale politi (AFP). Typisk vil du kun interagere med statspolitiet, hvor AFP i vid udstrækning er dedikeret til meget specifikke regeringsrelaterede roller, undtagelsen er Australian Capital Territory (ACT), hvor AFP er den vigtigste politistyrke.

Under ingen omstændigheder bør du tilbyde en australsk politibetjent (eller for den sags skyld enhver anden embedsmand som en toldbetjent) bestikkelse eller drikkepenge, da dette er en forbrydelse, og de vil håndhæve lovgivningen mod det.

Når du efterlader din bil alene, skal du sørge for, at den er låst, at vinduerne er rullet op, og at der ikke er nogen åbenlyse mål for tyveri i køretøjet, da tyve ofte knuser vinduer for at komme til en telefon, GPS eller taske, der er synlig i bilen.

Racisme

Australien er udadtil et multikulturelt og racetolerant samfund, og der er stærke love, der forbyder hadefuld tale og andre former for diskrimination på grund af race. Ikke desto mindre er racisme stadig et følsomt emne for en nation, der stadig ikke er fuldt forenet med sin historie om kolonial besættelse. Tvangsbevilling af oprindelige lande sammen med formel diskrimination, statssanktioneret racisme og endda tvunget adskillelse af aboriginale børn (kendt som de stjålne generationer) fra deres familier strakte sig langt ind i det 20. århundrede. Gradvis forandring gennem det sidste århundrede så afskaffelsen af ​​den eneste hvide immigrationspolitik, statsborgerskab for de oprindelige folk og oprettelsen af ​​store samfund af asiatisk, mellemøstlig og afrikansk oprindelse.

Besøgende til Australien er heldigvis usandsynligt at støde på tilfældige hændelser med racemisbrug. Hvis det sker, kan du anmelde det til politiet og forvente, at der træffes handling. Voldelige hændelser er endnu sjældnere.

Ord, der henviser til race baggrund, kan bruges mellem venner af forskellige etniske grupper, men det er det tilrådes på det kraftigste ikke at prøve dem selv. Du kan godt høre, at Pom (britisk), Yank (amerikansk), Paki (indisk subkontinent) og Wog (fra sydeuropæisk eller mellemøstlig) bliver brugt. Især ville britiske folk betragte nogle af disse udtryk som særligt racistiske, men de bruges langt mere tilfældigt i Australien. Henvis aldrig til oprindelige folk som "Abos" - da det betragtes som et racistisk udtryk.

Der er anti-immigration og anti-multikulturelle grupper, der opererer i det australske samfund, som for det meste agiterer mod immigrationen af ​​mennesker fra muslimske og afrikanske lande. Som besøgende vil du sandsynligvis ikke komme i kontakt med dem, selvom det er sent om aftenen på en pub, og du begynder at bede folk om deres racemæssige synspunkter, så er alle væddemål slået fra - vær forberedt på alt. Melbourne har for nylig oplevet en voldelig kriminalitet, der involverer unge af afrikansk herkomst, hvilket igen er stærkt overdrevet af meget af de lokale medier og mange politikere, hvilket fremmer racistiske følelser.

Det er ikke stødende at bruge Aussie (Ozzie) for at beskrive australske mennesker, men det er ikke et udtryk, som australiere generelt bruger til at identificere sig selv. De er mere tilbøjelige til at anvende det på ting (Aussie-regler osv.) End på sig selv. Når sangen fra Aussie, Aussie, Aussie - Oi Oi Oi går op på en international sportsbegivenhed, vil nogle australiere krybe sammen, og andre vil deltage. Ofte afhænger dette af deres egen opfattede sociale status eller deres beruselsestilstand eller begge dele .

Svindel

Forsøg på at fup turister er ikke udbredt i Australien; tage normale forholdsregler, såsom at finde ud af lidt om din destination. There have been rare instances of criminals tampering with ATMs so that cash is trapped inside them, or so that they record card details for thieves. You should check your transaction records for odd transactions after using an ATMs and immediately contact the bank controlling the ATM if a transaction seems to be successful but the machine doesn't give you any cash. Always cover the keypad with your hand when entering your PIN to prevent any skimming devices which have cameras recording your PIN.

