GUIDE TO BUSINESS TRAVELLERS : VISA, HOTELS, TRANSPORT  

VISA FORMALITIES

All visitors must have visitor visas and current passport which should be valid for three months. Application for visas can be made at Australian Government offices overseas. A return or onward passage ticket, or evidence of enough funds for the period of intended stay may be required. On arrival in Australia, visitors will be asked to produce completed incoming passenger cards, which are usually distributed on board aircraft and ships, passports and visas. Visitors cannot undertake employment or formal studies and are expected to leave at the end of their authorized stay. A $30 fee is charged for processing an application for a stay beyond three months.

ANY SPECIAL DISCLOSURES OR DECLARATION

Personal effects are allowed duty-free.  Strict quarantine regulations make it inadvisable to carry food, fruit, vegetables, seeds, animals or plants without prior approval.  Aircraft cabins are sprayed before disembarkation.  Importation of certain items is prohibited, including narcotic and dangerous drugs, firearms and birds.  Both import and export of protected wildlife or goods derived therefrom (i.e. made of skins, feathers, shell, bone, etc.)is strictly prohibited.  There are restrictions or quotas on the commercial importation of equipment, machinery, motor vehicles, footwear, clothing and other goods; preferential duty rates may apply to goods from some countries (New Zealand, Canada, Papua New Guinea, South Pacific Forum countries and certain developing countries).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC AIRPORTS

International airports: Brisbane International (BNE), 11 km northeast of Brisbane, with duty-free shop, bar, buffet, restaurant; Cairns (CNS), 4 km northwest of Cairns Qld, with duty-free shop, hotel reservations; Darwin (DRW), 8 km from Drawin, NT; kingsford Smith (SYD), 8 km south of Sydney, NSW, with duty-free shop, bar, buffet, restaurant, bank, post office, shops; 
Llanherne (HBA), 16 km north of Hobart, Tas; Perth (PER), 10 km from Perth, WA, with duty-free shop, bar, buffet, restaurant, bank, post office, shops; Townsville (TSV), 5 km from Townsville, Qld; Tullamarine (MEL), 21 km from Melbourne, Vic, with duty-free shop, bar, buffet, restaurant, bank, post office, shops; West Beach (ADL), 8 km from Adelaide, SA, with bar, buffet, restaurant, post office, shops.

National Airlines:  Qantas Airways (privatized, 25 per cent owned by British Airways).

Other Airlines: Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Caredonie, Air China, Air France, Air Mauritius, Air Nauru, Air New Zealand,Air Niugini, Air Pacific, Air Vanuatu, Air Zimbabwe, Airlines of Tasmania, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Ansett Airlines, August Airways, British Airways, Canadian International, Cathay Pacific, Eva Airways, Garuda, Gulf Air, JAL, kendell Airlines, KLM, Korean Air, Lauda Air, Lufthansa, MAS, Mandarin Airlines, 

Merpata Nusantara Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Olympic, Philippines, Polynesian, Royal Brunei, Singapore, Solomon Airlines, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic (from June 1995), United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF LOCAL TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES

Buses : Air-Conditioned express coach services link main centres including Tasmania via ferries.  Buses and, in some capital cities,trams provide good services on main town routes, but Convenient cross-town transport is not always available .  Several Sightseeing and tour services operate. Melbourne's Public transport system includes a city Loop underground railway, and fares apply to all public transport within appropriate zones.

Rail : Railways, mainly government-owned and operated, provide express interurban passenger services, electrified suburban services and long distance freight services, using a 35,763-km network of tracks. Long-distance passenger trains are air-conditioned, with dining and sleeping facilities. Advance booking is recommended. Here cars are widely available. Current overseas licenses are recognized, but International Drivers Permits are 
recommended.  The required third-party insurance is normally included in car hire charge. Use of seat belts is compulsory and speed limit in towns is generally 60 kph.  Driving is on the left-hand side of the road.  Trams have the right of way. 

Taxis : Metered taxis operate in all main cities and towns from major hotels, shopping areas and signposted taxi ranks.  Radio-controlled taxis are listed in local telephone directories. Tipping is not expected, but a tip of A$0.30 or the balance of the fare rounded up to the nearest dollar is sometimes given.

