International visitors

Travellers to Australia need a valid passport. Visas are required by all visitors traveling to Australia except for New Zealand passport holdersIf you are planning a holiday visit or a short business trip to Australia, you will need to apply for either a visa or an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority). An ETA will let you spend up to three months in Australia.For more information contact the Australian Embassy in your country or visit: http://www.eta.immi.gov.au

Australia is an island and has strict quarantine regulations which apply to plant and food items. These regulations are for the protection of all who live and travel here. Limitations apply to bringing in many items such as tobacco products, alcohol and other personal possessions.
For more information contact the Australian Customs Service:
Ph: +61 (0)2 6275 6666
E-mail: information@customs.gov.au
Website: www.customs.gov.au

A passenger movement charge of departure tax is included in the price of airline tickets. The charge is A$38 per person. Exemptions apply to children under 12 years, 24-hour transit passengers or transit passengers who stay longer than a day if departure is delayed by circumstances beyond their control.

International driving licenses are recognized, provided the information contained on it clearly indicates the types of vehicles you are licensed to drive in your home country. For those from non-English speaking countries, it is probably best to obtain an International Driving Permit - this will be a translation of what is on your license. This enables Australian police to compare the license with the permit, and see what types of vehicles the person is allowed to drive.Please note: In some states, for example NSW, those with overseas licenses are subject to special blood alcohol limits, (0.02 in comparison with the normal limit of 0.05).
Don’t forget to drive on the left side of the road!

Melbourne operates on Eastern Standard Time (EST). Daylight saving is observed in Victoria.
GMT + 10 hours in Australian winter
GMT + 11 hours in Australian summer

The minimum legal 'drinking' age in Australia is 18.
It is recommended that you carry identification if you are going to a licensed  venue, bar or nightclubs.
If you cannot prove that you 18years or older, you may be refused entry.
Liquor stores may also ask for identification prior to purchase.
Please note that it is illegal to provide liquor to any person under the age of 18 (minor). 

Credit Cards are accepted at the majority of retail outlets, restaurants and hotels. The most commonly accepted are Mastercard and Visa and the Australian and New Zealand Bankcard.
Major hotels will also accept American Express and Diners' Club but these are less likely to be accepted by smaller retailers.
Please note that when booking or hailing a taxi it is advisable to discuss methods of payment as not all taxi companies accept credit cards.

Local currency is the Australian dollar, available in units of $100, $50, $20, $10 and $5 notes and $2, $1, 50 cent, 20 cent, 10 cent and 5 cent coins. 
All cash transactions are rounded up or down to the nearest 5 cents. Non-cash transactions are usually completed without rounding.
The Goods and Services Tax is applied at the rate of 10%. The price displayed usually includes this tax - it is not added at the register.

Tipping is rarely expected in Australia. Exceptional service may be rewarded in restaurants, by rounding up by around 5 – 10%. It is also acceptable to round up a dollar or two for taxi service.

Australia operates with a triple pronged 240/250 volts AC 50HZ system. Universal outlets for 110 volts (shavers only) are standard in hotels, apartments and motels.

Telstra payphones are common all over the country. Some accept credit cards, though these are usually only found in metropolitan areas. All other phones will accept coins or a Telstra prepaid phone card. Phone cards are available at post offices, newsagents and convenience stores.
Mobile phones with GSM capabilities can be used in Australia. The most common GSM standard used is 900 MHz, but 1800 is also used. 1900 MHz (used in the USA) is not used in Australia.
Internet access is very common with most built up areas having internet cafes.

Temperature:
To convert ºC to ºF multiply by 1.8 and add 32
To convert ºF to ºC subtract 32 and divide by 1.8

Distance:
To convert kilometers to miles multiply by 0.62
To convert miles to kilometers multiply by 1.61

Weight:
To convert pounds to kilograms multiply by 0.45
To convert kilograms to pounds multiply by 2.20

Volume:
To convert imperial gallons to litres multiply by 4.55
To convert litres to imperial gallons multiply by 0.22
To convert US gallons to litres multiply by 3.79
To convert litres to US gallons multiply by 0.26

*All information is subject to change without notification.