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Australia is a country with a population of about 20 million. It has with 6 states and 2 territories, including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. The capital of Australia is Canberra. Australians are very polite and helpful. They love family barbecues, picnics with friends, and to spend leisurely days on the beach. They love the laid back lifestyle. Australians generally dress more casually, so its very easy for friends to gather and relax together.

States

New South Wales (NSW)
Sydney

Queensland (QLD)
Brisbane

South Australia (SA)
Adelaide

Tasmania (TAS)
Hobart

 

Victoria (VIC)
Melbourne

 

Western Australia (WA)
Perth

2 Territories

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Canberra

Northern Territory (NT)
Darwin

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Understanding Australian Geography and Culture

Life

weather

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WEATHER

One third of Australia's area is in the tropical zone, while the rest are in the temperate zone. The coldest areas are Tasmania and the territories to the southeast.

Time Zones, Time Differences

There are 3 different time zones in Australia. During the summer,

some areas have daylight savings time.

 

Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) = Hong Kong Time: Winter time (+2 hours) Summer time (+3 hours) (Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland)

Central Standard Time (ACST): Hong Kong Time + 1.5 hours

Western Standard Time (AWST): No time difference with Hong Kong

Electricity

The current used in Australia is 240/250 volts, 50 Hz alternating current. The plug used is a three-pin socket.

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TRANSPORT

Public Transit

The general means of transportation are buses, trams and trains. Of course there are also taxis and Uber. If you are not in a hurry and are only going a short distance, walking is also a good choice. The Australian train rail route connects the core business districts and the suburbs. It is very convenient. You only need to buy a stored-value card like an Octopus card.

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Australia's major banks

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Australian general banks are open from 9 am to 4 pm from Monday to Thursday, and from 9 am to 5 pm on Friday. Only a few banks will provide some services from 9:30 am to 12 noon on Saturdays, but they are closed on Sundays and national holidays.

BANK

Automatic teller machines (ATMs) provide 24-hour cash withdrawal services

Most shops and supermarkets also have electronic wallet transfer (EFTPOS) services, so the amount of goods will be directly deducted from the bank account when shopping, and additional cash can be withdrawn at the same time.

Getting a Bank Card

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To get a bank card in Australia, students only need to provide a passport and go through the procedures of opening an Australian bank account. Although the bank card will not be issued on the day of application, the account can be used immediately to deposit money. The bank card will be mailed to your address within 3-7 days.

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FOOD
CULTURE

Australian Food

Don't think that only Western food is available in Australia. Hong Kong-style tea restaurants can be easily found on the streets now. With many Asians immigrating to Australia, there are more and more choices for Asian cuisine in terms of food. In addition to the familiar “China Towns”, such as Box Hill in Melbourne, Chatswood in Sydney, Fortitude Valle in Brisbane, it is also a place where many Hong Kong people open restaurants. It is easy to find different kinds of Chinese restaurants and Hong Kong-style tea restaurants. A meal may range from $10-20 AUD.

Supermarkets

If students want to cook at home, they can also go to major supermarkets such as Woolworths and Coles and Chinese supermarkets to buy ingredients. Cooking at home will save you a lot of money. The supermarket is open every day, and its business hours are from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Food Delivery Service

As Australia has many international students from different countries, takeaway services are very convenient for students.

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