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Sydney Ambulance
Call 000 for an ambulance.
Australia Tourist Refund Scheme
Australian visas
Sydney banks
Banks and ATM machines are everywhere. Banking hours are 9.30 – 4 on
Monday to Thursday and until 5pm on Friday.
Sydney beach
safety
Surf on beaches
kills! Swim between the
flags and never swim
alone. Surf life savers
are on duty at most beaches
and will be very pleased
to provide advice. If
nobody is patrolling
the beach do not enter
the water. Watch the
Sydney sun and avoid
skin cancer, remember
the slogan “slip,
slap, slop” i.e.
put on a shirt, slap
on a hat and put on a
high factor sunscreen.
Sydney climate
Sydney Consulates
Embassies and
High Commissions are
in Canberra; with some
missions having a consulate
in Sydney. Canada (9364
3000); Denmark (9274
2234); France (9261 5779);
Germany (9238 7733);
Japan (9231 3455); Netherlands
(9387 3455); Australia
( 9247 1999); Sweden
(9262 6433); Switzerland
(9369 4244) and USA (9373
9200).
Drinking
The legal age
for drinking is 18.
Sydney Driving
Driving around
Sydney is easy. Seatbelts
are compulsory, drink
driving is a serious
offence and random testing
is very common with police
setting up road blocks
at any time of the day
and in any place. Speeding
is rigidly enforced with
speed cameras everywhere.
Illegal parking is enforced
and will result in the
car being towed away
and recovered at high
cost. Call the Sydney
Traffic Control Centre
on 9211 3000 if this
happens.
Electricity
The current
is 240V and uses a three
pin plug (not the same
three pin plug as the
UK). The converters are
available in Sydney.
Fair trading
For any difficulties
with consumer issues
in shops and accommodation
establishments call the
Traveller Consumer Helpline
on 1300 55 2001.
G.P.O.
There is a magnificent
G.P.O. building in Martin
Place between George
Street and Pitt Street.
Note, though, that Poste
Restante is not here.
It is in a separate office
back from the street,
but clearly marked, a
little further along
George Street towards
The Rocks.
Road Safety
We drive on the left in Sydney. It is illegal to use a mobile phone whilst driving, everyone in the car must wear seatbelts, and you must not drive with more than 0.05 grams per 100 millimetre of blood alcohol. If you are a learner, provisional driver or under 25 with a licence less than 3 years old you must not drive with any alcohol at all.
Sydney health care
Australian Money
Sydney newspapers
The leading
paper is the Sydney Morning
Herald and the main national
paper The Australian.
Australian
public holidays
Everything closes
on Christmas Day. Other
public holidays are New
Years Day; Boxing Day;
Australia Day (26 January);
Good Friday; Easter Sunday;
Easter Monday; Anzac
Day (25 April); Queen’s
Birthday (12 June); 1st
Monday in August (banks
only) and the 1st Monday
in October (Labour day).
Sydney police
The emergency
number is 000. For less
urgent matters call 13
1444. Police stations
are located at 132 George
Street, The Rocks; 570
George Street; 192 Day
Street, Darling Harbour
and 151 Goulburn Street,
Surry Hills.
Sydney safety
Sydney is a
fairly safe city but
as in any city normal
sensible precautions
should be followed. When
travelling on public
transport late at night
sit in the train nearest
the guard’s compartment,
which is indicated by
a blue light and is a
designated nightsafe
area. Be careful on deserted
streets at night. Stick
to the main streets in
Kings Cross, Potts Point,
Bondi Beach, Newtown
and Glebe.
Smoking
Smoking is very controlled
in Sydney and prohibited
on all public transport
and in public buildings.
Restaurants may allow smoking
in restricted areas.
Australian
Telephones
Tipping
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