Australia is an ideal destination mainly known for the attractions for Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef. Australia is an enormous country and visitors expecting to see an opera in Sydney one night and meet Crocodile Dundee the next will have to rethink their grasp of geography. It is this sheer vastness and the friction between the ancient land steeped in Aboriginal lore and the New World culture being heaped upon it, which gives Australia much of its character.

General Information

Capital - Canberra
Time - Spans three Time zones, varying from IST(+) 4 and 1/2 hrs to IST (+) 2 and 1/2 hrs
Language - English, German and Chinese.

Currency - Australian Dollar, 1=INR 28.04. The unit of currency is the Austrian Schilling which is subdivided into 100 Groschen. Coins come in 10 and 50 Groschen and in 1, 5, 10 and 20 Schilling denominations. Bills have face value of 20,50,100,500,1,000 and 5,000 Schillings.

Custom Regulations:
The following items may be taken into Australia without payment of duty: 250 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco or cigars; 1 litre of any alcoholic liquor; articles for personal hygiene, not including perfume; other goods to a value of A$400; A$200 if under 18. Prohibited items - There are very strict regulations against the import of non-prescribed drugs, weapons, firearms, wildlife and certain foodstuffs and other potential sources of disease and pestilence.

Airlines and Airports

International Airlines - Qantas, International Airports - Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane. Canberra Airport is 9 km East of the city. Sydney airport is 8 km South of the city. Melbourne Airport is 21 km Northwest of the city. Perth Airport is 10 km Northeast of the city.

Flights to Australia:

Flights form Australia:

Train - Australia has a wide network of trains as well. One can travel right across the continent from coast to coast. Rail journey provide modern air-conditioned luxury in trains such as The Ghan, Indian-Pacific, Great South Pacific Express and The Queenslander. Most long-distance trains offer first class, deluxe and economy class compartments, sleeping berths and reclining seats. Travelling across Australia becomes much easier with the available range of well-priced, flexible rail passes.

Austrail Pass - This pass must be purchased outside Australia. It gives unlimited travel in economy seats, economy sleeping berths and selected road coaches anywhere on Australian rail networks. 14, 21 and 30 day passes are available.

The Austrail Flexipass - This pass also gives unlimited economy travel with stopovers. One can take stopover at any location without using up the date validity of the pass. Passes are available for 8,15, 22 and 29 days of travel and travel on all passes must be completed within six months of first day of travel.

The climate is generally pleasant without much extremes in temperature. Basically there are two climate zones. In the North, above the Tropic of Capricorn, about 40 per cent of Australia is in the tropical zone. The remaining areas lie in the temperate zones. But because of Australia's huge size there are variations within these zones. The temperate regions have all four seasons, while those in the tropical zone have two (summer and winter).

Visa validity: Multiple Entry minimum one year and maximum 10 years. 90 days stay on each arrival. Business visitor can include any family member who will accompany you on any of visit to Australia i.e. spouse and unmarried dependent children. Visa Fee Rs 1600/-

Where to get visa in India:

Indian Consulate in Australia:

Health requirements:

Yellow fever - All persons over 1 year of age visiting Australia and those who have travelled within the previous 6 days anywhere in Burkina Faso, Gambia, Nigeria or Zaire or in tbe yellow fever infected parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru or Sudan may be detained in quarantine if they do not hold valid international yellow fever vaccination certificates.

Foreign Exchange related information:

American Express opened a new Foreign Exchange Office at Terminal 2A (International Departure), Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi that offers a comprehensive range of Travel Related Foreign Exchange Services:

• Sale and encashment of Travelers Cheques
• Currency Exchange
• Forex on Card for American Express Corporate Cardmembers
• Emergency Cheque Cashing for American Express Cardmembers.

Airport office is open 24 Hours throughout the year. This service is already available in Mumbai & Chennai.

For more information, please contact at: contact@govantravels.in