馃 Australia

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 90% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Before boarding a flight, nearly all travellers need either a visa or an electronic travel authority. The free eVisitor and the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), which is quick, are limited to certain passports; everyone else would normally apply online for a visa of the Visitor type (subclass 600), and must demonstrate funds, the reason for the trip and ties with the home country. Because the rules differ by passport, consult the official site below. Confirm who is eligible and what the fee is now on the Home Affairs site. A Visitor visa takes weeks to process, so apply early, and steer clear of unofficial agents that promise guaranteed visas.

Culture and rules - take note

Rules on biosecurity are extremely strict. Plant material, wood, animal products and ALL food must be declared; failing to do so brings heavy fines, so if you are unsure, either declare the item or do not bring it. Informal and relaxed describes daily life. Be on time, wait in queues politely and treat staff in service roles as equals, while tips are optional. Care is needed in the sun and the sea: use strong sun protection, obey warnings about rips, stingers and crocodiles, and swim in the area between the flags coloured red and yellow. Vehicles are driven on the left. A prescription is required for nicotine vapes. Sacred sites and the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples deserve respect; a ban applies to climbing Uluru. Finding halal food is simple in the large cities. Travel can be affected by wildfire and cyclone seasons, so follow official warnings.

Emergency

Triple Zero 000 for police, fire and ambulance (112 also works from a mobile phone).

Good to know

Plugs and voltage

Tourism Australia says visitors may need an adapter, because Australian plugs have two flat metal pins forming an inverted V and sometimes a third pin in the centre. It gives the electrical current as 220 to 240 volts AC at 50 hertz.

Local laws and customs

Smoking, vaping and quarantine

Smoking is illegal in enclosed public spaces in every state, UK advice says, and liquid-nicotine vapes need a prescription, with imports of vaping goods strictly regulated. Lengthy prison terms and deportation can follow drug importing or trafficking. Canadian advice says strict rules and quarantine apply to imported food and animal products, that traffic drives on the left, and that an overseas driving licence is accepted only if its names exactly match the passport.

Taxis and scams

Scams aimed at visitors

Many scams aim at people living in or travelling to Australia, including romance scams and fake repair or service websites, UK advice warns, and it directs travellers to the Scamwatch website to look up current scams or report one. Canadian advice describes rental scams where tourists were tricked into sending money to an overseas bank account, and says to watch for online scams when arranging accommodation.

Who can help

local government

Triple Zero (000) emergency number

Helps with: Call Triple Zero (000) for a life-threatening emergency that needs police, ambulance or fire. The NSW Government page also gives TTY 106 for callers using a text phone.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Australia facing a life-threatening emergency, including visitors.

Phone: 000

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Australian Red Cross

Helps with: Australia's national Red Cross society. It offers help before, during and after emergencies and disasters, and runs support programs for migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.

Who qualifies: People in Australia affected by emergencies or disasters, and migrants and refugees needing support.

Phone: 1800 733 276

Email: [email protected]

Address: GPO Box 9949, Melbourne VIC 3001

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Australia

Helps with: The UN migration agency. Its Canberra office works on migration policy across the Indo-Pacific and partners with governments and UN bodies. It is a partnerships and advocacy office.

Who qualifies: Governments and partner organisations working on migration. It is not a help service for tourists or individual migrants.

Phone: +612 6267 6600

Address: 4th floor, Bright Consulting Building, 161 London Circuit, Canberra ACT 2601

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign embassies and consulates in Australia (DFAT Protocol)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade lists foreign embassies alphabetically, each linking to its own page, plus a consulates list.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Sydney Visitor Centre (Customs House)

Helps with: Visitor information centre on the ground floor of Customs House in Sydney's city centre. Listed on the official Destination NSW site, with a phone number and an email address.

Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Sydney who wants visitor information.

Phone: (02) 9265 9779

Email: [email protected]

Address: Ground Floor, Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

NSW State Emergency Service (SES)

Helps with: The New South Wales Government's emergency page gives 132 500 for the State Emergency Service, for floods, storms and tsunamis. Sydney is in New South Wales.

Who qualifies: Anyone in New South Wales, including Sydney, affected by floods, storms or tsunamis.

Phone: 132 500

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Sydney SydneyBondi Beach, Harbour Bridge, harbour ferry rides and the Opera House bring renown to the largest city in Australia.Photo: Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr), CC BY-SA 4.0 Melbourne MelbourneSports events, street art and laneway cafes fill this cultural city, and the Great Ocean Road can be visited on a day trip.Photo: Melbpal, CC BY-SA 4.0 Gold Coast Gold CoastTheme parks including Movie World and Sea World, surfing beaches and rainforest close by are the main draws of this beach city.Photo: Jordan Gellie jordan_gellie, CC0 Brisbane BrisbaneSouth Bank parklands and a koala sanctuary lie in this sunny riverside capital of Queensland, which is also easily linked to the Gold Coast.Photo: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0 Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef Cairns and the Great Barrier ReefTropical gateway for trips to snorkel or dive on the reef, along with the ancient Daintree Rainforest.Photo: Toby Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0 Perth PerthBeaches, Kings Park and the Rottnest Island quokkas are the draws of the western capital.Photo: Samuel Wiki, CC BY 4.0

City selection based on: Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey; Destination NSW; Euromonitor Top 100 City Destinations

Festivals and events

festival

New Year's Eve fireworks

31 Dec 2026 - 1 Jan 2027 路 Sydney

This is among the country's largest events in any year. Hotels get full and prices go up, so plan early.

festival

Australian Open tennis

around Jan 2027 路 Melbourne

Plan early, since prices rise and hotels fill up for this event, one of the biggest in the country every year.

sport

Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix

around Mar 2027 路 Melbourne

Albert Park hosts the F1 race.

Official site

festival

Vivid Sydney

around May-Jun 2027 路 Sydney

The Opera House and the harbour area are lit up with light shows.

sport

MotoGP Australia (Phillip Island)

around Oct 2027 路 Phillip Island

A MotoGP race held on the coast close to Melbourne.

Official site

sport

Rugby World Cup 2027

1 Oct - 13 Nov 2027 路 Sydney

Australia hosts the Rugby World Cup, with the final held in Sydney. Plan early, as hotels fill up and prices go up.

Official site

sport

Melbourne Cup (horse race)

2 Nov 2027 路 Melbourne

Melbourne has a public holiday for this race, whose nickname says it brings a nation to a halt.

festival

New Year's Eve fireworks

31 Dec 2027 - 1 Jan 2028 路 Sydney

This is among the country's largest events in any year. Hotels get full and prices go up, so plan early.

festival

Australian Open tennis

around Jan 2028 路 Melbourne

Plan early, since prices rise and hotels fill up for this event, one of the biggest in the country every year.