A Basic Guide To Australia
About Australia: Australia is definitely one of the top destinations in the world and is certainly a country that many people wish to visit. It is the sixth largest nation in the world and is the only nation that governs a whole continent. This short guide is designed to provide basic information and facts about Australia and hopefully will help in your search for finding out more about the country.
Visa: If you intend travelling to Australia from the UK, you will be required to present a Visa upon entry to the country. This means that it is essential you have all the correct papers and Visa documentation in place before you travel. There are two types of visa available and they are the eVisitor visa which you can get direct online from the ‘Department of Immigration & Border Protection’ and the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), which you can get from either your travel agent or airline.
For more information about applying for a Visa if you are a British Citizen travelling to Australia, please click on the following link: British Citizen Visa Application for Australia
Flight Time From UK: Depending on which airport you fly from in the UK and to which airport you are flying to in Australia, the flight time is between 18-24 hours.
Nearest Airport: Australia has many large airports servicing a number of different towns and cities. However, the top 10 busiest airports in Australia are: Melbourne Airport, Brisbane Airport, Gold Coast Airport, Perth Airport, Adelaide Airport, Canberra International Airport, Cairns International Airport, Darwin International Airport, Sunshine Coast Airport and Hobart Internatioanl Airport.
Location: Australia is located in the Southern part of the Pacific Ocean
Capital: Canberra
Population Of Australia: Approximately Over 23 Million
Size: 7,692,024 Square Kilometers
Highest Point: Mount Kosciuszko which is 2,228 metres
Currency: Australian Dollar
Language: English. However there are over 200 different languages and dialects spoken in Australia.
Time Zone: Please note that the following are the standard time zones without ‘Daylight Saving Time’ but these time zones will differ accordingly when the UK clocks are put back and forward.
Greenwich Mean Time + 10 hours: New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland
GMT + 9.5 hours: South Australia and Northern Territory
GMT + 8 hours: Western Australia
Climate: Due to the vast size of Australia, the climate varies depending on which region you are visiting and there isn’t one single Seasonal calendar for the whole of Australia but there are climatic zones. These climatic zones are simply defined into two specific main zones known as the Temperate Zone and the Tropical Zone. This means that the seasons will change depending on where you are or what region you are visiting in any set month. The mountains in Southern Australia can experience temperatures below freezing whilst areas in the North-West of the continent such as Kimberley can experience intense warm weather.
A More In Depth Explanation Of The Climate Can Be Found On The Following Page: Climate In Australia
Water Temperature:
Things To See And Do: Where do you start listing the things to see and do for a country so big as Australia? Mountains, Waterfalls, Reefs, Jungles, Beaches, Cities, Buildings, Museums, Landscapes, Australia has it all!
Top Attractions:
Sydney Opera House (Sydney)
Great Barrier Reef (Queensland)
Uluru and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) (Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park)
Sydney Harbour Bridge (Sydney)
Blue Mountains National Park, Melbourne
Bondi Beach (Sydney)
Daintree National Park (North Queensland)
Fraser Island (Queensland)
Lake McKenzie (Fraser Island)
Kakadu National Park (Northern Territory)
Great Ocean Road (Torquay, Victoria)
Australian War Memorial (Canberra)
Kings Park & Botanic Garden (Perth)
Mount Wellington (Hobart)
Whitehaven Beach (Whitsunday Island)
Public Holidays: There are several National Public Holidays in Australia and they are as follows: New Year’s Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Events and Festivals: There are a hundreds of different events and festivals held in Australia throughout the year that it would be impossible to even attempt to list them all in this short guide. Many are held in major towns and cities throughout Australia whilst others are smaller community based events and festivals. The following list is just a few of the more well-known events and festivals that are held in Australia:
Sydney Festival (January)
National Multicultural Festival, Canberra (February)
Perth International Arts Festival (February–March)
Adelaide Festival of Arts (March)
Ten Days on the Island, Tasmania (March)
Darwin Festival (August)
Brisbane Festival (September)
Melbourne International Arts Festival (October)
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (February–March)
WOMADelaide (March)
National Folk Festival, Canberra (April)
Dreaming Festival, Woodford, Queensland (December–January)
Perth International Film Festival (July)
Markets:
Brisbane Markets:
Rocklea Market (Lifestyle and Crafts) Saturday
West End Markets (Fresh Produce) Saturday
South Bank Lifestyle Market (Desiner Wear) Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday.
Canberra Markets:
Old Bus Depot Markets (Sunday)
Capital Regional Farmers Market (Saturday Morning)
Gorman House Markets in Braddon (Saturday)
Hartley Hall Market – Hall Village Showground (Every first Sunday of the month)
Melbourne Markets:
The Queen Victoria Market (From food to clothing)
The Prahran Market (Gourmet Products)
Victorian Arts Centre (Hand Made Gifts) Sunday
Rose Street Markets (Hand Made Gifts) Sunday
St Kilda’s Esplanade Market (Art) Sunday
The Docklands Markets (Art) Sunday
Camberwell Market (Hand Crafted goods) Sunday
Sydney Markets:
Paddy’s Market in Chinatown: Selling fresh produce, souvenirs and clothing (Wednesday – Sunday)
Fish Markets in Pyrmont: Fish (Daily)
The Rocks Markets – Hand crafted jewellery (Saturdays)
Rozelle’s Weekend Markets: Flea Market selling second hand goods (Saturdays)
Glebe Markets: Second hand goods (Saturdays)
Paddington Markets: Locally made arts, crafts, food and clothes. (Saturdays)
Bondi Market: Fresh produce, food, craftware, clothing and jewellery (Sunday)
City Passes: Australia Sightseeing Pass – Australia Multi-City Attractions Pass
Theme Parks: Australia has certainly built up a reputation for having its share of good theme parks and the following are just a few of the most popular:
Sea World and Dreamworld – Golden Coast
Wave Lagoon – Darwin
The Beachouse – Glenelg South Australia
Magic Mountain – Merimbula New South Wales
Warner Bros – Gold Coast
Wet n Wild – Gold Coast
White Water World – Gold Coast
Adventure Park Adventure World – Victoria
Aussie World – Queensland
Luna Park – Sydney
Luna Park – Melbourne
Wonderland – Sydney
Big Splash Waterpark – Canberrra
Shopping: Many major city in Australia have great shopping malls and bouiques, so if you enjoy shopping, you will not be disappointed with what is on offer in Australia.
Golf: There are more than 1800 golf course throughout Australia.
Hotels And Accommodation: Australia has a large amount of accommodation on offer to suit all tastes, requirements and budgets. For the best deals it is always advisable to book in advance if possible.
Restaurants: As you can imagine, each major town and city throughout Australia has a number of restaurants offering a wide range of cuisines.
Nightlife: Australia certainly has is fair share of pubs and clubs. Obviously the major nightlife can be found in the larger towns and cities throughout Australia and the popular holiday rsorts and destinations.
New Year: Although New Year’s Eve in Australia is widely celebrated, the most famous of all is the New Year’s Eve celebration is the one in Sydney.
Money Saving Tips: If possible book everything in advance such as flights, hotels, car hire
Hostels: Backpacking across Australia is very popular and there are many hostels available throught Australia offering cheap alternative accommodation.
Emergency Telephone Numbers:
Emergency Service: Police, Fire brigade and Ambulance 000