Visiting The Gold Coast

Visas

• All visitors to Australia need a Visa. Refer to the Australian Government's website for details.

Electricity

• Australia's electricity is 240V, 50hz and uses a three-pin angled plug (Type 1). If you forgot to buy a converter, shops in tourist areas often have them.

Time zone

• Australia has three time zones. Queensland is on Australian Eastern Standard Time, which is Greenwich Mean Time plus 10 hours.
• Most of the rest of the country has daylight saving, but Queensland stays the same all year round.

Currency

• The Aussie dollar comes in a variety of notes — $100 , $50 ,$20 , $10  and $5 — and coins , in denominations of $2, $1, plus 50, 20, 10 and five cents.

Cultural/social conventions

• Say "Thank you"; tip if people deserve it; don't compare the Gold Coast — or Australia — to home every five seconds (unless it's complimentary, of course); and don't walk home by yourself at night.

Best time to visit (climate, high/low seasons)

• Queensland winters are divine — hugely underrated (except by the ME tourists) but generally clear, blue and sunny. A bit cold at night, but just nice during the day. Winter temperatures range from an average of nine to 21 degrees Celsius (48 to 69 degrees Fahrenheit).
• October is generally accepted as the best time of year. January and February — especially February —is testing, unless you like living in a haze of humidity. Summer temperatures range from 19 to 29 degrees Celsius (66 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit).