If you are intending to go to Sydney, and especially if you are an international traveler, there are a number of things to know that can make the difference between a really great experience, and a potential disaster.

Below I have outlined 11 ‘MUST Know’ things, and for good measure, I have added No 12, which is something I wish I had known about, when I arrived in Sydney.

List of ‘MUST Knows’ for Sydney

In this Post, we shall explore:

FREE Checklist :
“Hey there, B4 U go, have you …”

Hi there! I’m Marlene,
I do hope you are enjoying my Post.
Want a FREE copy of my ‘last-minute’ pre-departure checklist?

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A Quick Peek Inside "Hey there, B4 U go, have you…"

When the time comes to lock my door and head out on a new adventure, truthfully I'm usually quite excited and a bit stressed, often a bit tired, and sometimes even running behind schedule.

And that’s when mistakes can easily happen. Which is why I always use my B4 I Go Checklist.

My Checklist keeps me 'on track', and gives me 'peace of mind' when I am far away, that my home base is safe and secure (IF I work through the Checklist, and do everything it contains!).

Here’s a quick peek at what it covers:

• Home Security (doors, windows, gates, alarms, any out-buildings)
• Public Utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewerage, trash, recycling)
• Fire Prevention (smoke detectors, combustible materials, rubbish)
• Final Check (before locking the door)
• Extra Tips

The Checklist is available in several formats, including:

• Google DOCS file
• PDF file for viewing on a cell/mobile/smart 'phone
• PDF Printable files – Letter and A4 formats
• TXT file (to copy and paste the content into an Editor)

And here's a peek at parts of what's on offer:

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1. Visas for International Travellers

Australia does not offer Visas on arrival, except for New Zealanders. Unless you carry a New Zealand passport, you must obtain a Visa or travel permit, before arriving at the Australian border.

An Australian Visa can be obtained online. Depending on your passport, you can obtain a Visa using either the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA,) or the eVisitor Visa site.

To explore your Visa options, checkout:

To obtain a 3-month Australian Visa online:

Note that Australian Border Force officials have authority to cancel a Visa during the immigration process if they consider false information has been provided. When this happens, people may also be prevented from returning to Australia for three years.

2. Australian Border Bio-Security

The Australia Border Force treats both Australian citizens, and visitors, exactly the same.

Be aware that Australia has very strict laws regarding bio-security, illicit drugs, and prohibited medicines (such as sedatives). On-the-spot fines can be issued for carrying non-importable food stuffs.

Be wise, research Australian immigration laws, including bio-security, before arriving:

Also, be aware that across Australia, to prevent the spread of pests and diseases, the States have their own quarantine rules, including specific bio-security zones.

Full details are available in the downloadable PDF file:- Australian Interstate Quarantine: A traveller’s guide

The Interstate Quarantine map (extract shown above) has interactive coloured overlays showing various quarantine areas across Australia. When overlays are tapped, a pop-up provides an explanation of the quarantine area or zone.

Note:
On a mobile device, use the state names below the map to position the map view on your screen:

3. Laws for Alcohol, Driving, Smoking

Outdoor Alcohol Restrictions

For all visitors to Sydney, it pays to be aware of the City’s Outdoor Alcohol Restrictions. As a rule, public roads and footpaths are alcohol-free zones, and parks and covered spaces are alcohol-prohibited. These apply 24/7, while other restrictions are short-term, for an event, such as New Year’s Eve. For further details, checkout the following City of Sydney web pages:

This page also links to a map showing:

Driving

In NSW, you are allowed to drive vehicles covered by your overseas licence, while you remain a temporary overseas visitor.

If your licence is not written in English, you must also carry an English translation, or an International Driving Permit.

Wearing seat belts while driving is compulsory; this applies to both front and rear seated vehicle occupants. Child restraints are also compulsory for children, up to age seven.

Drink driving – you’re breaking the law if you drive and your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is equal to or more than 0.05. If you’re on a learner’s or provisional licence, your BAC must be zero.

Driving while using a handheld mobile phone, or any other device with a visual display, except for a GPS, is illegal. A GPS unit must be either an integrated part of the vehicle design, or if it is a separate device, be secured in a commercially designed holder.

