Climate

Climate

Australia’s climate is varied according to your location, but about 40% of the country is dessert. Central Australia is largely dessert terrain, and experiences little to no rainfall throughout the year. Northern Australia experiences a tropical climate, enjoying temperatures ranging from 14°C to up and around 32°C. Southern Australia’s temperatures range from 29°C to 15°C throughout the year.

Recreation

Recreation and Sports

Sports are one of the main sources of recreation in Australia. Due to the moderate climate, outdoor activity is common all year round. Tennis, golf, basketball, swimming, horse racing, rugby and of course cricket make up the most followed sports in the country. For adventure seekers, Australia has plenty to offer. Options for adrenaline seekers include but are not limited to: skydiving, bungee jumping, mountain biking, indoor racing, scaling the bridge, rappelling, paintball, fishing and rock- climbing. Water adventure sports also draw many to Australia, scuba dive, surf, snorkel and cliff dive along the gold coast for some breath taking marine beauty and some heart pounding waves. Along with all the action based sports, Australia offers some luxuriant and challenging golf courses for pros and beginners.

Culture

Culture

Australian culture is a blend of Aboriginal values, European influence and more recently immigrant influx. Natives of Australia follow their own indigenous cultural traditions and co-exist peacefully with other residents of the land. Australian Cuisine originally only English cooking has now become a vibrant blend of spices and recipes from all over the world including: Turkish, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Greek, South Asian, and Arab culinary styles. Barbeque popular is still highly popular and very commonly washed down with an alcoholic beverage. Australia is home to some very friendly folk that are not afraid to greet new comers with a welcome “G’day Mate!”

Transport

Transport

All major cities in Australia will afford you access to public transit, trains, taxis, buses and trams make up the grid of transport that will get you where you need to go. You will pay between $3.20 and 7$ depending on the type and length of your travel. Depending on your needs, you might make use of a carpooling strategy to get around instead, check postings on bulletin boards and online for such information; it can save you a lot of time and money.

Part Time Work

Part Time / Casual Work

Part time job opportunities in Australia are varied and diverse; your ability to find a job in Australia is directly related to your fluency in English. The more comfortable you are with English the better, as the customer service sector is where you are likely to find work. Retail is the most popular choice for part time work in Canada but there are great opportunities everywhere if you know where to look. Finding part time employment in Australia is not difficult and there are usually student unions and employment advising centres that will help students find suitable employment that will give you more than just a pay cheque at the end of the day. These services are aimed directly at finding relevant and satisfactory work for students and can be very helpful to those who choose to utilize them. Students can expect to work as waiters, shop clerks, office assistants, kitchen hands, customer service reps, junior camp counselors etc. Be sure to check out your schools website as they should have job search engines that will help you figure out what kind of employment you are looking for. Part-time employees within Australia are legally entitled to paid annual leave, sick leave, and maternity leave etc. except it is covered on a ‘pro-rata’ (percentage) basis depending on the hours worked each week.
Wages: In Australia full-time employees usually work 38 hours a week. They are paid for a full week’s work and receive benefits like paid annual leave and sick leave.

Part-time employees work less than 38 hours a week but generally receive the same benefits. These are calculated on a proportionate or ‘pro rata’ basis. If you are employed part-time you will usually work regular hours or shifts.

Casual employees work on an hourly or daily basis and are less likely to have regular or guaranteed hours. They do not get paid sick leave or annual leave, but the rate of pay is usually higher to make up for this. Australia’s minimum wage is $15.51 per hour, however there are rates for junior employees:

• Under 16 years of age $5.71
• At 16 years of age $7.34
• At 17 years of age $8.96
• At 18 years of age $10.59
• At 19 years of age $12.80
• At 20 years of age $15.15

Night Life

Night Life

Trendy bars, nightclubs, theatres and other hotspots are all over the country. Those looking forward to have a taste of the nightlife in Australia will have a range of options to choose from. Australians have always been known for their zest for life. When it comes to partying and enjoying the Australia nightlife, you can surely expect the best.
Some of the best bars in Australia are: The Austral and The Exeter in Adelaide, Metropolis Concert Club, The Church, The Jackal and Club A in Perth, 20 Meyers Place, 6 Links, Afterdark, Blue Bar 330, CBD Nightclub, E Fifty Five, Platform 66 and Volt in Melbourne, Fantastic Voyage, Flaunt, Essence, Booty Bar Fridays, Chocolate City, DeJa Vu, RnB Madness and Sounds On Sunday in Sydney.
The Adelaide Festival Center houses a number of halls that host everything from ballet concerts, drama, operas to plays among others. Country music rock concerts and jazz performances can also be enjoyed here. The Arts Theatre, the Sydney Opera House and Her Majesty’s Theatre are other places guaranteed to provide you with a good night.

Health Care

Health Care

Health care in Australia is provided by both private and government institutions. Primary health care remains the responsibility of the federal government, elements of which are overseen by individual states. In Australia the current system, known as Medicare, coexists with a private health system. As well as Medicare, there is a separate Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme that heavily subsidizes prescription medications.