General Information
Banks
Banks in Australia are open from 0930 - 1600 Monday to Thursday and from 0930 - 1700 on Fridays. Most banks are closed weekends and public holidays. Automatic Teller Machines are open 24 hours and are located throughout the city and surrounds. Facilities for exchange of currency are available at the airport, larger hotels and banks.
Car Rental
can be booked for anywhere in the world.Credit Cards
Credit cards are widely accepted. Commonly recognised cards include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and the local Bankcard.
Departure Tax
Departure Tax is included in the cost of your international airline ticket.
Disabled Facilities
If you require disability specific facilities, please notify ICMS Travel at the time of booking.
Limit on Numbers
Certain tours and events will be restricted in numbers. It is strongly recommended that you book tours you are interested in as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Passport and Visa
All international visitors require a valid passport and visa for entry into Australia (New Zealand visitors require a valid passport only). A facility for electronically issuing visas, The Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) system, is currently available through international travel agents and airlines in 29 countries including the US, UK, parts of Western Europe, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. This system also includes pre-clearance for entry which reduces the time needed to process passengers on arrival. Your local Australian Embassy or Consulate can advise of the availability. For non-ETA countries, visas are issued from Australia Embassies and Consulates around the world. In non-ETA countries, we recommended you apply early for your visa.
For further information, please visit: www.immi.gov.au
Quarantine
Australia is free from many plant and animal diseases prevalent in other countries. Very strict quarantine rules apply to the importation of animals and plants which cannot be brought into the country without prior application. Animal and plant products are also restricted.
It is customary now for all baggage to be x-rayed on arrival in most Australian ports specifically for quarantine purposes.
Tax
Australia applies a tax to the purchase of both goods and services called the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The rate of tax that applies to taxable products and services is 10%. The tours shown on this website are inclusive of GST.
Telephone calls
61 is the dialling code to ring Australia followed by a 2-digit STD area code then the number you require.
Australian STD Area Code List
| Area Code | Region | State or Territory |
|---|---|---|
| 02 | Central East | New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory |
| 03 | South East | Victoria & Tasmania |
| 07 | North East | Queensland |
| 08 | Central & West | Western Australia, South Australia & Northern Territory |
Tipping
Tipping is not as widespread or regulated in Australia as it is in other parts of the world. Tipping is your prerogative, a reward for service. It is customary to tip hotel porters, and a gratuity of approximately 10% is usual in restaurants if good service is received.
Usually NO service charge is added to hotel or restaurant bills.For international passengers, we suggest you try to allow yourself at least a day in which to adjust to the time difference and relax after your flight, before your meeting. Travellers flying westward across the Pacific Ocean are reminded that they will lose a day by crossing the International Date Line. The ‘lost day’ will be returned on the return journey.
Vaccinations
A current valid international certificate of inoculation against cholera and yellow fever is required if you are a passenger coming from or travelling through infected areas. Consult your airline in this regard.