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About Australia About Sydney Sydney is Australia’s largest city, set on a picturesque harbour. It has a population of around 2.5 million and it is the capital of the State of New South Wales. While Sydney is best known for icons like the Sydney Opera House, the Bridge and Bondi Beach, there is much more to this world city. Sydney has a rich history that spans 40,000 years of Aboriginal heritage, the early Convict settlement in 1788, and the development of a multi-cultural city. You can experience this history and diversity of cultures and activities in many ways. Airport Information Sydney Airport (AKA Kingsford-Smith and Mascot) is located approximately 10km from the city. International flights arrive at Terminal 1 and Domestic flights go to Terminals 2 and 3. Australia has strict rules about bringing a wide variety of animal and vegetable materials into the country. See Customs and Quarantine below. The domestic and international terminals are connected by a five minute bus trip, with the airport only 20 minutes by taxi to the Central Business District. You can expect to pay A$25 depending on traffic conditions. The Airport Express bus service into the city operates every 20 minutes and stops at all major hotels in the Central Business District for A$10 return. The rail AirportLink enables a quick 10 minute journey to the centre of Sydney or 15 minutes to Circular Quay. AirportLink train fares from the International Airport to the city start at A$10.40 for a single fare. Currency and ATMs The Australia currency is the Australian dollar (A$). Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are widely available and local currency can be withdrawn using Cirrus or Maestro based cards that facilitate electronic funds, point of sale (EFPOS). Credit Cards Visa, MasterCard and Eurocard are widely accepted. American Express and Diners Club is accepted at many hotels and some restaurants. Customs & Quarantine Quarantine and wildlife regulations and other restrictions may also apply to certain goods. A customs entry for customs clearance may be required if the goods carried are valued over A$250. All travellers must declare amounts of A$10,000 or more in foreign or Australian currency (notes and coins) you take into or out of Australia. We recommend you check the Australian Customs Service web page. Electricity The electricity in Australia is 240 volts, 50 hz. GST – Goods and Services Tax All goods and services transacted in Australia attract a Goods and Services Tax of 10%. By law this tax is included in all displayed prices – so the price you see is the price you pay. Visitors to Australia can claim back the GST paid on any purchase of at least A$300 from the one store. This is done at the airport at the time of departure. You need proof of purchase (normal receipt) that shows the suppliers ABN (Australian Business Number), that GST was paid on the goods, and how much the GST was. Leave plenty of time to do this. Media
Time Zone Sydney is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 8). During February, Sydney will be on standard time (not summer time). Therefore it is 2 hrs behind Auckland, 1 hr ahead of Tokyo, 2 hrs ahead of Beijing and Singapore, 3 hrs ahead of Bangkok, 3.5 hrs ahead of Mumbai, 8 hrs ahead of Berlin, 9hr ahead of London, 14 hrs ahead of New York, 15 hrs ahead of Chicago, and 17 hrs ahead of Los Angeles – based on summer time in the Northern Hemisphere. Sydney is 14 hrs ahead of Santiago, 13hrs ahead of Rio de Janeiro, and 8 hrs ahead of Cape Town. Because Australia is on the other side of the International Date Line, you lose 1 day when traveling west from the U.S. You will gain one day upon return (across the Pacific). Tipping As a general rule Australian’s do not tip and there is no expectation to tip. Visa All visitors, apart from New Zealand citizens, must obtain a Visa before travelling to Australia. Australia's Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is an electronically-stored authority for travel to Australia for a short-term tourist or business entry. ETAs are issued within seconds of being requested through computer links between the Australian Immigration Department, travel agents, airlines and specialist service providers around the world. Over 30 countries have access to the ETA system. A recent innovative enhancement allows a traveller to apply for an ETA over the Internet. Conference delegates from non- ETA countries will need to obtain a business (short-stay) visa, even if some tourism activities are planned for part of the stay in Australia. It is called a 456 visa if it is issued as a label into a passport. We strongly recommend you check the latest information on Department of Immigration. Weather February is summer in Australia. The climate in Sydney is temperate and mild. Average maximum for February is 25C (78F) and the average minimum is 18C (65F). Bring a jacket and light sweater for the cool evenings. |
