Australian Life & Culture

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	Living in Australia means trying new and different foods.

Some characteristics of Australians

Individuality -- Most Australians want to be treated as individuals rather than as representatives of a certain class or position or group. They dislike being too dependent on others.

Equality -- Australians grow up believing that people should have equal social, legal and political rights and the Australian Constitution protects these rights. In addition, recent anti-discrimination laws try to prevent discrimination on the basis of race, gender and marital status. Most people in Australia think of themselves as your equal, and the taxi-driver, waitress or garbage man expects to get the same respect from you as the accountant or the school teacher.

Sense of Humour -- It is very likely that you will make mistakes as you explore a new culture, and if you can laugh at the mistakes, it will help you learn. Other people are also more likely to respond with friendliness so you can be relaxed and receptive to others and not be totally self-centred. Australian humour is directed against those people who give the impression that they consider themselves superior. Teasing (or "rubbishing" as it is sometimes called) is also a favourite pastime and if spoken in a joking way, it is an indication that you are liked and accepted by the persons concerned.

Alcohol -- In Australia people under the age of 18 are not permitted to buy alcoholic drinks and there are heavy penalties for people who drive while under the influence of alcohol. Australian customs regarding drinking in pubs (hotel bars) may be different from yours in some ways. You should pay for each drink as soon as you receive it, and not when you are about to leave the hotel. The Australian custom of "shouting" means that if someone buys you a drink you are expected to "shout" them back by buying them a drink. In Australia you don't need to tip bar tenders. Note: The alcohol content of beer in Australia is about 5%.

Australian Currency
Australian Currency follows a decimal system. The dollar ($) is the basic unit of exchange. It is divided into 100 cents (¢). Paper notes have been replaced by polymer ones and are in different colours and increase in size as they increase in value. Notes come in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

Metal coins come in denominations of $1 and $2 (gold coloured coins), 50¢ (the largest coin has a series of flat edges and is silver with the Australian Coat of Arms on the back), 20¢ (about 2.5cms in diameter, silver and a picture of a platypus), 10¢ (silver with a picture of a lyre bird), 5¢ (silver with a picture of an echidna ³ spiny anteater).

Money Changing
Money changing facilities are located in the Sydney and Darwin airport terminals. You should try to have $AUS 50 upon arrival in Darwin to cover immediate expenses. Banks are not open in Australia on weekends, but you will be able to access the ATMs. While traveller checks are safe, it canbe time consuming changing them.

Some typical prices for Items in Australia:
All prices are in Australian dollars ( 1 US dollar is buying approximately $1.5 Australian dollars)

Camera Film $5-$10
Batteries (4 x AA) $4
VHS tapes $10
Loose-leaf paper (50 sheets) $3
Folders $4 Hamburger mince $5kg
Suncrean(400ml) $12
Disposable razors (pkt 10) $5
Voltage converter approx $70
Newspaper $0.90
CD $30
Chicken pieces $6.50 kg
Chicken, whole $5-$8 each
Stewing beef $6kg
Rice $1.50kg
Eggs $2 dozen
Carrots $1 kg
Lettuce $1 each
Butter $2 a tub
Cheese $5 - 500gm
Milk 1 litre - $1.30
Bread $1.50 (loaf)
Pasta $1.00 kg
Oranges $2-$4 bag
Apples $2 kg
Bananas $2 kg
Avocadoes $1-2 each

Telephone: 40 cents local calls

Movies: $12.50 (half price on Tuesdays)

Postage:
45 cents a letter in Australia
70 cents aerogram
95 cents post card abroad
$1.05 airmail letter

There are numerous large shopping areas within walking distance of UNSW in Sydney. In these shopping centres, you can find most of the goods and services you need.

In the heart of the city are large department stores, some of which are linked by enclosed overstreet crossings with the towering Centrepoint complex shopping arcades, coffee-shops and offices. Joining other main streets are more arcades, each with its own atmosphere and rows of small specialty shops and restaurants. Popular shopping centres include the Queen Victoria Building and the Strand Arcade. A number of weekend markets are available around Sydney. They have stalls selling a large variety of new and second hand goods. It may be possible to bargain a little (5-15%). They can be found in Paddington, Glebe and Haymarket (inner-city suburbs).

Eating Out
It is possible to get a meal for less than A$6 at a number of cheap eats in the Coogee Beach/Randwick area. All types of cuisines are available, so you will have the opportunity to try everything from Thai to Indian to Lebanese.

Dining out in any other country but 'home' can cause some overseas visitors a lot of stress. Culture shock can be brought on by a new dining experience if the food is prepared or served differently than in your home country. The important thing to remember is that it is not wrong, just different.

Australians tip modestly (between 5% and 10% of the meal cost), though you are under no obligation to tip at all. Waiters and waitresses do not depend on tips for their wage.

Public Transport
Timetables are available from the Study Abroad office or UNSW library. Travel passes, weekly tickets and TravelTen passes can be purchased from the Union Shop on lower campus or any newsagency (including the one in the Mathews Arcade at the top of the campus). For a short stay, TravelTens, which allow ten trips on the bus, are the cheapest way of getting around town. Darwin, Alice Springs and Cairns are compact enough that you will be able to walk to most places that you need to get to. Or in Darwin, you can catch the Territory Shuttle for approx $2 per journey.

Bus fares:
Trips to the city are:-

• A$1.50/A$2.60 for single short trips (into the city)
• Brown TravelTen (A$19.00) 10 short trips (no time limit) into the city
• Red TravelTen (A$25.00) 10 longer trips any time (no time limit)

An extensive train system, approximately 10 to 20 minutes from the University, can take you throughout much of the Sydney metropolitan area, NSW country and interstate.

Taxi :
Taxis are numerous and cost about $12-$15 (depending on traffic) from the University to the city centre.

Please Remember
In Australia we drive on the left hand side of the road. When crossing the road as a pedestrian, you look to the right, left and then right again before leaving the curb. Foreigners often come close to injury due to looking to the left first when crossing roads in Australia. Please be careful !