Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1 Australian immigration clearance, customs/ quarantine 1.1 Which items should you declare at customs? 1.2 Understand the incoming passenger card 1.3 The penalties for failing to declare restricted goods 1.4 What happens if you fail to declare something at customs? 1.5 Where can you get more information? 1.6 Duty/tax free goods 1.7 Unaccompanied effects 2 Living in Australia 2.1 Some basic information 2.2 Accommodation options 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3 Hostels and guest houses Share accommodation Rental accommodation
3 Getting around Public transport & driving in Australia 3.1 Public transport 3.2 Driving in Australia 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 Driving in Australia: General information Renting a car Buying a car
4 Australian weather 5 Fun things to do in Australia 5.1 Places to go: The seven great wonders of Australia 5.1.1 5.1.2 5.1.3 5.1.4 5.1.5 5.1.6 5.1.7 Sydney Harbor (bridge & opera house) The Great Barrier Reef Uluru (Ayers Rock) The Great Ocean Road Surfers Paradise (The Gold Coast) The Barossa Valley (South Australia) Kakadu National Park
5.2 Swim with the dolphins 5.3 Go Bush and see the Outback 5.4 Get friendly with a Whale Shark 5.5 Experience the Unique Aboriginal Culture 5.6 Get your fix of the Sand and Surf 5.7 Attractions and nightlife in the cities 5.7.1 Sydney 5.7.1.1 5.7.1.2 5.7.1.3 5.7.2 5.7.2.1 5.7.2.2 5.7.2.3 5.7.3 Brisbane 5.7.3.1 5.7.3.2 Brisbane Attractions Brisbane Nightlife Sydney Attractions Sydney Nightlife Accommodation in Sydney Melbourne Attractions Melbourne Nightlife Accommodation in Melbourne
Melbourne
5.7.3.3 5.7.4 Hobart 5.7.4.1 5.7.4.2 5.7.4.3 5.7.5 Adelaide 5.7.5.1 5.7.5.2 5.7.5.3 5.7.6 Perth 5.7.6.1 5.7.6.2 5.7.6.3
Accommodation in Brisbane Hobart Attractions Hobart Nightlife Accommodation in Hobart Adelaide Attractions Adelaide Nightlife Accommodation in Adelaide Perth Attractions Perth Nightlife Accommodation in Perth
6 Other useful information 6.1 Emergency & useful contact information 6.2 Electricity 6.3 The telephone system
Food e.g. seeds, nuts, dried fish, meat, mushrooms and dairy products; Plant material e.g. flowers, straw and wooden artifacts; Wildlife products e.g. shells, American ginseng, feathers, animal skins and furs; Herbal and other medicines e.g. dietary, nutritional medicines and tiger balm; Pirated software e.g. pirated CDs and games (prohibited under trademark and copyright laws); Local or foreign currency amounting to more than A$10,000 or its equivalent (there are no limits on the amount of cash you can bring into Australia but you must fill in a Customs form if you are carrying more than $10,000).
You should declare these items on your incoming passenger card, which will be given to you during your flight to Australia. Then you should proceed through the Red Channel which is marked Goods to Declare.
which are prohibited. If you are having trouble understanding the sites and would prefer to read in a different language, go to the Alternative versions on the Customs website and the Visiting Australia page on www.immi.gov.au/visitors and select your preferred language. If you need to ask a specific question, or want further clarification, you can send an email to the Customs Information Centre on information@customs.gov.au or you can telephone on +61 2 6275 6666.
2 Living in Australia
2.1 Some basic information
Time: There are three time zones: Eastern Standard Time is UTC plus 10 hours; Central Time is UTC plus 9.5 hours; and Western Time UTC plus 8 hours. Electricity: 220-240V Weights & measures: metric
Melbourne 210,000
It will be more expensive to live in a capital city than it will be to live in a regional area. Sydney is the most expensive city in relation to living expenses, followed by Melbourne. Sydneys living costs are around 30% higher than Melbourne. There are also Australian Real Estate sites on the Internet, which may be of assistance to you in seeking suitable rental accommodation. Some of these allow property owners to place information about their property directly onto the site. Others will give you a list of properties managed by agents for the owners. Many Real Estate sites focus on selling properties only. Jay, you may like to try the following sites:
If you wish to buy a car instead of rent during your stay, you can buy a used (second-hand) car for as little as AUD$2,000. The following websites will give you a good idea of the price range for used cars, through both private sales and car dealer ships. www.buyguide.com.au www.drive.com.au www.melbourne.citysearch.com.au http://pages.ebay.com.au/motors-index.html You can also check the classifieds in daily newspapers. Also look for trading and specialty automobile newspapers and magazines.
