How to arrive and

Restaurants

Australians pride themselves on their restaurant culture, and with good reason. There is a variety of cuisine from around the world available at high quality establishments in every city in Australia. Dinner is usually taken any time after 7pm in Australia, while meals served in hotels are often only done so at specified times. Most restaurants in the cities remain open until at least 10pm. Brisbane and especially Melbourne have restaurants which reflect their multicultural society with there being hundreds of establishments serving ethnic dishes as well as local meats and fresh exotic seafood.

Alcohol licensing hours for restaurants vary from state to state, but typically operate from 10am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and from 12pm to 8pm on Sundays. Many ordinary Australian restaurants have no alcohol licence but customers are welcome to bring along a bottle of their favourite tipple. These are known as ‘BYO’ establishments which stands for ‘Bring Your Own’. You are then charged a small fee called ‘corkage’, which is sometimes waived for regular customers.
Average meal prices per person in Australian dollars are for a: take-away snack $7; lunch at snack bar $18; dinner at a good restaurant $45.

Driving around Australia

Australia is the 6th largest country in the world in terms of area covered. Consequently there are massive distances between the cities. There over 800 000 kilometres of roads, a third of which are tarred. Sign posts outside major cities are often somewhat lacking. Vehicles drive on the left and there is a basic but vital rule: 'give way to the right'. Seat belts are compulsory in all road vehicles and must be worn by all occupants.

On roads throughout Australia all signs relating to speed and distance are metric and are therefore indicated in kilometres or metres. Speed limits are 60 kph in built-up areas and 80 to 110 kph elsewhere as signposted. The major hazards on the roads are the wild animals, especially the kangaroos because of their size which can badly damage a car and injure occupants. Driving at night on unfamiliar, badly-lit country roads can be hazardous. Many vehicles in Australia are fitted with 'Roo Bars' for protection. A special permit is required for left-hand-drive vehicles which can be obtained from State and Territory vehicle authorities.

Petrol (gas) stations are typically open between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and from 7am to midnight on Saturdays. In the big cities and touristed areas many stations are open 24 hours all week. More modern stations have pumps equipped with automatic dispensers fuelling for payment by AUD 5 and AUD 10 notes. Most stations will accept credit cards and EFTPOS cards, but cheques are not accepted. Petrol is considerably cheaper than in many European countries, with Premium Unleaded, Unleaded and Super petrol available. Petrol prices in July 2009 were an average of A$1.50 per litre, with a variance of 10c either side of this across the country.

The penalties for breaking traffic laws in Australia are severe. Penalties include very expensive fines, losing your driver's licence or imprisonment. Speeding is a major cause of road accidents that result in death. Speed cameras and radar guns are used by police across Australia to measure how fast your vehicle is travelling. If you are caught driving at speeds over the speed limit, you will almost definitely be fined. The amounted fined will depend on how much above the speed limit you were caught travelling. The fine notice is usually sent by post to your home and your driver's licence record will also be affected. Almost all cases involve 'licence demerit points' and exceeding the speed limit by 35 kph is likely to lead to court proceedings and the loss of your driving licence. Each driver is given a number of points when they are licensed. Points will be deducted for each offence which are called ‘demerits’. When your licence has no points left on it then it is suspended or cancelled.
Drink driving is regarded as a very serious matter in Australia. Police randomly test the breath of drivers using a breathalyser to measure the amount of alcohol in their blood. The permitted alcohol level in most states and territories is 0.05, which means 0.05 grams of alcohol in every 100ml of your blood. The permitted alcohol level in probationary, provisional and learner drivers (P and L plates) are even less, from zero to 0.02. Drink driving is a criminal offence in Australia and a criminal conviction is recorded. It is viewed much more seriously than illegal parking or speeding. If you were driving under the influence of alcohol and cause an accident which results in another person's death, you can also be charged with murder or manslaughter.
Everyone in a vehicle must wear a seatbelt or a proper child restraint. Not doing so can result in an expensive fine and demerits against your driver's licence. If you are involved in a road accident and somebody is injured, you must then report it to the police.
Travelling by road in Australia usually means that it takes a long time to get anywhere. To avoid tiredness and potential accidents, all roads have rest stops regularly spaced along them. It is prudent to take a break every 2 hours for 10 minutes with a maximum daily journey of 10 hours. The facilities at rest stops vary from a grass verge to a picnic area occasionally with free gas barbeques, picnic tables and toilets. Local Tourist Information Offices have maps that show all the rest stops and facilities for that state.

Health and safety when away in the countryside

Australia is a country suitable for virtually any type of holiday. However, few first-time visitors understand or realise that it's not an European environment because the Australian countryside holds hidden and unexpected dangers in many situations. Several tourists (local and foreign) die every year in Australia, usually because they had not taken simple precautions or listened to the advice of local people where their tragedy occurred. Here are a few essential tips that could save your life and the lives of people travelling with you.

