Top Australia hotels
Tipping and Prices Sydney
17 Reviews Tipping is not the norm in Sydney. Americans and Europeans often tip but only because they think it is the custom here. Wages are good in Australia and tipping isn't necessary. Last year, I worked in...
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Aboriginal Culture Perth
4 Reviews Australian Aboriginal culture can claim to be the oldest continuous living culture on the planet. Recent dating of the earliest known archaeological sites on the Australian continent - using...
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General Brisbane
21 Reviews Have you heard of the Spider drink? I thought it was common world wide, but evidently not, it is unique to Australia and New Zealand. In other parts of the World it is known as an "Ice-cream soda" or...
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Tipping Adelaide
8 Reviews Only a fool would tip in Australia. It is not required and not expected. Perhaps people in the tourist industry would act as though it is expected...but wages here are not calculated to take account...
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Driving, Road Rules Canberra
4 Reviews I noticed that in Canberra, above all other cities in Australia, Ute drivers had something to say. In particular, this driver's vehicle was a rolling billboard, although he had so many messages, I...
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Pako Festa Geelong
14 Reviews The Polish/Australian community.. in their lovely traditional costumes. Many of these people have special schools operating, in the hope that their children will not forget their heritage, language...
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Drinks and Food Sydney
24 Reviews Pure Blonde is an Australian Beer that my wife has come to love. Every visit to Australia she looks forward to her first glass of this frosty brew. It's light, crisp and very refreshing; I rather like...
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Slang Brisbane
3 Reviews Aussie slang is not what usually the word was oriiginally meant for example : someone tells you your gay it does not mean your sexual preference , it means your being stupid. Yes I know new one on me...
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Tipping, GST Canberra
2 Reviews In general it is not customary to tip in Australia though this is now changing and ten percent will sometimes be added to hotel bills. In some of the more exclusive restaurants it is usual to tip up...
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Baywalk Bollards Geelong
1 Review Too often people drive right through Geelong on their way to the famous surf beaches. With money being poured into redevelopment in Geelong (especially the waterfront) Geelong is fast becoming one of...
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Australian People Sydney
19 Reviews As in most cities; you will find street performers. In Sydney there were several costumed performers at various tourist sites; Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, etc. Take a picture if you must but...
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Brisbane Exhibition Brisbane
3 Reviews This is one of the big events of the year - when for 10 days, the folks from the country meet up the those from the city. Starts on 16 August this year, starting with the cattle judging for the...
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Laws/Crime Canberra
2 Reviews In every state there is a State Police Force. eg; NSW Police When your in Canberra they have the Federal Police. In other states Federal Police are reserved for my bigger issues Such as Customs,...
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General Sydney/Aussie Customs Sydney
27 Reviews Here in Australia they drive on the left side of the road. This can make an American a bit batty trying to get accustomed. Remember when crossing the street to look right. Before the Sydney Olympics...
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Dress Sense Brisbane
2 Reviews Casual wear such as a pair of jeans and a sports shirt are acceptable at casual restaurants and pubs at night. Just don’t wear thongs (flip flops) work boots or go shoeless. Of course upmarket...
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Festivals, markets Canberra
3 Reviews The day we were in Canberra (Feb 2005), we were lucky to catch the start of a 10 day multicultural festival, held in one of the main squares of the city. There was free entertainment by travelling...
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Aussie Slang Sydney
4 Reviews It was a funny experience to discover the Australian local slang ;-) I was learning English there and I will remember my very first day in Brisbane forever. I was waiting the local bus to my...
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Vegemite Brisbane
3 Reviews Vegemite celebrated its 80th birthday in 2003 - and the jingle first used in 1954 "We're happy little vegemites...we're bright as bright can be.. " was contemporised for radio and television to...
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Dress Canberra
1 Review Canberra is the seat of the Australian Government and as such the dress code in Canberra is a little more formal than in other cities in the country. For business people it is the norm for both men...