See Also: 4. Road Safety in Australia

Smoke-free Laws

The NSW State Government has enacted Smoke-free laws to protect people from harmful second-hand tobacco smoke. These also include using e-cigarettes, and apply in both enclosed and outdoor public areas.

For further details, checkout this NSW Health web page:

Residents of apartment buildings are affected by laws covering smoking nuisance, including smoke drift from balconies. This law also applies to smoke from barbeques, etc.

Be aware that the City of Sydney has penalties in place for people who discard cigarettes or butts in the streets, or waterways. In the case of an unlit or extinguished, a fine of $80 apples. If it is still alight, the fine is $200.

4. Road Safety in Australia

If you are an international visitor to Australia, perhaps the most important safety challenge that you face is the direction of traffic flow.

Except for one-way streets, all oncoming traffic always comes from the RIGHT, because Australians drive on the left side of the road. Before crossing the road, anywhere, always look in BOTH directions. Remembering to do this could save your life!

5. Travel Insurance – Ambulance Cover

Travel insurance (or private health fund cover) for overseas visitors is a must, as a trip by an ambulance to the nearest hospital is not cheap!

Website link:

For interstate and overseas residents:

Note:
this is also available as a downloadable Fact Sheet .PDF file:

6. Beach Safety – Coastal & Harbour beaches

As ocean beaches, both Manly and Bondi will have rip-currents, which are caused by a strong flow of water, running from the beach, as it returns to the ocean. If you do intend to take to the water, be sure to look for the beach safety flags (red on yellow combination) that mark the supervised area for swimmers.

While the highly toxic Box Jellyfish is not found around Sydney, one unpleasant visitor to ocean beaches during the summer is the Bluebottle jellyfish. Also known as the Pacific Man-of-War, Bluebottles are more common on ocean beaches, where they are often washed ashore by strong north-easterly winds.

For swimmers, a number of Sydney Harbour’s beaches to the east (i.e. Opera House side) of the Harbour Bridge are protected with shark nets. It is known the harbour is visited by Bull Sharks, particularly during summer and autumn. Shark nets are also installed between 1 September and 30 April at most of Sydney’s coastal beaches, including Manly and Bondi, during the (shark) ‘meshing season’.

Following periods of high rainfall, both Sydney Harbour, and many coastal beaches, become polluted from stormwater run-off. Public warnings are usually issued, advising people to avoid swimming at beaches. The daily status of Sydney’s beaches can be checked at:

Because of historical industrial pollution, much of the upper harbour, west of the Harbour Bridge, is considered unsafe for fishing, shellfish gathering, or swimming. Except for a small area near the harbour entrance, all harbour sediments exceed guidelines for at least one contaminant. The most polluted sediments are found in Homebush Bay, Hen & Chicken Bay, Iron Cove, Rozelle Bay, Blackwattle Bay and Long Bay. The worst contaminants are dioxins, heavy metals (e.g. arsenic, lead and mercury), and pesticides (e.g. DDT).

A guide to fishing in Sydney Harbour is available at:

7. Sydney’s Weather can be a Lottery

The Sydney region has its own microclimate. This means the weather can be both variable across the region, and also quite changeable, even on the same day.

Features which can bring extreme weather to Sydney include Antarctic cold air masses from the Southern Ocean, desert-warmed air masses from central Australia, ex-tropical cyclone remnants, and the infamous ‘East Coast Lows’.

On average, Sydney’s winters are sunnier than its summers. In downtown Sydney, temperatures can change from the low 20’s to high 30’s, or from wet and cool, sometimes humid, to hot and dry, within a matter of days.

Sydney can have a lot of rain, but it has no pronounced dry season. So, don’t forget to pack an umbrella, or even a lightweight poncho, especially if you intend to be outdoors.

During summer, Australia’s UV level is higher than the northern hemisphere. Apparently, this is due to the Earth’s elliptical orbit, which brings Australia closer to the sun, resulting in an additional 7% solar UV intensity. Australia also has clearer atmospheric conditions, which means we can be exposed to up to 15% more UV than our northern cousins.