4 Australian weather
Australian weather is can vary greatly from one end of the country to the other. Whilst the top end of Australia is usually warm and mild all year round, it can experience wet spells with tropical rain storms and high humidity. The southern end of Australia has very distinct seasons. The average summer temperature is between 25-30 degrees Celsius but it can experience long hot spells with the temperature in excess of 30 degrees Celsius. During winter the average temperature in southern Australia can range between 14- 20 degrees Celsius with snow falls in the Alpine region. http://www.bom.gov.au/
Along the Great Ocean Road it is usually not difficult to find accommodation, whether you wish to camp, stay at a backpackers or live it up in a nice hotel. During the summer months (Dec-Feb) however, the Road can be full of holiday makers, so we advise you call ahead to ensure you have a place to stay at night. For more information please visit: http://www.greatoceanrd.org.au/
Although numerous places in Australia offer this attraction, including Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, the best place to do this is in the beautiful world heritage listed Shark Bay in Western Australia. This is an amazing place with many bays, inlets and islands supporting a profusion of aquatic life. You can see not only dolphins here, but also whales, turtles and a unique mix of tropical and temperate fish. This area in fact has the largest number of species ever recorded in one place in the world. Shark Bay allows visitors to mingle freely with wild bottle-nosed dolphins. Under the careful supervision of National Park Ranger, you are allowed to swim and play with the dolphins as well as give them a snack. Although feeding the dolphins is a popular activity, great care is also taken to ensure that they are not fed too much so that they continue to preserve their hunting instincts.
landscape and came to life as plants and animals. Tjapukai near Cairns, Brambuk Living Cultural Centre in Grampians National Park, and Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Kakadu National Park are some of the places that attempt to present accurate representations of the "Dreaming" stories to the European visitors. Modern Aboriginal art can also be found in small galleries in larger cities, but the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra has the continent's best collection.
You must also go and see Australias famous Bondi Beach. This is one of the world's most well known beaches, serving as a symbol of Australias legendary sand, surf and sun. The beach is roughly a kilometre long and is patrolled by the iconic Aussie lifesavers. There are activities to see here all year round, from surfing competitions to kite flying displays. There are also interesting art galleries and markets. Sydneys Darling Harbour is also worth having a look at and is becoming another major tourist site. A good way to get there is with a monorail service that makes stops at points around the harbour. Some good restaurants can be found here including the Cockle Wharf as well as a complex of trendy cafes. 5.7.1.2 Sydney Nightlife As far as night-life is concerned Sydney has it all, whether you're looking for an all-night party, a romantic interlude, a pub with character, or the lights of a theatre show. Each of the city's nightlife districts has its own character, from the pubs at The Rocks in Sydney Harbour to the beachside bars of Bondi. Most parts of the city offer great nightclubs, pubs, jazz haunts and rock venues. The best night life areas include; Darling Harbour, Kings Cross, Oxford Street and The Rocks. One of the better known venues is The Establishment in the city centre. It features various bars and restaurants and is host to the Tank Nightclub. It is known for great music and has two levels with three bars and a great dance floor. If you want to have a nice dinner and listen to some great live music, you should head to The Basement at Circular Quay. This club has been operating since 1970 and is one of the landmarks of the Australian music scene. It features great live acts and is always filled to capacity. If you come to Sydney in March you can also have a look at the famous annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which always draws huge crowds of spectators with over half a million people coming to watch the show every year. To find our more about what Sydneys nightlife has to offer have a look at the numerous free publications that outline what's happening in Sydneys pubs and clubs, and what bands, theatre, opera, and free events are on. Sydney taxi drivers can also usually match a personality with a place so are worth talking to. 5.7.1.3 Accommodation in Sydney Sydney, like all other cities in Australia offers a wide range of accommodation options. Backpacker hostels are an extremely popular option due to their affordability. Unfortunately other accommodation in Sydney is expensive by Australian standards as this is the city with the highest cost of living in the country. City Central Backpackers on George Street are one of the better options. Located a short walk form Darling Harbour and Circular Quay, and close to the best nightlife spots. Sydney Backpackers is also a good choice, located in the city centre. A very wide range of other options is also available with prices starting as low as $20 per night for a weekly rate. A good way to find a place in the location you are interested in is to do a search on the Sydney City Life website at http://www.bcl.com.au/sydney/sydneybackpackers.htm or do a search for backpacker or other accommodation on the Australian Yellow Pages at: http://www.yellowpages.com.au. For more information about Sydney please visit: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/
