01Free
The 30-second card
TimeUTC+11UTC+10 the rest of the year The capital’s time. The country has 12 time zones.Source: IANA Time Zone Database · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Visa · United States passport
Online visa or authorisation · up to 90 daysSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗TippingTips are not expected; service is included in the price.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗
SIM and eSIM
Prepaid SIM cards are sold to visitors without restrictions; bring your passport as photo ID.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
BOM Weather: weather forecasts and warnings for the whole country.Hazards Near Me: bushfire and emergency alerts in New South Wales.VicEmergency: bushfire and emergency alerts in Victoria.Australian ETA: apply for your electronic travel authority before the trip.Uber: ride-hailing in the major cities.DiDi: ride-hailing in the major cities.myVEVO: shows your visa conditions as proof that your stay is legal.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 5 of 5: Cards are accepted almost everywhere; cash is rarely needed.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Australia
Australian Dollar · $ · AUD
Card surcharges of 1-2% are normal in cafes, pubs and restaurants; exchanging cash usually costs more.
Avoid exchange counters at the airport; their rates are often about 10% worse than the mid-market rate.
BYO restaurants let you bring wine bought in a shop, usually far cheaper than ordering a bottle there.
Many art galleries charge no entry, and beaches and city parks are free.
Collect Australian Dollar in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day
Mon, 28 Dec 2026 · St. Stephen's Day Boxing Day
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day
Tue, 26 Jan 2027 · Australia Day
Mon, 1 Mar 2027 · Labour Day
Mon, 8 Mar 2027 · Adelaide Cup Day
Mon, 8 Mar 2027 · Canberra Day
Mon, 8 Mar 2027 · Eight Hours Day
Mon, 8 Mar 2027 · Labour Day
Fri, 26 Mar 2027 · Good Friday
Sat, 27 Mar 2027 · Holy Saturday Easter Eve
Sun, 28 Mar 2027 · Easter Sunday
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday
Sun, 25 Apr 2027 · Anzac Day
Mon, 26 Apr 2027 · Anzac Day
Mon, 3 May 2027 · Labour Day
Mon, 3 May 2027 · May Day
Mon, 31 May 2027 · Reconciliation Day
Mon, 7 Jun 2027 · Western Australia Day
Mon, 14 Jun 2027 · King's Birthday
Mon, 2 Aug 2027 · Picnic Day
Fri, 24 Sept 2027 · Friday before AFL Grand Final (expected date) Friday before AFL Grand Final (Tentative Date)
Mon, 27 Sept 2027 · King's Birthday
Mon, 4 Oct 2027 · King's Birthday
Mon, 4 Oct 2027 · Labour Day
Tue, 2 Nov 2027 · Melbourne Cup
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Australia say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 14 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 14 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise normal precautions
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Level 1 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 17 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 17 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 19 Mar 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 19 Mar 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Dating and romance scams
Be wary of online contacts who ask for money; check Scamwatch for current scams.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Fake service websites
Check a site before paying; the government's Scamwatch lists current scams.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Keep routine vaccines current, including a diphtheria booster in the last 10 years (outbreak).
Vaccinations
Be up to date on routine vaccines, including measles (MMR); because of a diphtheria outbreak, adults should have had a Td or Tdap booster within the last 10 years.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $1.8 trillionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $65,130Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | iron ore, coal, natural gas, gold, minerals (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 27.6 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 83.5 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant 18.1% (Anglican 9.8%, Uniting Church 2.6%, Presbyterian and Reformed 1.6%, Baptist 1.4%, Pentecostal 1%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 3.5%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 2.7%, Buddhist 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3% (Eastern Orthodox 2.1%, Oriental Orthodox 0.2%), other 2.1%, none 38.4%, unspecified 7.3% (2021 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2021 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 7,741,220 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in northSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeastSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realmSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +61Source: libphonenumber · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
Fiji
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Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Nauru
New Zealand
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
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Vanuatu