Sunburn and dehydration are summertime hazards, especially in the outdoors. Protect yourself with water-resistant, reef-friendly sunscreen (SPF30 or higher), and by regularly drinking small amounts of water. Ensure you have suitable clothing, such as loose-fitting tops and pants, with long sleeves and legs, plus a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, ears, and the back of your neck. Other preventative measures include eating fruits and vegetables that have a high water content, and where possible, finding shade to sit in.

Useful links for current and forecasted weather information include:

Sydney 7-day Forecast

Alt Sydney 7-day Forecast (appears to be a Beta site to replace the one above)

Meteye view of today’s weather
showing Sydney coastal view, with options for rainfall, wind, waves, temperature, storms, humidity, and UV

128 km Sydney Rain Radar Loop

Note:
The BoM site is not designed for viewing on mobile devices. Some browsers may not like the fact the site is not yet an https: (i.e. secured) site.

8. Parts of Sydney are Hilly

Be aware that parts of Sydney are quite hilly!

So, be careful where you decide to stay, as some suburbs have steep, narrow and windy roads.

One of the most popular tourist areas, The Rocks district, is set on a steep, rocky headland. Here, there are a number of stairs to be negotiated, both ascending and descending.

There are also parts of Sydney’s city area that are relatively flat, or have a much more gentle gradient, such as George Street, one of the main shopping precincts.

Sydney has a great public transport system, with trains, trams, buses, and ferries. Sydney Metro is a fully accessible railway, with all train terminals equipped with elevators.

9. Sydney can be Expensive

Sydney is rated as the most expensive city in Australia. In comparison to my hometown of Melbourne (Australia), I found the cost of items such as food, and entertainment, to be slightly dearer in Sydney.

Car parking in Sydney is also very costly. Apparently, on a global scale, Sydney ranks particularly highly in this regard.

Budget Research

To research basic costs in Sydney for food, transport, entertainment, etc., I use Expatistan:

The Expatistan Cost of Living website also allows us to make a direct a city-to-city comparison of costs for any chosen cities:

10. Emergency Numbers

11. The Trees that…..can kill you!

Australia is the land of the Eucalypts, commonly known as ‘gum trees’. The Eucalypt species (Eucalypts include Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus trees) make up around 75% of Australia’s native forest area.

Amongst the giants of the forest, many of the bigger Eucalypts of Victoria and Tasmania can reach about 90 metres (or 300 feet) in height, with a circumference of 7.5 metres (or 24.5 feet). ‘Centurion’, in Tasmania’s Arve Valley, stands at 100.5 metres.

Several of Australia’a Eucalypts have acquired a fearsome reputation as ‘widow-makers’. This comes from the tendency of apparently healthy trees to shed a large branch. This happens totally without any warning, except for a sound of cracking, as the branch breaks free!

Some arborists describe this as ‘self-pruning’. Usually, it is the older trees that drop branches, meaning the fall may be of 20 or more metres. The branches are very dense, because of their high resin content, making for a serious impact.

Often, the shed branch is growing laterally, out from the main trunk, rather than upwards. While some dropped branches show signs of disease, this is not always so. The only warning sign for a tree may be a scar from an earlier dropped branch, or a branch lying nearby on the ground.

As dropped branches are more common in summer, particularly during dry, windy spells, arborists consider this is about self-preservation, allowing the tree to conserve water. That said, there are often no signs of an impending branch drop.

The best arborist advice is: “don’t sit (or camp) under the branches of older eucalypts, especially in summer.”

12. Public Transport uses Contactless Credit Cards

Perhaps not a ‘Must’ know, but this is more than just a ‘Nice to know’.

In late 2019, Transport NSW rolled out the use of contactless credit card payments to pay for trips on public transport in Sydney and surrounds. This means that visitors no longer need an Opal card.

Cards with contactless technology display the Wave (wifi) symbol on the front of the card.

Using a contactless credit card receives the same travel benefits and rewards as an Adult Opal card, i.e. daily and weekly cost caps are applied to all forms of Public Transport; daily cost caps also apply to travel on weekends and Public Holidays.