5.7.2 Melbourne
Melbourne is known for its more European-centric atmosphere and multicultural feel. It is full of great architecture and beautiful gardens and is also renowned as Australia's city for the arts, being home to world class galleries, museums, and theatres which regularly host national and international features. 5.7.2.1 Melbourne Attractions Melbourne is home to the famous Victorian Arts Centre, one of the most technically advanced opera and theatre complexes in the world. The centre houses world-class theatres, a large concert hall and a performing arts museum, as well as the National Gallery of Victoria with the largest art collection in the southern hemisphere. The gallery receives strong support from a lively and cultured public and holds a number of important exhibitions each year, so there is bound to be something interesting on when you visit. The city also hosts a range of festivals, including the world-acclaimed Melbourne International Arts Festival - an
annual performance extravaganza, the Comedy Festival, Moomba Festival, the International Film Festival, Fringe Festival and Interact Festival Week, all worth having a look at. Being a great example of Australias multiculturalism Melbourne is home to a people from all over the world and so has interesting ethnic precincts all over the city. The suburb of St Kilda, a beautiful beach-side area close to the city centre, is rich in Jewish culture. It offers great restaurants, cafs and shops, and has a large population of artists with a numerous galleries and shops selling art, jewelry and unique fashion. Melbournes iconic Luna Park, with its striking entrance through a big open mouth, and its large roller coaster is also located here. Entry to the park is free and it makes a great sight at night with colourful twinkling lights all around. Melbourne also has a great Chinatown in the citys Little Bourke Street, which has a range of very good Chinese restaurants for all budgets as well as a lot of Asian shops. There is also a Greek precinct in Lonsdale Street, which is home to a lot of good restaurants and cafs. Then, there is Lygon Street, in Carlton, which has an Italian flavour and Brunswick Street in Fitzroy with both offering fantastic coffee. A lot of Melbournians hang out at the cafs here following a tradition handed down by the post- World War II Italian immigrants. Victoria Street in Richmond is also worth having a look at as it is home to a lot of very good Vietnamese restaurants and a great range of shops selling Asian antiques. Melbourne is also likely to impress you with its greenery and its European-inspired Botanical Gardens. These are hailed as the finest in Australia, are a popular place for picnics and in summer home to an outdoor cinema and numerous outdoor theatre productions and concerts. With the state of Victoria known as the Garden State, Melbournes parks leave visitors spell-bound and dont take long to get to. An hour north of Melbourne there are fernfilled rain forests and another hour further there are large mountain ranges where you can go horse riding. You could also go bush walking or fishing or visit the old gold mining town of Ballarat with its replica of a colonial gold rush town and a stream where you can still use a pan to search for gold. You could also unwind on a winery tour in the Yarra Valley wine region only a couple of hours away, or you could simply lose yourself for hours along one of Victorias wild and untouched beaches. The other important thing about Melbourne is its range of sporting events. Sport is very popular in Australia and Melbourne hosts a range of sporting events each year. There is the famous Australian Open tennis grand slam event, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, the Melbourne Cup horse race, the International Cricket Tour and of course the Australian Rules Football Grand Final. This is a must-see event is you want to get a taste for this Australian games which is a bit of a national obsession. Known as Footy it is a uniquely Australian game and is regarded as part of the Australian culture. It inspirers great passion in its supporters which makes being at a game a really fun experience. 5.7.2.2 Melbourne Nightlife The great range of art and sporting attractions that Melbourne has on offer, contributes to citys lively nightlife. For the evenings, Melbourne happens to have the best bar and pub scene in the country, ranging from the elegance of big city cocktail bars with cool jazz in the background, to student pubs that throb to a very different beat. You can party your way from inner city Melbourne and student-oriented Carlton to the hip hangouts around South Yarra and St Kilda. The Metro nightclub in the city centre is very well known. It is a large club offering a variety of music from techno to indie rock depending on the theme for the night. If something a bit smaller and a bit different is your taste, the funky Honkytonks club is also located in the city. The interesting dcor means that stepping into this club is like going back to the 1920's. The club plays a range of music from electro to