General Information

Banks and Currency

Banks are open on Monday to Thursday from 9:30am – 4:00pm and on Fridays from 9:30am – 5:00pm. Major credit cards are widely accepted in Australia. This includes American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Diners. Australia uses decimal currency (one hundred cents to a dollar) with a mix of notes ($5, $10, $20, $50 and $100) and coins (5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 dollar and 2 dollars).

As of May 2009 A$1 = approximately US$0.76.

Electricity

Electricity is 240 volts, 50Hz. The connection for appliances is a 3-pin plug (only used in Australia and New Zealand). It is advisable to bring adapters where possible but they may also be purchased locally.

Time

Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) will apply from the first Sunday in October 2010, which is Greenwich Meantime (GMT) + 11 hours, before this is Greenwich Meantime (GMT) + 9 hours.

Tipping

Tipping is not expected in Australia although many people like to tip at restaurants in appreciation of exceptional service.

Weather

September/October is officially Spring and average temperatures range from 3 – 19 degrees Celsius in Canberra, 11 – 22 degrees Celsius in Sydney and Cairns can be expected to be warm and humid, 19 – 29 degrees Celsius. It is wise to be prepared for cool evenings in Canberra and for rain at times. Whatever the temperature, the welcome will be warm.