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Australia Day Sydney
4 Reviews Australia Day, January 26th, to welcome the day local aboriginals perform the ceremony of Woggan Ma Gule. The guvorner of NSW attanded and afterwards there was a Q&A session. The perfect way to start...
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Climate Canberra
1 Review The temperatures in Canberra vary considerably from summer to winter. Rug up for the winter months as temps often drop below zero at night and are usually below 10C in the day. . In summer the...
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Festivals Sydney
7 Reviews 49th Sydney Film Festival - where you get to see the BEST new movies from around the world! Australians love the arts and the Sydney Film Festival is the perfect time to enjoy movies and talent from...
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Sydney Buildings Sydney
4 Reviews St Mary's Cathedral - Free guided tours of the Cathedral & Crypt Sundays 12noon, following the Solemn Sung Mass. Magnificent stained glass windows are a feature of this superb Catholic Cathedral. A...
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Historical Sydney
5 Reviews If a student of culture you might be able to locate the significance of the re visit 38 years later....like the trips down memory lane as a cultural thing. But then, go to the zoo and check out the...
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ANZAC Day Sydney
1 Review If you are in town for ANZAC day, attend a Dawn Service. It is so moving; it doesn't matter what nationality you are. Everyone can relate to the memorial. It takes place at Martin Place in downtown...
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Not just for dinner parties, BYO applies to dinners out on the town as well. Since liquor licenses are restrictively expensive for businesses to obtain, most restaurants in Australia are BYOW - Bring your Own Wine. They usually charge a corking fee (around 50 cents per bottle).
Australians love a kind of car you won't find anywhere else in the world (except NZ I suppose) : - take the first half of a coupe (with the steering wheel on the right hand side)- take the second half of a pickup- put this lot on alloy wheels- add a noisy exhaustYou're done ! That's a "ute"See more :Holden UtesorFord Utes
To be a real true blue aussie some of these phrases may help you out. hahahaha....Thongs- NOT a Gstring - refers to the rubber things on your feet.Backy Tobacco Bender Drinking binge - totally blind drunk. Buckley's chance Very little possibility of obtaining what you want. Chop chop Tobacco Can also mean to hurry up or get a move on. Cossie Swimming or bathing costume Daks Trousers Drop dead Person is really disgusted with what you are saying and wants you to go away. This does not mean that the person actually wants you to die. Fair Dinkum The truth. Flick To permanently stop engaging in some activity.For example "I don't like Justine any more so I gave her the flick." Give it a burl Give it a try. Little Vegemites Children Ocker Australian uncouth chauvinistic males, but can also apply to uncouth females. Off (one's) trolley Mad, irrational, completely over the top. On...
Learn some of the Aussie English before you go, particularly food stuff. When you are dealing with food, in particular, you could end up getting something you really don't want! serviette = napkinjelly = jello (don't ask for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!!), tomato sauce = ketchup, etc. Some friends went out for pizza and asked for plain pizza with cheese and tomato sauce - a very confused (and probably disgusted) server gave them pizza made with ketchup and cheese!!Other good terms to know:Out Back of Bourke = way out in the middle of nowherebarbie = barbecue (but DON"T ask for shrimp on the barbie! it's passe!)bathers or Cossie = swimsuitbrekkie = breakfastlolly = candy (originally from lollipop)ripper = terrificbeaut = great, beautifulwhinge = whineto give someone/something the flick = stop talking to them/stop doing somethingBuckley's Chance = not a chance in hellShout = buy a...
When you come to Australia, make sure you bring your sense of humour or you will miss out on a few things; such as this photo.It is of Bleak's Turdle Farm (aka Dorrigo Sewage Treatment Works), not normally a place you'd want to visit, but here the well kept gardens are a tourist attraction and wonderful photo opportunity!This is the not-too-endangered Lavatree (sub species Pissina Flushturdum).You have to bear in mind that Australia is the only country in the world that celebrated a convicted forger on its banknotes! It was actually Francis Greenway who arrived as a convict but later earned fame as an architect then fell out of favour because he got greedy and charged too much. He died penniless.
