Information on Australia

Click on the headings below to find out more about Australia.
This information is also available in a printed brochure. Please click here to email Move Management Australia to receive a copy of this document.

Background
Temperature Conversion
Time Zones
Population
The Culture
The Food
Shopping
National Public Holidays
Currency
Doing Business
Transportation
Driving
Speed Conversion
Attractions
Recreation
Health
Emergencies
Newspapers
Education



Background
Australia is the oldest landmass on earth. It’s first known inhabitants, the Aborigines, are believed to have migrated here from the north somewhere between 60,000 and 80,000 years ago. White settlement is only a recent occurrence, commencing just over 200 years ago.

The country has grown up on agriculture with sheep and cattle "stations" or farms proliferate thoughout the land. However, Australia has progressed with the times and now has a diverse range of primary, secondary and tertiary industries operating across the country and is currently the eleventh largest economy in the world. It has one of the fastest growing economies in the OECD and one of the most stable political systems anywhere in the world.



There are also many wilderness areas still untouched by humans and these are found in abundance across Australia. Several of these regions are under the "World Heritage" listing. There are also extensive National Park and State Forest systems including the Royal National Park, the second oldest National Park in the world located just south of Sydney.
Due to it’s location "Down Under", Australia has seasons that are opposite to those of countries in the Northern Hemisphere – summer falls between December and February and winter between June and August.

Because of the sheer size of Australia, the climate falls into two broad zones with 40% of the continent in the tropical regions and the remaining 60% in temperate regions. In the "Tropical North" the climate is WET in summer due to the monsoonal rains and DRY in the winter months. In the southern half of the country, however, all four seasons occur and in winter snow falls along the Southern Mountains of NSW and VIC.

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Temperature Conversion

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The culture

Of all the cultures in the Asia/Pacific region, those of Australia and New Zealand most closely resemble those of Europe and North America. However, Australia has become the most multi-cultural country on Earth with over 150 different nationalities currently residing here.

English is the official language and Christianity is the predominant faith across Australia.

Australians tend to be very direct or blunt which can be a little off-putting at first. They like to take people as they come and are not likely to be too impressed with lofty professional titles and materialistic attitudes. However, it doesn’t take an "Aussie" too long to get to know you and they often like to talk to you on a first name basis. The informality of the Australian society renders the giving and receiving of personal service to be quite casual. Dress, except in business and formal occasions, is casual. The common form of greeting is a handshake and yes at social meetings most people tend to say "G’day" (Gidday) as they shake hands.



Unlike in Europe and North America, tipping is not the general custom in Australia. Service charges are not added to hotel or restaurant bills; however, if you feel that the service has met or exceeded your needs a ten percent tip is acceptable.



The food
Australian produce is always fresh and plentiful and, as you might expect from a country where most people live near the ocean, the seafood is abundant. Australian wine has gained a reputation world wide for its unique quality. Yeast extracts such as Vegemite and Marmite are much loved by the locals. In Australia the entree is an appetiser, not the main course.

Elegant restaurants abound in the cities and counter lunches are served at most hotels (Pubs) or bars. These are less expensive and popular among locals. Many restaurants have full liquor service while others have a BYO (Bring Your Own) wine and beer service.

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Shopping
You will discover good shopping in Australia and there are many wonderful local clothing designers. However, clothing is not necessarily cheap. Souvenir hunters will enjoy the 'Aboriginal' artefacts which range from boomerangs to art and carvings.

Most shops close at 5:00 to 5:30pm weekdays and Saturday and quite a few are now open on Sunday. In most towns there are one or two "late night" shopping days. Several supermarket chains are open 24 hours.



National public holidays
1 January (New Years Day)
26 January (Australia Day)
Good Friday and Easter Monday
25 April (ANZAC Day)
2nd Weekend in June (Queens birthday)
25 December (Christmas Day)
26 December (Boxing Day)
NOTE**There are other holidays as well that are celebrated by individual States.



Currency
The unit of currency is the Australian Dollar (A$).
Notes: 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5
Coins: 2 and 1 Dollars, 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents
Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Dinners Club are widely accepted.



Doing Business
Australians are astute and encourage cultural, economic and political exchanges. They have a no-nonsense approach to business, which is befitting their direct nature and manner. They are informal and often straightforward to the point of bluntness and they love a bit of fun. Professionally, this lack of formality takes them quickly to a first name basis; however, business suits are still expected in the formal city or business environment.

Entertaining for business is common, expected and considered as socialising - fun is taken seriously in Australia. You can often expect to go boating or be invited to someone’s house for dinner or a BBQ. Try not to complain too much about any discomforts of Australian life or its oddities – Aussies hate "Whingers" - people who complain a lot about simple issues.



Transportation
International airports in Australia are located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Cairns, Darwin and Hobart.

