There are several types of Australian visas that would allow you entry to the country. For short-term visits, your best option would either be an Australian ETA visa, eVisitors visa or a visitor/tourist visa.

ETA is short for Electronic Travel Authority, it is the easiest to acquire compared to any other Australian visa for travel. The application is fairly simple and can be done online. For eligible visa holders, there is no need to visit consulates or go through long lines. It lets you spend up to three months in Australia.

An Australian Tourist Visa, on the other hand, can let you stay up to three, six or twelve months. The Tourist visa can be lodged online, within Australia or outside of the country. There is also the Sponsored Family Visitor visa, which is up to a stay period of 12 months.

Getting the right visa for your travel needs is only the first step, the following are tips to help you prepare for your travel to Australia.

1. Check on the validity of your passport – Generally, if you are traveling for a visit, it is recommended that the validity of your passport should have at least six months left.

2. Get the appropriate medical insurance – Medical treatment in Australia can be costly. As a tourist, you are not covered by Australia’s health benefits unless there is an agreement between your country and Australia. If you are planning to get a travel visa to Australia, consider your options for medical insurance as well.

3. Prepare proof of funds – As an applicant for an Australian travel visa, you are expected to have the appropriate funds to cover your trip and your stay. Prepare to show your personal bank statements, pay slips, audited accounts, tax records, statement of credit card limit and other evidence that you can cover for all costs for the duration of your stay.

4. Find out what you can’t take into Australia – The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service is responsible for minimizing the risk of exotic pests and diseases that may enter the country and damage the agriculture. Before you make that trip, find out what you can and can’t bring into the country.

5. Do your research – Once all the necessary preparations are out of the way, its time for the fun part. Find out about must-see places, book your accommodation and find out about the weather. Don’t forget to get Australian dollars to avoid the hassle of looking for currency changers when you get there. When you’re all done researching, it’s time to pack your things and prepare for a great adventure.

Weather and the Environment Guard against sunburn at all times, but particularly in summer. Use a wide brimmed hat, 15+ sunscreen, sunglasses, protecting clothes and shoes. Australian sunlight has very high UV levels and skin damage occurs quickly, especially during the middle of the day.

• Check future storm fronts for signs of a greenish tinge. This often indicates a hail storm that may cause damage to persons and property.
• Always observe correct beach safety. Swim only at patrolled beaches. Only swim between flagged areas. If in doubt, ask. Always check for caution signs.
• If you intend to swim in shallow coastal waters north of Gladstone, make it your business to be educated about box jellyfish (marine stingers). Usually found in shallow waters near creek or river mouths, more likely after local rain, usually absent in rough water. Not usually found over deep water or coral. Stinger season is usually from December to March in the Gladstone (south) area and longer, from October to June, in the Cairns (north) area. Most popular beaches in the stinger areas are netted to give swimmer protection.
• At all times wear thick soled shoes when walking in shallow tropical waters or reef walking as protection against the highly disguised stonefish. It has dorsal spikes which will rupture the skin of the foot and inject poison causing extreme swelling and agony. Deaths have been occurred as a result of stonefish poisoning.
• There are other venomous creatures on the reef such as some of the cone shell species and coral snakes, both of which are capable of causing death. If you intend spending time on the Barrier Reef without expert guidance, ensure you have a good knowledge of what can harm you before you start.

Road Travel

• Australian traffic drives on the left hand side of the road.
• If you are in doubt about your driving license being acknowledged in Australia, obtain an International License from your local automobile association prior to your departure.
• Road speed limits differ between states but are usually 100-110kph on the highways and 50-60kph in built-up areas. Interstate highways are not of the same standard as USA and European highway systems but nor do they carry the same traffic volumes.
• Don’t hitch-hike, it is illegal.
• Never leave small children or animals locked in vehicles in very hot weather. Dehydration occurs very rapidly. This practice is illegal.
• The most serious danger on the road is fatigue. Look for driver refreshment stations and pull off and rest after driving for some hours.
• Be cautious when driving on country roads at night in cold weather. Cattle and native animals such as kangaroos lie on the bitumen road surface which holds the warmth of the sun. Car lights blind and mesmerise the animals and they may just as easily run into your vehicle as run away from it.
• When traveling on remote outback roads/tracks, always tell someone at the destination of your expected arrival time and number of people in your party. If you fail to arrive within a reasonable time, help procedures can be started. Do NOT leave your vehicle as a missing vehicle is much easier to find that a missing person.
• When traveling on unsurfaced or poor quality roads, always carry out a vehicle check before starting off on the next sector.
• Extra care is needed when sharing the road with road-trains. These are main movers with multiple trailers of cattle attached and are about 50 metres (170 feet) long. Always give them plenty of space as the buffeting from displaced air as you pass in opposite directions can be quite severe. Allow at least 1 kilometre (3000 feet) of clear road before overtaking a road train.
• Do not try to cross flooded rivers and causeways unless you are sure of the water depth and road surface damage. Most flash floods recede within 24 hours.
• Dirt from passing vehicles on outback roads can obscure your vision. Don’t take risks, slow down or stop until it settles.

