Many people who visit Australia for the first time, or even those contemplating a visit are often surprised about a lot of things; here's my list of 10 things to know before visiting Australia. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it's based on questions I get asked about Australia.
Long travel times
Unless you are visiting Australia from New Zealand, be prepared for a long flight to get to Australia. A non-stop flight from Dallas, Texas (my "local" airport is DFW) to Melbourne clocks in at 17 hours 35 minutes. From Dallas to Sydney is not that much shorter.
If you're coming from Europe, you have more options to take stopovers on the way - London to Sydney is usually broken up into two segments, which either a stop in the Middle East or Asia.
So, yes, the flight time is long, but believe me, it's worth it for the opportunity to visit Australia!
Australia is a large country
Australia is the 7th largest country by landmass, at about the same size as the contiguous United States. In comparison, Australia's population is around 26 million people, which is less than the population of the US state of Texas.
If you're planning a trip of two weeks or less, you will need to be selective about what is reasonable to see in that short a period of time; it is impossible to see everything in a limited visit. Read my post on a recommend itinerary for a two-week first time visitor to Australia.
If you've got all the time in the world, you might want to consider driving 'The Big Lap', a Driving around Australia is often called 'The Big Lap'; it's a road trip circumnavigation mainland Australia. It's approximately 15,000km (about 9,200 miles). Those who take this trip will generally give themselves six months to 2 years to complete it, so that they take in all of the sights on the way. The record for driving it is slightly under 7 days 🙂
Swim between the flags
Did you know that Surf Lifesaving originated in Australia? Surf Lifesavers have been around since 1907. They were introduced in response to a number of drownings on Sydney beaches (you can learn more here). Many Australian beaches are known for notorious rip currents (also known as undertows), so it is important that when you go swimming at a beach, that you swim between the red and yellow flags. These flags are placed to indicate sight-lines for Surf Lifesavers. If a beach does not have any flags, it means that the beach is either closed, or unpatrolled.
Be aware of, but don't worry about deadly creatures*
People like to joke that everything in Australia will kill you. While it is true that Australia is home to some of the most venomous snakes, spiders, jellyfish, crocodiles, and sharks, in reality you're likely to be killed by a bee or a horse when visiting Australia.
*There's a caveat here - DO WORRY about Magpies (said somewhat tongue in cheek...) They are not known killers, but they can be vicious, especially during the breeding season. (Here's a video which went viral a few years ago...)
Australians don't tip
Two of the "pet peeves" that I hear from Australians when they visit the US is that the price at the store or restaurant is not necessarily the final price - when purchasing most items, there will be sales tax added to the quoted price (whereas in Australia, sales tax is included in the price), and the other thing is the "tipping culture" prevalent in the US.
In contrast, Australians don't tip, and tips are never expected when eating out, taking a taxi, getting a hair cut, etc. etc. You can feel free to leave a tip for excellent service, but you're not going to be chased by a disgruntled waiter if you choose not to tip.
Australian Currency
Speaking of money, let's talk about the currency...
The Australian currency is called the Australian Dollar. Australian bank notes are are made of polymer (rather than paper or a linen/cotton blend), which gives more flexibility for introducing more security features (making them harder to counterfeit for starters). They are produced in denominations starting at $5, and the notes are different sizes (they increase in size as the denominations go up).
In terms of coins, the minimum coin denomination is 5 cents; this means that if you purchase something, your total will be rounded up or down to the nearest 5 cents (Not a big deal, but just need to be aware of this). Other coins are 10 cents, 20 cents, fifty cents (whose shape is dodecagonal {12 sided}, one and two dollar coins. The one and two dollar coins are quite heavy, so if you're carrying a pocketful of them, they may wear a hole in your pocket!
You can read more about Australian currency here:
Australians take their coffee seriously
I don't drink coffee myself, so can't settle the debate about which city in Australia has the greatest coffee culture, but I tell people that Australians are coffee snobs, and in my experience, none more so than in Melbourne. So, if you like coffee, take some time to explore the little independent coffee shops, stands, and food trucks. There are Starbucks locations, but they are few and far between (especially compared to the USA), and most Australians consider Starbucks coffee far inferior.
If you're visiting Melbourne, try Pelligrino's Espresso Bar on Bourke Street; often considered the original coffee destination in Melbourne.
Slip, Slop, Slap
In 1981, the Australian Cancer Council launched an advertising campaign to encourage Australians to be aware of the damage that the sun can do. It was called "Slip, Slop, Slap"
Slip, Slop, Slap! It sounds like a breeze when you say it like that. Slip, Slop, Slap! In the sun we always say "Slip Slop Slap!" Slip, Slop, Slap! Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat, Slip, Slop, Slap! You can stop skin cancer - say: "Slip, Slop, Slap!"
With the depletion of the ozone layer over Australia, Australians are more susceptible to skin cancer than any other nationality on earth. Because of this, it is critical to do everything to prevent skin cancer; when outside, make sure that you wear sunscreen at all times, and wear a hat. You'll likely notice that schoolchildren in Australia wear a hat as part of their school uniform, and are not allowed outside at recess or lunchtime unless they are wearing their hats.
The sun is strong in Australia, so protect yourself from its effects!
Toilets are Dual Flush
This seems to be becoming more prevalent in the USA, but in case you haven't seen one before, Australian toilets are dual flush - there will be two buttons either on a cistern directly, or wall-mounted (typically, if you're staying at a hotel). The larger button will use more water to flush. In the interests of water conservation, use the smaller button to flush liquid-only waste.
If you're interested in reading more about the history of this small but important innovation, this article will help!
Be Respectful
And, finally, but by no means the least important thing to know before visiting Australia, the indigenous people of Australia, the Aboriginals, are recognized as the oldest known civilization on earth, having inhabited Australia for over 50,000 years. In comparison, Europeans settled Australia in the late 18th century. When traveling within Australia by plane, or when attending a concert or play, you'll ofter hear an "Acknowledgment of Country" speech. It is intended to highlight the cultural significance of the area to the descendants of a given Aboriginal clan or language group who were recognized as the original human inhabitants of the area.
Things to know before visiting Australia - Final Thoughts
As I said at the beginning, this list is by no means comprehensive; if you've visited Australia before, what were you surprised about? What did you wish you had known before visiting Australia for the first time?
Conversely, if you're Australian, what would you tell people who are planning a visit to Australia?
Let me know in the comments!
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