Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Disability Information Service
(
www.communities.qld.gov.au/disability
) Queensland government's Department for
Communities, Child Safety & Disability Services; support throughout Queensland.
National Disability Services
(
www.nds.org.au
) The national industry association for disability services.
Spinal Injuries Association
(
www.spinal.com.au
) In Brisbane.
Vision Australia
(
www.visionaustralia.org.au
)
Wheelie Easy
(
www.wheelieeasy.com.au
)
Runs specialised tours in Far North Queensland for travellers with impaired
mobility.
Visas
All visitors to Australia need a visa. Only New Zealand nationals are exempt: they sheepishly receive a 'special cat-
egory' visa on arrival. The main visa categories for travellers are as follows:
eVisitor (651)
A free three-month visa for many European passport holders.
Electronic Travel Authority (ETA; 601)
A free three-month visa for citizens of 34 countries, including Brunei,
Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and the USA.
Tourist Visa (600)
A three-, six- or 12-month visa ($115) for citizens of countries other than those listed above, or for
people from the above countries who want to stay longer than three months.
Detailed information (including info on visa extensions) and application forms are available on the website of the
De-
partment of Immigration and Citizenship
(
www.immi.gov.au
)..
Volunteering
Lonely Planet's
Volunteer: A Traveller's Guide to Making a Difference Around the World
has useful information. Also
check out these resources:
Conservation Volunteers Australia
(
www.conservationvolunteers.com.au
) Nonprofit organisation involved in tree
planting, walking-track construction and surveys.
Go Volunteer
(
www.govolunteer.com.au
) National website listing volunteer opportunities.
i to i Volunteering
(www. i-to-i.com) Conservation-based volunteer holidays in Australia.
Lizard Island Research Station
(
www.australianmuseum.net.au/lizard-island
-research-station) Opportunities to help
researchers studying marine ecology and seabirds.
Reef Check
(
www.reefcheckaustralia.org
)
Train to monitor the health of the reef.
Sea Turtle Foundation
(
www.seaturtlefoundation.org
)
Volunteer opportunities in sea-turtle conservation.
Volunteering Australia
(
www.volunteeringaustralia.org
) Support, advice and volunteer training.
Volunteering Qld
(
www.volunteeringqld.org.au
) Volunteering info and advice.
Willing Workers on Organic Farms
(WWOOF;
www.wwoof.com.au
) 'WWOOFing' is where you do a few hours'
work each day on a farm in return for bed and board, often in a family home. The farms are supposed to be organic (in-
cluding permaculture and biodynamic growing), but that isn't always so. Some places aren't even farms − you might
help out at pottery or do the topics at a seed wholesaler. Whether participants have a farm or just a veggie patch, most
