Australia
Australia: Various travel information

The national currency of Australia is the
Australian dollar (AUD) = 100 cents.
The Australian dollar is a fairly stable currency in which numerous people
from Germany and Switzerland have invested their money.
Shop
Store opening times Store opening
times vary in the individual states and also in terms of whether you are in a
large department store in a large city or in the country. But you will
definitely find an open shop in the following time:
Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cheap or country-specific goods, souvenirs
- Aboriginal handicrafts:
- Boomerangs
- Didgeridoos, wind instruments made from hollowed out tree trunks
- Wine
- Ugly Boots - chunky sheepskin boots that are currently in fashion.
- Kangaroo skins
- Rugby socks
- Merino clothing, Australia still has a successful textile industry. You
can get very inexpensive merino woolen items here.
Melbourne, the shopping metropolis of Oceania
If you are looking for interesting fashion, Melbourne is recommended as the
shopping metropolis in Oceania. Australians from Darwin, on the north coast of
Australia, travel e.g. B. for sale to Melbourne, which is on the south coast of
the continent.
Import and export of goods
The import and export of weapons, ammunition or explosives is strictly
prohibited. In addition, the import and export of plants and animals protected
under the Washington Species Protection Act is prohibited. Violation can result
in severe penalties. In order to protect native plants and animals, great care
is taken to ensure that no food, plants or even seeds can enter the country.
Duty-free
Travelers over 18 years of age are allowed to import the following quantities:
- 1,125 ml alcohol or equivalent
- 250 cigarettes or 250 g tobacco
- other merchandise worth AUD 400
Travelers under the age of 18 are allowed to bring in goods, excluding
alcohol and tobacco, worth AUD 200.
Entry requirements
To enter Australia you need a passport, which must be valid for six months
beyond the intended departure period, and a visa is required. The travel agency
usually issues the visa. It is valid for twelve months and entitles you to stay
for three months. When entering the country, it is essential to ensure that no
food, plants, plant seeds, animals and even dirty shoes (remains of earth) are
brought in!
It is responsible for issuing visas in Germany
Embassy of Australia
Wallstr. 76-79
10179 Berlin
Tel: 0049 (0) 30 - 880088-0
Fax: 0049 (0) 30 - 880088-210
Email: [email protected]
www.australian-embassy.de
Departure fee
In many countries, a fee must be paid when leaving the country. This fee is
AU $ 38 when leaving Australia, but this fee is usually included in the flight
ticket.
Since conditions can change quickly, you can follow current developments
here:
www.customs.gov.au
Infectious Diseases
In Australia, the following infectious diseases, which are rarely or rarely
widespread in Germany or Central and Northern Europe, are to be expected:
- Malaria: There is no risk of malaria
in the country.
- Lyme disease from tick bites
- Dengue fever only in the north of Queensland, the
Torres Strait Islands in the north of the country off Papua New Guinea
(belongs to the state of Queensland) and in Cairns, a city in the north of
Queensland.
- Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water,
including amoeba, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all
kinds of viruses and bacteria.
- Hepatitis A and B
- Japanese encephalitis - but only on some Strait Islands
- Ross River virus infection -
particularly in New South Wales, Tasmania and parts of Western Australia
- Rabies - only an occasional occurrence
Recommended vaccinations
when traveling to Australia are recommended vaccinations against the
following diseases:
- Diphtheria - a vaccination against diphtheria should
always exist, also in the home country.
- Hepatitis A and B
- Tetanus - a vaccination against tetanus should always
exist, also in the home country.
Compulsory vaccination
For all persons older than one year and coming from a yellow fever
infection area designated by the WHO, there is a compulsory vaccination against
an illness with yellow fever.
Warning notices
According to the Federal Foreign Office, the WHO and other agencies, there
are no risks in the country that go beyond the usual limits, but with the
following exceptions:
UV radiation
The country is one of the countries in which there is strong UV radiation,
firstly because of its geographical location, secondly because of the relatively
dust-free air and thirdly because of the "ozone hole". It is therefore essential
to ensure that direct sunlight is avoided and that sunscreen creams with a high
protection factor (at least protection factor 20) are used. This is especially
true for children for whom a sun block is appropriate (protection factor 30 and
more).
