Number of Visits
1647
Early Bird Deadline
0
Days to go till Conference
- - -
General Information
Banks
Banks in Australia are open from 0930 to 1600 Monday to Thursday and 0930 to 1730 on Friday. Select banks are open on Saturday; however, all banks are closed on Sunday.
Business Hours
General office and post offices are open from 0900 to 1700 Monday to Friday.
Climate
May is part of Sydney’s autumn season and temperatures on average will be 15 ° C
(59 ° F) during the day and 22 ° C (72 ° F) during the evenings.
Currency
Australian currency is decimal with units being dollars and cents. All major credit cards are accepted throughout Australia.
The exchange rates as at May 2007 are: AUD1 = €0.60 = US$0.82 = £0.41. Exchange rates can also be viewed through the following link: http://www.xe.com
Dress Code
The dress code for the Welcome Drinks and throughout the Conference will be business casual. For the Conference Dinner we recommend "Lounge Attire".
Duty Free
Australia has a duty free quota per person of 2.25 litres of alcohol, 250 cigarettes and dutiable goods up to the value of AUD900. Duty Free stores are located at International Airports and throughout Sydney’s central business district.
Electricity
Australian electricity supply is 240 volts, 50Hz. Appliance connection is via a flat 3-pin plug of unique design to Australia. Most hotels provide 110-volt outlets for shavers; however, adaptors can be purchased for 110v appliances as well as adaptors for 220v appliances with differing plug types.
Goods and Services tax (GST) and Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)
On 1 July 2000, Australia introduced a new taxation system incorporating the Goods and Services Tax (GST). All prices quoted are inclusive of the 10% GST, unless otherwise specified.
The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) enables you to claim a refund, subject to certain conditions, of the GST and Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) that you pay on goods and services in Australia.
To claim a refund, you must:
- Spend AUD300 (GST Inclusive) or more in one store and get a single tax invoice
- Buy goods no more than 30 days before departure
- Wear or carry the goods on board the aircraft or ship and present them along with your original tax invoice, passport and international boarding pass to a Customs Officer at a TRS facilty.
- Claims at airports are only available up to 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight
The refund only applies to goods you take with you as hand luggage or wear on the aircraft when you leave Australia. It does not apply to goods or services consumed or partly consumed within Australia, such as wine, chocolates or perfume. However, unlike other tourist shopping schemes, most of the goods, such as clothing and cameras, can be used within Australia prior to your departure.
The TRS is open to all overseas visitors and Australian residents.
The GST refund is calculated by dividing the total amount of the purchase by 11. The WET refund is 14.5% of the price paid for wine. For example, if you buy goods for a GST inclusive price of AUD660, you will receive a refund of AUD60. If the AUD660 is made up of a camera (AUD460) and wine (AUD200), you will receive a total refund of AUD89 (total GST refund of AUD60 plus AUD29 WET refund on the wine).
Insurance
It is strongly recommended that at the time you register for the Conference and book your travel you take out an insurance policy. The policy should include loss of fees/deposit through cancellation of your participation in the Conference, or through cancellation of the Conference, loss of international/domestic air fares through cancellation for any reason, loss of tour monies through cancellation for any reason (including airline or related services strikes within Australia), failure to utilise tours or pre booked arrangements due to airline delay, Force Majeure or any other reason, medical expenses (including sickness and accident cover), loss or damage to personal property, additional expenses and repatriation should travel arrangements have to be altered.
The Conference Managers cannot take any responsibility for any participant failing to arrange their own insurance. This insurance is to be purchased in your country of origin.
Language
English is spoken throughout Australia and will be the official language for the Conference.
Local Time
Local time in Sydney during May is Greenwich Mean Time plus 11 hours.
Mobile Phones
Analogue mobile phones will not work in Australia as it operates on a digital network. Mobile phones can be hired from telecommunication outlets in the central business district if required.
Parking
Parking is available free of charge for delegates in the members carpark. The carpark is accessed via Gate One which is directly off Grand Avenue which is accessed from James Ruse Dr. Further details can be found on http://www.stc.com.au/exhibitions_and_events/rosehill_gardens_venue_ove/transport_events.html
Privacy
Australia has strict privacy laws which are designed to protect the right of the individual to privacy of their information. The Conference Secretariat complies with this legislation and any information collected in respect of proposed participation in any aspect of the Conference will only be used for the purposes of planning and conducting the Conference.
Provision will be made on the Conference registration form for delegates to elect whether they wish for their details to be included in a "Delegate List" of attendees.
Public Transport
Rosehill Gardens is easily access via multiple forms of public transport.
By Train
Rosehill Train Station is located at the entrance to Rosehill Gardens.
For train times please call the Transport Infoline on 131500 or visit www.131500.com.au.
By Bus
Connex Bus Company operate a regular scheduled bus service, No. 904, Monday to Saturday, between Parramatta and Lidcombe via Rosehill Gardens.
The bus service departs from the Parramatta Rail Interchange at 6.32am, then approximately every 1/2 hour till 5.30pm (4.30pm on Saturdays).
For more timetable information contact Connex on (02) 9631 8500.
By Ferry
A regular rivercat service runs from Circular Quay to Charles Street Wharf Parramatta. There is a connecting bus service that runs from the wharf to Rosehill Gardens and return.
For rivercat times please call the Transport Infoline on 131 500 or visit www.131500.com.au.
By Taxi
A free direct telephone is provided at the venue.
Quarantine
Australia is free from many plant and animal diseases prevalent in other countries. Very strict quarantine rules apply to the import of animals and plants, which cannot be brought into the country without prior application. Animal and plant products are also restricted.
For more information, please read the "Information for International Travelers" on the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) website at www.affa.gov.au.
Restaurants
The City of Parramatta offers numerous cafes and restaurants, offering a diversity of eating experiences for all tastes and budgets. To find restaurants in Parramatta please visit www.eatability.com.au and put Parramatta in the suburb search on the left hand side of the page.
Shopping
Shops are open from 0900 to 0530 Monday to Friday with late night shopping until 2100 on Thursday evenings. Shops are open from 0900 to 1700 on Saturdays and from 1000 to 1600 on Sundays.
The closest shopping centre to Rosehill is Parramatta Westfield which is located on 159-175 Church St Parramatta NSW 2150. All stores are open until 1700 on Friday and Saturday and until 1600 on Sunday. Parramatta Westfield has a range of men's and women's fashion stores, specialty shops and food stores.
Australia's premier factory outlet centre, DFO, is also located at Homebush. DFO brings a new and exciting style of shopping to the retail scene, with over 80 individual outlets under the one roof. With many well-known brand names in the complex, stores offer ladies and men’s fashion, children’s wear, footwear, handbags and luggage, home wares, as well as other specialty outlets. DFO is open 1000 to 1800 every day.
Tipping
Tipping is not standard practice in Australia but is welcomed when the service exceeds expectation. It is recommended to tip 5 - 10% in bars, cafes and restaurants.
Visas
Many delegates require a letter of invitation from the Conference Secretariat to assist in obtaining a visa. This process has now changed and when applying for a visa you no longer need a letter of invitation. When you register yourself for the Conference, your details will be passed onto your relevant Australian Embassy Overseas.
When you start the application for a visa, your registration for the Conference must already be submitted. Please note that registration for the Conference does not guarantee a visa as each visa applicant will still be required to meet normal Entry Requirements before a visa can be granted.
If you have any enquiries, please visit www.immi.gov.au. Please ensure that you leave plenty of time for your visa application to be processed as this can sometimes take several weeks or longer.