General Information
| Accommodation | See Hotel & Travel Section |
| Banks & Currency |
Sydney is an easy city to visit, with a straightforward and buoyant currency. Aside from
cash, credit cards, banking cards and travellers' cheques are accepted almost everywhere.
Prices are on par with most major international cities, and a lot cheaper than many,
especially those in Europe.
Currency - what money is used in Australia? The Australian dollar is made up of 100 Australian cents. To see how your currency compares with the Australian dollar, use an online currency converter www.xe.com Banks Banks in Sydney are generally open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. On Fridays, a number of banks stay open until 7pm, and some open on Saturday mornings. Credit cards All major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) are widely accepted in Australia. Travellers' cheques Travellers' cheques are widely accepted in Australia, and may be changed at a bank. Automatic teller machines Automatic teller machines (ATMs) are available throughout the city, and accept most common cards. Look for your type of card on the posters, stickers or signs next to the ATMs. Withdrawal Charges may apply. |
| Climate |
Sydney is blessed with wonderful weather, even in winter the temperature rarely falls below 10C.
Sydney's sub-tropical climate is temperate all year, and average temperatures range from 16 degrees
Celsius (61 Fahrenheit) in winter to 26 degrees Celsius (79 Fahrenheit) in summer.
Sydney enjoys four distinct seasons:
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| Dress code | Sydney-siders are friendly, casual and relaxed, and their dress code reflects this attitude. But we're a stylish population, and if you're out on the town at night, you'll fit in if you dress up! A number of Sydney restaurants do require you to dress appropriately (for example, no 'thongs' or flip-flops, shorts or singlets). For business, it is normal for suits to be worn by both men and women. |
| Electric current | In Sydney and throughout Australia, the electrical supply is 240 volts, 50 Hz. International adaptors are readily available at chemists (drug stores) and electrical supply stores. Most hotels provide 110-volt outlets for shavers. |
| Insurance | All conference attendees are advised to arrange private travel insurance. The conference organisers and committee accept no liability for personal accidents or damage to property while in attendance at the conference. The Organising Committee of Termis AP 2010 reserves the right to amend and alter the conference programme and events without prior notice and accepts no liability as a result of such actions. |
| Languages in Sydney | English is Australia's official language, but Sydney is one of the world's most multicultural cities and more than 1.2 million of our residents speak a different language at home, so you're sure to find someone who speaks your 'lingo' (that's Australian for language). |
| Population | Sydney is home to about 4.2 million people, and another 6.7 million people live in the rest of New South Wales (NSW). |
| Shopping | Generally, shops in Sydney are open from 9am - 6pm Monday to Friday, though in a number of downtown shopping centres later opening hours apply (usually from 10am). In addition, the practice of late-night shopping on Thursdays is widespread, with many downtown stores staying open until 9pm. On Saturdays, stores tend to start trading from 9am to 5 or 5.30pm, while shorter hours apply on Sunday (10 or 10.30am to 4pm). |
| Smoking | Australia has introduced a ban on smoking. Smoking is prohibited in public areas within Australia including all bars, nightclubs and restaurants. If required you should enquire whether your accommodation bedroom is a smoking or non-smoking room. Please use the smoking areas designated outside venues. |
| Taxes in Sydney |
A Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10% is included in the price of all goods and services sold in Australia. It
is automatically charged, so you do not need to add this to your bill.
If you leave Australia within 30 days of buying goods in Australia, you may be exempt from paying GST. You can take advantage of the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) to claim back the GST you have paid, and also claim back any Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) you paid. TRS only applies to goods that you can carry as hand luggage, and other conditions do apply. |
| Telecommunications | International roaming rates for mobile users may apply and rates will vary between networks. Mobile phone features and capabilities can differ from network to network. Please refer to your phone's user guide. Visitors should consult with their supplier before departure, there is no guarantee mobile services will be available at all times. International roaming information and pricing is subject to change due to the nature of International Roaming. Information is likely to change due to exchange rate fluctuations. Networks widely available are Vodafone, Optus, Telstra and Virgin. |
| Time zones |
Sydney is one of the first cities to wake up each day: we're 10 -11 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
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| Tipping | As a rule, tipping is not expected in Sydney, however, it is customary so if you are happy with someone who has tried that little bit harder and gone the extra mile, then a tip is in order and always appreciated. Giving a small tip (10% of the bill) in a restaurant is in order if the service is good. It is also fairly common practice to tip hotel porters in international hotels a few dollars, some hotels discourage tipping so don't be offended if they refuse to take it. |
| Tourism | Tourism New South Wales www.visitnsw.com/sydney |
| Travel & Transportation | See the Hotel & Travel section |
| Vaccinations | Australia is a 'clean, green' nation, and free of many common diseases. Therefore, you do not need any specific vaccinations to enter Australia. However, if you are travelling from a yellow fever infected country, you will need to present a yellow fever certificate. |
| Visa & Passports |
Most overseas visitors need a valid visa before they can travel to Australia. Travelers should arrange their visa
well ahead of time (at least four to six weeks before leaving their home country) to ensure entry into Australia is
seamless. Travel agents or airlines can arrange visas. For more information visit the Australian Department of
Immigration's website www.immi.gov.au.
Please note obtaining visas to attend the conference are the individual delegates responsibility. If you are looking for international funding to attend TERMIS AP 2010, please see the following:
Incoming passenger cards Most visitors need to complete and present a passenger card when they enter or leave Australia. On the way in, airline crew give visitors this card to complete before they land. |