Australia is a continent-country, one of the most amazing nations in the world with unique nature, landscapes, and wildlife. Australia has “character” – its climate is quite challenging, with summer arriving at the peak of winter and winter during summer.

Australia – The Continent Country

Australia (English: Commonwealth of Australia) is full of contrasts. It’s an island surrounded by ocean, yet most of its territory is desert. Aboriginal culture coexists with modern civilization. Industrial cities are surrounded by wilderness. You can never get tired of this continent – Australia constantly amazes travelers’ imaginations, and visitors often want to return to enjoy its blend of sophistication and simplicity.

CAPITAL	CANBERRA
Population	24,067,700 inhabitants
Area	7,692 thousand km²
Population density	3.1 people per km²
Language	English
Religion	Multiconfessional country, no official religion
Government	Constitutional monarchy
Currency	Australian dollar (AUD)
Time zone	Three time zones: – Western Time (UTC+8), – Central Time (UTC+9:30) – Eastern Time (UTC+10)
International dialing code	+61
Internet domain	.au
Electricity	220 V, 50 Hz, three-pin sockets

Climate and Weather

Australia’s climate is determined by its proximity to the equator. Winter (December to February) is actually the hottest season here. Air temperatures can reach +36°C, sometimes even +40°C in central Australia and +30°C on the west coast. Summer, conversely, is quite cool, with temperatures up to +20°C in central Australia and +10°C in the west.

The most populated part of Australia is the southeastern coast, which also has the most favorable climate: winters aren’t as scorching (+25…+27°C), while summers are mild and rainy with temperatures up to +12…+14°C.

Tasmania has the mildest climate in the country: summer temperatures reach +10°C, while winter temperatures range from +17 to +19°C.

The driest climate is in central Australia, where minimal annual rainfall creates desert conditions. Tasmania receives the country’s highest winter rainfall, making it Australia’s rainiest place.

Nature

Australia boasts rich and unique nature. The country has few rivers but many lakes. The most significant river is the Murray, while the largest lake is the saltwater Lake Eyre. However, Australia attracts tourists not with its rivers and lakes but with its marine beaches featuring white soft sand, comfortably located in the northeast and east of the continent. The Great Barrier Reef – the world’s largest coral reef system – is another major draw. Diving and surfing enthusiasts return again and again to immerse themselves in this breathtaking beauty and enjoy the incredible underwater world.

Some tourists are drawn to the deserts and semi-deserts that cover most of Australia’s territory. These too have something mysterious and unique, especially the oases.

Australia has an active volcano – Mawson Peak (the country’s highest point).

The flora and fauna of this country are unique and unparalleled. Many Australian plants are evergreen, with some adapted to dry weather and fires. However, the most interesting aspect is the local wildlife. You won’t find animals like these anywhere else (except in zoos). Platypuses and echidnas, kangaroos and koalas, emus and cockatoos – all amaze with their dissimilarity to animals we’re familiar with. They alone are worth visiting Australia for. Please note that Australia has many venomous snakes.

In northern Australia lies Kakadu National Park, where visitors can explore the country’s rich wildlife and flora. The park also contains Aboriginal rock paintings over 25,000 years old.

Landmarks

In Australia, man-made landmarks cannot be separated from natural ones.

Australia’s highlights include the continent-country’s unusual flora and fauna, the red-soil mountain Uluru (Ayers Rock), oases in the desert center, and the Great Barrier Reef, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Sydney is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. It combines the modern industrial world with its skyscrapers and historic buildings in the Kings Cross and The Rocks districts, parks and boulevards with Asian quarters. In Sydney, you should visit the famous Sydney Museum of Australian History and Anthropology, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Nicholson Museum of Antiquities, the National Maritime Museum, the Australian Wildlife Park, and Hyde Park. The waterfront in Woolloomooloo and the opal factory, where you can buy jewelry with opals, pearls or diamonds, deserve special attention. Sydney is worth visiting at least to experience the spirit of Australia, to feel its contrasting and contradictory nature, attractive in its uniqueness.

Melbourne is Australia’s largest city. The small city center contains museums, galleries and shops. A huge part of the city is devoted to parks and squares, including the Royal Botanic Gardens. You should also visit the National Gallery and Victoria Museum, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, James Cook Memorial and the city’s old Mint, Phillip Island, the “Great Ocean Road”, the beautiful Port Campbell National Park and the picturesque windswept shores in southwestern Victoria.

The city of Darwin is a small modern city. Here you can walk through numerous parks: Kakadu Park, the Northern Territory Wildlife Park, the beautiful Litchfield parks and Katherine Gorge. This city will help you immerse yourself in Australia’s unique wilderness.

