Australia Travel Guide
TRAVEL WARNING
Country-specific safety information
Terrorism On November 26th, 2015 the Australian government introduced a new terror warning system with five levels. At the same time, the middle level (probable = attack likely) was set for terrorist attacks. The Australian government has called on the population to be more vigilant.
Bathing in public waters is not safe everywhere in Australia. Accidents with crocodiles, sharks and dangerous jellyfish are recorded again and again. Before swimming, you should pay attention to signs on the beach as well as information in the local press. The football-sized sea wasp from the class of box jellyfish is one of the most dangerous marine animals in Australia. It occurs mainly in the months of October to June on flat sandy beaches on the north Australian coast between Broome in Western Australia (NW) and
Gladstone in Queensland (NE). Contact with the tentacles, which are up to three meters long, can lead to severe cardiotoxic symptoms up to respiratory arrest and heart failure within a few minutes.
Also on the northern coast of Australia is the Irukandji, which is related to the sea wasp and is only a few centimeters large but dangerous for swimmers.
Health certificate
A negative HIV test in English is required for long -term stays.
MONEY
Currency
1 Australian dollar = 100 cents. Currency abbreviation: A $, AUD (ISO code). There are banknotes in denominations of A $ 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5, coins in denominations of A $ 2 and 1 as well as 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.
Credit cards
Credit cards are almost as popular a form of payment in Australia as they are in the United States. Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard and American Express are accepted. The most common are VISA and MasterCard. The acceptance of American Express and Diners Club is not quite as widespread. Credit cards may only be accepted to a limited extent in smaller towns and outbacks. Details on the website of the issuer of the credit card in question.
ATMs
ec / Maestro card / Sparcard
An extensive network of ATMs is accessible with an ec / Maestro card. Cash in the local currency can be withdrawn from ATMs with an ec / Maestro card and PIN number. Customers of Citibank can withdraw cash free of charge from ATMs with the ec- / Maestro card, customers of Deutsche Bank with the ec- / Maestro card or with the ADAC Sparcard at Westpac Bank machines, customers of Deutsche Kreditbank with Visa -Card of the DKB-Cash account as well as Postbank customers with the Postbank Sparcard at ATMs with Visa symbols.
Attention: Travelers who pay abroad with their bank customer card and want to withdraw money should find out about the possibilities of using their card from their bank before starting their journey.
Bank opening times
- General Mon-Thu 9.30 a.m.-4.00 p.m., Fri 9.30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Foreign exchange regulations
No restrictions. The import and export of amounts with an equivalent value of A $ 10,000 or more must be declared.
Currency Exchange
All Australian airports have exchange offices that are open on arrival and departure of all flights. International hotels also exchange foreign currencies. Travelers should exchange money at airports and banks. Money should only be changed in Australia, because the rate there is usually better than in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Money can be withdrawn more cheaply than with credit cards with the ec / Maestro card from a close-knit network of ATMs in Australia, a country located in Oceania listed on a2zgov..
CULTURE
Religion
25.8% Catholics; 18.7% Anglicans; 19.3% other Christians; Minorities of all other world religions as well as followers of natural religions.
Social rules of conduct
The atmosphere is casual. You shake hands in greeting. Casual clothing is common; You should dress more elegantly for social events, in exclusive restaurants and for important business appointments. Smoking is not permitted in public buildings, transport, shopping malls, restaurants, bars, and many beaches. Tipping was not common until a few years ago. Good service is now rewarded at your own discretion.
CLIMATE
Best travel time
November to March (spring / summer): Warm or hot, tropical climate in the north and warm to hot with mild nights in the south.
April to September (Fall / Winter): Northern and central Australia have warm days and cool nights; in the south there are cool days with occasional rain showers, but mostly sunshine. Snowfall only occurs in the mountainous regions in the southeast.
More in the chapters on the individual states.
LANGUAGE
Overview
The official language is English. There are minorities among immigrants who have retained their mother tongue; different languages are spoken by the Australian aborigines.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Annotation
The stated holidays apply nationwide. Additional holidays are listed under each state.