Poisonous animals
Australia is one of the countries with the most and most poisonous
animals. Particular mention should be made of:
- Brown snake, a very venomous and common snake
- Taipan, one of the most venomous land snakes in the
world
- Death otter
- Funnel-Web, a very venomous spider that lives on the
ground
- Sea wasp, a jellyfish that belongs to the box
jellyfish. In their meter-long tentacles in the stinging cells there is a
very dangerous neurotoxic poison that can very quickly lead to death. The
warning notices on the beaches must therefore be taken seriously and
strictly observed.
Bush fires
Every year - especially during the summer there - there are numerous bush fires
that can spread very quickly.
In February 2009, for example, over 1,200 km² were destroyed by fires - with
over 170 dead. This huge bush fire was probably the most momentous since the
continent was settled.
Australia: Transportation
How do you get to Australia?
The traveler from Europe will usually arrive by plane.
The political developments of the last few years have made the overland route a
very dangerous alternative, and the time required would be considerable. A few
are also taken by boat, e.g. B. a sailing yacht, or as part of a larger cruise.
Those who arrive by plane will usually fly to Australia via Asia or as part of
an Around the World ticket. A non-stop flight is not possible
with the current long-haul jets.
Quantas flies Australia e.g. B. with a stopover in Singapore.
Since the actual flight time is around 20 hours, you should consider a stopover
lasting a few days, which is often offered free of charge by the respective
airlines.
Travel in the country
There are many different ways to travel in Australia. It should be noted that
when moving from one state to the other, no food may be taken across the
borders. A somewhat strange rule for larger car tours.
Air connections
For those who do not want to limit themselves to just one state when
visiting Australia, travel by air within Australia is ideal. The plane is the
main means of transport to connect the widely spaced cities.
You can z. B. book inexpensive domestic flights prior to departure with the
overseas flight.
Or you try to find something in the country. In Australia, the air travel market
is highly competitive, resulting in low prices.
Bus
Buses are often a cheaper and faster alternative to the railroad. The
traveler can either buy single routes or tickets that are valid for several
months and entitle them to travel a certain number of kilometers.
Railroad
The Indian Pacific train travels from Perth to Sydney via
Adelaide.
The Overland train runs from Adelaide to Melbourne.
The Ghan
A railroad runs north to south from Darwin to Adelaide.
The train that goes inland via Alice Springs is called "The Ghan". The name is
reminiscent of the Afghans who brought the camels into the country that were
used to build the railway line 150 years ago. With the help of camels, workers
and materials were brought into the interior of the country. Alice Springs was
created as a stopover. After the railway was built, the camels were simply
released. These were used to the climate in the outback and have increased to
around 700,000 today. In Adelaide today, before or after a train tour, you can
ride a camel into the outback. A trip on this train over 3,000 km through almost
the entire continent from north to south (or vice versa) is a unique
pleasure. If you have a well-filled wallet, you should drive 1st class,
Roads
In Australia people drive on the left side of the road and overtake on the
right. The major roads are in excellent condition. However, you have to be
prepared for animals that are mainly outside the cities on the streets. The huge
"road trains" trucks with several trailers and of dimensions unimagined for
Europeans also require particularly careful driving behavior, especially when
overtaking.
Maximum speeds:
The maximum speeds in built-up areas are 50 km/h or 60 km/h.
Outside of built-up areas, depending on the road, 100 km/h or 110 km/h
apply.
Per mille limit: 0.5
Trips through the desert
Trips into the outback must be prepared particularly carefully. The car used
should be completely reliable. Australian cars are usually equipped with
reinforced bumpers and sometimes bars on the windows. Kangaroos, which can grow
up to 2 m tall, can cause significant damage to the car in a collision.
Make sure you take enough water with you on your trip. In the event of a
breakdown, it is advisable to stay with the car and wait for help. However,
there are now rest areas around every 100 km on a number of large highways -
often with overnight accommodation
Car rental
Australia can be easily explored with a rental car or camper van. However, when
planning the trip, one should consider that the radius with one tank of fuel is
only small in relation to the size of the country. You can usually pick up your
car hire at the airport, which can already be booked in Europe. If you want to
stay longer, you should buy a car that you can sell again when you leave.
