Discount Travel Insurance Center

I’ve always had an interest in Australia. In fact when my wife and I were on our honeymoon in San Francisco in 1953, we visited the Australian Consulate and were given immediate permission to migrate there. Being more chickenhearted than my forbearers I never went.

The wildlife is what interested me in Australia, especially the birds.

Not being a great swimmer like my wife, I was never overly interested in wading into the surf. However, I surely would have given the opportunity. That is, before I saw a television wildlife adventure showing scientist, who had been stunk by minute jellyfish, in intensive care shaking, sweating, suffering from intense pain, and threatening to die. These brave two, a young man and a young woman, were studying such critters.

Jellyfish toxins are the most dangerous in the world to us humans. The little jellyfish must paralyze and kill its prey instantly to be effective. The little fishy must not be the one who got away.

We are use to jellyfish in the United States. Ours are bigger and the lifeguards can warn us to get out of the water. Not so with some Australian species. You can’t even see them they are so tiny. If you are stung, After Bite

Share This

Weather and the Environment

• Guard against sunburn at all times, but particularly in summer. Use a wide brimmed hat, 15+ sunscreen, sunglasses, protecting clothes and shoes. Australian sunlight has very high UV levels and skin damage occurs quickly, especially during the middle of the day.
• Check future storm fronts for signs of a greenish tinge. This often indicates a hail storm that may cause damage to persons and property.
• Always observe correct beach safety. Swim only at patrolled beaches. Only swim between flagged areas. If in doubt, ask. Always check for caution signs.
• If you intend to swim in shallow coastal waters north of Gladstone, make it your business to be educated about box jellyfish (marine stingers). Usually found in shallow waters near creek or river mouths, more likely after local rain, usually absent in rough water. Not usually found over deep water or coral. Stinger season is usually from December to March in the Gladstone (south) area and longer, from October to June, in the Cairns (north) area. Most popular beaches in the stinger areas are netted to give swimmer protection.
• At all times wear thick soled shoes when walking in shallow tropical waters or reef walking as protection against the highly disguised stonefish. It has dorsal spikes which will rupture the skin of the foot and inject poison causing extreme swelling and agony. Deaths have been occurred as a result of stonefish poisoning.
• There are other venomous creatures on the reef such as some of the cone shell species and coral snakes, both of which are capable of causing death. If you intend spending time on the Barrier Reef without expert guidance, ensure you have a good knowledge of what can harm you before you start.

Road Travel

• Australian traffic drives on the left hand side of the road.
• If you are in doubt about your driving license being acknowledged in Australia, obtain an International License from your local automobile association prior to your departure.
• Road speed limits differ between states but are usually 100-110kph on the highways and 50-60kph in built-up areas. Interstate highways are not of the same standard as USA and European highway systems but nor do they carry the same traffic volumes.
• Don’t hitch-hike, it is illegal.
• Never leave small children or animals locked in vehicles in very hot weather. Dehydration occurs very rapidly. This practice is illegal.
• The most serious danger on the road is fatigue. Look for driver refreshment stations and pull off and rest after driving for some hours.
• Be cautious when driving on country roads at night in cold weather. Cattle and native animals such as kangaroos lie on the bitumen road surface which holds the warmth of the sun. Car lights blind and mesmerise the animals and they may just as easily run into your vehicle as run away from it.
• When traveling on remote outback roads/tracks, always tell someone at the destination of your expected arrival time and number of people in your party. If you fail to arrive within a reasonable time, help procedures can be started. Do NOT leave your vehicle as a missing vehicle is much easier to find that a missing person.
• When traveling on unsurfaced or poor quality roads, always carry out a vehicle check before starting off on the next sector.
• Extra care is needed when sharing the road with road-trains. These are main movers with multiple trailers of cattle attached and are about 50 metres (170 feet) long. Always give them plenty of space as the buffeting from displaced air as you pass in opposite directions can be quite severe. Allow at least 1 kilometre (3000 feet) of clear road before overtaking a road train.
• Do not try to cross flooded rivers and causeways unless you are sure of the water depth and road surface damage. Most flash floods recede within 24 hours.
• Dirt from passing vehicles on outback roads can obscure your vision. Don’t take risks, slow down or stop until it settles.

