Queensland Visitor Info
- Brisbane & Surrounds
- Fraser Coast
- Gold Coast
- Sunshine Coast
- Great Barrier Reef
- Whitsundays
- North Queensland
- Queensland Central Coast
- Queensland Outback
- Queensland Islands
- Bedarra Island
- Brampton Island
- Couran Cove Resort
- Daydream Island Resort
- Dunk Island
- Fraser Island
- Great Keppel Island
- Green Island Resort
- Haggerstone Island
- Hamilton Island
- Hayman Island
- Heron Island
- Hinchinbrook Island
- Kingfisher Bay Resort
- Lady Elliot Island
- Lizard Island
- Long Island Resort
- Orpheus Island
- Peppers Palm Bay
- South Stradbroke Island
- Wilson Island
- Whitsunday Islands
Alcohol
The minimum legal drinking age is 18. Young people going to bars and discos should carry identification to prove they are at least 18 years old.
Money
All banks have automated teller machines (ATMs) accessible 24-hours a day, generally outside the branch. The Australian dollar is divided into 100 cents. Coins are 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2. The law provides that the TOTAL bill is rounded up or down to the nearest 5 cents. Notes are $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100, are colour coded and made from a plastic compound that will survive a wash or a swim.
Driving
Care needs to be taking when planning to drive in Australia. Many overseas or interstate visitors are surprised by just how far apart some destinations are. Be sure you know the distances, estimated times and suitable locations to stop for food, fuel and breaks. Australians drive on the left. Roads are generally good and major routes well signposted. Speed limits and distances are expressed in kilometres and vary from 50 kph to 110 kph. Police use laser guns, radar and automatic cameras to detect speeding. Drink driving is a serious offence and heavily policed. Drivers can be stopped anywhere at random and subjected to a breath analysis test. The legal limit of .05% is quite low - roughly equivalent to two small glasses of wine in the first hour and one an hour thereafter for men, less for women.
Medicine
Visitors who have a medical condition requiring treatment should ensure they carry a letter from their doctor outlining their condition and the medication required. This is also important if the drug is uncommon or contains narcotics, which may be a restricted import. Most medication is available in Australia, but only on a doctor's prescription. Prescription drugs are dispensed by qualified pharmacist at 'pharmacies' or 'chemist' shops.
Time zones
New South Wales operates on daylight saving time from March to October in common with all eastern states except Queensland. Clocks are put an hour forward (later) for that period. Normal Eastern Standard Time is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques, especially in foreign currencies, are generally not accepted except by hotels and big stores and tourist shops. These display a `travellers cheques welcome' sign. Cash your cheques at a bank or Bureau de Change to ensure you have enouh spending money. The same holds true for foreign currency, which is not generally accepted by Australian businesses and shops.
