Currency
Decimal currency is used in Australia - units are dollars and cents. All major credit cards are widely accepted in Australia. www.xe.com
Banks
Normal banking hours are Monday to Thursday 9:30am-4:00pm and Fridays 9:30am-5:00pm, excluding public holidays. 24 Hour Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) can be found throughout the City and Shopping Centres.

There are four major banks in Australia which offer a full range of banking services including currency conversions and sales of travellers cheques including Commonwealth Bank, Westpac Bank, ANZ Bank and the National Bank.
Language
English is spoken throughout Australia and is the official language for the Congress. On your registration, please indicate if you require interpreting services at the Congress venue, and for what language. Limited interpreting services may be provided subject to demand.
Electricity
The electrical supply is 240 volts, 50Hz. The connection for appliances is a flat, 3-pin plug of unique design. Most hotels provide 110 volt outlets for shavers.
Climate
The season in November is Spring and you can look forward to temperatures of approximately 24°C (75°F) during the daytime and 16°C (61°F) in the evening.
Shopping
Shops open from 9:00am to 5:30pm during the week with late night shopping on Thursdays to 9:00pm. On Saturdays and Sunday shops are open between 9:00am and 4:00pm.
Travel and Health Insurance
The Convention does not provide insurance to delegates. We strongly recommend that you take out insurance policies to cover medical and travel expenses. If necessary, consult your travel agent.
Wheelchair access, or other restricted mobility access, during Congress
When you register, please notify the Convention Secretariat of any restricted mobility you have so that any venue access challenges can be addressed.
Taxes
A Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10% applies to all consumer goods and is included in retail prices. All fees are quoted in Australian Dollars and are subject to GST.
Tipping
Tipping is not the general custom in Australia and service charges are not added to accounts by hotels and restaurants. However, you may tip hotel porters and food and drink waiters in restaurants (up to 10% of the bill) for special service. At any time, tipping is at your discretion.

Eating Out
Restaurants and cafes offer varied menus, prices and décor. Local seafood delicacies are recommended and include Oysters, King Prawns, Queensland Mud Crab, Balmain Bugs and Barramundi. These are delicious when accompanied by Australian wines, many of which have won major international awards.
Mobile Phones
Australia operates on a digital network, therefore analogue mobile or cell phones cannot be used. Mobile phones can be readily hired at Sydney Airport or telecommunication outlets.
Transport from the airport
All delegates must make their own transport arrangements from the airport. The following are estimates only of travel costs from the airport to the central business district.
  • Taxi: $20 to $30
  • Train Link to Central Station: $8 to $15
  • Airport Shuttle: $10 to $15
Public Transport around Sydney
Sydney's public transport network allows easy travel around the city. Considerable savings on buses and harbour ferries can be obtained with a State Transit Travel pass. Taxis can either be booked by telephone or hailed from the street.

There are frequent monorail and light rail services linking Darling Harbour with the city and a regular ferry services (15 minutes each trip) between Darling Harbour and Circular Quay (downtown).
  Things you cannot bring into Australia
Australia has very strict importation laws and like most countries we place great emphasis on protecting out native fauna and flora from infectious diseases and other hazardous substances. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) provides quarantine inspection services for the arrival of international passengers, cargo, mail, animals, plants or their products exported from Australia. For more information regarding specifically what you are able to bring into Australia visit the Australian quarantine and Inspection Service website at www.aqis.gov.au

Australian Visa Information

Australian Visa
All travellers to Australia, other than Australian and New Zealand citizens, are legally required to hold a valid visa. Visas are either issued electronically (ETA) with nothing appearing in the passport or through application where a sticker is required in the passport (Non-ETA). It is advised to apply for your visa as soon as possible to ensure adequate processing time. The minimum time frame stated for an Australian visa application is six (6) weeks.

Australian Visa Application Supporting Documentation
Delegates applying for a non-ETA visa may present their paid confirmation letter to an Australian visa office to support their application. No other letters will be issued for this purpose. As a Conference delegate, you are not guaranteed to be granted a visa.

Type of Visa available for travel to Australia when attending a Conference
Short Validity Business Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) Visa.

What is the Short Validity Business ETA?
Known officially as the 977 visa. The Short Stay Validity Business ETA is appropriate for visits to Australia for business meetings, conventions, conferences or a short term project requiring a high level of skill. Business visas are subject to a condition prohibiting work that could otherwise be undertaken by any Australian citizen or permanent resident. It replaces the visa label or stamp in a passport and removes the need for application forms. ETAs are issued within seconds of being requested through computer links between the Australian Immigration Department, travel agents, airlines and specialist service providers around the world. In most cases no fee applies for these visas.

Who can apply for this type of visa?
Applies to individuals from the following countries.

Andorra Iceland Portugal
Austria Ireland Singapore
Belgium Italy South Korea
Brunei Japan Spain
Canada Liechtenstein Sweden
Denmark Luxembourg Switzerland
Finland Malaysia Taiwan (a)
France Malta UK (b)
Germany Monaco USA
Greece Netherlands The Vatican
Hong Kong Norway San Marino

(a) Taiwan passport holders can be processed for an ETA only if resident in and applying in Taiwan.
(b) UK passport holders whose nationality is British National (Overseas) can be processed for an ETA only if resident in and applying in Hong Kong SAR.

How long is the visa valid for?
The ETA or 977 visa allows multiple visits (for up to 3 months for each visit) within 12 months of visa grant.

Application Procedure
Visas can be applied for either online or through participating airlines and travel agents. In most cases, eligible applicants do not need to go to an Australian mission overseas or fill in forms to apply for an ETA.

When the DIMIA website www.eta.immi.gov.au is accessed, the visa applicant will see the following heading: "Welcome to the Australian Government's Electronic Travel Authority System." At the top left hand side of that screen, the visa applicant will see a tab suggesting that they "Apply for ETA". The visa applicant should click on that tab and then proceed to lodge their visa application online. When asked to choose the kind of ETA for their needs, they should indicate that they are applying for a Short Validity Business ETA.

Once visa processing is complete, the visa applicant will be provided with a personalised reference number to keep. There will be no visible visa in their passport but their visa will exist electronically and will be visible when read at passport control on their arrival in Australia. For more information visit: http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/

Non-Electronic Travel Authority – Non-ETA
Known officially as the 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa. The 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa can be applied for by completing the Form 456. This form can be obtained from an Australian mission or it may be down-loaded from the Department's website: www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/456.pdf. A fee applies for this visa.

This visa can only be applied for outside Australia.

When applying for a 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa at an Australian overseas mission, nationals of non-ETA countries, will be expected to provide adequate documentation about their background, financial situation and other relevant details as required, regardless of their professional/social status or standing.

What is the 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa?
The 456 Business (Short Stay) Visitor visa is the appropriate visa for individuals who wish to visit Australia to attend a conference/Conference/event and do not come from one of the ETA countries, listed above.

Who should apply for this type of visa?
Individuals from countries other than those listed in the table above, non-ETA countries.

How long is the visa valid for?
The 456 Business (Short Stay) Visa is valid for up to 3 months.

How long is the visa valid for?
To lodge an application, the invited event participant must provide the following documentation along with the completed Form 456:

  • Two recent passport photos;
  • The visa application charge payment, or evidence of payment – e.g.: bank deposit slip (if it was deposited in the embassy's bank account) or credit card receipt (if it was paid by credit card);
  • Valid passport
Additional information may be requested and you will be advised by the Mission if this is the case.

Where can I find an Australian mission?
For information on locations and contact details of Australian missions visit the World Index at http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas.htm