Australia and New Zealand - Australia - Country Information

Key Facts
Full Country Name	Australia
Area	7,682,300 square kilometres
Population	20,434,176
Capital	Canberra
Time Difference	Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria is GMT + 10 Northern Territory is GMT + 9½ Queensland is GMT + 10 South Australia and Broken Hill is GMT + 9½ Tasmania is GMT + 10 Western Australia is GMT + 8
Visa
Currency	Australian dollars
People	25.8% Roman Catholic 18.7% Anglican 19.4% Other Christian
Language	English
Dialling Code	+61
Electricity	British voltage is 240 volts. Australian voltage is also 240 volts, however, because of variations in plug types, a ‘Travellers Adaptor Set’ is recommended.

Visas:

Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of the tour and you must have at least two blank pages. All visitors to Australia, except Australian and most New Zealand citizens, need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) before they travel. An ETA is an invisible, electronic visa – there is no need to complete an application form and no visa label will be placed in your passport. Bales Worldwide will obtain these on behalf of all British passport holders free of charge, but will require you to complete and return our Passenger Information Form in order to do this. You are eligible to enter Australia on an ETA if you meet the following conditions:
a) you hold a British passport;
b) your visit to Australia is for – tourism or visiting relatives;
c) you will not work in Australia if you hold a tourist ETA;
d) you will not stay in Australia for more than three months;
e) you are in good health and have no criminal convictions.

Health risks:

None

When to Go:

The first thing to remember with Australia is that the seasons are reversed to those of the Northern Hemisphere, whilst the sheer size of the country makes for a vast diversity of climatic conditions. That said it is a country that, depending upon where you wish to go, makes for an ideal year round destination. We recommend considering March/April and October/ November when the tourist spots can be less crowded and prices lower. In the tropical coastal regions the weather generally follows two distinct seasons, wet and dry, with April to November being the best time to visit, when the moderate coastal humidity helps to keep temperatures to an acceptable level and the days remain dry. By contrast the arid interior is marked by high summer temperatures, very little rainfall and freezing temperatures during the winter evenings. These regions are best during the months of April, May, October and November. Southern Australia is best between December and March, although be aware that the long Christmas holidays can mean crowded beaches and prices will be at a premium. For those planning on heading north, then May to October are the best times to travel, when the rainfall and temperatures are lower. Tasmania is best explored during the Australian summer months, when temperatures are comfortable although be aware that the central highlands can be unpredictable and wet.