The Railways of Australia cross the country with a variety of routes linking large cities and smaller rural townships. The rail networks in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are excellent.

City bus services in major cities are very good and in some cases are augmented with other transport systems such as Sydney’s Harbour Ferries and Monorail and Melbourne’s Tramways.

Taxis operate across the country. In most cases you can hail them from a taxi stand or from the street side or simply call to order one. Taxis in most states can be pre-booked in advance.

Australia also has a well-maintained network of highways and roads making driving a car relatively trouble free. Driving is on the left-hand side of the road. Rental cars, vans and motor homes are available from a variety of motor vehicle rental companies.

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Driving
If you gain an international license prior to leaving your country you are usually allowed to drive in Australia for up to 12 months without getting an Australian driving license. To obtain an Australian license, you will need to pass an oral test to prove your familiarity with local driving conditions.

An indication of speed limits in Australia are as indicated below:

**Please note that these speeds may vary from State to State and drink driving is illegal.

Remember that in Australia vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road. If you are not used to these conditions, please be careful especially as a pedestrian. Speed detection and red light cameras operate in all States and the fines can vary from A$120.00 - A$250.00 for minor traffic offences.

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Attractions
As befits a country whose population hugs the coastline and whose pioneering spirit tamed a vast wilderness, adventure travel is a popular way to see this magnificent and contrasting land.

One of the most surprising aspects about Australia is the number of attractions that are on the doorstep of its major cities. From surfing beaches and beautiful national parks to man-made wonders like Sydney’s Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

We’ve already mentioned the large number of National Parks open to the public, so perhaps you might want to rent a four-wheel drive vehicle or opt for a cycling tour. "Bushwalking" (Hiking) is a very popular pastime and there are literally thousands of tracks to take.

Farm stays and country pubs provide the best opportunities to see the country for a local’s point of view. Properties range from huge sheep or cattle stations covering thousands of square kilometres where you can be a "Jackeroo" while on your stay, to family farms where you can help milk cows or feed other animals. If you like you can experience sheep shearing, go horse back riding, eat a "Damper" by a camp fire and drink you tea from a "Billy" before going to sleep in your "Swag" beside a "Billabong". Country Pubs supply the thirsty traveller with a cold "Tinny" (beer) as well as plenty of inexpensive accommodation that requires no advance reservations.

Water lovers can climb aboard dive boats that cruise the Great Barrier Reef offering scuba diving or snorkelling facilities. Anglers can choose from deep-sea fishing, to fishing the shoreline, coastal lakes and rivers or pristine mountain rivers and lakes.

There are many outdoor attractions in Australia to help you and your family simply get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Recreation
Aussies are sports-mad! This is reflected in their success in the international sports arena. They take sport seriously and there are many excellent facilities located countrywide. It should be of no surprise to say that tennis players, golfers, runners, swimmers and almost all other athletes are well catered for downunder!

The national sport for men is cricket while for women it’s netball. Aussies turn up in their thousands to watch a Test Match or 'One Dayer' in Cricket or a Soccer or Tennis match during the summer months. In winter there’s Aussie Rules football, Rugby Union or League. Horse racing is also popular in Australia. In winter you can pack your ski gear and head for the slopes in NSW’s Snowy Mountains or Victoria’s High Country.

Melbourne is arguably the cultural capital of Australia. It is possibly the culinary capital as well with Sydney a very close second. Live music is very popular and Australia has some great local bands. There are also a variety of musicals and plays performed from the Opera House in Sydney to the local theatres in regional centres across the country.



Health
As long as you have not visited an infected country in the past 14 days, no vaccinations are required for entry into Australia. Medical and hospital care in Australia is first class. All Australian taxpayers pay a 3% subscription to the public health system. Private funds are available to those who wish to have priority hospital care for elective and all other surgery, dental, physiotherapy and other medical services.

Most private health funds reimburse insurers who subscribe 50% or so of the service fee. It is important to thoroughly check each fund's contribution cost and benefits package prior to selecting the one that best suits your needs.



Emergencies
Each capital city has separate emergency numbers to contact police, fire and ambulance services. If, however, you don’t know the required number, simply dial "000" and you will be asked by an operator which service you require and will be connected.



Newspapers
The Australian and Financial Review newspapers are popular national daily papers. Each city tends to have at least one or two daily newspapers. The Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age are the two most popular papers in Australia.

Education
The school year commences at the end of January. Children begin school at the age of 5 or 6 and must attend until the ages of 15 or 16. Regulations vary according to each State in Australia.

There are Public or State schools available to all residents. Parents must supply the children with books, uniforms and study material. There are also Private or Independent schools available, with some of these providing boarding facilities. Most of the private schools are supported by Christian churches i.e. Catholic or Church of England schools. Other 'independent' schools are also available in the major cities.

The school system is broken down into several levels: