Destinations > South Pacific > Australia > Australia

GeoStats:

Passport/Visa Requirements: Citizens of Canada and the U.S. need passports and an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), which substitutes for a visa.

Capital: Canberra

Population: 21,262,641

Languages: English and Aboriginal languages

Time Zone: 8-10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight Saving Time is observed in some states from the last Saturday in October to the last Saturday in March.

Voltage Requirements: 220 volts

Phone Codes: 61, country code

Destination:

Australia

Basics

topGeography

The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of six states and two major territories.

New South Wales: Home to Sydney, the country’s largest city, this state also contains the Blue Mountains, the Snowy Mountains, sandy beaches, and portions of Outback.

Australian Capital Territory: This small territory surrounds Australia’s capital, Canberra, and contains the Namadgi National Park.

Queensland: Encompassing Australian’s northeastern region, this state is home to the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage rainforests. With gorgeous beaches and a tropical climate, it’s a popular year-round destination. Brisbane is the capital, while Cairns is the gateway to the reef.

Northern Territory: This large state contains the county’s Red Center, home of iconic Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the famed outback town of Alice Springs. The northern area, near the city of Darwin, is known as the “top end.” This region has a tropical climate and spectacular wetlands.

Western Australia: Covering an area the size of Europe, it’s Australia’s largest state. Perth, the capital, enjoys lovely Mediterranean weather. Destinations here include the Margaret River wine region and the rugged landscapes of the Kimberleys.

South Australia: Known as the gateway to the Outback, this state also contains the impressive Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island, and the Barossa wine region. The Adelaide Festival of Arts, held in the state capital every other year, is one of the biggest in the world.

Victoria: The smallest of the mainland states, it’s home to Melbourne, Australia’s cultural capital, along with world-class wine regions and a spectacular coastline.

Tasmania: This is the most southerly state, formed by a group of islands about 124 miles south of Victoria. With clean air and abundant wildlife, it’s paradise for walkers and whale-watchers.

topWhen to Go

The best time to travel to Northern Territory and Queensland is in the Australian winter (Jun-Aug). Summer in Queensland is generally hot, rainy and humid, and in the outback, summer temperatures are often scorching. Subtropical New South Wales enjoys warm temperatures most of the year. Victoria has a temperate climate with warm summers, mild springs and autumns, and cool winters – rainfall is distributed evenly throughout the year. Western Australia’s size means it experiences a range of weather – summers in the north can bring tropical downpours, while along the western and southern coast, summers are dry, hot and sunny. Winters in Western Australia are dry and warm in the north, cool and sometimes wet in the south. South Australia’s coastal area enjoys a Mediterranean climate with short, mild winters and warm, dry summers.

Spring: Sep-Nov; Summer: Dec-Feb; Autumn: Mar-May; Winter: Jun-Aug.

Because of the size of Australia we recommend a minimum of three weeks.

topWeather & Temperature

Sydney
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	78	79	77	73	67	64	62	65	69	72	74	77
	°C	26	26	25	23	20	17	18	20	20	22	23	25

Average Low Temperature	°F	67	68	65	60	55	51	49	54	54	58	61	65
	°C	20	20	18	15	13	10	9	12	12	14	16	18

Average Precipitation	in	4.48	4.55	3.87	3.94	5.36	3.3	2.71	2.44	2.44	3.07	3.45	2.15
	cm	11.39	11.56	9.83	10.04	13.61	8.39	6.88	6.21	6.21	7.8	8.77	5.47

Canberra
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	81	80	75	67	60	53	52	55	60	65	72	77
	°C	27	27	24	20	16	12	11	13	16	22	23	25

Average Low Temperature	°F	56	57	52	45	40	35	33	35	40	58	61	65
	°C	14	14	11	7	4	2	1	2	4	14	16	18

Average Precipitation	in	1.74	1.83	1.38	1.26	1.11	1.46	1.39	1.41	1.64	3.07	3.45	2.15
	cm	4.42	4.65	3.5	3.2	2.82	3.7	3.54	3.59	4.41	7.8	8.77	5.47

Cairns
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	87	87	85	83	81	78	77	78	81	84	86	87
	°C	31	30	30	28	27	25	25	26	27	29	30	30

Average Low Temperature	°F	75	76	74	72	69	65	63	64	66	70	73	75
	°C	24	24	23	22	20	18	17	18	19	21	23	24

Average Precipitation	in	9.05	11.98	10.84	5.91	2.6	1.19	1	0.98	0.89	1.18	3.22	6.19
	cm	22.98	27.54	27.54	15.02	6.61	3.03	2.53	2.49	2.27	3	8.19	15.71

Brisbane
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	85	85	82	79	74	71	70	72	77	79	80	83
	°C	30	29	28	26	26	22	21	22	25	26	26	28