deep disco and has a great atmosphere. Just outside the city centre is another very popular venue, Seven, in South Melbourne. This club is at the forefront of Melbourne's underground dance club scene. Traveling a bit further south will take you to One Six One, a smaller club filled with retro glam including a flashing dance floor. It is known for great music and a fantastic atmosphere although can also be a bit difficult to get into as it is always filled to capacity. Once you have partied well into the night, Revolver in Parham is a great recovery place. It plays host to top DJs, has a great dance floor and also offers meals and snacks. On the weekends the party here continues in full swing well into daylight hours, with most of the crowd staying well after midday. As Melbournians are know for being a very friendly crowd it is worthwhile to talk to the locals. They would be your best source of information on other best places to party and eat. You can also find more information about Melbourne clubs and pubs at http://www.melbournepubs.com.
5.7.2.3 Accommodation in Melbourne Accommodation in Melbourne is a bit cheaper than in Sydney with a number of backpacker hostels starting at around $20 a night. Friendly Backpackers, on King Street in the city centre are one good option close to the coach terminal and the rail station. Flinders Station Hotel and Backpackers, on Elizabeth Street in the city is also right in the city centre and close to transport. Chapel Street Backpackers are also a good budget option located in the centre of Melbournes main shopping and nightlife strip. You can search the Australian Yellow Pages at: http://www.yellowpages.com.au to find more accommodation options. For more information about Melbourne please visit: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/
5.7.3 Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital city of the sunshine state of Queensland. It has a very pleasant, subtropical climate and is home to Australias most popular beaches. The greater Brisbane area includes the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and is one of Australia's biggest tourist attractions and most beautiful regions. The city also provides easy access to some of Australia's most beautiful natural features. 5.7.3.1 Brisbane Attractions The city lies on the banks of the serpentine Brisbane River which is a colourful waterway filled with ferries and boats. A good start to seeing the city is a Brisbane River Cruise. Because of its subtropical climate - the temperatures range from 18-33C in summer and 9-22C in winter - Brisbane enjoys an outdoor lifestyle throughout the year and so many sporting activities also take place along the river and at the numerous beaches, including rowing, sailing, water-skiing, swimming, surfing and fishing. There are also over 1000 parks and gardens, and many kilometres of bikeways and walking paths. Being the capital of Queensland, Brisbane also has a dozens of theatres, cinemas, concert halls, galleries and museums. As well as having a cultural scene the city does have another side with the large numbers of tourists and tourist attractions and the large Conrad Casino in the heart of the city lending it the local knick-name of Bris Vegas. Despite being a bit of a touristy town, Brisbane does have a busy cultural calendar as well as offering a wide range of entertainment options. There are a lot of nightclubs and bars and then there are the theme parks. The city is home to a large number of Australias favourite theme parks. These include the extremely popular Dreamworld which spans thirty hectares and is filled with a variety of rides, shows and attractions. There is also the Wet 'n' Wild Water World which has the world's latest water slides and leisure pools and a shaded twenty acre subtropical garden. Sea World also offers rides as well as amazing marine life displays and shows. There is also the Movie World Movie with a kaleidoscope of behind-the-scenes action, comedy stunts, rides and shows. The South Bank is one of the city's liveliest areas and home to the arts, entertainment and leisure precinct across the river from the city's central business district. It is filled with restaurants and cafes, parklands and bike paths, market stalls and even has a sandy swimming beach. The complex is home to the Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Museum, the State Library and the Performing Arts Complex. The museum has a dinosaur garden and a worthwhile exhibition on whales. The art gallery has an impressive permanent Australian collection, and the Eagle St Pier markets offer interesting demonstrations of glass-blowing, weaving and other crafts. If you want to get a great view of the city and its surroundings the lookout on Mt Coot-tha, 8km from the city centre is worth a climb. There are also some good walks around Mt Coot-tha. Botanic Gardens are at the foot of the mountain, and The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, the largest in Australia, is also located here offering fantastic views of the clear Australian sky. You could also go and play with koalas at The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary just a half-hour bus ride south from the city centre. Around 130 koalas are the star attraction here but there is also a variety of other Australian wildlife, including kangaroos, possums, wombats, emus and lyrebirds. Visitors are allowed to embrace a koala and pat and feed kangaroos.