ATM Skimming is rare and easily avoided by using ATMs from trusted banks (ANZ, Commonwealth, Westpac, Nab), or ATMs located inside a bank "gallery" which are generally open 24/7 but are more secure than an outdoor ATM.

Illegal drugs

Opium, heroin, amphetamines (speed), cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, marijuana and hashish among other drugs are all illegal to possess and to sell in all states of Australia. Trafficking offences carry a long jail term, and in serious cases can even lead to life imprisonment. Australia shares information on drug trafficking with other countries, even those with the death penalty.

Penalties for possession or sale of small amounts of marijuana are typically lower than for other drugs, and vary between states. In South Australia, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory jail terms do not apply to first time marijuana offences. Some states can issue on-the-spot fines for small amounts of marijuana whereas others always require a court appearance. Foreigners should not expect more lenient treatment than locals from Australian police for drug offences. Driving while under the influence of drugs is a serious offence, and doing so will invariably lead to arrest and prosecution, and in serious cases even a jail sentence.

Do not under any circumstances attempt to bring illicit drugs into Australia, including marijuana; this is strictly illegal and punishable with long jail terms of up to life in prison, and customs officers often employ dogs to sniff drugs out of arriving passengers' luggage. Dogs can even tell that you smoked marijuana from the day before you flew to Australia, so you may be held back for some long questioning.

Australia's proximity to Asien means that heroin is a far more commonly used illicit drug than cocaine or crack cocaine. In some areas of large cities you will need to be careful of discarded needles: however these will generally be found in back streets rather than in popular tourist spots.

Firearms

Firearm ownership is rare in Australia, with strict licensing requirements resulting in gun ownership being typically limited to hunters and farmers in rural areas, as well as sport shooters. Criminal gangs do carry illegal firearms in urban areas, although it is unlikely that travellers will run into them.

It is very difficult to bring firearms into Australia, with a Police permit required for each federal state to be visited before arrival.

Gay and lesbian travellers

Australia has an equal age of consent set at 16 for all states except Tasmania and South Australia where the age is 17. Same sex marriage is legal in Australia, having been passed into law in December 2017 after the nation strongly voted for it (with 61% choosing change) in a national postal survey.

Attitudes to homosexuality are similar to those found in most western countries. Although inner Sydney is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world, caution is still advisable in conservative rural areas, including rural parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory. Australia has outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and legal recourse may be available should you experience discrimination. Police assistance may be difficult to obtain in remote and rural areas for discrimination.

Sydney is Australia's gay capital, and hosts one of the world's most famous gay pride festivals - the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras - annually during February and March. The festival culminates in a huge parade through central Sydney which attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators. Alice Springs celebrates the "Alice Is Wonderland Festival", a gay and lesbian pride festival in late April/early May. Melbourne has a "Pride March" every year on the first Sunday of February.

Stay healthy

Skin

"Sunbaker" from 1937 is one of the most widely recognised of all Australian photographs.

Exposure to the sun at Australian latitudes frequently results in sunburn, and Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world. Getting sunburnt can make you feel feverish and unwell and may take a few days or weeks to heal depending on the severity. It means you can't go back out into the sun until the sunburn fades, so getting sunburnt on the first day of your beach holiday can seriously reduce the fun of your trip. It can take as little as 15 minutes to burn in Australia on a fine summer's day, even in shaded outdoor areas. You should wear sunscreen (SPF 30 ), clothing, and a hat to shade the sun.

Re-apply sunscreen every 2–3 hours throughout the day as it wears off quickly if you are sweating or swimming. Make sure to cover all parts of your body. UV radiation in the middle of the day can be double what it is in the early morning or later afternoon, so if possible avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day. Daily UV forecasts are issued by the Bureau of Meteorology online.

Spray On Sunscreen from an aerosol bottle have increased in popularity because of their ease of use, however the effectiveness is far more limited than cream and people have experienced severe sunburns after using.

If you are heading to the beach, consider buying a sun-tent (less than $20 from discount and hardware stores). You generally can't hire beach umbrellas at Australian beaches, and they are very exposed.