LIST OF NATIONAL HOLIDAYS

FIXED DATES :1 Jan (New Year's Day),
                  25 Apr (Arzac Day), 
                  6 May (May Day), 
                  25-26 Dec (Christmas)

VARIABLE DATES :Australia Day (Jan), 
                  Foundation Day (WA), 
                  Hobart Cup Day, 
                  Royal Hobart Regatta Day, 
                  Labour Day (Mar: Vic, ACT and TAs, WA);
                  Canberra Day (Mar; ACT), 
                  Good Friday, 
                  Easter Saturday, 
                  Easter Monday, 
                  Easter Tuesday (Vic), 
                  Anzac Day (APR; NSW, Vic, Qld, SA, TAS, ACT, Nt, WA),
                  May Day (NT), 
                  Labour Day (May, Qld), 
                  Adelaide Cup Day (May, SA), 
                  Foundation Day (Jun, WA), 
                  Birthday of HM the Queen (Jun, Except WA), 
                  Alice SpringShow Day (Jul, NT); 
                  Tennant Creek Show Day (Jul, NT), 
                  Katherine Show Day (Jul, NT), 
                  Bank Holiday (Aug, NSW, ACT),
                  Picnic Day (Aug, NT), 
                  Melbourne Show Day (Sep, Vic), 
                  Queen's Birthday (sep, WA), 
                  Labour Day (Oct, NSW, ACT, SA), 
                  Recreation Day (Nov, Northern Tas) 
                  Melbourne Cup Day (Nov, Melbourne areas only)
                  Proclamation Day (SA) and 
                  general holiday (NSW, Vic, WA, Tas, NT).

IMPORTANT YOURIST DESTINATIONS

Australia's major centres of tourist interest include winter snow resorts in the Australian Alps; the wide stretches of Australia's fine beaches; the elaborately planned national capital, Canberra, and the six State capital cities, each with its own individual style.

CITYWISE LIST OF HOTELS

ADELAIDE

Adelaide, 62 Brougham Place, 
North Adelaide, 5006
tel: 267 3444; fax: 239 0189

Adelaide parkroyal, 
226 South Terrace, 5000
Tel: 223 4355; fax: 232 0769

Adelaide Travelodge, 
208 223 South Terrace, 5000
Tel: 223 2744; fax: 224 0519

Barron Town House, 
164 Hindley Street, 5000
Tel: 211 8255; fax: 231 1179

Gateway Hotel, 
147 North Terrace, 5000 
Tel: 217 7552; fax: 216 5131

Grosvenor, 
125 North Terrace, 5000 
Tel: 213 2961; fax: 231 0765

Hilton International Adelaide, 
233 Victoria
Square, 5001, P O Box 1871
Tel: 217 0711; fax: 231 0158

Holiday Inn Park Suites (opened Feb 1995), 
255 Hindley Street, 5000 
Tel: 231 8333; fax: 231 4741

The Meridien Lodge, 
21-29 Melbourne Street, 
North Adelaide, 5006
Tel: 267 3033; fax: 239 0275

Old Adelaide Inn, 
Corner O'Connell & Gover Streets,
North Adelaide, 5006
Tel: 267 5066; fax: 267 2946

BRISBANE

Bellevue Brisbane, 
103 George Street, 4000
Tel: 221 6044; fax: 221 7474

Brisbane City Travelodge, 
Roma Street, 4000
P O Box 575 
Tel: 238 2222; fax: 283 2288

Brisbane Parkroyal, 
Corner Alice & Albert Streets, 4000
Tel: 221 3411; fax: 229 9817

Gateway, 
85-87 North Quay, 4000
Tel: 221-0211; fax: 236 1035

Gazebo Ramada, 
345 Wickham Terrace, 4000
Tel: 831-6177; fax: 832 5919

Lennon's Brisbane, 
66-76 Queen Street, 4000
Tel: 222 3222; fax: 221 9389

Mayfair Crest International, 
Corner Ann & Roma Streets
King George Square, 4000, P O Box 934 
Tel: 229 9111; fax: 229 9618

Metropolitan Inn motel, Leichhardt and little
Edward Streets, 4000 
(Tel: 831 6000; fax:832 6198

Sheraton Brisbane, 
249 Turbot Street, 4000
Tel: 835 3535; fax: 835 4960

Summit Apartments, 
Cnr Allenby & Leichhardt Streets,
Spring Hill, P O Box 4000
Tel: 839 7000; fax: 44 522

Tower Mill Motor Inn, 
239 Wickham Terrace, 4000
Tel: 832 1421; fax: 835 1013

CANBERRA

Canberra City, 
74 Northbourne Avenue, 2600
cnr Northborne Av & Cooyong St. P O Box 2600
Tel: 496 911; fax: 478 133

Canberra International Motor Inn, 
242 Northbourne Avenue, Dickson 2602 
Tel: 476 966; fax: 487 823

Capital Parkroyal, 
1 Binara Street, 2601
Tel: 478-999; fax: 574 903

Lakeside International, 
London Circuit, 2601
Tel: 476 244; fax: 573 071

Rex, 150 Northbourne Avenue, 
Braddon, 2601
P O Box 517
Tel: 485 311; fax: 488 357