Once you have visited the famous beaches of Gold and Sunshine Coasts and enjoyed all the other attractions the city has to offer, you might want to make your way further to the tropical north Queensland towards the city of Cairns. In this area you will find the Great Barrier Reef, World Heritage listed tropical rainforests, some tropical islands just off the coast, as well as a number of mainland National Parks. 5.7.3.2 Brisbane Nightlife As for the nightlife in Brisbane, the large Conrad Casino in the heart of the city is a good start providing entertainment from gaming to a wide selection of restaurants and bars. There are also a lot of good restaurants in the South Bank area and the city and beach areas offer a wide selection of nightlife both indoors and out. The Fridays complex located in Brisbanes Riverside Centre is a very popular place with something to suit everyone. It has a nightclub, an indoor and outdoor bar and a restaurant overlooking the Brisbane River. It offers a wide range of music including latest R&B, soul, acid jazz, dance, funk and urban groove and often includes live bands. Zenbar located in the city centre also plays a range of music from '70s underground jazz to modern funk house. The bar offers a great selection of wine and there is also a restaurant. The Brisbane Jazz Club, located on the riverfront under the Story Bridge, is also a good place for a dance. Brisbane also has a good live music scene, being home to some of Australias most popular bands including Powderfinger, Savage Garden and Regurgitator. The city also has a range of good pubs, with a number of these located at the South Brisbane riverbank. The Brisbane City Search website is a good source of information on whats on in the city and can be found at: http://brisbane.citysearch.com.au. 5.7.3.3 Accommodation in Brisbane As a very popular tourist destination Brisbane has a very wide range of holiday accommodation available. On the more affordable side, the Palace Backpackers located in the city centre is a good option with rates starting at around $20 per night. The You website offers a good listing of backpacker accommodation available in Brisbane at: http://www.you.com.au/backpackers/brisbane.html. For more information about Brisbane please visit: http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/
5.7.4 Hobart
Hobart is the capital city of the island of Tasmania, around 600 km from the Australian mainland. It is a beautiful, scenic city nestled onto a curve of the Derwent River in Tasmania at the foot of Mt Wellington. It is Australias second oldest capital city, having been established in 1804. It has one of the world's finest deep water harbours and although colder than the other capital cities, is no less friendly and inviting. 5.7.4.1 Hobart Attractions Being one of Australias oldest cities, Hobart is full of classic Australian colonial sandstone architecture. Salamanca Place on the harbourfront has some great examples of this including some beautiful sandstone warehouses that have been developed to house art galleries, restaurants, nightspots and a range of shops. There is also a large open-air market where you can sample some of the fresh produce that Tasmania is famous for. This is a good place to visit for a bit of shopping and something good to eat. The old port section of Battery Point is also worth having a look at. In colonial times this sea side area was home to fishermen, sailors and merchants and it is the site of the oldest military establishment in Australia, the Anglesea Barracks. The barracks were built in 1811, and today house an interesting free museum. The Van Diemen's Land Folk Museum, is also located here and has an interesting collection of relics from Tasmania's early pioneering days. Being in the country that is home to keen beer drinkers you also need to sample some to Australias beers. A visit to the Cascade Brewery, the oldest brewery in Australia is a great opportunity to do this, especially as Tasmanian ales and lagers regularly win international awards. The brewery is located behind a magnificent sandstone facade, tucked away in a fold of the Mt Wellington foothills. It runs tours that give an insight into the brewing process and provide free samples of some of the finest beer in the country. The beautiful gardens surrounding the brewery are worth a look at the end of a tour.
