visitor information

 

location	time zone	electricity
internet	telephone	postal
currency	banking	studying
migrating	safety

location

The centre of Perth City is located at 31.95°S, 115.85°E. Western Australia has a land mass of more than 2.5 million square kilometres and constitutes approximately one third of the Australian continent.

Some 2 million peple live in WA, with Perth being home to more than 1.8 million, concentrated in an area of more than 5,000 square kilometres. The balance of the population are found in cities and towns throughout the state, the largest of which have populations of around 30,000 people.

time zone

Western Australia is on Western Standard Time (WST), eight hours ahead of GMT, the same time as Singapore and Malaysia. This makes Perth 90 minutes behind Adelaide and Darwin, and two hours behind the other Australian states.

electricity

The electrical current in Australia is 240/250 volts AC 50Hz. The Australian three-pin power outlet is differentfrom many Asian and European countries. If your appliances are 100V check if there is a 110/240V switch; if not, you will need an adaptor which can be bought at many shops. Universal outlets for 240V or 100V shavers are found in most hotels.

internet access

Internet cafes can be found throughout the city, especially in or near backpackers' hostels. There are coin-operated internet terminals in various locations including at Perth's domestic and international airports. WiFi connectivity is available throughout the city, including coffee shops and accommodation venues, and now at the Northbridge Piazza.

telephone

A standard fee applies to local calls made from fixed lines irrespective of the length of call. From a payphone the minimum charge is 50¢. STD (long distance within Australia) and IDD ( international direct dialling) calls are charged by distance as well as time.

Payphones take coins, credit cards and/or pre-paids cards (available from most newsagencies).
For details of long-distance rates call 1300 362 162.
Directory Assistance call 1223 (within Australia) or 1225 (from outside Australia).

postal

Australia Post offers a range of postal services including packaging materials and postpaks suitable for sending gifts back home. All post offices are open from 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. Some suburban post offices are also open Saturday mornings. You can buy stamps at many newsagents as well as at Australia Post offices. Standard size and weight letters cost 60¢ within Australia, while standard size and weight postcards posted Air Mail to any part of the world cost $1.40.

currency

The basic unit of currency in Australia is the dollar (100 cents = $1). Notes are plastic and come in denominations of $100, $50, $20, $10 and $5, while coins are produced in $2 and $1 (gold), and 50¢, 20¢, 10¢ and 5¢ denominations. Shops round their bills up or down to the nearest 5¢ on cash sales. Credit/debit sales are charged at the exact amount of the sale.

banking

Banks are generally open from 9.30am – 4pm Monday to Thursday and until 5pm on Fridays. Some banks and credit unions are open of Saturday mornings, check their websites for more information.

24-hour ATMs and EFTPOS facilities are readily available throughout the Perth metropolitan area.

studying and working in perth

Perth is a vibrant multicultural city with many world-class educational institutions. Perth is big enough to have all the amenities you want at the same time as being friendly and clean. Many students take advantage of homestay accommodation, a more personal taste of Australia than just a hotel room or self-contained unit.

Working holiday visas can be obtained by citizens of countries including the UK, Japan, Canada and Germany. These arrangements allow people aged 18-30 years with no dependent children to holiday in Australia for up to a year and supplement their funds through incidental work. Visas must be organised before arriving in the country.
Contact the Department of Immigration for more details.

migrating to perth

Australia is a wonderful place to call home. If you are thinking of moving here permanently be sure to seek legal advice from qualified solicitors who are also registered migration agents. Working visas are most commonly granted to highly skilled workers. Often these visas are sponsored by state governments of businesses in order to meet specific needs. Family visas can be granted based on ties to family members who are already resident in Australia. Employment and family visas can lead to Australian citizenship but the process is lengthy. For more information contact the Department of Immigration.

safety

Perth is a safe city by world standards. There is a network of closed-circuit TV cameras operating in central Perth and Northbridge. The Information and Police kiosk in the Murray Street Mall operates during shopping hours,