Corresponding offers, also for smaller buses, can be found in the relevant
backpacker accommodations or in the newspapers.
Attention
You should definitely remember that you need an international driver's license
that includes all information in English, which is a prerequisite for
recognition there.
Ferry connections
There are larger ferry connections between Melbourne and Hobart (Tasmania) and
between Sydney and Hobart.
Bicycle
The states of Victoria and Tasmania have recently started to cater more and more
to bicycle tourists. The short distances compared to the rest of Australia make
cycling an attractive way of getting around here.
International license plate
According to
Abbreviationfinder, Australia's international license plate is:
Australia: Diplomatic missions
Visit Countryaah for a full list of Australia embassies and consulates in each
country around the world.

Representations of Australia in Germany
The Australian embassy building is located on the Spree Canal across from
Fischerinsel in Berlin-Mitte. The old building ensemble from 1912/1913 was
completely renovated by the Berlin architects Braun, Schlockermann & Partner in
cooperation with the Australian architect Bates Smart. At the end of January
2003 the embassy was officially opened. If you want to visit the embassy by
public transport, you can use the underground line 2 - Bahnhof "Märkisches
Museum" or the bus line 265. Both stops are less than 50 meters from the
embassy.
Australian Embassy
Wallstr. 76-79
10179 Berlin
Tel: 0049 - (0) 30 - 8800 880
Email: [email protected]
www.germany.embassy.gov.au
Australian Consulate General in Frankfurt
Neue Mainzer Straße 52-58 (Main Tower)
60311 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: 0049 - (0) 69 - 9055 80
German Embassy in Australia
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
in Canberra
119 Empire Circuit
Yarralumla, ACT 2600
Tel: 0061 - (0) 2 - 6270 1911
Email: [email protected]
http://www.canberra.diplo.de
In addition to Australia, the German embassy in Canberra is also responsible
for:
- Nauru
- Papua New Guinea
- Solomon Islands
- Vanuatu
German consulates in Australia
For the individual regions:
Region |
Contact |
New South Wales and Queensla |
Consulate General in Sydney
13 Trelawney Street
Woollahra, NSW 2025
Tel: 0061 - (0) 2 - 9327 9624
www.sydney.diplo.de |
Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania |
Consulate General in Melbourne
480 Punt Rd
South Yarra, Vic 3141
Tel: 0061 - (0) 3 - 9864 6888
www.melbourne.diplo.de |
Austrian Embassy in Australia
Embassy in Canberra
12 Talbot Street
Forrest, ACT 2603
Tel: 0061 - 2 - 6295 1533
Email: [email protected]
www.aussenministerium.at/canberra
www.austria.org.au
In addition to Australia, the Austrian embassy in Canberra is also
responsible for:
- Fiji Islands
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Papua New Guinea
- Solomon Islands
- Samoa
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
Austrian consulates in Australia
For the individual regions
Region |
Contact |
South Australia and Northern Territory |
Honorary consulate in Adelaide (without passport
authorization) 101 Port Wakefield Road Cavan SA 5095 Tel: 0061
- 8 - 8139 7336 [email protected] |
Queensla |
Honorary Consulate General in Brisbane (without passport
authorization)
81 Yabba Street
Ascot QLD 4007
Tel: 0061 - 7 - 3262 8955
[email protected] |
North Queensla |
Honorary consulate in Cairns (without passport
authorization)
c/o Pacific International Hotel, Corner The Esplanade and Spence
Street
Cairns QLD 4870
Tel: 0061 - 7 - 4031 6666
[email protected] |
Tasmania |
Honorary Consulate in Hobart (without passport
authorization)