WESTERN AUSTRALIAQueens Birthday - celebrated every year on the Monday nearest September 30th.Foundation Day – 1st Monday in JuneQUEENSLANDLabour Day – 1st Monday in May (originally called Eight Hours Day. It celebrates the achievements of organised labour on behalf of the worker to bring about the 8-hour day in the late 1850s)ACTCanberra Day – 3rd Monday in MarchLabour Day - 1st Monday in OctoberSOUTH AUSTRALIALabour Day – 1st Monday in October - (originally called Eight Hours Day. It celebrates the achievements of organised labour on behalf of the worker to bring about the 8-hour day in the late 1850s) Adelaide Cup Carnival and Volunteers Day – 3rd Monday in MayRoyal National Show (Brisbane area only) – 2nd Wednesday in AugustNSW Labour Day – 1st Monday in October - (originally called Eight Hours Day. It celebrates the achievements of organised labour on behalf of the worker to bring...
Australia Day - 26th January –commemorates the beginning of European settlement in Australia when Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in 1788 with the First Fleet. Many Aboriginal people mark this day as a day of mourning – loss of land and rights to live as they had for over forty thousand years.ANZAC Day (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) – 25th April – remembrance and thanks to all the men and women who have fought and died in wars for Australia and New Zealand.Boxing Day - 26th December – The day after Christmas and celebrated in Australia, New Zealand, Britain and Canada. Origins are thought to be from Britain but reasons are varied. It is also well known for the start of the post-Christmas bargain shopping season and the start of the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.Queens Birthday – 2nd Monday in June - this is celebrated on the same day throughout Australia except for Western...
This dish is fairly unique to South Australia. It consists of a meat pie (often inverted), afloat in mashed green peas or thick green pea soup and doused with tomato sauce (ketchup) .In 2003, the pie floater was recognised as a South Australian Heritage Icon by the National Trust of Australia.
"With their dreadful, dismal stories of the Overlander's camp,How his fire is always smoky and his boots are always damp.Though it's seldom that the drover gets a bed of eiderdown,Yet the man who's born a bushman, he gets mighty sick of town."Thus read some of the immortal words of one of Australia's most celebrated wordsmiths, Banjo Paterson. His poems such as "The Man from Snowy RIver" and the words of "Waltzing Matilda" are writ large in Australian folklore.I feel that in some small way I can relate to some of his sentiments when I'm stuck on a road in the north west waiting for some cows to make their way off to the side. I'll sometimes ring my eldest son with a knowing smile on my face and ask him how life is, cocooned in his air conditioned office in the middle of Sydney while I listen to a couple of cow pats splatter on the road as a frightened steer takes flight ahead.Ah yes,...
Yes I know it sounds weird to guys from other countries, but when in Oz don't be surprised if your taking a leak and a total stranger who is a native Ozzy hits you up with a, "How ya going mate?" Australian guys are very laid back and don't seem to be in as much of a rush as guys from North America or Europe. Don't freak out just say, "Good Mate, How you going." You will live.
Park Hyatt Sydney Sydney
5 Reviews and 286 Opinions A luxurious setting, conveniently close to the city centre without the hubbub. You can have it both,...
Crown Towers Melbourne
10 Reviews and 303 Opinions We arrived by limousine , the doorman opened the door with a flourish, a Casino representative...
Novotel Langley Perth Perth
4 Reviews and 528 Opinions My partner and I just spent an anniversary night at the Novotel Langley. While the rooms were clean...
Reviews and photos of Australia attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Australia sightseeing.
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Q: Hi All, My name's Sophie. I am 19. I am Looking to visit Australia alone. I am cheating a little bit as I am flying over to...
A: Be careful about you immigration status. Don't travel on tourist visa if you actually are performing paid work.
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