Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PRACTICALITIES
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Currency
The Australian dollar comprises 100 cents. There are 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 coins, and $5,
$10, $20, $50 and $100 notes.
»
DVDs
Australian DVDs are encoded for Region 4, which includes Mexico, South America, Central America,
New Zealand, the Pacific and the Caribbean.
»
Newspapers
Leaf through Brisbane's
Courier-Mail
or the national
Australian
newspapers.
»
Radio
Tune in to ABC radio; check out
www.abc.net.au/radio
.
»
Smoking
Banned on public transport, in pubs, bars and eateries, and in some public outdoor spaces.
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TV
The main free-to-air TV channels are the government-sponsored ABC, multicultural SBS and the three
commercial networks - Seven, Nine and Ten - plus numerous additional channels from these main players.
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Weights and measures
Australia uses the metric system.
Rental Accommodation
If you're on the east coast for a while, then a rental property or room in a shared flat or house will be an economical op-
tion. Delve into the classified advertisement sections of the daily newspapers; Wednesday and Saturday are usually the
best days. Noticeboards in universities, hostels, bookshops and cafes are also useful. Resources include the following:
City Hobo
(
www.cityhobo.com
) Matches your personality with your ideal big-city suburb.
Couch Surfing
(
www.couchsurfing.com
) Connects spare couches with new friends.
Flatmate Finders
(
www.flatmatefinders.com.au
) Long-term share-accommodation listings.
Stayz
(
www.stayz.com.au
) Holiday rentals.
Customs Regulations
For comprehensive information on customs regulations, contact the
Australian Customs & Border Protection Service
(
02-6275 6666, 1300 363 263;
www.customs.gov.au
)
.
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There's a duty-free quota of 2.25L of alcohol, 50 cigarettes, and dutiable goods up to the value of $900 per person.
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Prohibited goods include drugs (all medicines must be declared), wooden items and food - Australia is very strict on
this, so declare all food items, even leftover edibles taken from the plane.
Discount Cards
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The International Student Identity Card (ISIC;
www.isic.org
), available to full-time students worldwide, yields dis-
counts on accommodation, transport and admission to various attractions.
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Travellers over 60 with some form of identification (eg a Seniors Card -
www.seniorscard.com.au
) are often eligible
for concession prices.