Cuisine

Traditional Australian cuisine doesn’t really exist – it’s essentially a continuation of British cuisine. However, various seafood predominates here. Australians also eat kangaroo meat, crocodile meat, emu ostrich, and even larvae and beetles. But don’t worry – there are many restaurants and cafes offering almost all types of international cuisine. Australia also has plenty of fast food restaurants.

Australian wines are very popular abroad. But the most popular drink among Australians themselves is beer.

In Australia you can use the following dining options:

BYO restaurants, which means “bring your own”. In this case, it refers to alcohol. This is because not all Australian restaurants obtain a liquor license. Note that some BYO restaurants only allow beer, while others only allow wine. For drinking alcohol in such establishments, you need to pay a fee (from $2 to $15).

Asian snack chains are very common in this country.

In many parks you can cook your own barbecue.

Australia also has so-called “salad bars” – self-service bars. Here you must pay an entrance fee of about 6-8 Australian dollars. The assortment includes salads, snacks, soups, vegetables and fruits.

Accommodation

Australia offers tourists a wide variety of accommodation options, whether hotels, motels, hostels, campsites or apartments.

The most budget accommodation option in the country is hostels. Here you’ll get a private room with shared bathroom for $20-30 per night. This price includes access to a kitchen with refrigerator and food supplies.

Hotels are a more expensive accommodation option. Note that Australian hotels are divided into classes, but without star ratings. You’ll receive high-level service with free internet, morning newspapers and meals.

Motels are the most common accommodation option in Australia. They’re cheaper than hotels but with simpler service quality. Accommodation costs about $50 per night. For this price you’ll get a private room with personal shower and toilet.

Apartment rentals are also available to tourists. However, apartments are typically offered for short periods (maximum a couple of nights). In this case you can use the kitchen, washing machine, clothes dryer and other services.

You can also stay on a farm. Here you’ll be provided with quality food and Australian charm.

Entertainment and Recreation

Sun and beaches are what come to mind when mentioning “Australia”. Hundreds of tourists are drawn to this country precisely for beach recreation. Australia has over 10,000 beaches. Every tourist can find recreation to their liking.

The most popular beach among tourists is Bondi Beach. There are many cafes, restaurants and hotels here. The main beach of the Gold Coast is Surfers Paradise. The most picturesque Australian beach that “plays with colors” in the rays of the rising or setting sun is Cable Beach. Those who prefer secluded, quiet recreation without crowds will enjoy Carramoin and the beaches of Bedarra Island. For tourists with children, the beaches of Dunk and Magnetic Islands will be excellent places to relax.

Australia is very popular among water sports enthusiasts. Its beaches leave neither surfers, nor yachtsmen, nor diving and water skiing fans indifferent. Here you can try underwater hunting.

Australians are big fans of golf, tennis and badminton. Therefore, there are many courts for these sports.

The main cultural event in Australia is the Sydney Festival, celebrated in January. It includes military parades, street performances and theater premieres.

In February in Sydney you can attend the LGBT festival.

In Melbourne at the end of January, you can visit a tennis tournament, and in February – the Formula 1 World Championship at the Australian Grand Prix.

Shopping

Australian shops typically operate from 09:00 to 17:00, closed on Saturday and Sunday. However, some supermarkets open on weekends, but not for long.

If you make a purchase in an Australian store for over 300 Australian dollars on one receipt, you may be refunded the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which is 9.1%. To get the tax refund you must have the purchase in its original condition and the receipt.

Transport

Australia has left-hand traffic. This must be taken into account when getting behind the wheel in this country. Many note that Australian roads are very good.

The distance between major cities is significant (for example, 900 km from Sydney to Melbourne). Therefore, airplanes are the most common form of transportation within the country. Flight costs are not high. Flights from Melbourne to Sydney and back depart every 15 minutes.

Rail transport is poorly developed in this country. This is due to weak cooperation between states on this issue, as well as the large distances between cities and difficulties in laying railways. Moreover, not all states have them at all. Train travel costs aren’t much lower than flights, but are much slower.

Bus travel is a more popular mode of transportation. You can use various types of tickets, including charter flights.

Ferry is another popular transport. The main ferry crossing is between Melbourne and Devonport. You can use the ferry every day. There’s also a ferry between Palm Beach, located on the central coast of New South Wales, and the Northern Beaches of Sydney.

Communication

Wireless internet is quite widespread here, with many access points. In large cities there are internet cafes. Most hotels offer guests free internet access.

Payphones are located throughout the country. You can make both domestic and international calls. You can also buy a SIM card. Balance is topped up by purchasing a “voucher” which must be activated. When purchasing a SIM card, your balance will be zero.