Average Low Temperature	°F	72	71	68	64	57	54	50	51	57	63	66	70
	°C	22	22	20	18	14	12	10	11	14	17	19	21

Average Precipitation	in	5.17	4.85	3.52	1.65	1.65	1.53	0.54	1.02	0.89	3.4	5.32	5.63
	cm	13.14	12.32	8.95	4.18	4.2	3.89	1.36	2.6	1.75	8.63	13.52	14.29

Darwin
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	88	87	88	90	89	86	85	87	89	90	90	89
	°C	31	30	31	32	31	30	30	32	32	32	32	32

Average Low Temperature	°F	78	78	77	76	73	69	68	70	75	78	79	79
	°C	25	25	25	25	23	21	20	21	24	26	26	26

Average Precipitation	in	13.72	11.31	9.49	3	0.86	0.03	0	0.12	0.31	1.88	4.43	9.19
	cm	34.86	28.72	24.07	7.61	2.13	0.08	0.01	0.31	0.78	4.77	11.25	23.24

Uluru
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	99	96	92	84	75	69	68	73	84	88	92	95
	°C	37	36	33	29	24	20	20	23	29	31	34	35

Average Low Temperature	°F	73	73	67	60	51	44	42	44	53	59	65	70
	°C	23	23	20	15	10	7	6	7	12	15	18	21

Average Precipitation	in	0.93	2.55	0.87	0.61	0.69	1.06	0.99	0.19	0.17	0.86	1.77	1.57
	cm	2.37	6.47	2.2	1.56	1.76	2.7	2.52	0.47	0.43	2.19	4.5	4

Perth
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	82	84	82	76	71	66	64	64	66	70	75	80
	°C	28	29	28	25	22	19	18	18	19	21	24	27

Average Low Temperature	°F	65	65	63	60	55	52	50	50	52	54	59	63
	°C	18	18	17	15	13	11	10	10	11	12	15	17

Average Precipitation	in	0.3	0.11	0.9	1.17	3.76	5.28	5.57	4.02	2.95	1.62	0.79	0.15
	cm	0.76	0.28	2.29	2.98	9.56	13.4	14.15	10.22	7.5	4.11	2.01	0.38

Adelaide
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	83	83	76	71	65	60	59	61	65	69	75	78
	°C	28	29	24	22	18	16	15	16	18	21	24	26

Average Low Temperature	°F	63	64	58	54	51	49	46	47	50	53	57	60
	°C	17	18	15	12	10	9	8	8	10	12	14	15

Average Precipitation	in	0.69	N/A	1.04	1.59	2.14	3.39	2.56	2.44	2.35	2.04	0.66	0.63
	cm	1.74	N/A	2.63	4.04	5.44	8.61	6.5	6.21	5.98	5.19	1.68	1.6

Melbourne
		JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC

Average High Temperature	°F	78	80	74	68	62	58	56	59	63	66	72	75
	°C	26	26	23	20	17	14	14	15	17	19	22	24

Average Low Temperature	°F	61	62	58	54	50	48	46	47	49	52	55	58
	°C	16	17	15	12	10	9	8	8	10	11	13	14

Average Precipitation	in	1.67	2.13	1.26	2.35	1.45	1.79	1.38	1.8	1.91	2.38	1.95	1.71
	cm	4.23	5.41	3.19	5.96	3.69	4.54	3.5	4.58	4.84	6.04	4.96	4.34

topTime Difference

Australia has three time zones:
Eastern Standard Time (EST) – 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland

Central Standard Time (CST) – 9.5 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
South Australia and Northern Territory

Western Standard Time (WST) – 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Western Australia

From October/November to March, Australia is on summer daylight savings time. During this time clocks are moved an hour forward. Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia do not follow daylight savings time.

topPassport & Visa Requirements

All visitors to Australia except New Zealand citizens need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). Electronic Visas are valid only on an ETA-capable carrier — the airline must be able to verify the electronic visa at check-in time. Many Travel Agencies are able to issue CRS electronic visas. Note: We suggest you make a hard copy of the visa.

For Australian customs information, click here.

topHealth Matters

Generally, health and sanitation standards in Australia are equal to those in North America and Europe. Drugstores carry familiar brand-name medicines, and some are open 24 hours and provide delivery service.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are not required unless you have visited a country affected by Yellow Fever within 6 days prior to entry.

Sun and Heat Precautions

The sun is the biggest health concern in Australia, which has the world's highest incidence of skin cancer. Be sure to apply plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat when you're at the beach or hiking.

Swimming

Swim between the flags at patrolled beaches only, to avoid the danger of strong undercurrents and tides.