Town House Motor Inn, 
60 Marcus Clarke Street, 2601
Tel: 488 011; tx: 62 057

DARWIN 

Darwin Traelode, 
122 The Esplanade, 0800
P O Box 3821
Tel: 815 388; fax: 815 701

Diamond Beach Hotel and Casino Resort, 
Gilruth Ave, 5790, P O Box 3846
Tel: 462 666; fax: 819 186

Four Seasons, Dashwood Crescent, 
Buffalo Court, 5790
P O Box 401
Tel: 815 333; fax: 410 909

Sheraton Darwin Hotel, 
32 Mitchell Street, 5790
P O Box 1750
Tel: 820 000; fax: 811 765

HOBART

Four Seasons Downtowner, 
96 Bathurst Street, 7000
Tel: 346 333; fax: 310 898

Hobart Pacific Motel, 
Kirby Court, Knocklofty
Tel: 346 733; fax: 311 197

Sheraton Hobart Hotel, 
1 Davey Street, 7000, P O Box 1601
Tel: 354 535; fax: 238 175

South Port Town House, 
167 Macquarie Street, 7000
Tel: 344 422; fax: 344 273

Wrest Point Federal, 
410 Sandy Bay Road, 7005
Tel: 250 112; fax: 253 909

MELBOURNE

Australia, 
266 Collins Street, 3000
Tel: 630-401; TX: 30 988

Chateau Melbourne, 
131 Lonsdale Street, 3000
Tel: 663 3161; TX: 31 483

City Gardens Melbourne, 
335 Abbotsford Street, 305
Tel: 320 6600; fax: 329 2174

Crossley Lodge Motel, 
51 Little Bourke Street, 3000
Tel: 662 2500; fax: 663 6556

Gordon Place Apartments Motel, 
24-32 Little Bourke Street, 3000
Tel: 663 5355; TX: 35 468

Hilton Internat Melbourne on the park, Corner
Wellington Parade & Clarendon Streets, 3002
P O Box 103
Tel: 419 3311; fax: 419 5630

Holiday Inn Park Suites (opened Feb 1995), 
333 Exhibition Street, 3000
Tel: 663 3333; fax: 663 8811

Hyatt on Collins, 
123 Collins Street, 3000
Tel: 657 1234; fax: 650 3491

Marco Polo Inn, 
Cnr Harker Street & Flemington Road, 3051
Tel: 329 1788; fax: 329 9950

Melbourne Airport Travelodge, 
Link Road, Melbourne Airport, 3045, 
P O Box 94
Tel: 338 2322; fax: 330 3230

Menzies at Rialto, 
495 Collins Street, 3000
Tel: 620-111; fax: 614 1219

Noah's Corner Exhibition & Little Bourke
Streets, 3000, P O Box 68B 
Tel: 662 0511; TX: 32 779

Park plaza International 
Tel: 650 7488

President melbourne, 
65 Queens Road, 3004
Tel: 529 4300; fax: 511 042

Regent, Collins Place, 
25 Collins Street, 3000
Tel: 653 0000; fax: 650 4261

Rockmans Regency, 
Corner Lonsdale & Exhibition Streets, 3000
Tel: 662 3900; fax: 663 4297

Royal Parade Travelodge, 
441 Royal Parade, Parkville, 3052
Tel: 380 9221; fax: 387 6448

Sheraton Melbourne, 
13-19 Spring Street, 3000
Tel: 650 5000; fax: 650 9622

Southern Cross, 
131 Exhibition Street, 3000
Tel: 653 0221; fax: 650 2119

St kilda Road Travelodge, 
St kilda Road & Park Street, 3205
Tel: 699 4833; fax: 690 1603

Town House, 
701 Swanston Street, 
Carlton 3053
Tel: 347 7811; fax: 347 8225

Victoria, 
215 Little Collins Street, 3000
Tel: 653 0441; fax: 650 9678

Windsor, 
103 115 Spring Street, 3000
Tel: 653 0653; fax: 654 5183

PERTH

Chateau Perth, 
Cnr hay Street & Victoria Ave, 6000
Tel: 325 0461; fax: 221 2448

Freeway, 
55 Mill Point Road, 6151
Tel: 367 7811; fax: 367 9159

Hilton International Parmelia, 
Mill Street, 6000
Tel: 322 3622; fax: 481 0857

Kings Ambassador, 
517 hay Street, 6000
Tel: 325 6555; fax: 221 1539

Merlin Perth, 
Corner plain Street & Adelaide, 
Terrace, 6000
Tel: 323 0121; TX: 94 131

