Capital: Canberra.

Time:
GMT + 9.5 (GMT + 10.5 October to March, except Northern Territory).

Tel. Code:
00 61 + 2 Central East Region, 3 South East Region, 4 Digital GSM Mobile phones, 7 North East Region, 8 Central and West Region.

Official Language:
The official language is English. Many other languages are retained by minorities, including Italian, German, Greek, Vietnamese, Chinese dialects and Aboriginal languages

Currency: Australian Dollar (A$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of A$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of A$2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.
Electricity:
220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs are in use, however sockets are different from those found in most countries and an adaptor socket may be needed.

Religion:
26 per cent Roman Catholic, 24 per cent Protestant and smaller minorities of all other major religions.

Climate:

Australia is in the southern hemisphere and the seasons are opposite to those in Europe and North America. There are two climatic zones: the tropical zone (in the north above the Tropic of Capricorn) and the temperate zone. The tropical zone (consisting of 40 per cent of Australia) has two seasons, summer (’wet’) and winter (’dry’) while the temperate zone has all four seasons.

Required clothing:
Lightweights during summer months with warmer clothes needed during the cooler winter period throughout most of the southern States. Lightweight cottons and linens all year in the central/northern States with warm clothes only for cooler winter evenings and early mornings. Sunglasses, sunhats and sunblock lotion are recommended year round in the north and during the summer months in the south.

Airports

Sydney Airport (SYD)
(Kingsford Smith) is 8km (5 miles) south of the city (travel time – 30 minutes). Airport Link connects the airport to Sydney Central Station (travel time – 13 minutes).

Adelaide Airport (ADL)
6km (4 miles) west of the city (travel time – 30 minutes).

Melbourne Airport (MEL)
(Tullamarine) is 22km (14 miles) northwest of the city (travel time – 30 minutes).

Perth Airport (PER)
is 12km (7 miles) northeast of the city (travel time – 25 minutes).

Brisbane Airport (BNE)
s 13km (8 miles) northeast of the city (travel time – 35 minutes).

Darwin Airport (DRW)
is 13km (8 miles) northeast of the city (travel time – 20 minutes).

Hobart Airport (HBA)
is 16km (10 miles) east of the city (travel time – 25 minutes).

Cairns Airport (CNS)
is 8km (5 miles) north of the city (travel time – 10 minutes).

Canberra Airport (CBR)
is 8km (5 miles) east of Canberra (travel time – 15 minutes).

Departure tax: None.

Travel Times

The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Sydney to other major cities in Australia.

Public Holidays 2005

Public Holidays 2005:
Jan 1 New Year’s Day.
Jan 26 Australia Day.
Mar 25-28 Easter.
Apr 26 ANZAC Day.
Dec 25-26 Christmas.

Passport/Visa

Passport

Valid passport required by all.

Visas are not required:

(a) nationals of New Zealand

(b) nationals of the following countries do not need to obtain a transit visa before travel if they are continuing their journey to a third country within 8 hours of arriving in Australia: Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, The Netherlands, Norway, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Portugal, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK (and its colonies), USA, Vanuatu, Vatican City and Zimbabwe. All other nationals must obtain a transit visa before travel, irrespective of the period of transit in Australia. Transit visas are free of charge. Note: Not all airports remain open all night; travellers should check with the airline.