Property frontiers

Australia:
Country Guide

Australia - general country guide

Sample

Map

^{Source: CIA World Factbook}

Summary Data

Summary data
Total Area (km²)	7,686,850
Land (km²)	7,617,930
Water (km²)	68.920
Population	20,600,856
Population Density (/km²⁾	2.7
Capital	Canberra
Religion (%)	Catholic: 26.4% Anglican: 20.5% Other Christian: 20.5% Buddhist: 1.9% Muslim: 1.5% Other: 1.2% Unspecified: 12.7% None: 15.3%
Time	East: GMT+10 Central: GMT+9.5 West: GMT+8
Climate	Generally arid to semiarid; temperate in the south and east and tropical in the north

^{Source: CIA World Factbook}

Geography

The only country to have its own continent, Australia is the sixth largest country and the biggest island in the world. Situated in South East Asia, it is extremely diverse with park lands, beaches, rainforests and major cities. The country generally consists of low lying land and the vast coastline of Australia offers some stunning beaches and reefs which attract high numbers of tourists each year. Due to its strategic location the country is home to some distinctive plants and animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Government

Australia has a federal parliamentary democracy which gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1901. The country is still an active member of the Commonwealth with Elizabeth II as the head of state, while Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is the head of government. Each of the six states of Australia has their own legislative, executive and judicial systems and the legal system is based on the English common law. The national holiday is Australia day which is celebrated on 26^th January.

Language

English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8%

Electricity

220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs are in use, however sockets are different from those found in most countries and an adaptor socket may be needed.

Passports/Visa

Valid passports are required by all nationals to enter Australia although a return ticket out of the country is not necessary.

Visas

Visas are required by all nationals to enter Australia unless the passenger is in transit for a maximum of eight hours and does not leave the airport.

Passport/Visa Information

Australian high commission

Migration Branch
Australian High Commission
Strand
London WC2B 4LA

Tel: 020 7379 4334

Fax: 020 7240 5333

Opening hours:

Office: Mon-Fri 09.00-17.00

Consular: Mon-Fri 09.30-11.30

Passport: Mon-Fri 09.30-15.30

Australia Visa Bureau

15 Harwood Road

London

England

SW6 4QP

United Kingdom

Office hours: Mon-Fri 09.00-17.30

Airports and Airlines

Melbourne Airport (MEL)

Location: The airport is located 25km (15 miles) northwest of Melbourne.
Time: GMT+10
Contacts: Locked Bag 16, Gladstone Park, Victoria 3043, Australia
Tel: (03) 9297 1600
Fax: (03) 9297 1886
Website: www.melbourneairport.com.au
Terminals: 4
Transfer between terminals: The terminals are located within the same complex and are linked by walkways.
Transfer to the city: Skybus bus company operates a 24 hour service between the airport and the city and public bus services often connect between the airport and various other areas. Taxis are available on the ground floor of the South Terminal and the Qantas Terminal with journeys to Melbourne taking app.30 minutes.
Facilities: Bars, restaurants, cafes, duty free, banks, ATMs, Bureau de Change, Internet, left luggage, showers, baby change facilities and a medical centre are all available throughout the airport and terminals.
Car rental: Car rental companies include Avis, Budget, Delta, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty.
Parking: Long and short term parking is available operating 24 hours daily. Business Parking is also available and the Business Park South Multi-storey carpark connects to the South terminal via a walkway.

Standard of Living

Australia enjoys a high standard of living as the country is much cheaper to live in compared to other countries such as the UK. Consumer goods are less expensive and the country has good education and healthcare systems with reliable infrastructure. The country is less crowded than most and the Australian way of life is very laid back.