New Esplande, 
18 The Esplanade, 6000
Tel: 325 2000; TX: 93 327

Orchard Perth, 
707 Wellington Street, 
P O Box 7244
Tel: 327 7000; fax: 327 7017

Perth Ambassador, 
196 Adelaide Terrace, 6000
Tel: 325 1455; fax: 325 6317

Perth International, 
10 Irwin Street, 6000
Tel: 325 0481; fax: 323 2902

Perth Parkroyal, 
54 Terrace Road, 6000 
Tel: 325 3811; fax: 221 1564

Sheraton Ferth, 
207 Adelaide Terrace
Tel: 325 0501; fax: 325 4032

Townhouse, 
778-788 hay Street, 6000
Tel: 321 9141; fax: 481 2250

Transit Inn, 
37 Pier Street, 6000 
Tel and fax: 325 7655

SYDNEY

Auburn Travelodge, 
95 Station Road, Auburn, 2144
Tel: 648 8888; fax: 648 5653

Best Western Florida Motor Inn, 
1 McDonald Street, 
Ports Point 2011
Tel: 358 6811; fax: 358 5951

Boulevard, 
90 william Street, 2011
Tel: 357 2277; fax: 356 3786

Cambridge Hotel, 
212 Riley Street, Surrey Hills 2101
tel: 212 1111; fax: 281 1981

Camperdown Travelodge, 
Cnr Missendon Road & Harsden Street, 
Camperdown, 2050
tel: 516 1522; fax: 519 4020

Chateau Sydney, 
14 Macleay Street, Ports Point 2011
tel: 358 2500; tx: 22 490

City Gardens Sydney, 
Corner City Road & Myrtle Street,
Chippendale, P O Box 416, 2007
tel: 690 9100; fax: 698 2007

Gazebo Ramada, 
2 Elizabeth bay Road, 
Potts Point, 2011, P O Box 1143
tel: 358 1999; fax: 356 2951

Hilton International Sydney, 
259 Pitt Street, 2001, 
P O Box 3934 
tel: 266 0610; fax: 265 6065

Hilton International Sydney Airport, 
20 levey Street, Arncliffe 2205, 
P O Box 75
tel: 597 0122; tx: 170 795

Holiday Inn Park Suites (opened Feb 1995)
16-32 Oxford Street, 2010
tel: 331 7728; fax: 360 2583

Holiday Inn Menzies, 
14 Carrington Street, 2000
P O Box 5290; fax: 290 3819

Hyatt Kingsgate, 
On illiam Street, 
Kings Cross, 2011
P O Box: 252
tel: 356 1234; fax: 356 4150

Hyde Park Plaza, 
38 College Street, 2010
tel: 331 6933; fax: 331 6022

Inter Continental ydney, 
117 Macquarie street, 2000
tel: 230 0200; fax: 251 2342

Manhattan, 8 Greenknowe Avenue, 
Potts Point, 2011,
P O Box 791
tel: 358 1288: fax: 357 3696

Manly Pacific Parkroyal, 
55 North Steyne, Manly 2095
tel: 977 7666; fax: 977 7822

Marriott, 
36 College Street, 2010
tel: 361 8400; fax: 361 8599

North Sydney Travelodge, 
Blue Street, 2060
tel: 955 0499; fax: 922 3689

Northside Gardens, 
54 McLaren Street, 
North Sydney, 2060
tel: 922 1311; fax: 922 4939

Old Sydney Parkroyal, 
55 George Street, 2000
fax: 251 2093

Park Plaza International 
tel: 331 6933

Parramatta City Motel, 
Corner Great West
Highway & Marsden Street, Parramatta, 2150
tel: 635 7266; tx: 70 261

Regent of Sydney, 
199  George Street, 2000
tel: 238 0000; fax: 251 2851

Russell, 
143a George Street, 
The Rocks, 2000
tel: 241 3543

Ryde Travelodge, 
1188 Victoria Road, 
West Ryde, 2144
tel: 858 5333; tx: 70 262

Sebel Town House, 
23 Elizabeth bay Road, 2011
tel: 358 3244; fax: 357 1926

Sheraton Wentworth, 
61-101 Phillip Street
Central Business District 2000
tel: 230 0700; fax: 227 9133

Southern Cross, 
Corner Elizabeth & Goulburn Streets, 2000
fax: 211 1806

Top of the Town, 
227 Victoria Street, 
Kings Cross, 2011, P O Box 59 
tel: 330 911; fax: 334 972

Wynyard Travelodge, 
7-9 York Street, 2000 
fax: 262 2416