Wildlife

Australia is home to some of the world’s most deadly creatures, but accidents are rare if precautions are taken. Wear sturdy shoes when bushwalking, carry a flashlight at night and look where you put your hands and feet to avoid snakes and scorpions. Saltwater crocodiles are very dangerous, so keep your distance and be sure to watch for posted warnings before swimming. Box jellyfish are common in the waters off the Northern Queensland beaches during the summer months (Nov-Mar) – they can be life-threatening, so avoid swimming at this time or wear a sting suit. Wear shoes or diving boots when exploring the reefs – keep an eye out for the venomous stonefish and blue-ringed octopus, and avoid stepping on or touching them.

topMoney Matters

Currency

Local currency is the Australian Dollar (100 cents = 1A$). Notes come in $AI00, $A50, $A20, $A10 and $A5 denominations. Coins denominations are $A2, $AI, 50c, 20c, 10c and 5c coins. Prices under 5 cents are rounded up to the nearest 5c. For current exchange rates, click here.

Currency exchange is available at major banks and hotels. ATMs are widely available in major cities; however, usage is restricted in small towns. In major towns, machines offer a 24-hour service, which enables people to withdraw money on their international credit cards.

Banks are generally open 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, 9.30am to 5pm Friday. In some states, certain banking facilities are available on Saturday mornings.

Taxes

A 10% goods-and-services tax is applied to most consumer items (with the exception of food), and it's almost always included in the stated price. A Tourist Refund Scheme allows for a tax refund on items with a value of $A300 or more that are carried in hand luggage. The items must be purchased from a single store no more than 30 days before departure, and you must present the original tax invoice.

topPost Offices

Opening hours for post offices are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Big city post offices are sometimes open late or on Saturday mornings. Stamps are often available at the front desks of hotels and at selected retail outlets.

topBusiness Hours

Offices: Normal office hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Shops: Shopping hours vary from state to state. Sunday trading is available in most major cities.

topTipping

Tipping is not essential but certainly welcomed by hotel and restaurant staff. Service charges are not the rule at hotels and eateries. A 10% tip is acceptable for wait staff.

topTelephone

Country Code: 61

Area Codes:
New South Wales: 2
Victoria: 3
Northern Territory & South Australia: 8
Queensland: 7
Mobile Phones (Australia-wide): 4

Mobile and Public Phones

Prior to departure, check with your cell phone company about availability in Australia. If traveling in remote areas, you may consider getting a satellite phone. Prepaid phone cards are needed for public phones. Airport, hotels and some tourist areas offer credit phones. These phones take most major credit cards.

Emergency Numbers

Fire/Police/Ambulance: 000
Fire/Police/Ambulance from GSM mobile phone if you are not in network coverage: 112
Royal Flying Doctors Service: 1800 625 800
Automobile Association of Australia: 13 11 11

topElectrical

The electrical current is 220-240 volts, AC 50Hz. The Australian 3-pin power outlet is different than most; you will need an adaptor and a voltage converter.

topDriving in the Outback

Visitors should always check road conditions before traveling. Click here for Explorer Highway information.

Permits are required to visit Aboriginal lands. When traveling with a driver, your driver/tour guide will already have obtained the necessary permits.

topEtiquette/Customs

On Aboriginal lands, if you wish to take a photograph of local people, please ask for permission first. Rock art sites in national parks or privately owned properties are considered an irreplaceable part of Australian history. Rocks or stones should not be taken as souvenirs from sacred areas such as Uluru.

The treatment of Aborigines in Australia is a sensitive subject and one you might better avoid, especially in initial conversations.

Social discussions can often turn into informal debates. Don't be afraid to express yourself, but do be diplomatic. It's usually best to ask questions rather than to state opinions during your first encounters. Physical gestures and posture should be kept conservative. Personal space is important, and touching is reserved for close acquaintances.

Australians view their country as a land of equals, and they dislike pretense. Australia is by nature an informal country, but certain occasions such as going to the theatre or dining at high-end restaurants requires smart attire.

Use caution when crossing the streets, since Australians drive on the left-hand side.

The American custom of placing glasses of iced water on restaurants, or serving coffee prior to a meal is not generally followed. Iced tea is not a typical Aussie drink; because hot tea naturally cools your body temperature, it’s the drink of choice even in the warmest climates.

In the tropics, wear cottons and lightweight clothing all year around. In the south and the desert, carry a sweater or jacket for the evenings in the summer months and bring warmer clothing for the winter. Comfortable walking shoes are always a good idea, and be sure to bring sturdy shoes if you plan on bushwalking or climbing.

topPublic Holidays

New Year’s Day: Jan 1
Australia Day: Jan 26
Good Friday*
Easter Monday*
Anzac Day: Apr 25
Queen’s Birthday: First Mon in June
Labour Day: First Mon in Oct
Christmas Day: Dec 25
Boxing Day: Dec 26

*Date varies each year

In addition to the list above, various states and territories observe their own public holidays. Click here for more information.

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