45 tips before travelling to Australia

Before you head to Australia! It’s an island, surrounded by water, but big enough to be considered a continent. You could say that Australia is the largest island in the world. It is a much sought-after travel destination for many. A list full of good advice and tips to get you ready for Australia.

Continent Surfer

What do you need to take care of before you set off on the big trip?

• Australia is a visa-requiring country for about all citizens of the world. You must have a valid visa to enter Australia.
• Do not buy your flight ticket before your visa is validated.
• If you have a special dietary requirement, you can indicate this when booking your flight. Most airlines offer vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, kosher, etc. meals.
• You should have a recent English current account balance in English.
• If you have one, it’s a good idea to travel with a card-less phone and buy a SIM card when you’re out. Most hotels and cities have wifi access.
• There are visas for which insurance is compulsory, we recommend taking out insurance even if it is not compulsory, whatever insurance you have, have the certificate with you. We recommend the following Australian insurance companies: https://www.nib.com.au/ and https://www.austhealth.com/
• You can buy socket converters at major electronics stores so you can use your electronic devices in Australia.
• Your bank card should be usable in Australia. It’s a good idea to let your bank know you’re going abroad before you leave, otherwise they may restrict your use, suspecting misuse.
• Check the weather conditions you can expect when you arrive. In Australia, you can expect completely different weather depending on the time of year and the climate.
• If you are using contact lenses it’s a good idea to bring an extra pack with you from home, at least for the start of your stay.
• Contraceptives and other medicines that are prescribed several months in advance should be taken at home. Also be prepared that not all medicines you can buy at home will be available in Australia. You will be able to buy many medicines under other names.
• You should have at least 1000 AUD in cash (it is recommended that you carry about 200 EUR for the duration of your trip).
• Remember that summer in Australia starts in December.

You can contact an Australian registered immigration agency here who will help you if your dream is Australia: https://continentsurfer.com/member/registered-australian-migration-agency/

What to put in your suitcase?

You’ll be taking this suitcase with you on the plane, so it should contain everything you’ll need during the flight. The weight of the suitcase varies from airline to airline, usually 7 kg is allowed, but it’s worth checking with the airline. Also, it depends on the airline whether you can carry an extra laptop/handbag/backpack in addition to your suitcase. Which you should definitely put in the small suitcase:

• Passport
• Travel insurance
• Australian visa notification printout
• Toothbrush
• A change of clothes, just in case the suitcase is late.
• If you need help filling out your landing card guide. Official Australian site with up-to-date information and landing card available in several languages: https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/crossing-the-border/at-the-border/incoming-passenger-card-(ipc)
• You can take liquids with you in small transparent vacuum bags. For example: deodorant, face cream, body lotion, eye drops, etc.
• Do not put your laptop or fragile electronics in the suitcase as there is a good chance you will not get them back intact.
• Carry a phone with you, if possible a USB charger, as the socket will be different at the transfer points.
• If you have medicine you need, make sure you have enough for at least 5 days.
• It’s important to have a list of what medicines you’re taking with you to Australia. Have this list signed and dated by your doctor. Please be advised that the following medications are for your child’s personal use only and are required for her or his treatment.” For her or his, leave only the word that applies to you in the text, her for women, his for men.
• It’s worth taking reading material with you on your journey, it’s true that most planes have the option to watch a film, but you may have a lot of time between transfers.

You can contact an Australian registered immigration agency here who will help you if your dream is Australia: https://continentsurfer.com/member/registered-australian-migration-agency/

What should go in the suitcase?

• Clothes, depending on the city, you may want to check the climate. Melbourne winters are quite cold. In northern Australia, winters are much milder.
• You can add large amounts of liquids to your suitcase, it’s worth packing it in bubble wrap.
• For packing clothes, you can buy plastic bags that you can vacuum out the air from, leaving much more room in the suitcase.
• Shoes should also be taken with you, but in clean condition, as muddy shoes can be taken to the border to be cleaned, as you are not allowed to take soil into Australia.
• Australia has very strict rules about what you can bring into the country.
• It’s important that you don’t take more than the allowed amount in your suitcase, as it can be very expensive to bring an extra kilo or two.
• Get a high factor sunscreen. You can buy it in supermarkets and it is essential. In Australia, UV radiation is very strong and skin cancer rates are very high. Believe me, you can get a tan with high factor sunscreen.

What to expect at the airport and during your journey?

• If you have an Australian stopover on your itinerary, you will need to pick up your suitcase in the first Australian city you arrive in. You will then need to go through immigration at this airport (i.e. you will need to enter the country officially) and then check your holdall again at the domestic section.
• You will receive your boarding pass for each subsequent flight, it is advisable to arrive on time as this is when you have the opportunity to request where you sit on the flight (window, aisle, middle).
• The display on the aircraft shows the exact time of departure and arrival.
• On your flight ticket, you will always see the time in the time zone of the destination, so you should always adjust your watch to the time zone. Most phones will automatically adjust the clock.
• For long flights, it’s a good idea to walk around the plane and drink plenty of fluids. You can ask for water even if you are not being served food or drinks. On most overseas flights you do not have to pay extra for food and drink, so it’s worth checking in advance. Alcoholic drinks should be avoided, mainly because of their dehydrating effect. The air is drier on the plane, so it is important to drink water continuously.
• A good tip is to take an empty bottle with you, which you can refill free of charge in the lounge after security checks at the airport. This way you can drink on the plane before the service starts.
• Before landing, you will be given a so-called landing card to fill in. It’s important to tell the truth about what you have on this card. https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/crossing-the-border/at-the-border/incoming-passenger-card-(ipc)
• Sometimes you also have to fill in a separate card stating that you have been in a visa restricted area. For example: being in Africa during the Ebola epidemic.
• You have to cross the border first, then they ask for a landing card. If we put X on something that we have they will ask us what exactly it is. For example, if we are bringing in medicine for our own use, we have to declare that as well, but in this case we tell them we are bringing it for ourselves and this is not usually a problem (the small suitcase has a document written down for this purpose). Sometimes, if they are suspicious for any reason, they may interview you in a separate room abroad to find out if you are sure you want to enter the country with the intentions stated on the visa. If you find yourself in this situation and are not fluent in English, you should ask for an interpreter. Also be prepared to meet people with a wide variety of accents and pronunciations, your confidence may not be enough to get you to Australia in the beginning, in which case you should ask for an interpreter.
• In Australia, people are randomly selected from those arriving and have their bags checked. In many cases, they don’t just screen them, they unpack the whole bag. Sometimes they use sniffer dogs to sniff people as they arrive. They have a right to do this and it is your duty to cooperate, if you follow the rules and declare everything, you will not be inconvenienced other than a little waiting.

Remember, be prepared for the big trip! We hope we have given you some useful information. Let’s go to Australia! Enjoy the high life in Australia!

If Australia is your dream our partners will help you avoid surprises! My partners list: https://continentsurfer.com/team-that-helps-you/australia/