Key facts
Australia is a country located in Oceania. The country has no land neighbors.
English is an official language in Australia. It means that if you speak it, you would be able to communicate with almost everyone. If not, it is highly recommended that you acquire some basic English before traveling to Australia.
The national currency in Australia is Australian dollar (AUD). The dollar ($) is subdivided into 100 cent (c).
Australian
Banknotes
5$10$20$50$100$
Australian
Coins
1$2$5c10c20c50c
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Australia is 135.51 Mbps and mobile is 153.77 Mbs.The global average is 192.62 Mbps and 126.54 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density Australia has more ATMs than most other countries.123.59 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Australia, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There is one common socket type used in Australia. Type I is not very common around the world, so it might be a good idea to check if your electronics need an adapter.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2024, Australia will celebrate 7 national public holidays. Furthermore, there are 16 holidays that are only celebrated in certain parts of Australia. The next one Labour Day will take place on October 7.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024Moving holiday | New Year’s DayNew Year’s Day | |
| January 26, 2024Moving holiday | Australia DayAustralia Day | |
| March 4, 2024Moving holiday | Labour DayLabour Day | Regional holiday |
| March 11, 2024Moving holiday | Labour DayLabour Day | Regional holiday |
| March 29, 2024Moving holiday | Good FridayGood Friday | |
| March 30, 2024Moving holiday | Holy SaturdayEaster Eve | Regional holiday |
| March 31, 2024Moving holiday | Easter SundayEaster Sunday | Regional holiday |
| April 1, 2024Moving holiday | Easter MondayEaster Monday | |
| April 25, 2024Moving holiday | Anzac DayAnzac Day | |
| May 6, 2024Moving holiday | Labour DayLabour Day | Regional holiday |
| May 27, 2024Moving holiday | Reconciliation DayReconciliation Day | Regional holiday |
| June 3, 2024Moving holiday | Western Australia DayWestern Australia Day | Regional holiday |
| June 10, 2024Moving holiday | King’s BirthdayKing’s Birthday | Regional holiday |
| August 5, 2024Moving holiday | Picnic DayPicnic Day | Regional holiday |
| October 7, 2024Moving holiday | King’s BirthdayKing’s Birthday | Regional holiday |
| November 5, 2024Moving holiday | Melbourne CupMelbourne Cup | Regional holiday |
| December 25, 2024Moving holiday | Christmas DayChristmas Day | |
| December 26, 2024Moving holiday | St. Stephen’s DayBoxing Day |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in Australia?
There are Mariott hotels in 3 cities.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in Australia.
The IHG hotel chain operates in Australia.
The Best Western hotel chain operates in Australia.
There are Radisson hotels in 3 cities.
The Accor hotel chain operates in Australia.
What fast food chains are present in Australia?
The McDonald’s chain operates in Australia.
The KFC chain operates in Australia.
The Burger King chain operates in Australia.
The Subway chain operates in Australia.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in Australia.
The Starbucks chain operates in Australia.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in Canberra?
Weather data for Canberra (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains operating between some cities.
Subway Systems The subway system is available in Sydney.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in Australia
Sources
- Australia Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for Australia (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is forbidden in all public indoor locations, with limited exceptions.
Cananbis legality Recreational usage is decriminalized, and medical use is legal.
The products are only for your own use or consumption, or as a present for members of your household. They may not be imported for commercial purposes under any circumstances.
Alcohol allowance
If you are 18 years old or older, you are allowed to carry 2.25L of alcoholic beverages into Australia duty-free.
Tobacco allowance
The majority of tobacco goods are classified as ‘prohibited imports.’ Cigarettes, molasses tobacco, heat-not-burn goods, and loose leaf tobacco all fall under this category.
To import banned tobacco goods for commercial or personal use into Australia, you must apply for and be given an import permit by the Australian Border Force (ABF) prior to your tobacco arriving.
Sources
- Duty free concessions (Australian Border Force)
- Importing or bringing tobacco into Australia (Australian Border Force)
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)