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  Rule number one in Australia is : always carry lots of water with you. You'll need at least 3 litres of water per day per adult. Buy big bottles of water and then fill them up whenever you get a chance. Dehydration leads to all sorts of problems and can affect your judgement when driving. Keep the water fresh and don’t keep any water for more than 3 days
  

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  When travelling off the beaten path make sure you have enough water to last you for at least three days. This is for just in case you get lost or your vehicle breaks down. If you break down: stay with your vehicle. Make a shelter outside of the vehicle to protect you from the sun (inside will be too hot). Stay close to your vehicle at all times. Emergency services can spot the vehicle better than you wandering around from the air.
  

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  Buy some 95% DEET mosquito repellent. In some parts of Australia the mosquitoes are so tough they can even bite through jeans. Citronella oil is ideal for burning should you want to sit outside for an evening in remote parts of Australia.
  

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  If you are planning to do a lot of driving even for just one trip, it can be beneficial to join a motoring association. Not only will they come to fix your car if need be or put you up in a hotel if they can't, but you get free maps of all the states and popular routes which can be a major saving.
  

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  Be aware that mobile phone coverage is limited away from the cities. When travelling you will have to rely on other road users and they on you. You will find that when travelling in the Outback, for example, you will end up waving back at every driver you see (about 2 a day) just to acknowledge that everything's OK.
  

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  If you plan to go swimming in the sea in a known stinger (jellyfish) area keep a bottle of vinegar in your vehicle or with you on the beach. Should you be stung then the vinegar neutralises the stings. The stingers on the Queensland coast are lethal and can grow to over 4 metres in length. Most beaches will have signs telling you of the dangers but if you go to more remote areas be aware that they might not have got to every beach where the signs are needed.
  

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  If you're on a dirt track road and a vehicle passes you, quickly press the back of your hand against the windscreen. By doing this, should a stone fly up, it will do minimum damage by chipping rather than smashing the windscreen. Windscreens are replaced frequently in Australia and there are many of companies who offer this service, even at the side of the road.
  

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  Avoid driving at dusk or dawn because this is when most animals are active. Kangaroos can leap a distance of up to 13 metres at a time and at 3 metres high. It can seem like they appear out of nowhere when they hit or get hit by a car.
  

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  Don’t go walking in bushy areas at night. This is when spiders and snakes are most active. Orb spiders spin their huge webs at night and walking in to one is not pleasant. An annoyed spider biting you isn’t fun either. The local Tourist Information Office for where you may be going usually has the details of spiders and snakes to watch out for. Such Tourist Information Offices will quickly point out the safest and best places to go and are worth visiting.
  

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  Don't try to pat or touch a crocodile should you come across one. They are ill-tempered killers.
  

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  Don't swim where there are signs saying ‘No Swimming’. Crocodiles can swim faster than you, they can see you underwater, they don't make a sound in the water and are not too choosy about what they eat.
  

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  Don't jump into any water without knowing more about it. It may have strong undercurrents or submerged obstacles such as fallen trees or rocks…or crocs. Prod the water with a long branch, wade in first or check with the locals.
  

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  Don't swim outside the yellow and red lifesaver flags on the beaches. There could be strong undercurrents and you could be swept out to sea. Don't surf or swim on your own or at dusk, but rather always surf or swim with the locals when they do.
  

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  Don't lay on the beach for hours on end because you can burn in as little as 15 minutes, especially in summer. Apply Factor 30-plus sunscreen regularly and always after swimming. Special sun-proof swim suits for children can be bought.
  

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  Don't ever drive off-road in the outback without checking in with the local police station and telling them your route and expected arrival time at destination. If you’re using a rental car check to see if it has a GPS system and good maps. Preferably go with at least one other vehicle. Remember that mobile phones may not work in the Outback.
  

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  Outback temperatures can easily pass 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) degrees, so always have plenty of water and fuel. Don't grab hold of any sun-exposed metal with bare hands in the summer because your skin will get burnt.
  

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  Don't ever go bush walking alone, but rather go with experienced people. Always wear a hat, sensible clothes, good shoes and take plenty of water. Tell people which direction you are taking and when you expect to get there. You can easily get lost in the bush within 100 metres of a road or pathway.
  

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  Don't try to touch or get too close to a snake. If you are bitten, keep your wits about you and try to remember what the snake looked like, its colours, its markings and its size. Don't walk more than necessary and apply a tourniquet above the bite. Hospitals have vaccines for treating just about all types of bites, but it helps if they know which kind of snake bit you. Even if non-lethal, a snake’s venom you can still make you pretty sick.
  

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  Don't put your hands into rock crevices or pick up rocks with bare hands. Instead, if possible kick them first. Many small things in Australia have a big bite.
  

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  Take sensible precautions and you'll have a good holiday and a safe one too. Don't forget to take out insurance before leaving home on your trip.