A harbour cruise is also in order when visiting Hobart. It will allow you to have a look at the historic waterfront and the city from the water. A wide range of cruises are offered, providing an opportunity to pass under the Tasman Bridge, see the Government House, the Royal Botanical Gardens and great views of Wrest Point Casino and Battery Point. Another main attraction in Hobart is the Cadbury Chocolate Factory, where Australias most popular chocolate is made. The factory was established in 1824 and is one of very few in the world open to the public. It regularly runs tours providing a behind the scenes view of chocolate production, with tour guides explaining the entire process of chocolate making. The tour includes sampling of the chocolates made by the factory and there is also a wholesale chocolate shop that offers great prices. The tours are very popular so it is better to book in advance. The main reason people got to Hobart however is to access the beautiful unspoiled wilderness of Tasmania. This island, which is approximately the size of Ireland, is home to pristine wilderness areas, breathtaking landscapes, ancient plants and unique wildlife not found anywhere else in the world. Places worth visiting include; the Cradle Mountain, the Southwest National Park, the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, the St Clair National Park, and the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. These wilderness areas are home to the Tasmanian Devil, a bad tempered little creature with big wide teeth, unique to Tasmania. Large areas of Tasmania remain untouched by civilisation providing opportunities to trek for days without bumping into another person. Tasmania is also Australias gateway to Antarctica. Macquarie Island, a Tasmanian dependency on the way to Antarctica is open to visitors during summer and is home to millions of penguins and thousands of elephant seals. 5.7.4.2 Hobart Nightlife Hobart is home to some good restaurants providing an opportunity to taste Tasmanian seafood and natural produce. The Mures restaurant on Victoria Dock has a very good reputation. Operating since 1974 it has a menu ranging from gourmet fish and chips to a la carte dining. As well as high standards of food and service, the restaurant also has beautiful views of the waterfront. There are also some good pubs in Hobart. The Hope & Anchor in the waterfront area is Australia's oldest pub and has an interesting licensed museum as well as a nice bar upstairs and an excellent dining room with an extensive wine list. The popular Irish Murphy's pub is also located in this area. Pub crawls are run regularly in Hobart, some in the form of proper tours with guides that tell stories about Hobarts early days of colourful characters and rum smuggling. Hobart is also home to the Wrest Point Casino, the oldest casino in Australia. Much of the Hobarts after dark action occurs at the casino complex. You can find both cabaret and comedy shows here as well as many bars and restaurants. 5.7.4.3 Accommodation in Hobart Accommodation is very affordable in Hobart, at some hostels single room accommodation will cost you as little as $35. The Montgomery's Hobart Hotel is one of the favourites. The Pickled Frog and the Central City Backpackers are also good options, both centrally located, close to shops, pubs and restaurants. For more information please visit: http://www.hobartcity.com.au/.
5.7.5 Adelaide
Adelaide is a very picturesque city with gorgeous beaches on one side and a mountain range on the other. It is home to just over a million people, and has a very relaxed feel, with no rush, no traffic jams and everything within an easy traveling distance. It is also knows as the city of churches with a lot of historical buildings in and around the very well designed city centre. 5.7.5.1 Adelaide Attractions The city centre is very well laid out, making everything easy to find. There are lovely gardens surrounding the city on all sides, including the Adelaide Botanical Gardens which are worth a visit. Next to the Botanical Gardens you will find the National Wine Centre of Australia where you can learn about every aspect of winemaking and the wine industry. The centre offers an exhibition gallery, a store where wines from all regions of Australia can be sampled and purchased, tourism information on Australia's wine regions and a range of wine appreciation courses.
