Australian Travel Advice(Do it yourself style) Australian Travel Advice for the International Baby Boomer Visitor Baby Boomers are on the move and not all want to stay in hotels whilst travelling or going on booked tours. You may be interested in hiring a campervan or caravan and touring the country at your leisure. Or you may invest in a tent and hire a car. Whatever you decide to do, we have some important Australian travel advice to ensure you have a comfortable troublesome free holiday in our beautiful country. Road Rules within Australia Speed limit is 50km per hour around the suburbs and city areas in most States, 60km per hour on main roads and up to 110km per hour on country roads or freeways. Check with the different States as not all of them will allow the 110kms. Police use speed cameras in all States. Any road fines incurred in Australia is the responsibility of the driver and should they be a foreign national the fine will be mailed to their home country address. You have to be 16 years of age to have a car license. A person with a P plate license has restrictions regarding speed limits. The speed limit is 80kms per hour on the open road.
We drive on the left-hand side of the road. The steering wheel is on the right-hand side of the car. When driving on a multi-lane road, keep to the left-hand lane wherever possible. Move to the right to overtake and then move back to the left once it is safe to do so. Strict drink driving rules apply in all states. Drivers may be stopped at random and required to give a breath test. Persons with P plates are not allowed to drink alcohol at all whilst driving. The driver and all passengers must use seatbelts at all times. You must carry a valid driver's license at all times when driving, and you must show it to the police if requested to do so. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is an offence. If you do need to make or take a call, pull over to the side of the road when safe to do so. Also make sure you turn the engine off. If you have an accident in which someone is killed or injured, it must be reported to the police at once or within 24 hours. In Western Australia all accidents must be reported to the police. Australian Travel Advice for driving at night on country roads Wildlife, especially kangaroos, can be very dangerous on our roads particularly at sunrise and sunset. Sunrise and sunset is when animals are most active because they are looking for food. The most common animals that you could encounter on the Australian roads are: kangaroos, wallabies, cattle, emus, camels, wombats, echidnas, eagles and cockatoos. Australian Travel Advice for driving in the Outback The most important thing to remember should you decide to go off Road?(off a sealed road) in the Outback is to seek local advice on your intended route as well as ensuring someone locally knows of your travel plans. If your vehicle does break down in a remote area stay with it do not attempt to walk. Generally people who stay with their vehicles are located quickly and easily. Should you plan to go off road we suggest that you discuss your intended route with someone before hand. Click below on the link to outback survival tips. Any travel across designated Aboriginal Land will require permission from the owners beforehand. As the permit process varies from state to state (and can take up to 6 weeks to obtain) it is best to contact the national parks' controlling body in each state prior to your journey. Road Trains A common sight in the Outback, particularly the Northern Territory , Queensland , South Australia and Western Australia , are road trains. These are multi trailer trucks up to 50 metres (170 feet) long. Always allow plenty of room as you pass in the opposite direction of a road train as the displaced air causes severe buffering. When overtaking a road train allow 1.5 kilometres of clear road. Australian Travel Advice regarding our climate As Australia is a large country our climate can vary greatly. The following table outlines the minimum and maximum temperatures in each city. Our seasons are as follows: Summer: December, January, February Autumn: March, April, May Winter: June, July, August Spring: September, October, November An important consideration is that the Northern and outback regions of Australia can be extremely hot and humid around our Summer months. Far North locations experience a Summer wet season that may cause road closures in some areas. The most comfortable time of the year to visit areas such as Cairns, Alice Springs, Broome and Darwin is from April to September. It is always best not to embark on walks or strenuous activities during the full heat of the day and to take a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water along with you. