From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Charlie Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: *NEW* TRAVEL INFORMATION -- Australia
Date: 16 Nov 1992 13:37:58 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Australia
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Australia - Consular Information Sheet
 November 13, 1992

Embassy and Consulate Locations:  The U.S. Embassy in Canberra is 
located at Moonah Place, Canberra, A.C.T. 2600; the telephone number 
is (61-6) 270-5000.  The U.S. Consulate General in Sydney is located 
on the 36th floor of the Pacific Power Building, corner of Park and 
Elizabeth Streets, Sydney, N.S.W. 2000; the telephone number is 
(61-2) 261-9200.  The U.S. Consulate General in Melbourne is located 
at 553 St. Kilda Road, P.O. Box 6722, Melbourne, VIC; the telephone 
number is (61-3) 526-5900.  The U.S. Consulate General in Perth is 
located on the 13th floor, 16 St. Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6000, 
Telephone: (61-9) 231-9400.  The U.S. Consulate in Brisbane is at 
383 Wickham Terrace, 4th Floor, Brisbane, QLD 4000, telephone: 
(61-7) 405-5555.  There is also a U.S. consular agent in Adelaide at 
level 24, State Bank Centre, 91 King William Street, Adelaide, South 
Australia, 5000.  The telephone number is (61-8) 233-5819 or 
233-5858.

Country Description:  Australia is a highly developed stable 
democracy with a federal-state system.  Tourist facilities are 
widely available.

Entry Requirements:  Passport, visa, and onward/return 
transportation are required.  Transit visas are not required for up 
to eight hours' stay at the airport.  For further information 
concerning longer stays or any other Australian regulations, 
travelers can contact the Embassy of Australia at 1601 Massachusetts 
Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20036, telephone (202) 797-3000 or 
Australian Consulates General in Los Angeles, San Francisco, 
Honolulu, Chicago, New York, or Houston.

Medical Facilities:  Good medical care is widely available.  
Doctors and hospitals may expect immediate cash payment for health 
services.  U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the 
United States.  Supplemental medical insurance with specific 
overseas coverage has proved useful.  Information on health matters 
can also be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control's 
international travelers hotline at tel. (404) 332-4559.

Information on Crime:  Australia's crime rate is low.  However, 
foreign visitors from the U.S. or elsewhere are targets for 
pick-pockets, purse snatchers and petty thieves.  Automobile 
burglaries and theft of personal belongings also occur.  Useful 
information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security 
while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State 
pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad".  It is available from the 
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 
Washington D.C. 20402.

Drug Penalties:  Penalities for possession, use, or trafficking in 
illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail 
sentences and fines.

Registration:  Americans who register at the U.S. Embassy or a U.S. 
consulate can obtain updated information on travel and security 
within the country.

 No. 92-092