Food preparation

Australia has high hygiene standards, with restaurants required to observe strict food preparation standards. Food poisoning rates are comparable to other first world nations.

Water

Det postevand in urban Australia is almost always safe to drink, and it will be marked on the tap if this is not the case. The taste and hardness of the tap water will vary considerably across the country. Some cities such as Adelaide rely on ground water supplies that have an unpleasant taste, but are by no means unsafe. Many households use water purifier jugs. Bottled water is also widely available. Carrying water on hot days is a good idea in urban areas, and it is a necessity if hiking or driving out of town. Remoter areas in the outback may not have treated drinking water on tap. At sites where tap water is untreated, water sterilization tablets may be used as an alternative to boiling. If driving long distances on infrequently trafficked roads it is essential to carry drinking water. This is absolutely necessary in hotter areas and on dirt roads or tracks. It is rare that someone does not die of thirst in outback Australia in any year. It is recommended that in event of a breakdown you stay with the car for shade and to increase your chances of being found. Before long distance touring seek specific advice on calculating how much water to carry for the proposed journey and allowing for breakdowns.

Vaccinations

Australia does not have endemic communicable diseases that will require non-standard vaccinations. Like many other countries, it will require evidence of yellow fever vaccinations on entry if you will have been in a country with a risk of infection within 6 days before your arrival in Australia.

Myg

Mosquitoes are present all year round in the tropics, and during the summer in southern areas. Screens on windows and doors are common, and repellent is readily available. Ross River Virus is spread by mosquitoes in the tropics, and can make you sick for a few weeks. There have been cases of dengue fever. Malaria is not present in Australia.

Medical care

Royal Flying Doctor Service aircraft

As described above, 000 is the Australian emergency services number and in any medical emergency you should call this number and ask for an ambulance and other emergency services as necessary, to attend.

Australia has first world medical standards. In particular, it is safe to receive blood transfusions in Australia, as donors are screened for HIV, hepatitis and many other blood borne illnesses.

Australia's population density is low; parts of Australia are a long way from medical facilities of any kind. Many of these areas are served by the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Small towns with populations of 5,000 or more will have a small hospital capable of giving emergency treatment. Larger towns will have a base hospital capable of routine and some kinds of emergency surgery. In some cases you may need to be evacuated to one of the capital cities for specialist treatment.

Capital cities will have medical centres where you can drop in, often open on weekends or until late. In country towns you may have to make an appointment and may have no alternative other than the closest hospital after hours and weekends. You can also expect to wait a few hours if your condition isn't urgent.

  • Poisons Information Hotline, ☏13 11 26 (in country only). Give free advice if any medication or poisons are taken inadvertently. They will also give advice on what treatment is necessary for things like a spider bite. However, if you think you are in any immediate danger, call '000' for an ambulance. 

Medical costs and travel insurance

Australian citizens and permanent residents who live in Australia can receive health care through the taxpayer funded Medicare. Foreigners working or studying in Australia and without a reciprocal agreement are generally required to take up private health insurance as part of their visa conditions. Foreigners on a short visit will want to make sure their travel insurance is in order, as medical costs can be expensive for those not entitled to Medicare benefits. Medicare does not cover private hospitals or dental care, so you will need to obtain private health insurance to pay for these.

Travellers from Belgien, Finland, Irland, Italy, Malta, det Holland, New Zealand, Norge, Slovenien, Sverige og Det Forenede Kongerige are entitled to free reciprocal Medicare treatment for medical problems that occur during their visit. It is advisable to familiarise yourself with the conditions of the reciprocal arrangement with your country. For example, Irish people and New Zealanders are only entitled to free treatment at a hospital, whereas the other reciprocal nationalities are entitled to subsidised treatment at general practitioners as well. No reciprocal programmes cover private hospitals, and the full cost will have to be met by yourself or with travel insurance.

If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of a reciprocal agreement country then travel insurance is highly recommended.You can expect to pay around $80 to see a general practitioner, plus any additional costs for any pathology or radiology required. The charge to visit a local hospital can be much more expensive, private hospitals even more so. You can pay up to $500 even if you are not admitted, and possibly several thousand dollars if you are. Rescue and Royal Flying Doctor Services are provided for free, but evacuation or ambulance services can cost many thousands of dollars from a country town to a capital city, or from an island to the mainland.

