Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fast and change direction with the wind. Go to the nearest open space, downhill if possible. A forested ridge is the most
dangerous place to be during a bushfire.
CRIME
Western Australia is a relatively safe place to visit, but you should still take reasonable precautions. Don't leave hotel
rooms or cars unlocked, and don't leave valuables unattended and visible in cars.
In recent years there has been a spate of glassings (stabbings with broken glass) at Perth venues. If you see trouble
brewing, it's best to walk away. Take due caution on the streets after dark, especially around hot spots such as North-
bridge. There have also been reports of drinks being spiked with drugs in Perth pubs and clubs. Authorities advise wo-
men to refuse drinks offered by strangers in bars and to drink bottled alcohol rather than that in a glass.
DRIVING
Australian drivers are generally a courteous bunch, but rural 'petrolheads', inner-city speedsters and drink drivers can
pose risks. Open-road dangers can include include wildlife, such as kangaroos (mainly at dusk and dawn); fatigue,
caused by travelling long distances without the necessary breaks; and excessive speed. Driving on dirt roads can also be
tricky for the uninitiated.
OUTBACK TRAVEL
If you're keen to explore outback WA, it's important not to embark on your trip without careful planning and prepara-
tion. Travellers regularly encounter difficulties in the harsh outback conditions, and trips occasionally prove fatal.
SWIMMING
Popular beaches are patrolled by surf life-savers and flags mark out patrolled areas. Even so, WA's surf beaches can be
dangerous places to swim in, if you aren't used to the often heavy surf. Undertows (or 'rips') are the main problem. If
you find yourself being carried out by a rip, just keep afloat; don't panic or try to swim against the rip, which will ex-
haust you. In most cases the current will stop within a couple of hundred metres of the shore and you can then swim par-
allel to the shore for a short way to get out of the rip and swim back to land.
On the south coast, freak 'king waves' from the Southern Ocean can sometimes break on the shore with little or no
warning, dragging people out to sea. In populated areas there are warning signs; in other areas, be extremely careful.
People have been paralysed by diving into waves in shallow water and hitting a sandbar; check the depth of the water
before you leap.
Telephone
The two main telecommunications companies are
Telstra
(
www.telstra.com.au
)
and
Optus
(
www.optus.com.au
) . Both
are also major players in the mobile (cell) market, along with
Vodafone
(
www.vodafone.com.au
)
,
Virgin
(
www.virginmobile.com.au
)
and
3
(
www.three.com.au
)
.
Local calls from private land lines cost 15c to 30c, while local calls from public phones cost 50c; both allow for un-
limited talk time. Calls to mobile phones attract higher rates and are timed.
Although the whole of WA shares a single area code ( 08), once you call outside of the immediate area or town, it
is likely that you are making a long-distance call. STD calls (Subscriber Trunk Dialling - a long-distance call within
Australia) can be made from public phones and are cheaper during off-peak hours, generally between 7pm and 7am.