Air Travel

• Steer clear of flying early morning and late afternoon on the eastern seaboard routes. These flights are usually heavily booked by business people traveling between the capital cities.
• Require extra leg room? Ask to be seated in a row that serves the exit doors as these rows seem to have more room.
• When checking in and getting seat allocation, ask if your seat is in the first row immediately adjacent one of the large central video screens. You may wish to ask for a different spot, especially if on a long international flight.
• A departure tax of A$30 per adult is payable when leaving Australia.

Language and Religion

• There is no official religion in Australia. Churches can be located in most towns for both the Catholic and Church of England faith. Other general religions are Methodist, Presbyterian and Uniting Church. Places of worship for Jewish, Moslem, Buddist and other religious denominations not frequent to Australia will only be found in the major towns and cities.
• Need an interpreter? The telecommunications provider Telstra offers a 24 hour translation and interpreter service for an extensive range of languages. Dial 13 14 50. The local white pages telephone book will give more information.

Medical and Pharmaecutical

• Australian nationals and New Zealand visitors are covered by Medicare, the national health cover scheme. It does not apply to visitors from any other country.
• Visitors should always get medical cover insurance prior to departure from their home country.
• Visitors will only require specific vaccinations if they have traveled through an area infected with yellow fever. Visitors passing through other countries when entering or leaving Australia should check the vaccination needs of those countries.
• All cities and most towns offer 24 hour medical facilities by way of private practice clinics or government run hospital amenities. They will be listed in the telephone book of the area you are visiting.
• Chemists are located in all towns and cities all over Australia. The Australian chemist does not operate the “soda fountain” type of drug store found in the USA.

Telephone and Communications

• In an emergency dial 000 (not 999). This will connect you to the ambulance, fire and police services.
• Phone cards are a popular way of accessing the public phone system. Cards are obtainable from selected newsagents and stores. Select public phones also accept credit cards. Public phone call assistance is available by dialing 013.

Tips and Gratuities

• Australians working in the tourist, hospitality and transport industries are paid a minimum salary. Tipping is not normal practice but is generally considered a suitable gesture of approval when the level of service has exceeded expectations. A tip of around 10% would be considered appropriate.

Customs, Quarantine and Visas

• To enter Australia you will need an up to date passport valid for the duration of your stay and a valid tourist visa issued in your own country and entered into the passport prior to the travel date. New Zealand visitors are exempt from these requirements and are granted an entry permit on arrival. Visa applications are made to the Australian Embassy, Consulate or High Commission, as applicable, in your home country. Make sure you apply for the correct visa type. For example, if you plan to work, you will need to apply for a work permit which is generally limited to singles under 25 and which only allows for casual work to be performed for up to 3 months. Tourist visas are usually valid for a stay of 3 or 6 months. At the time of making your visa application you will have to sign an undertaking that you have an outward bound ticket and sufficient funds for the period of your stay.
• No duty is payable on personal effects. Adults may carry up to 250 cigarettes and 1 litre of alcoholic liquor in their personal effects provided it is carried with them. Duty and sales tax is applied to dutiable goods exceeding A$400. Strict regulations apply to narcotics and prohibited substances.
• When entering Australia you will have to surrender all fresh food, animal and plant products and any unprocessed foodstuffs. You will be required to sign a statement to this effect. This is a quarantine regulation to prevent the entry of foreign organisms that may have a harmful effect on Australia’s native vegetation, wildlife and farming goods.
• Strict policys apply to the import and export of protected wildlife and items made from protected species. Any such items will be seized by customs officials upon arrival.

Currency, Banks and Shops

• Major shopping centres do not open on Sundays. Tourism oriented outlets do have a 7 day trade as do convenience stores supplying essential needs.
• Banks are only open Mondays through Fridays and usually only between the hours of 9.00 to 4.00. Most towns have automatic teller machines to cater for after-hours transactions.
• Australian currency consists of 5c 10c 20c 50c $1 $2 as coins. Notes are $5 $10 $20 $50 and $100.