Even if you are an Australian citizen, ambulance and evacuation services are not provided free of charge. If an air-ambulance is required this can still cost thousands of dollars. Most health-insurance companies sell ambulance only cover valid Australia-wide. Ambulance membership programs may only cover you in your own state - check before travelling interstate. Domestic travel insurance does not usually cover medical or ambulance expenses. Medicare cover does not include ambulance costs (at least several hundred dollars) in the event of an emergency; only private insurance with ambulance cover will pay for this.

Snake and spider bite anti-venom is very expensive. The cost can be well over $10,000 even if you don't need a stay in hospital.

Opret forbindelse

Internet

Australia offers many Internet access options for travellers:

Internet cafés are available in most tourist areas and normally cost $4–5 per hour. However, many internet cafés have 12-20 computers sharing a single broadband connection, sometimes making the internet painfully slow. If possible, ask if you can check the speed of a café's connection before forking out $4–5 for an hour.

Public libraries usually offer some form of Internet access to travellers, either free or for a small fee. Some prohibit access to email, promoting research use of their facilities. Others offer Wi-Fi and terminals, with Wi-Fi usually being free of restrictions.

Major hotels offer Internet access, usually for an exorbitant fee. Most youth hostels and backpacker accommodation have at least an Internet terminal at reception. Some other accommodation providers offer Wi-Fi to their guests, almost always with a charge. It is still common to find motels and other smaller hotels without any Internet offering to customers.

  • Many coffee shops offer Wi-Fi free to their customers.
  • McDonald's has free Wi-Fi in just about all their stores.
  • Internode has free Wi-Fi hotspots, including much of Adelaide city centre.
  • Telstra has partnered with Fon to create an extensive network of WiFi hotspots around Australia that utilise Telstra telephone boxes and Telstra broadband customers to create hotspots that go by the name Telstra Air with the slogan 'Australia's largest WiFi Network'. Look for a distinctive white WiFi logo on solid pink and the words 'Telstra Air' to indicate major hotspots. The networks appear in WiFi lists as 'Telstra Air' or 'Fon WiFi'. Expect good coverage in city centre areas although it may require some searching to locate a hot spot outside of CBD areas. Hot spot maps are available on the Telstra and Fon websites.
  • Access can be purchased for $6.60 for 1 hour, $10 for 1 day or $23 for 5 days.

In major urban centres, you'll find free Wi-Fi in shopping malls and other large shops and increasingly on public transport: Sydney's ferries offer free Wi-Fi as do Adelaide's trams.

3G/4G wireless

There are three mobile networks in Australia. All of them provide 3G/UMTS and 4G/LTE mobile data services.

As the data is carried over the mobile network, the advice about frequencies, obtaining SIMs and using a foreign device in the Mobile Cellular Phones section applies.

If you intend to use your phone with your home carrier, check with them for data roaming fees (likely quite expensive). If your handset isn't locked, it may be much cheaper to buy a local SIM.

Several carriers offer prepaid mobile data access with no contract from around $20-30 per month with various bundles and inclusions. For around $50 you can get a USB modem or Wi-Fi dongle. There are thousands of plans available through hundreds of resellers. Using an internet comparison site will direct you to the best deals.

Radio and television

Australia has 2 national public broadcasters, the ABC og SBS. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (or ABC) broadcasts Local Radio, Triple J (Youth/Indie music) and ABC Classic on AM/FM Radio as well as 4 TV channels. The Special Broadcasting Service (or SBS) broadcasts more ethnic, bilingual and cultural content on 2 TV channels and 2 analogue radio stations. Both broadcasters are available in most populous areas but the ABC has a greater radio coverage.

There are 3 free-to-air commercial TV networks, namely Seven, Nine og Ten; all or most are available in a majority of areas. In regional areas, affiliates such as WIN, Imparja, Prime will carry feeds from major networks along with some local programming.

