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Australia
is the world's smallest, flattest continent and largest
island, with almost 70 per cent of its land mass below
the Tropic of Capricorn. The island continent separates
two great oceans -- the Pacific to the east and the
Indian to the west. New Guinea and South-East Asia are
Australian's nearest neighbors to the north, and New
Zealand is located off the south-east coast. Australia
is one of the world's most urbanized countries, with 70
per cent of the population living in the 10 largest
cities.
Australia is divided into six states and two
territories.
Size:
4025 km east-west. 3220 km north-south.
Area:
7,682,300 km2.
Coastline:
36,735 km
Population:
17.6 million.
Language:
English
European
Settlement:
26th January 1788 Federal Capital: Canberra, Australian
Capital Territory
States
and Capitals:
New South Wales (Sydney), Queensland (Brisbane),
Victoria (Melbourne), Tasmania (Hobart), South Australia
(Adelaide), Western Australia (Perth), Northern
Territory (Darwin).
Major
Exports:
Minerals, agricultural produce - notably wool, wheat and
meat.
Time
Zones: There
are three time zones in Australia - Eastern Standard
Time (EST) which operates in New South Wales,
Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and
Queensland; Central Standard Time (CST) in South
Australia and Northern Territory; and Western Standard
Time (WST) in Western Australia. CST is half an
hour behind EST, while WST is two hours behind EST. New
South Wales, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia
have daylight saving during the summer months.
Please
see:
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The
Currency :
The
Australian dollar (100 cents in dollar) is the
basic unit of currency; no other currency is
legal tender. Notes come in $100, $50, $20, $10
and $5 denominations. Coins come in 5¢, 10¢,
20¢, 50¢, $1 and $2 denominations. Exchange
facilities are available at all international
airports, banks and major hotels.
Credit
card
The commonly accepted credit cards are American
Express, Bankcard, Carte Blanche, Diners Club,
Mastercard, Visa and their affiliates. Use in
smaller towns, country areas and small retail
shops may be restricted.
Travelers
cheques
Readily changed at banks and hotels. Cheques in
Australian dollars are recommended. There may be
a small charge for cashing travelers' cheques at
some banks.
Banking
Banks are generally open 9:30am - 4pm Mon-Thursday;
9:30am - 5pm Fri. In some States selected
banking facilities are available on Saturday
morning.
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Arrival
Formalities:
PASSPORTS
A
valid passport is required; it must be valid
for longer than the period of stay in
Australia. Although it is not a requirement it
is advisable to have your passport valid for a
period of three months after leaving
Australia.
VISITOR
VISAS
Visitors
of all nationalities (except Australian and New
Zealand passport holders) must obtain a Visa
prior to arrival. For genuine short-term visits
(to a maximum of six months) for purposes of
tourism, business discussions or negotiations,
special prearranged medical treatment, or
visiting relatives, a Visitors Visa is easily
obtained. A Visitors Visa may be obtained from
the Australian Embassy, Consulate or from us. Simply
complete the Visitor Visa Application Form and
submit it with your other documents. As Visas
may take several days to process, make your
application early. The Australian Visa is issued
free of charge. If you intend visiting Australia
more than once, ask about a Multiple Journey
Visa.
ENTRY
FORMALITIES
You
will be asked to produce your passport and visa;
a completed incoming passenger card (issued on
ship/aircraft); and return or onward passage
ticket. With your documents in order, a
clearance should be straightforward.
VACCINATIONS
Vaccinations
are not required if you are traveling direct
from the U.S. or Canada. Health Certificates are
not required unless you have come from an
endemic zone or a Yellow Fever, Smallpox,
Cholera or Typhoid infected area. Your local
doctor or Health Department can advise you on
vaccination requirements, if any.
CUSTOMS
Visitors
may bring their personal effects into Australia
without paying duty, and those over 18 years of
age may include 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of
cigars or tobacco and 1 liter of alcoholic
liquor, provided this is carried with them.
Dutiable goods up to the value of AUD$400
included in personal baggage are exempt, the
next AUD$160 at 20% and over this, according to
regulations. Strict regulations apply to all
narcotics and controlled substances. As
Australia is free from many exotic insect pests
and diseases, the importation of fresh or
packaged food, fruit, vegetables, seeds,
cultures, animals and plants or animal or plant
products is strictly controlled. Prohibited
imports include furs, skins, ivory and other
items from animals and birds declared endangered
species. If you have any doubts when you arrive,
please ask the uniformed Quarantine staff in the
Customs Hall.
DEPARTURE
TAX
No
tax is to be paid upon your departure from
Australia since it has been prepaid with your
airline ticket.
TOURIST
REFUND SCHEME
As
part of Australia's new Tax system it is now
possible for you to claim back GST (Goods and
Services Tax) on some items when leaving
Australia. Following is a brief description of
the scheme and how a claim can be made. For
further information you can also visit the
Customs Website @ http://www.customs.gov.au/taxref/tourism.htm.
The scheme only applies to Goods leaving
Australia so the GST paid on accommodation and
touring is not claimable. Brochures that explain
the scheme in full are available at the airport
on arrival.