Safety

Travelers should remember that it’s prohibited to import food products, firearms, drugs, some medicines, and materials of animal and plant origin into Australia.

It’s also forbidden to export animals and plants, bird feathers, corals, shells, bones, bamboo products from Australia without the necessary permission.

Here are emergency numbers to note:

• 013 – emergency calls;
• 000 – police, fire service, ambulance. When dialing this number you’ll be connected to an operator who needs to be told the codeword for the required service: police, fire or ambulance.

Here are some important laws whose violation leads to fines or even visa cancellation and deportation:

• Alcohol and cigarettes can only be purchased by persons over 18;
• Smoking in public places is prohibited;
• You cannot buy, sell, store, or use prohibited drugs, including marijuana;
• Never spit on the street, otherwise you’ll get a fine;
• Carrying weapons, including knives, is prohibited.
• Never drive after drinking alcohol. This is not only dangerous but punishable by a fine. At night you should also drive carefully without taking risks. Night police patrols regularly monitor compliance with traffic rules. Fines for violations can be 100 Australian dollars or more.

Real Estate

Real estate prices in Australia are relatively high. The most expensive properties are in large cities. For example, in Sydney or Melbourne a house costs about $580,000, while an apartment costs around $540,000. In slightly smaller cities prices are lower. A house in Adelaide sells for $400,000, while an apartment can be purchased for $325,000.

The process of buying real estate in Australia by foreign citizens is not simple. To purchase property in this country, you must obtain permission from the Foreign Investment Review Board. Moreover, lawyer participation in the transaction is mandatory.

Payment for purchased property must be made only by bank transfer.

Additionally, note that if your visa expires and you must leave Australia, the property must be sold. If you want to avoid this, the property can be registered to a legal entity registered in Australia.

Business Climate

Australian legislation allows anyone who wishes to do business. This promotes “survival of the fittest” in the business environment – most companies cease to exist in their first year of operation and lose considerable money. Organizational and legal forms vary here: from private small businesses to large foreign companies.

Every company in the country, small or large, must maintain accounting records, be a good taxpayer and insure its employees.

If you need additional funds to start your business, you can easily take out a bank loan for a long term at a low interest rate, but only with a good credit history.

The financial year in Australia ends on June 30. After this date until October 30, taxpayers must file tax returns and settle with the state. Country residents must pay taxes on all income received (including income outside the country). Non-residents only pay taxes on income earned in Australia. The income tax rate is quite high at 30%. The VAT rate is relatively low at 10%.

The most promising industries in Australia are programming, mining and chemical industries, construction, and medicine. Most exhibitions and conferences in Australia focus on these fields. Their main goals are to improve the development level of industrial and agricultural sectors both within Australia and abroad, exchange experience and knowledge, and protect Australia’s and Oceania’s unique ecosystem. Exhibitions are mainly held in cities like Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Travel Tips

Here are some tips to help you enjoy your vacation in this amazing country:

1. You can import goods worth up to 900 Australian dollars duty-free. For goods exceeding this amount, you’ll have to pay duty. Duty-free imports are limited to 250 cigarettes (250 grams of other tobacco products) and 1125 ml of alcohol.
2. Banks in Australia only operate on weekdays from 09:00 to 16:00 or 17:00. Currency exchange offices operate not only on weekdays but also on weekends. ATMs operate around the clock.
3. If you decide to travel inland, stock up on fuel, water, food, matches and spare car parts beforehand. You won’t find telephones in the outback, mobile service doesn’t work there, so it wouldn’t hurt to bring a satellite phone and inform acquaintances or local police where exactly you’re going and for how long.
4. If you decide to rent a car, you’ll need an international driver’s license, a deposit, plus over one year of driving experience and age over 21 but not more than 75.
5. Be careful in the wild: Australia has many wild venomous snakes and insects. Before traveling to this country, read up on first aid for bites from poisonous animals.
6. Also remember water safety rules and the presence of sharks. Safe swimming areas are marked with green or red-yellow flags, while red or yellow flags warn of dangerous swimming zones.

Visa Information

To visit Australia, citizens of CIS countries need to obtain either a visitor or transit visa. Visitor visas are granted to those visiting relatives or friends (for up to 12 months), for tourism, or for study (no more than three months). The officer deciding on visa issuance must be convinced the applicant intends to visit Australia only for tourism purposes. Otherwise, the visa will be denied.

Transit visas are issued to those transiting through Australian territory to any third country. In this case, the stay in Australia must not exceed three days.

Applications for both visa categories are submitted to the Australian Embassy located at: Ukraine, 01901, Kyiv, Kostyolna St., 13A, tel. +380 44 290 6400