Australia Eguide - Travel Guides

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your duty free concessions if you are a family travelling together. Family means husband
and wife and, if any, a child who is, or children who are, under the age of 18 years.
Most personal items such as new clothing, footwear, and articles for personal hygiene
and grooming (but not fur or perfume concentrates) may also be brought into Australia in
accompanied baggage free from duty and/or tax. If you have anything in excess of your
duty free concession, declare the goods and provide proof of purchase to Customs for
calculation of any duty and tax to be paid.
Business travellers carrying commercial goods or samples may need to obtain permits for
their goods depending on the nature of the goods, regardless of value. Quarantine and
wildlife regulations and other restrictions may also apply to certain goods. A customs
entry for Customs clearance may be required if the goods carried are valued over $A250.
Laptop computers and other similar electronic equipment for personal use may also be
brought in duty/tax free provided Customs is satisfied you are taking these goods with
you on departure.
Failure to declare goods in excess of your concession could result in the application of
penalties.
Yellow fever vaccination
If you have travelled through or landed in Tropical Zone Central Africa or South America
within the previous six days before arriving in Australia, you will need a valid Yellow
Fever vaccination certificate for each person who is over twelve months old. This applies
even if there was no outbreak of Yellow Fever in the infected area at the time of your
visit. You do not need any other health certificates to enter Australia.
Essential Information
Banks
Banks and ATM machines are everywhere. Banking hours are 9.30 – 4 on Monday to
Thursday and until 5pm on Friday. The unit of currency is the Australian dollar, divided
into 100 cents. Originally Australia used pounds, as in Britain, but the switch was made
in 1966, with the dollar equal to 10 shillings, or, in other words, two dollars equal to one
old pound.
Notes are in circulation in denominations of $100 (green), $50 (olive), $20 (red), $10
(blue) and $5 (purple). The notes are all made of plastic, a field in which Australia has
been a pioneer. Australia was the first country in the world to print all of its notes on
plastic, the current series having been introduced between 1992 and 1996. The plastic
notes last approximately four times as long as paper notes and can be recycled.
Coins in circulation are in denominations of $2 (gold colour), $1 (gold colour), 50 cents
(silver colour), 20 cents (silver colour), 10 cents (silver colour) and 5 cents (silver
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