A visit to the Wine Centre is a good start if you are interested in exploring one of the most famous wine producing areas in Australias, the Barossa Valley, which is an easy one hour drive from the city. You can also have a look at the smaller but also interesting McLaren Valley, a wine growing region an hour drive in the opposite direction from Adelaide. You can get some great deals on Australias best wines and sample some fantastic food as both areas are full of very good restaurants. You can also see a lot of German heritage from the days when German farmers established the region. Adelaide also has a very good selection of food to complement the great wine. There are some great restaurants located in the city and in North Adelaide, which is a 5 minute drive from the city centre. The most famous one is The Grange, home of one of Australias best known chefs. There are also a lot of good restaurants along Adelaides beautiful beaches of Glenelg and Henley Beach. Glenelg is worth a visit, it has a lot of cafs overlooking the beach, a nice jetty and a couple of good nightclubs. Henley Beach is less busy and sometimes, especially early in the mornings you can have a whole beach to yourself. Here you will also find a number of restaurants with great views overlooking the beach. The Adelaide Hills are also worth a visit. Only an hour's drive from the city, they offer great views of Adelaide stretching all the way to the ocean. There are a number of lookouts here and a lot of good hiking trails. A good range of affordable bed and breakfast accommodation is available in this area in very scenic surroundings. The historical town of Handoff is also located here. The town was established by German migrants and is home to numerous German restaurants, art galleries and craft shops and is a very pretty place. The Adelaide Hills are also home to anther very good restaurant The Windy Point which, as well as offering great food, provides spectacular views of Adelaide down below, especially at night. 5.7.5.2 Adelaide Nightlife Adelaide, like Melbourne, also has a lively caf and bar scene. You can find the young and trendy in Rundle Street, home to a range of cafs, pubs, bars and nightclubs. Some of the better pubs include The Botanical, which is always packed on Friday nights and The Stag which has a good nightclub upstairs. Tucked away in an alley off Rundle Street is the Belgian Beer Bar, a very popular hang out offering a fantastic selection of Australian and imported beers and often playing live music. You could also have a look at Hindley Street, which has a number of good nightclubs like the Cargo Club and Tapas and bars like Supermild and The Apothecary. Melbourne Street and OConnell Street in North Adelaide are also a good place if pubs are bars are more your taste. The Rising Sun Pub in the suburb of Kensington is also worth a visit for its excellent food and service and to have a look at what old traditional Australian pubs look like. Adelaide is also well known around Australia for its excellent food. Some of the better restaurants include The House of Chow in the city, if you like Chinese Food and the Shiki restaurant, if Japanese is more your taste. The Elephant Walk Caf is also worth a visit. It is a very charming little place in North Adelaide offering great coffee and deserts and providing a cozy atmosphere. 5.7.5.3 Accommodation in Adelaide You are in luck in Adelaide as it has the most affordable accommodation in the country. You can get very good prices on 4 and 5 star hotels as well as excellent deals on bed and breakfast accommodation in the picturesque Adelaide Hills and the popular wine regions of Barrossa and McLaren Valley. The best places to stay in central Adelaide are the city centre, North Adelaide and the beachside suburb of Glenelg. There are a lot of hotels, motels and backpacker hostels here with prices starting as low as $10 per night. The Blue Galah Backpackers Hostel in the city is a popular option providing a good standard of accommodation and easy access to the main shopping and nightlife districts. To find more accommodation options in Adelaide you can search the Australian Yellow Pages at: http://www.yellowpages.com.au.
5.7.6 Perth
The sunny city of Perth is the capital of Western Australia. It is located close to the south western tip of the country, between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Ranges and is one of the most isolated capital cities in the world. It is a modern and vibrant city with a population of just over a million. It has a pleasant Mediterranean climate and long, white, sandy beaches which rank among the world's best.
