General Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

Sydney

Sydney’s laid-back outdoor lifestyle and physical allure make it one of the world’s easiest and most pleasant cities to visit. Sydney’s harbour is its natural playground, the dominant factor in so much of what the city has to offer. The city has a wide-ranging cultural life, dynamic food scene and vibrant cityscape of outstanding contemporary and colonial architecture. Iconic beaches and five major national parks deliver unforgettable experiences.

Shopping

Sydney provides pleasure to shoppers with its range of shops. Shopping hours are normally 9:00am – 5:30pm (with some staying open until 9:00pm) on Monday to Friday, with late night trading on Thursday to 9:00pm.

Shopping opportunities are abundant and include a mixture of shopping complexes, boutique stores and colourful markets, many of which are located along the foreshores of Sydney’s famous beaches and harbour areas. Up-market shopping areas are around Pitt Street Mall, between Market Street and King Street, in The Strand and Queen Victoria Building near the Town Hall. Shopping is also found in Darling Harbour at Harbourside, Sydney.

Culture, Dining and Attractions

Sydney is known for its harbour lifestyle, fantastic beaches and good weather – all contributing to a relaxed environment that permeates the city and its visitors.

The city’s dining options are numerous, from an alfresco seafood lunch at Circular Quay to a three-course meal at world-famous Bondi Beach. Sydney’s restaurant scene also reflects the city’s cultural diversity, with inspiration from the finest Asian, European and Middle Eastern cuisines, combined with the freshest Australian ingredients, to create a gourmet paradise.

Under warm skies, the harbour is an everyday focus that can be enjoyed from the top of the famous Harbour Bridge or from a boat on the water.

Just west of Sydney lies the beautiful Blue Mountains, while to the north the Hunter Valley wine region beckons. Both regions are perfect for visitor day trips.

For further information on Sydney and surrounding New South Wales, visit the following links www.sydney.com or www.visitnsw.com.

Getting Around

Transport is easily accessible in Sydney. Trains, buses, monorail and ferries operate very frequently on a daily basis. Day Tripper tickets are available for busses, train and ferries. The City Sightseeing “hop on hop off” visits the famous sights of the city.

For more information, please visit www.city-sightseeing.com and choose Sydney.

Weather

Sydney is blessed with wonderful weather, enjoying temperate climate with a mild winter, and has more than 340 sunny days a year. Average temperatures in the winter months of June through to August ranges from 8 to 18°C. The summer season is from December through to February.

GST Information

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a broad-based ten percent tax included in the shelf price of most Australian goods and services. The Tourist Refund Scheme allows international travellers to claim a GST refund (subject to certain conditions) on goods purchased in Australia. The refund only applies to items worn or goods taken onboard as hand luggage when leaving the country.

For more information, please visit www.customs.gov.au.

Immigration Information

All visitors to Australia must have a valid visa to travel to and enter Australia (other than New Zealand passport holders who will normally be granted a Special Category visa on arrival, provided they meet health and character requirements; and permanent residents of Norfolk Island who may be granted a Permanent Resident of Norfolk Island visa on arrival).

For more information, visit www.immi.gov.au.