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology provides a range of weather forecasts and observations to assist you in planning your trip. You can access them on your mobile phone and on some GPS. What is the Cost of Fuel? Petrol (Gasoline) in Australia comes in unleaded and leaded grades, and is sold by the litre. Petrol and diesel fuel costs between $1.30 AUD and $1.40 AUD per litre and can be higher especially in country and remote outback areas. Australian Travel Advice in regard to travelling Distances (Kilometres) Australia is a large country. For the over 50 baby boomer, in order to enjoy your holiday, we recommend that you research your intended travelling route thoroughly, particularly your travelling distances. It is far better to travel at a leisurely pace, exploring the many attractions of Australia, rather than spend each day driving long distances. Aim to cover 150 - 250 kilometres per day and you will experience Australia in comfort. More Australian Travel Advice to follow: Public Holidays Christmas Day Monday, 25 December Boxing Day Tuesday, 26 December New Year's Day Monday, 1 January Australia Day Friday, 26 January Good Friday Easter Monday Anzac Day Wednesday, 25 April Queens B'day Tuesday, 12 June
* Please note: Australian States may celebrate different public holidays such as Labour Day and the Queen's Birthday. * Note: School holidays are usually in January, April, July, October and December. States may vary with dates. Summer holidays are December/January. School usually begins in February. Australian Travel Advice in regard to Conservation and the Environment * Protect plants and animals Treat Australia’s forests and birds with care and respect. * Ensure you remove all of your rubbish. * Bury toilet waste * Keep streams and lakes clean When cleaning and washing, take the water and wash well away from the water source. Because soaps and detergents are harmful to water-life, drain used water into the soil to allow it to be filtered. If you suspect the water may be contaminated, either boil it for at least 3 minutes, or filter it, or chemically treat it. * Take care with Fires Portable fuel stoves are less harmful to the environment and are more efficient than fires. If you do use a fire, keep it small, use only dead wood and make sure it is out by dousing it with water and checking the ashes before leaving. * Camp carefully When camping, leave no trace of your visit. * Keep to the track By keeping to the track, where one exists, you lessen the chance of damaging fragile plants. * Consider others People visit the back country and rural areas for many reasons. Be considerate of other visitors who also have a right to enjoy the natural environment. * Respect our cultural heritage Many places in Australia have a spiritual and historical significance. Treat these places with consideration and respect. * Enjoy your visit Enjoy your outdoor experience. Take a last look before leaving an area; will the next visitor know that you have been there?
Protect the environment for your own sake, for the sake of those who come after you, and for the environment itself.
Australian Travel Advice in regard to time differences
Some Australian States operate on Daylight Saving time they are:
Tasmania:
Victoria, Australia Capital Territory, New South Wales and South Australia:
Western Australia
*Note: Check with your nearest Tourist Office For the best Australian Travel Advice, drop by a local accredited Visitor Information Centre to help you get the most out of your stay in Australia. Major State Visitor Information Centers New South Wales Circular Quay Information Kiosk Circular Quay, Sydney Tel: +61 2 9931 1542 Email: visitor.callcentre@tourism.nsw.gov.au Victoria, Federation Square Cnr Flinders Street/Swanston St 2 Swanston Street St Melbourne Tel: +61 3 9658 9658 Email: enquiries@melbourne.vic.gov.au Queensland Brisbane Visitor Information Centre Cnr Albert and Queen Streets, Brisbane Tel: +61 7 3006 6200 Email: jerrington@brisbanemarketing.com.au The Gateway Discovery Centre 51 Esplanade, Cairns Tel: +61 7 4051 3588 Email: info@tropicalaustralia.com.au South Australia South Australian Visitor & Travel Centre 18 King William Street, Adelaide Tel: 08 8303 2220 Email: informationandbookings@southaustralia.com Western Australia Western Australian Visitor Centre Forrest Place (corner Wellington Street), Perth Tel: +61 8 9483 1111 Email: travel@westernaustralia.com Northern Territory Darwin: Tourism Top End Beagle House Corner Knuckey and Mitchell Streets, Darwin Tel: +61 8 8936 2499 Email: info@tourismtopend.com.au
Alice Springs: Central Australian Tourism Industry Association 60 Gregory Terrace, Alice Springs Tel: +61 8 8952 5800 Email: visinfo@catia.asn.au Tasmania 20 Davey Street, Hobart Tel: +61 3 6230 8233 Email: tasbookings@tasvisinfo.com.au Go from Australian Travel Advice to Domestic Travel, For any other Australian Travel Advice click here Click here to go to outback survival tips |