255 Nelson Road, Mt. Nelson
Hobart TAS 7007
Tel: 0061 - 3 - 6225 4601
[email protected] |
Victoria |
Honorary Consulate General in Melbourne (with passport
authority) 93 Nicholson Street Carlton VIC 3052 Tel:
0061-3-9349 5999 |
Western Australia |
Honorary consulate in Perth (without passport authorization)
c/o Homeloans Ltd., Level 2, The Atrium Building, 168 St. George's
Terrace
Perth WA 6000
Tel: 0061 - 8 - 9261 7035
[email protected] |
South Wales, Norfolk Islands |
Honorary Consulate General in Sydney (with passport
authorization)
1 York Street, 10th Floor
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 0061 - 2 - 9251 3363
[email protected] |
Representations of Australia in Austria
Australian Embassy in Vienna
Mattiellistrasse 2-4
1040 Wien
Tel: 0043 - 1-506740
Email: [email protected]
www.austria.embassy.gov.au
Swiss Embassy in Australia
Embassy of Switzerland in Canberra
7, Melbourne Avenue
Canberra, Forrest, ACT 2603
Tel: 0061 - 2 - 6162 8400
[email protected]
http://www.eda.admin.ch/australia
In addition to Australia, the Swiss embassy in Canberra is also responsible
for:
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands
- Nauru
- Papua New Guinea
- Solomon Islands
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
Swiss consulates in Australia
Region |
Contact |
South Australia |
Consulate in Adelaide
Consulate of Switzerland
64 Castle Street
Parkside, SA 5063
Tel: 0061 - 8 - 8271 8854
Email: [email protected] |
Queensla |
Consulate in Brisbane
Consulate of Switzerland
30 Makerston Street, Level 11
Brisbane, QLD 4003
Tel: 0061 - 7 - 3236 1445
Email: [email protected] |
Northern Territory |
Consulate in Darwin
Consulate of Switzerland
90 Woods Street, Unit 3
Darwin, NT 0800Tel: 0061 - 8 - 8981 4808
Email: [email protected] |
Tasmania |
Consulate in Hobart
Consulate of Switzerland
8 D'Arcy Street
South Hobart, TAS 7004
Tel: 0061 - 3 - 6223 2870
Email: [email protected] |
Victoria |
Consulate in Melbourne
Consulate of Switzerland
697 Toorak Road
Kooyong Victoria 3144
Tel: 0061 - 3 - 9824 7527
Email: [email protected] |
Western Australia |
Consulate in Perth
Consulate of Switzerland
40 Hillway
Nedlands, WA 6009
Tel: 0061 - 8 - 9389 7097
[email protected] |
New South Wales |
Sydney Consulate General
101 Grafton Street, Cnr Grosvenor Street, Tower 2, Level 23
Bondi Junction, NSW 2022Tel: 0061 - 2 - 8383 4000
Email: [email protected]
http://www.eda.admin.ch/australia |
Representations of Australia in Switzerland
Consulate
Consulat général d'Australie
Chemin des Fins 2, Case postale 172
1211 Genève 19
Tel: 0041 - 022 - 799 9100
Email: [email protected]
Tourist offices
Neue Mainzer Str. 22
60311 Frankfurt
Tel: 0049 - (0) 69 - 95096173
Region |
Contact |
New South Wales |
Tourism New South Wales c/o Blue Marketing
GmbH Herzogspitalstr. 5 80331 Munich Tel: 0049 - (0) 89 - 23662139 |
Northern Territory |
Northern Territory Tourist Commission Bockenheimer
Landstr. 45 60325 Frankfurt/Main Tel: 0049 - (0) 69 - 7191440 |
Queensla |
Tourism Queensland
c/o Mangum Management GmbH
Herzogspitalstr. 5
80331 Munich
Tel: 0049 - (0) 89 - 23662139 |
South Australia |
South Australian Tourism Commission
c/o Mangum Management GmbH
Sonnenstr. 9
80311 Munich
Tel: 0049 (0) 89 - 23662167 |
Tasmania |
Tasmanian Tourist Office
c/o Kleber PR Network GmbH
Hamburger Allee 45
60486 Frankfurt/Main
Tel: 0049 - (0) 69 - 95096173 |
Victoria |
Tourism Victoria
Bert-Brecht-Str. 5
64354 Reinheim
Tel: 0049 - (0) 6162 - 85550 |
Western Australia |
Tourism Western Australia c/o The Conjoint
Marketing Group GmbH Frauenhoferstr. 8 82152 Martinsried Tel: 0049 - (0)
89 - 096510219 www.westernaustralia.com |
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