Sydney Location and Time Zones

  Sydney Climate and Weather

  Money Matters

  Weights and Measures

  Hours and State Holidays

  Driving

  Etiquette

Sydney Location and Time Zones

Sydney Location

Sydney Time Zone

The Australian continent is divided into three time zones: Eastern, Central and Western
 time zones.

Back to Top

Sydney Climate and Weather

Sydney lies within the temperate region and has a moderate climate that, unlike other parts of Australia, doesn’t get too hot or too cold.

Seasons

The seasons in the southern hemisphere are the reverse of the seasons in the northern hemisphere.

Being in a temperate zone, the seasons are not as pronounced nor as prolonged as many other parts of the world.

Summer (Dec, Jan, Feb)

During summer, the average temperature is around 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit)

Winter (Jun, Jul, Aug)

During winter, the average temperatures is around 12 degrees Celsius (53 degrees Fahrenheit)

Average Sydney Temperature and Rainfall

Rainfall

Rainfall is lowest during Spring 74millimetres (3 inches) per month and highest during Autumn (Fall) with 126 millimetres (5 inches) month. Average annual rainfall is 1200mm per year.

Sun Protection

The Australia sun is strong and can quickly cause skin damage. Health authorities recommend avoiding excessive exposure to the sun and using a hat and high-protection sun creams on unprotected parts of the body when out and about. UV-protection sunglasses are also recommended.

Back to Top

Money Matters

Australian Currency

Our coinage consists of 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢, $1.00 and $2.00 pieces. Australian note denominations come in $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 dollar bills. (Note: the $2.00 coin is smaller than the $1.00 coin)

Australian notes are made from the world's first non-fibrous polymer substrate -- a plastic compound --  which, with several imbedded security technologies, makes them extremely difficult to forge. They also last much longer than paper notes. This Australian technology is now being used with other currencies.

Note: One and two cent coins are no longer in circulation. Shops still charge odd amounts (e.g. $2.99) but the law requires the TOTAL bill to be rounded to the nearest 5 cents. For example: $1.97 is rounded down to $1.95 and $1.98 is rounded up to $2.00

Traveller's Cheques and Foreign Currency

Traveller's cheques are usually only accepted in major hotels and large stores and even more difficult to exchange if the cheques are in a foreign currency.

You’ll find it easier (and possibly far less expensive) to cash your cheques at a bank or Bureau de Change. (Note: rates may vary from bank to bank.)

Foreign notes and coins should also be exchanged at banks or bureaus for similar reasons.

Credit and Debit/Charge Cards

Visa and MasterCard are perhaps the most widely accepted cards in Australia. Apart from the usual merchants, many doctors, dentists and service stations accept Visa and MasterCard also.

American Express and Diners Club are also well received particularly in restaurants, department stores and specialty shops.

JBC cards are primarily used in hotels and restaurants where there’s a high Japanese customer base.

Note: The American Discover Card is not accepted in Australia.

It’s therefore advisable not to rely on the lesser-accepted cards alone.

Note: Most retailers prefer you to pay cash for small purchases and some may have a minimum purchase limit (e.g. $5 or $10) before they’ll accept a credit card as payment.

Taxes

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10% is included in the price of virtually all goods and services purchased. Some receipts will show the amount of tax paid separately while others don't. If the amount of tax isn’t shown, simply divide the total by 11 to find out how much tax has been included in the price.

NB: Generally speaking, there’s no tax on fresh foods, education or health care products or services.

Back to Top

Weights and Measures (Metrics)

Australia uses the European Metric System for Weights and Measures.

Back to Top

Hours and State Holidays

Business Hours

Business hours (generally) are from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday.

Retail Hours

Post Office Hours

Back to Top

Driving

Driving

Australia uses the British system of driving on the left hand side of the road.

Wearing seat belts is mandatory at all times for drivers and passengers -- including taxis passengers.

The general speed limit in cities and towns is 60 km/h (37 mph) but many local and suburban roads have a 50 km/h (31 mph) speed limit.

The maximum speed on highways in New South Wales is 100 km/h. (110 km/h on motorways and freeways)

The alcohol limit is 0.05 g/100ml and police perform regular roadside "Random Breath Testing" (RBT) of drivers in metropolitan and rural areas to enforce this limit.

Heavy penalties apply to drivers exceeding speed or alcohol limits.

If you’re a cyclist, you must wear approved headwear when on the roads

For those considering driving when in New South Wales (NSW), you’ll find excellent information for visitors on the state's Roads and Traffic Authority web site.

Back to Top

Etiquette

Tipping

Tipping is not as established in Australia as it is in many other Western countries.

Most hotel and restaurant staff do not expect to be tipped by everyone (though they may hope for one). Only in the more expensive establishments is a 10-15% tip expected ($2.00 for bell boys/girls).

In most day-to-day dealings, you’ll find pub staff are content with loose change while it’s common to “round-up” the charge to the nearest dollar or two with taxi drivers depending their helpfulness.

Smoking

Smoking is increasingly becoming unacceptable in Australia and is banned in most closed public spaces, on government transport (bus, rail and ferry) and in government and corporate buildings. Restaurants, bars and pubs often have smoking and non-smoking areas.

If you smoke -- look around for signs or ask the staff about their smoking policy before you light up to avoid embarrassment.

Back to Top