Air Travel

• Steer clear of flying early morning and late afternoon on the eastern seaboard routes. These flights are usually heavily booked by business people traveling between the capital cities.
• Require extra leg room? Ask to be seated in a row that serves the exit doors as these rows seem to have more room.
• When checking in and getting seat allocation, ask if your seat is in the first row immediately adjacent one of the large central video screens. You may wish to ask for a different spot, especially if on a long international flight.
• A departure tax of A$30 per adult is payable when leaving Australia.

Language and Religion

• There is no official religion in Australia. Churches can be located in most towns for both the Catholic and Church of England faith. Other general religions are Methodist, Presbyterian and Uniting Church. Places of worship for Jewish, Moslem, Buddist and other religious denominations not frequent to Australia will only be found in the major towns and cities.
• Need an interpreter? The telecommunications provider Telstra offers a 24 hour translation and interpreter service for an extensive range of languages. Dial 13 14 50. The local white pages telephone book will give more information.

Medical and Pharmaecutical

• Australian nationals and New Zealand visitors are covered by Medicare, the national health cover scheme. It does not apply to visitors from any other country.
• Visitors should always get medical cover insurance prior to departure from their home country.
• Visitors will only require specific vaccinations if they have traveled through an area infected with yellow fever. Visitors passing through other countries when entering or leaving Australia should check the vaccination needs of those countries.
• All cities and most towns offer 24 hour medical facilities by way of private practice clinics or government run hospital amenities. They will be listed in the telephone book of the area you are visiting.
• Chemists are located in all towns and cities all over Australia. The Australian chemist does not operate the “soda fountain” type of drug store found in the USA.

Telephone and Communications

• In an emergency dial 000 (not 999). This will connect you to the ambulance, fire and police services.
• Phone cards are a popular way of accessing the public phone system. Cards are obtainable from selected newsagents and stores. Select public phones also accept credit cards. Public phone call assistance is available by dialing 013.

Tips and Gratuities

• Australians working in the tourist, hospitality and transport industries are paid a minimum salary. Tipping is not normal practice but is generally considered a suitable gesture of approval when the level of service has exceeded expectations. A tip of around 10% would be considered appropriate.

Customs, Quarantine and Visas

• To enter Australia you will need an up to date passport valid for the duration of your stay and a valid tourist visa issued in your own country and entered into the passport prior to the travel date. New Zealand visitors are exempt from these requirements and are granted an entry permit on arrival. Visa applications are made to the Australian Embassy, Consulate or High Commission, as applicable, in your home country. Make sure you apply for the correct visa type. For example, if you plan to work, you will need to apply for a work permit which is generally limited to singles under 25 and which only allows for casual work to be performed for up to 3 months. Tourist visas are usually valid for a stay of 3 or 6 months. At the time of making your visa application you will have to sign an undertaking that you have an outward bound ticket and sufficient funds for the period of your stay.
• No duty is payable on personal effects. Adults may carry up to 250 cigarettes and 1 litre of alcoholic liquor in their personal effects provided it is carried with them. Duty and sales tax is applied to dutiable goods exceeding A$400. Strict regulations apply to narcotics and prohibited substances.
• When entering Australia you will have to surrender all fresh food, animal and plant products and any unprocessed foodstuffs. You will be required to sign a statement to this effect. This is a quarantine regulation to prevent the entry of foreign organisms that may have a harmful effect on Australia’s native vegetation, wildlife and farming goods.
• Strict policys apply to the import and export of protected wildlife and items made from protected species. Any such items will be seized by customs officials upon arrival.

There is so much more to Australia than kangaroos and koala bears. In Sydney, that so much more can even be frugal. After much contemplation, the top frugal choices were narrowed down to the ferry system, the Royal Botanical Gardens, and the Art Gallery Of New South Wales.

Ferries

Seeing Sydney from the water is a must. Frugal tourists don’t pay for a boat ride. They take the ferry.

Ferries have been operating in Sydney for more than 135 years. Today, for the price of a day pass (including ferry service), tourists can travel to Manly Beach to watch the surfers and play beach volleyball, to Darling Harbour to see the Australian Maritime Museum (the museum is free), Taronga Zoo (admission charged), and be able to snap great photos of the cityscape, the Opera House, and the interesting Luna Park. All from their seat on the ferry.

Royal Botanical Gardens

The Royal Botanical Gardens is 30 hectares of parkland in the heart of Sydney, hugging the shoreline. Highlights are the iconic Opera House on one side (tourists can peak inside for free but for a better look, they need to either pay for a tour or buy an event ticket) and Mrs. Macquaries Chair, a seat carved into stone where the wife of Governor Macquarie liked to sit and watch the ships come in, on the other. Wildlife include the grey-headed flying foxes (giant bats), cockatoos, and other colorful birds. A kind local gave me some food to feed the birds.

The Royal Botanical Gardens are also a great place for the fitness buff. Nothing like jogging along the shoreline at dawn or dusk.

Art Gallery Of New South Wales

My favorite experience in Sydney is taking the guided tours of the Aboriginal Art Collection in the Art Gallery Of New South Wales. Not only am I given an understanding of the fascinating art styles by an enthusiastic guide (I’ve done the same tour twice with different guides and received new information with each tour) but she also explains bush tucker, hunting styles, religion, women’s lib, and other topics of interest. Admission and the tour is free.

Sydney is a world class city with world class tourist sights. Using the ferry system to get around, visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens, and taking the tours at the Art Gallery Of New South Wales will allow the frugal tourist to experience more for less.