What
is the Tourist Refund Scheme?
The
Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) is part of the
Australian Government's new tax system.
The TRS enables travelers departing Australia
to claim a refund of the goods and services tax
(GST) and wine equalization tax (WET) paid on
goods bought in Australia. The refund only
applies to goods which travelers take with them
as hand luggage when leaving the country.
It does not apply to services and goods
consumed or partly consumed in Australia or
to goods purchased before July 1, 2000.
However, unlike other tourist shopping schemes,
the goods can be used in Australia before
departure.
How
will the scheme work?
The
refund is paid on goods costing $300 or more,
bought in the same store, no earlier than 30
days before leaving Australia. Travelers may
purchase several lower-priced items from the one
store, either at the one time or over several
occasions within the 30-day period, provided the
total purchase amounts to $300 or more and the
goods are covered by the one tax invoice.
Travelers leaving Australia through an
international airport may collect a refund in
cash on departure (if the refund is $200 or
less) or choose a non-cash option.
Non-cash options include:
-
cheques
-
credit
to an Australian bank account; or
-
payment
to a credit card
Customs
will aim to make non-cash payments to travelers within 30 days.
Travelers leaving
Australia by ship are not able to receive a cash
refund. They need to choose a non-cash option.
How
do travelers make a claim?
Travelers
leaving Australia by air should look for the TRS
booth in the departures areas of international
terminals at Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth,
Cairns, Adelaide, Darwin and Coolangatta, after
they have passed through passport control.
At the booth, travelers need to produce:
-
their
goods (to prove they are taking them out of
the country)
-
the
tax invoice from the retailer (to provide
information for Customs Officers)
-
their
passport; and
-
their
international boarding pass or other proof
of travel.
Travelers
will then be paid a cash refund or assisted to
complete their non-cash payment option.
Travelers leaving Australia from cruise liner
terminals located at Circular Quay and Darling
Harbour in Sydney, or terminals in Cairns,
Darwin and Fremantle, or from Broome airport,
will need to present the same items to the
Customs officer on duty, who will assist them to
make a refund claim (no cash refunds at these
sites).
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Accommodation:
You
can stay in luxury resorts, great international
hotels, comfortable motels or self-catering
apartments. Most hotel and motel rooms have a
telephone, refrigerator, tea and coffee-making
facilities, television, video, radio and private
facilities. Self-catering apartments are
available in most capital cities, large towns
and resort or beach areas. For a different view
of Australian life you can stay in the home of
an Australian family. Or if you wish to sample
the life of rural Australians, a Farm Stay is an
unforgettable experience. If you are traveling
on a budget there are youth hostels, backpacker
hostels and caravan/camping parks.
Whatever
form of accommodation you require Downunder, we
can help you.
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Food
& Restaurants:
You
can dine at elegant restaurants, leading hotels
and other locations or enjoy a "pub"
counter lunch. Bistros, cafes and family-style
restaurants offer good food at reasonable
prices. Ethnic restaurants offer a wide variety
of cuisine from all around the world. There are
many low cost eating places, including fast-food
chains and take-away food stores. Some
restaurants provide non-smoking dining areas.
Food is fresh and plentiful at stores and
supermarkets. Australian wines are good and
inexpensive; beer is served chilled. Restaurants
usually serve iced water on request only. Many
restaurants have a full liquor service; others
allow you to "bring your own" (BYO)
wine or beer to serve with your meal.
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How
to get there:
Most people travel
to Australia via the beautiful South Pacific.
Depending on the airline you choose and it's
route structure, it is possible to stop over on
the way in such beautiful places as Fiji,
Tahiti, the Cook Islands and New Zealand. Some
people break their journey in Hawaii.
Many experienced and or repeat travelers are now
choosing to go via the Far East. Ask us
about the many great stopover ideas for you to
consider.
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Shopping:
Big
department stores, arcades, malls, gift and
souvenir shops, fashion boutiques and specialty
stores abound in Australia. Good buys include
quality Australian opals and other precious or
semi-precious stones, pearls, sheepskins and
leather goods, Aboriginal crafts and paintings.
Philatelic desks at main post offices sell sets
of souvenir stamps. Duty-free shops are located
in city centers and at international airports.
Shops attached to galleries, museums and many
other tourist attractions are stocked with an
excellent range of interesting souvenirs.
Markets such as Salamanca in Hobart, Mindil
Sunset Markets in Darwin, Adelaide's Central
Market, Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, The
Rocks in Sydney, Fremantle Markets in Perth, and
Riverside in Brisbane are good places to shop
for fresh fruits and vegetables, local arts and
crafts and souvenirs.
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What
to wear:
Summertime
(November-March) Warm to hot everywhere. Casual
clothes, pack a sun hat, sunglasses and
swimwear. Occasional thunderstorms in the north.
Wintertime (June-August) Southern Australia is
cool. Suggest medium weight woolens, raincoat.
Northern Australia has warm to hot days, mild
coastal evenings, but inland nights can be cold.
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