Australia: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Australia feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 432 written places.
Informal to a fault and proud of it; mateship, sun-safety and vast distances shape all.
✓ Considered polite
- Sit in the front seat of taxis if alone - it is the egalitarian custom
- Slip-slop-slap - the UV is world-beating, sun protection is survival
- Swim between the red-and-yellow flags only - rips take confident swimmers
- Budget for distance - Sydney to Perth is a continent, flights are the connectors
✗ Better avoided
- Tip much - staff are properly paid; rounding up is plenty
- Underestimate wildlife rules - feed nothing, respect signage
- Bring any food or plant material through customs undeclared - fines are famous
- Expect cheap anything in cities - Sydney rivals London
Worth knowing
- Cards and contactless are universal - cash is nearly retired
- Coffee culture is elite - flat whites are a birthright
- The Working Holiday crowd keeps hostels social and lively
- Distances mean the classic trip picks one coast, not both
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.