Welcome to Australia...
Did you know?
- Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and has the lowest population density per square kilometre.
- Australia is both an island and a continent; it is the largest island but smallest continent in the world. It has an area of nearly 7.7 million square kilometres and is the sixth largest nation on Earth.
- Australia's population is approximately 21 million. The most populous states are New South Wales and Victoria, with their respective capitals, Sydney and Melbourne being the largest cities in Australia.
- Australia's population is concentrated along the coastal region of Australia from Adelaide to Cairns, with a small concentration around Perth, Western Australia. The centre of Australia is sparsely populated.
- Canberra is Australia's capital city. With a population of approximately 320,000 and situated in the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra is roughly half way between the two largest cities Melbourne and Sydney
Time Zones
There are 3 time zones in Australia
Eastern Standard Time (EST) GMT + 10 hours
Operates in New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania &
Queensland
Central Standard Time (CST) GMT + 9½ hours
Operates in South Australia & Northern Territory
Western Standard Time (WST) GMT + 8 hours
Operates in Western Australia
Summer Time (Daylight Saving Time) runs in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia from the end of October through to the end of March, in Tasmania is runs from the beginning of October through to the end of March.
Seasons
Australia’s seasons are the opposite to those here in the UK
Spring - September to November
Summer - December to February
Autumn - March to May
Winter - June to August
2011/12 National Holidays
- 25 April 2011 - Anzac Day
- 13 June 2011 - Queen’s Birthday (not Western Australia)
- 03 October 2011 - Labour Day (New South Wales & South Australia)
- 01 November 2011 - Melbourne Cup Day (Victoria Only)
- 25 December 2011 - Christmas Day
- 26 December 2011 - Boxing Day
- 01 January 2012 - New Years Day
- 26 January 2012 - Australia Day
- 05 March 2012 - Labour Day (Western Australia only)
- 12 March 2012 - Labour Day (Victoria only)
One these days, all post-offices and banks will be closed. In addition to these dates, individuals states or regions may observe additional holidays