Information

Currency

Decimal currency is used in Australia - units are dollars and cents. All major credit cards are widely accepted in Australia. Visit www.xe.com for current exchange rates.

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Banks

Normal banking hours are Monday to Thursday 9:30am-4:00pm and Fridays 9:30am-5:00pm, excluding public holidays. 24 Hour Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) can be found throughout the City and Shopping Centres.

There are four major banks in Australia which offer a full range of banking services including currency conversions and sales of travellers cheques including Commonwealth Bank, Westpac Bank, ANZ Bank and the National Bank.

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Time

Local Gold Coast time during October is – Greenwich Mean Time plus 11 hours.

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Climate

The Gold Coast has a sub-tropical climate with plenty of sunshine year round (in fact an average of 300 days a year).

Summer temperatures range from 19 to 29 degrees Celsius (66 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit).

Winter temperatures range from an average of 9 to 21 degrees Celsius (48 to 69 degrees Fahrenheit) - it's no wonder the Gold Coast is Australia's favourite playground.

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Travel & health insurance

The Conference does not provide insurance to delegates. We strongly recommend that you take out insurance policies to cover medical and travel expenses. If necessary, consult your travel agent.

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Wheelchair access or other mobility disability access

When you register, please notify the Conference Secretariat of any mobility disabilities you have so that any venue access challenges can be addressed.

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How to get to the Gold Coast

Air

The Gold Coast Airport is just 20 minutes south of the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre with regular flights from all capital cities and some Queensland regional centres.

Services are provided domestically by Virgin Australia, Qantas, Jetstar, Tigerair and Airnorth, and internationally through multiple airlines including AirAsia X, Scoot, Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand.

Regular bus and shuttle services are available from Gold Coast Airport to Broadbeach.

For further information please visit www.goldcoastairport.com.au

Public Transport

To get to and from the Brisbane Airport, the closest train station is called Nerang. It is about 15 minutes by taxi or you can also catch a Surfside bus.

G:link Light Rail

The Gold Coast's G:link light rail system is a 13-kilometre corridor connecting Griffith University to Broadbeach, passing through the key activity centres of Surfers Paradise and Southport.

The service provides an easily-accessible and affordable transport option for patrons and guests, with the Broadbeach North Station conveniently located just metres from the Centre's main entrance.

Services run 7-days a week, approximately every 10 to 15 minutes. The network connects the Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise entertainment and dining precincts to a great diversity of accommodation – every style and budget, from resort accommodation to five-star hotels with a travel time of 10 minutes.

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Taxes

A Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10% applies to all consumer goods and is included in retail prices. All fees are quoted in Australian Dollars and are subject to GST.

Australia offers a Tourism Refund Scheme which enables travellers to apply for a refund on the Goods and Service Taxation on items you purchase in the Country. For details and how to claim please visit https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/Tour/Are-you-a-traveller.

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Tipping

Tipping is not the general custom in Australia and service charges are not added to accounts by hotels and restaurants. However, you may tip hotel porters and food and drink waiters in restaurants (up to 10% of the bill) for special service. At any time, tipping is at your discretion.

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Eating Out

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre is located in Broadbeach, a unique entertainment precinct where an array of restaurants and cafes offer varied menus, prices and décor. Local seafood delicacies are recommended and include Oysters, King Prawns, Queensland Mud Crab, Balmain Bugs and Barramundi. These are delicious when accompanied by Australian wines, many of which have won major international awards.

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Mobile Phones

Australia operates on a digital network.

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Things you cannot bring into Australia

Australia has very strict importation laws and like most countries we place great emphasis on protecting out native fauna and flora from infectious diseases and other hazardous substances. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) provides quarantine inspection services for the arrival of international passengers, cargo, mail, animals, plants or their products exported from Australia. For more information regarding specifically what you are able to bring into Australia visit the Australian quarantine and Inspection Service website at www.aqis.gov.au.

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Visa Information