5.7.6.1 Perth Attractions Kings Park is a very pretty area that rises at the western end of Perth. It offers great views of the city and the Swan River. It consists of beautifully landscaped gardens and unspoiled Australian bushland spread out over 17-hectares. In spring, the park has a cultivated display of Western Australia's famed wild flowers. There are many paths and trails through the park and free walking tours are offered. During the evenings there is a most spectacular view of the Perth skyline, with sunset reflecting off the glass skyscrapers and the parks gum trees illuminated with coloured lights also creating a beautiful effect. The pristine white sand beaches are also unforgettable. Scarborough is great for experienced surfers and sailboarders and is well known around Australia for its beachside cafs. The calm bay beaches on the Swan River at Crawley and Peppermint Grove are also very beautiful and there is a string of surf beaches on the Indian Ocean coast, including Perth's very popular nude beach at Swanbourne. The best beach of all however lies on the secluded Carnac Island, it is generally completely empty, frequented only by some sea lions. The Berndt Museum of Anthropology is worth a visit if you are interested in finding out more about the Aboriginal culture. It has one of Australias finest collections of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal art and artefacts. It combines material from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory with artefacts from the southwest, desert and Kimberley regions of WA. The Museum of Western Australia also has an excellent Indigenous Art gallery, with Perth being the ideal place to purchase authentic Aboriginal art. Perth is also a good place to shop for other Australian souvenirs, especially Western Australian wine and sheepskin and crocodile leather products. The central shopping district includes Hay Street and Murray Street malls and the Forrest Chase complex. There are many jewellery stores in these precincts selling Australian gemstones, such as Argyle diamonds, Broome pearls and the famous Australian opals. Perth also has an abundance of markets including the Subiaco Pavilion Markets and the Galleria Art & Craft Markets, both selling jewellery, pottery, giftware, clothing and art. If you want to pat a shark and play with stingrays, the Aquarium of Western Australia offers a great way to spend an afternoon. The main area is a 98m tunnel aquarium which allows you to see colourful fish, sharks and stingrays swimming above and around you. Qualified divers can also get into one of the pools for a face-to-face shark experience. Western Australia also offers a range of other opportunities to get close to marine life. There are a number of tours running near Perth providing daily opportunities to swim with wild dolphins. At some times of the year it is also possible to swim with the huge Whale Sharks, the biggest fish in the world, or watch whales migrating along the Western Australian. Humpback Whale cruises operate seasonally from September to November, proving an opportunity to see the awesome beauty and wonder of these creatures up close. 5.7.6.2 Perth Nightlife Once you have enjoyed the fun of the day time activities it is time to get a taste of the Perth nightlife. There are a number of locations in the city which jump to life at night, especially on the weekends. Fremantle, south of Perth is full of nightclubs and bars. A crawl of Fremantle pubs, such as The Bog, on High Street, and Bennys on South Terrace, is in order in this part of town. You will also find a range of nightclubs, pubs, cafes and restaurants in Northbridge, just outside the city centre. Subiaco is also home to some of the larger dance clubs. The Monkey Bar in the city is a good place for a dance, especially on their Latin nights. Varga Lounge in Northbridge is a good place if R & B is more your taste. Lounge bars have taken off in Perth and there are a number of hip venues such as The Jazz Room, at Mount Lawley and Varga Lounge in Northbridge, for the more sophisticated drinkers. The Moon & Sixpence British Pub on Murray Street, is a bit more of a kitsch place but it is a very popular hangout serving a wide range of Australian and international beers. The Duxton Bar on St Georges Terrace, is a good place for a quiet cocktail. Perth is also home to a very healthy Indie Rock scene. 5.7.6.3 Accommodation in Perth Like all the other Australian cities, Perth offers a lot of affordable accommodation including a range of youth hostels and backpacker options. Two of the better ones in the city centre include Exclusive Backpackers and the Hay Street Backpackers. Northbridge also offers good affordable accommodation at the Coolibah Lodge and the Billabong Resort where prices start at only $18.00 per night including breakfast.
6.2 Electricity
The electrical current in Australia is 240/250 volts AC, 50 cycles. The Australian three-pin plug is extremely safe. Adaptors are usually required for most foreign appliances. A transformer may be required if you bring an appliance from overseas that operates on a different voltage.
pay phones accept a variety of coins and phonecards. Phonecards are pre-paid for use in public pay phones and can be bought at a large number of retail outlets in denominations of A$5, A$10, A$20 and A$50. Credit phones take most major credit cards such as American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Diners International and can be found at international and domestic airports, central city locations and hotels. Mobile phones are very popular and can be purchased from a number of retailers, and can be operated through a variety of competing carriers.