You should expect to receive and watch all these channels in almost all accommodation in towns and cities across Australia.

On Pay TV operator is also available called Foxtel - transmitted by Cable, Satellite, and Internet. Some hotels will advertise free Foxtel, which means you should also be able to view the main international news channels and lots of light entertainment reruns. They may also subscribe to a range of sports and movies, but you should check first.

The bigger the city, the more radio stations you'll find. Country towns will often just have one commercial radio station and the ABC. If you're driving the distances between country towns, you can often lose all radio coverage. Download some music or podcasts for the trip before you leave. It's advisable to stay tuned to the ABC if travelling during emergencies or high bushfire risk periods.

DAB Digital Radio is available in capital cities, but receivers aren't installed in cars or most accommodation. If you have a digital radio, you'll get a handful of extra music channels.

Aviser

The main national broadsheet newspaper is The Australian, with The Australian Financial Review focussing on financial and business news. There are also other newspapers that are published locally within their respective states, the most notable ones being The Sydney Morning Herald og The Daily Telegraph, both based in Sydney, and The Age og Herald Sun, both based in Melbourne.

Telephone

A typical Telstra payphone booth

Calling overseas from Australia

The main international access code or prefix is 0011. (When using a mobile phone the plus symbol " " can be used instead of the 0011 prefix.)

Dialling codes

The country code for international calls to Australia is 61. When dialling from overseas, omit any leading '0' in the area code.

For example, the local number for the Broken Hill tourist information is 8080-3300. The area code is 08 as Broken Hill is in the Central & West area code region. To dial the number from Adelaide or anywhere else inside the same area code region you can optionally omit the area code, and just dial 8080-3300. To dial the number from Sydney or anywhere in Australia outside the area code region, you will need to dial 08 8080-3300. If you don't know your area code region, you can still dial the area code, and it will still work. To dial the number from overseas you will need to dial your local international access code (00 for most of Europa or 011 in the USA og Canada) and then dial 61 8 8080-3300, that is drop the leading '0' from the area code.

Australian area code list:

  • 02 = Central East (New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and north-eastern fringe of Victoria)
  • 03 = South East (Southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania)
  • 04 = Mobile phones Australia-wide (higher call charges apply).
  • 07 = North East (Queensland)
  • 08 = Central & West (Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and far Western New South Wales)

Local calls are about $0.25 on most fixed lines and $0.50 on all Telstra Pay Phones.

  • If calling an Australian number from a mobile phone outside Australia it is best to use the format 61880803300 with no spaces and no (0) prefixes included.
  • If making an international call from your mobile phone from within Australia use the ' ' followed by the country code, followed by destination area code, followed by the local number at the destination. Omit all leading '0' prefixes and do not include any spaces.
  • If dialling from a mobile telephone in Australia it is not necessary to use an international dialling prefix (such as 0011). The ' ' symbol followed by the destination country code is all that is needed to access the international telephone system from your handset.

Special numbers

  • Numbers commencing with 13 are charged at a local call rate, and what they connect you to can vary according to your location. They can be 10 or 6 digit numbers. For example, 1300 796 222, will connect you with the Albury tourist information, no matter where you are in Australia. However, 131 008 will connect you with a different local taxi service depending on where you are. 13 22 32 will connect you to New South Wales Railways in Sydney or Victorian Railways in Melbourne. Calling these numbers internationally can be problematic.
  • Numbers commencing with 18 are free when dialled from a payphone or fixed phone, and commonly used for hotel reservation numbers, or tourist information numbers.
  • Numbers commencing with 19 are premium numbers, often with meget hefty call charges (make sure you check before dialling).
  • Numbers commencing with 12 are carrier services, and are dependent on what network you are connected to. For example, 12 456 is a general information number for Telstra. Vodafone offer a similar services on 123. These numbers can be premium services as well.

Calling special numbers internationally can often work - just try dialling the number prefixed with the 61 country code. Many locations will give an alternative direct number for use in international dialling.

Making reverse charge (collect) calls is very expensive and can be problematic. You can use 12550 from a Telstra public phone, or 1800 NO CASH from any phone. But you have to be calling a number that will accept the charges (usually a landline or mobile on a mainstream telco).

