10 things you should know before travelling to Australia

1) Size does matter!

Australia is one big country! Any tour to Australia involves choices and opt-outs. Unless you have months – if not years – to spare, you won’t be able to see it all.

Our best advice is to choose a tour that gives you a feel for the great variety the country has to offer.

Penguins one day – rainforest the next. Outback one week – coral reef the next. Nature, culture, food and wine – Australia has it all!

2) Check the weather forecast

You might think that the sun always shines in Australia. There is certainly some truth in that. Australia may well be the world’s smallest continent – but if it hadn’t been a continent, it would have taken the title of the world’s largest island! So the sun must be shining somewhere.

But on a land mass of that size, there are also major climatic differences that are worth taking into account when planning a trip to Australia.

The southern part of the country has a temperate climate, which means four seasons and snow in winter. The middle of the country is primarily desert. In fact, a whopping 18% of the country is desert! The northern part of the country is tropical-subtropical – the equatorial climate extends all the way to the north. So, yes, somewhere, the sun must be shining!

3) Remember your visa

A visa is required to enter Australia. It MUST be applied for from home – without exception. Read more on our Practical information page.

4) You should NOT pack this in your luggage

One often hears that as Australia is a continent, it cannot also be an island. Nevertheless, a quick look at the map reveals that Australia looks remarkably like an island – surrounded by water on all sides. As an island – isolated in the middle of nowhere – the country is well placed to keep the pests, etc. out. This means that there are a lot of things that you’re not allowed to bring into the country.

On the plane, you will be given a form on which you declare what you intend to bring into the country. Plant material, animal products and food must ALWAYS be declared. This doesn’t mean that you can’t bring it into the country, but you MUST declare it, as trying to bring something illegal into the country can result in a hefty fine.

Here is a list of what you may and may not bring into the country.

5) Tips

It is not generally speaking necessary to tip in Australia.

Tips are not part of the pay as they are in the US, for example. Like in so many other places in the world, you can, however, give a tip if, for example, you have received really good service at a restaurant. A rule of thumb in that case is that you can tip 10%. If you take a taxi, you can choose to round up when paying, and if you feel like it, you can leave a small tip in your hotel room for the staff, but you’re not expected to do so.

6) Slip, slop, slap

That was the name of an Australian campaign in the 1980s to get Australians to use sun protection.

There are a lot of sunny days in Australia, and the sun is harsh, which means that the country has a dismal record in the number of annual cases of skin cancer. Sun protection is something that is taken very seriously in Australia! Even the most seasoned bush guide lathers on factor 50 before the day’s excursion under the open skies.

So:

Slip on a t-shirt

Slop on sunscreen

Slap on a hat

7) There are kangaroos all over Australia

In theory at least…

Australia has approx. 26 million (human) inhabitants. But some 50 million kangaroos are believed to live here. There are not people everywhere – and there certainly aren’t kangaroos everywhere either.

If you would like to experience the unique Australian wildlife, we strongly recommend purchasing a day trip with a focus on wildlife. Kangaroos (and koalas, etc.) are most at home where they are not disturbed by too many people – i.e. typically in areas you don’t tend to visit as an ordinary city tourist.

Many of the Australian animals are endemic to Australia, and it’s wonderful to see kangaroos, koalas and perhaps even platypuses in their natural habitat.

8) Learn the lingo

They’re big fans of slang in Australia. So it’s a good idea to learn a few of the most commonly used slang terms before travelling there.

Billabong = a backwater forming a stagnant pool

Esky = cooler bag

Lollies = sweets

Never never = furthest out – where it’s not even the outback anymore. Also sometimes called the “back of beyond”

Outback = further out than the bush

Stubby = can of beer

Thongs = flipflops

This way, you can say a whole sentence in Australian:

Remember to bring your thongs this arvo, mate. I’ve got stubbies in the esky and tucker for the barbie. There might be mozzies but no worries, we’ll be in the never never before brekkie.

9) Don’t stick your finger in a hole in the ground

…… there’s probably something living down there that you don’t want to meet.

Joking aside, we know it’s impossible to avoid talking about dangerous animals when talking about Australia. And yes, the taipan, the world’s most venomous snake, lives in Australia. And the world’s most poisonous spider? Yes, that’s found in Australia, too…. Sharks? Crocodiles? Yep, they’re all there.

However, the chance (or risk, if you like) of you encountering any of these dangerous animals is incredibly small.

A few general pieces of advice are:

Don’t leave your shoes outside – and if you do, shake them right before putting them on (for example, perfectly harmless toads like dark, damp hiding places)

Turn on the light if you have to go to the toilet at night (so you don’t stub your toe on a bed leg either)

If you want to swim in the sea, do as the locals do. They know where there are jellyfish (in the water) – and lifeguards (on the beach)

10) Once is not enough!

We feel it is our duty to tell you that there is a significant risk that you will fall so in love with Australia that one visit is not enough.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller