Banks: 09:00 to 16:00, Monday to Thursday; 09:30 to 17:00 Fridays
Post Offices: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday; 09:00 to 12:00 Saturdays
Government Departments: 08:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday
Business Centres: 08:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday
Shops: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Saturday; many places open on Sundays

The most important safety aspect to consider when visiting the Gold Coast is the danger from the sun and sea. Australia has the highest incidence, per capita, of skin cancer in the world and it is important to use high-factor sun block and cover up.

The strongest sun appears around midday, but the sun can be damaging for anyone indulging in extended periods of sunbathing anywhere between 10:00 and 15:00. During these times you should wear a brand name sun-screen with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or above (SPF 30+ for kids) and reapply frequently. Good sunglasses with UV protection and a hat are also recommended.

Although most major beaches along the Gold Coast are patrolled by professional lifeguards year round, it is difficult to keep tabs on the entire 35-mile long coastline. You should always swim within the flags on patrolled beaches and take special care when swimming at non-patrolled beaches. If you are an inexperienced surfer, don’t go out of your depth.

Crime is highest in Surfers Paradise, but is not generally violent and rarely involves tourists. However, pickpockets do operate along the coast and tourists are regularly targeted by these petty thieves. Keeping spare cash in a hotel safe, being vigilant around busy tourist attractions and taking a taxi back to your hotel after a night out are all good tips.

Electricity: 240 volts, 50Hz

The standard of health in Australia is high and on par with the US and UK, and there are no endemic diseases to worry about for tourists visiting the Gold Coast region.

Unless you have flown in from a yellow fever infected zone in Africa or South America, vaccinations are generally not required to enter Australia. Travel insurance is also not a requirement, but is highly recommended to ensure you are covered should anything untoward happen during your stay.

Good quality hospitals, clinics and 24-hour medical centres can be found the length and breadth of the Gold Coast, with Surfers Paradise and nearby Brisbane having the best of them.

The Gold Coast surf is very strong in places and many people die every year through not observing health and safety notices. While the beach holds obvious dangers, it is also wise to ensure your health if you plan on visiting the outback or going four-wheel driving.

Emergency services: 000

Australia’s first and main language is English. All road signs and literature are in English and everyone in the tourist industry speaks English. Some first-time visitors struggle to understand the Australian accent at first.

Australia uses the Australian dollar (AU$). The Australian dollar has note denominations of AU$5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 and uses AU$1 and 2 coins as well as 5, 10, 50 cent coins. One hundred cents make up a dollar and 1 and 2 cent coins have been phased out.

You can pick up Australian dollars virtually anywhere in the world, and it is always useful to have some local currency when arriving in a foreign country. Brisbane International Airport and most banks throughout the Gold Coast region will exchange most currencies for Australian dollars.

The best way to get local cash nowadays is to simply use your debit or credit card at an ATM. Most ATMs throughout Gold Coast towns accept Visa, MasterCard, and Diners Club cards, as well as those participating with Cirrus and Maestro systems. Although your bank will invariably charge you a small transaction fee – typically 1.5 per cent - the commercial rates used by the banks offset any losses made through commission.

Those who prefer to use traveller’s cheques will generally have no problem using Thomas Cook, Visa, MasterCard, or American Express traveller’s cheques, with most banks and hotels accepting them.

Limits on duty-free goods brought into Australia for those 18 years and over include 250 cigarettes, or 250 grams of cigars or other tobacco products; 2.25 litres of alcohol; and dutiable goods and gifts not worth more than AU$900. In the unlikely event you will be bringing in lots of cash, you will need to declare amounts over AU$10,000.

Be particularly careful if you plan on bringing any food or plants into Australia as the country has very strict rules on what may be brought in. Australia has been isolated for millions of years and certain plants, fruits and meats from outside may contain bacteria that could cause irreparable damage to the environment. Typically, any fruits, meats and plants will be confiscated; and by not declaring them you will be breaking the law. Stiff fines and/or imprisonment are penalties for those who violate the rules.

Australia’s 10 per cent Goods and Services Tax, or GST, may be refunded at the airport on production of receipts for purchases prior to departure.

There is no special social etiquette visitors should be aware of when visiting the Gold Coast. The locals are down to earth and informal and don’t typically observe class distinctions. British visitors may experience a few friendly jokes in reference to the colonial days if they find themselves among Australian in a sports bar, but this should be taken with light-heartedness. Visitors, on the other hand, should refrain from making any such references.

Dining Etiquette
Dining is generally a casual affair in all but the most upmarket of restaurants on the Gold Coast. If you find yourself in a full-service restaurant, then observing basic table manners is recommended. Knives are held in the right hand, forks in the left, elbows should be kept off the table and diners should place their fork and knife together across the plate when finished. Regarding cutlery, start from the outside and work your way in during a multi-course meal. Casual dress in just about any restaurant on the Gold Coast is perfectly acceptable.

You will no doubt come across barbecue and BYO restaurants while visiting the Gold Coast, the latter being a ‘bring-your-own’ eatery. At BYO establishments, diners can bring their own alcohol and pay a small corkage fee. Barbecue restaurants along the Gold Coast let you choose and purchase the meat first before cooking it yourself on a communal grill. If you are invited to a barbecue by an Australian acquaintance, take along some meat and a bottle of wine or some beer.

Tipping in Australia is not mandatory. However, it is always a nice gesture to tip the waiting staff if you are happy with the service. In this case, rounding up to the nearest AU$10 is fine. A growing number of places have service charges in place, eliminating the need for diners to tip.

Citizens of every country, apart from New Zealand, need a visa to enter Australia. The days of visiting the Australian consulate or embassy to get a visa are gone, and you can now apply for a tourist visa online through the Australian government's Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).

The ETA is an electronic visa which is ideal for tourists. It allows for multiple visits to Australia over a one-year period, with a maximum single stay of three months. The visa is free although applying via the internet incurs a charge. Travel agents can include the ETA visa as part of a package, or you can apply independently.

You should also make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the end of your stay in Australia, or you may be refused entry even with the necessary visa.

The main tourist information office in the Gold Coast region is the Gold Coast Tourism Bureau at Surfers Paradise.

Gold Coast Tourism Bureau
PO Box 7091
Surfers Paradise
4217 Queensland
Australia PO Box 7091
Phone: +61 7 5538 4419
Website: www.goldcoasttourism.com.au.

There are also other useful tourist offices in the region, including the Brisbane Visitors Accommodation Service (phone: +61 7 3236 2020); Stradbroke Island Tourism (phone: +61 7 3409 9555); and Tamborine Mountain Information Centre (phone: +61 7 5545 3200).