Electrical Appliances

• Australian electricity supply is 220-240 volts. Most electronics stores stock adaptors for 110v appliances as well as adaptors for 220-240v appliances with different plug types.

Samuel Richardson
Seasons Travel

Share This

Travellers visit Australia to see Sydney, the Rock, the Reef… and the Australian Outback.

To prepare a travel itinerary, make reservations for accommodations, book the flights and so on… well, you need to know where to fly to, don’t you?

Where exactly is this Australian Outback? Or what is it?

To understand the Australian Outback you need to know that Australia is one of the most urbanized countries in the world. Our population is concentrated in the cities along the southern and eastern coast, or not far from it.

We have historically been clinging to the greener fringes of this continent, and been somewhat afraid of the red and dry interior.

As a result the rest of the country is more or less empty: 6.5 million square kilometres (or 2.5 million square miles), inhabited by less than 60,000 people… That’s the Australian Outback.

“The Australian Outback” is not an exact location. The term Outback is used to describe the emptiness, remoteness, and the huge distances of inland Australia, and the fact that most people still don’t know much about it.

So maybe, rather than asking to “see the Outback”, investigate the different Outback attractions, or the different options to travel across part of the Australian Outback. Help your travel agent help you, by being more specific about what you want to see or do.

Here are some ideas:

Ayers Rock and Alice Springs

An obvious choice. The most popular Outback icon, and the town known as “the capital of the Outback”. Ayers Rock and Alice Springs are located in the middle of the Australian continent, a long drive from anywhere. Both have an airport, accommodations and many tour providers. Flying is recommended to save time. You will get to see the spectacular red interior. However, you will not really experience the vastness, the distances, the “feel” of the Outback. What you will experience are lots and lots of other tourists…

Coober Pedy

A surreal place. The South Australian opal mining town is one long day’s drive from Adelaide. Vast treeless plains continue forever…. If you’ve seen the movie Mad Max you’ve already seen them. The town and surrounds possess a desolate beauty that fascinates some, and appals others. But what sparks everybody’s curiosity is that a lot of the town is actually underground, a good way to escape the heat. Underground hotel, underground pool, underground shops and backpackers… and of course there are opals everywhere!

Stuart Highway

When people talk about driving through the Australian Outback they often mean the Stuart Highway. An excellent bitumen road with many services along the way, it will take you from Adelaide in the south, via Coober Pedy, Ayers Rock (on a detour), Alice Springs and Katherine, to Darwin in the north. The Katherine Gorge and Kakadu national parks can be visited on the way, too.) A great drive, period.

The Kimberley

The far north western corner of the Australian continent has been called the Outback of the Australian Outback, it’s so remote. Intense colours, stunning rock formations, spectacular gorges and waterfalls… The drive across the Kimberley, from Darwin in the north to Broome on the west coast, is the most beautiful drive in all of Australia. Bring some time!

The Deserts

Think Outback, think desert. Great Victorian Desert, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert or Tanami to name a few. All of them can be traversed if you are adventurous, but you need to know what you are doing. Don’t be fooled by names like Tanami Highway or Gunbarrel Highway. These aren’t highways. To cross any of the Australian deserts is a serious four wheel drive adventure, unless you join a tour.

There are many more ways to experience a bit of Australian Outback: The Goldfields or the Pilbara in Western Australia, Bourke and Broken Hill in New South Wales, Mt. Isa in Queensland… No matter where you are, there will be some Outback attraction within reach.

And you don’t have to venture all that far to find Outback roads, Outback pubs, and Outback characters. Sometimes it’s as easy as NOT going where the tourism brochures are trying to lead you…

B. Bradtke is the founder and editor of the Outback Australia Travel Guide. Her site specializes in off beat travel away from the tourist crowds. Visit it to find detailed information, photos and insider tips for travel in the Australian Outback.

Share This