Mobile cellular phones

Australia has cellular networks operated by Telstra, Optus og Vodafone, and each of the networks have several resellers with different price plans. All three operate UMTS/HSPA (3G) and LTE (4G) networks.

There are no restrictions on overseas residents obtaining Australian prepaid SIM cards, although you may require some form of photo ID such as your passport for identification.

2G-only and CDMA phones (phones without a SIM card) will not work in Australia. All 2G networks in Australia have been shut down.

Telstra and Vodafone have 3G HSPA services on 850/2100 MHz, and Optus on 900/2100 MHz. These are still the greatest geographical range of service. 4G LTE is widely available most centres on all carriers. Support for 4G band 28 (700 MHz) on newer phones is necessary to get good 4G coverage outside of major centres and better coverage in them.

With foreign SIM cards, international roaming is generally seamless onto Australia's 3G (UMTS/W-CDMA) and 4G networks, depending on agreements between operators. Check with your home operator before you leave.

All major cities and their suburbs have decent coverage on all three networks, as do most significant country towns and inter-capital links. Telstra's 850 MHz 3G network provides the best rural coverage (though it is also the most expensive), but unpopulated or sparsely populated areas away from major roads are unlikely to have service at all. If you are heading way out into the bush then a satellite phone may be your only option. Remember all mobile phones can be used for emergency calls on all networks, even if they don't have a local SIM or aren't roaming. This applies to satellite phones too.

A cheap prepaid mobile phone with a SIM retails for around $40 in most Australian retail outlets, supermarkets, and post offices; a SIM alone for an existing phone is around $2–3. Prepaid credit is added using recharge cards available at all supermarkets, newsagents, some ATMs, and other outlets.

You can buy a seemly infinite variety of packages, SIM cards, and phone bundles, with varied combinations of data, SMS and call time. Some carriers make calculating included calls difficult, by giving you a dollar "value" that is included in your package, and you then need to find the call, sms and data rates to calculate what is included. These rates can differ from plan to plan. Make sure the plan you choose includes what you need, because using data or making calls outside of the package allowance is often orders of magnitude more expensive.

Satellite phones

If you need comprehensive coverage in rural and remote areas, you can use a satellite phone. Iridium, Globalstar and Thuraya satellite services are available in Australia. Expect to pay around $120 per week to hire a satellite phone, plus call costs. Satellite messaging units, which send your location and a help SMS or email, can be hired for around $80 per week.

These units are only available from specialist dealers, often only in major cities (away from the remote areas you may be visiting). You should be able to acquire or hire these units in your home country before departure if you wish.

Satellite phones can be used to make emergency calls without a SIM card or subscription plan. The cheapest cost around $300, or just a little more than a PLB.

Public phones

Most towns and suburbs have at least one public phone. Most railway stations will have a public phone. Text messages can be sent from many public phones, using the keypad in much the same way as an old-style mobile phone. Follow the instructions on the phone display.

Post

Express (yellow) and normal (red) Australia Post street posting boxes

Australia Post runs Australia's postal service. Letters can be posted in any red Australia Post posting box, which are found at all post offices and many other locations. All stamps can be purchased from post offices, and some stamps can be purchased from newsagents and hotels. Posting a standard letter costs $1 within Australia (up to 250g), $1.85 for Asia/Pacific (up to 20g) and $2.75 for the rest of the world (up to 20g). 'Domestic' and 'international' stamps are different, as international is tax free, therefore, so make sure you use the right stamp. Parcels, express post and other services are also available.

Addresses in Australia are generally formatted in the following way, which is similar to addresses in the United States and Canada

Name of recipient
(If needed) Unit number or building name
House number and street name
City or town, two or three-letter state abbreviation, postcode

You can receive mail via Poste Restante in any city or town. Mail should be addressed to your full name c/o Post Restante, and you simply call into the post office with ID to receive your mail.

This country travel guide to Australien er en anvendelig artikel. It has information about the country and for getting in, as well as links to several destinations. En eventyrlysten person kunne bruge denne artikel, men du er velkommen til at forbedre den ved at redigere siden.