Australia has an extensive land size, about three quarters that of the United States, with a population of 23.5 million. This population is concentrated in the coast line main cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, with the central land sparkly populated due to its climate and geography.
Australia has become a popular country for global tour and study abroad because of its safety, its open social environment, and its natural gifts. Australia has plentiful resources, and world class financial, law, medication, and IT industries; all part of it’s continuously expanding exchange with the Asia and Pacific area nations.
Australia consists of 6 states, New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), Queensland (QLD), Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (TAS) and 2 special territories, Canberra (Australia Capital Territory, ACT), and Northern Territory (NT). Approximately 120 multinational people dwell in its country.
Australia Climate
Australia has a variety of climates throughout its vast landscape. Located in the southern hemisphere its season are reversed in regard to the northern hemisphere countries. Northern travel brings you closer to the equator and the tropical climate; when traveling south, it become colder, especially during the winter.
- Tropical Rain Forest Climate: Northernmost area from Darwin in Northern Territory (NT)
- Tropical Climate: Northern area centered from Cairns, Northern Queensland (QLD), mostly northern area of Western Australia (WA)
- Subtropical Climate: Brisbane, Located in southern Queensland (QLD), a few middle area around Western Australia (WA) and Gold Coast
- Desert Climate: Urulu: Ayers Rock, central region, and South Australia (SA)
- Temperature Climate: Australia’s major cities Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Tasmania, and central, southern regions.
Australia Price Rate
Price differences in Australia is very distinct. Generally, price of rice, meat, vegetable, and anything that is being produced in Australia is quite cheap, but stationary, electronic, and all the industrial product are being imported from other countries so the price is higher than its quality. Also, whether you are dining in a restaurant or food court, and any public transportation like train, bus, taxi are priced high.
There are many big supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles, and they open until 12pm so there is no hassle for late night shopping for food. For budget friendly shopping, there are low cost supermarkets like ALDI, and many other warehouses like K-Mart, Target, Big W, so you can shop various items for cheap prices.
You can also buy foreign foods conveniently at local foreign markets in big cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane with almost same or slightly higher price.
Australia Finance Facilities
Banking in Australia is very convenient and there are institutions like Credit Union doing the similar job. These finance institutions have ATMs for convenient usage. There are major Australian banks like ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac, St George located in each states, or you could use Credit Union with ease just like normal bank
Opening an account can be simply done within 6 weeks after arrival. You have to prepare a passport, cash to deposit, and local home address (any shipping address is fine). If you wish to open after 6 weeks, you will be required to bring additional documents.
There are many types of account and to recommend, the Savings Account is easy access and deposit your money. The card will be posted to your local home address within 2 weeks after opening an account. The first acquired bank card can be activated by internet banking or visiting at your local bank, which then you will be required to make 4 digits of pin number to secure your account, otherwise your card will not be activated.
Money in your account can only be withdrawn at the EFTPOS marked ATMs. Money can be also withdrawn at the local bank, and if you need to withdraw large amount of money, notify the bank prior to your visit so they can prepare the cash. You can also withdraw some money at the big supermarkets or gas station.
Australian account has high commission rate for maintenance fee, and there are some accounts that cost additional fee when used over daily limit (You have options to choose these account types when opening an account). Use your phone app or internet banking to check the balance and history.
Australia Transporation
Australia is also known as motor world because of car dependency. Luckily, all the major cities have train, bus, ferry, monorail, tram, and taxi, so it is not necessary to have your own vehicle to go somewhere. But during the busy traffic hours like morning and commute, there could be difference in allocated time so you should consider timetable and the travel distance prior to travelling.
Australia’s major cities uses transportation card. Opal Card in Sydney, Myki Card in Melbourne, and Go Card in Brisbane. Use these cards to travel at low cost.
Using a Train
Each cities in a state have a train that has a connecting network to all regions and runs by allocated time. In most cities, there is a price difference by distance. Some occasions in the weekend, passengers will have to use buses substituting train due to the rail construction and it takes longer period of time to transport than expected.
Using a Bus
It is common that most of bus stops in Australia doesn’t have a route map. Even if there was a map, name of streets, and bus stops are not clearly stated. And there are no announcements in the bus, so you should check the bus route before on board. When you get close to the destination, you can either press the bell and wait, or ask the driver and they will kindly guide you to the destination.
Using a Taxi
If you are in a big city, you can either wait at the taxi stop, or stop the on going taxi. You can also make an appointment but due to its high cost, taking a taxi is not suitable when travelling far.
(한국어)
호주내 한인타운
호주의 한인교민은 약 10만여명 정도되며, 이중 60%에 해당되는 교민이 시드니에 거주하고 있습니다. 그 다음으로는 멜본, 브리스번 등의 순으로 교민들이 많이 살고 있지만 시드니를 제외한 다른 지역은 시드니만큼 큰 한인타운의 규모는 아닙니다.
시드니 내 한인커뮤니티
Sydney는 New South Wales (NSW) 주에 있는 인구 4백8십만명 규모를 자랑하는 호주 최대 도시입니다. 매일 인천국제공항으로 항공편이 있으며 최대 도시답게 1970~80년대부터 자연스럽게 한인교민사회가 형성되었고, 90년대와 2000년대에 큰 성장을 하여 지금은 시드니 여러 곳에 한인커뮤니티 상권이 형성되어 있습니다.
>> 초기 한인타운 Campsie (캠시)
Campsie (캠시)는 시드니 공항에서 자동차로 15~20분, 시티에서는 20~30분 정도 걸리며, 시티에서 서남쪽에 위치하고 있습니다.
초창기 한인타운이 형성되었던 곳으로 90년대 중반까지 다양한 상권이 형성되었습니다. 지금은 Eastwood (이스트우드), Strathfield (스트라스필드) 등으로 상권이 많이 이동하였지만, 아직도 한인마트, 한국식당, 한인병원 등이 여전히 많이 자리하고 있습니다. 교민 첫 세대의 향수가 있는 한인타운이라고 할 수 있습니다.
>> 한인타운의 중심지, Eastwood (이스트우드)
Eastwood (이스트우드)는 시드니 시티에서 서북쪽에 위치한 곳으로 시드니에서 가장 큰 한인상권이 형성되어 있는 곳 중의 하나입니다. Eastwood (이스트우드) 기차역을 중심으로 한쪽은 주로 중국계 상권, 반대쪽으로는 한인 상권이 들어서 있고 그곳에는 한인마트, 정육점, 식당, 병원, 안경점부터 반찬가게까지 한국가게들이 밀집되어있어 매우 편리합니다. 유학생보다는 교민중심의 한인타운입니다.
>> 교통의 요지에 있는 Strathfield (스트라스필드)
Strathfield (스트라스필드) 역시 가장 큰 한인상권중의 하나로 시드니 광역시의 중앙에 위치하고 있는 교통의 요충지입니다. 시드니를 연결하는 주요 기차 노선들은 대부분 이 곳을 지나며 다른 지역들로 갈 때에도 반드시 지나야 하는 시드니의 주요 역 중의 하나이며, 특히 Express Train(익스프레스기차)를 이용하면 시드니 시티까지 15분 정도면 갈 수 있어 유학생과 가족들, 그리고 단기체류를 하는 한인들이 많이 거주하고 있습니다. 기차역 앞인 Strathfield Square (스트라스필드 광장)를 중심으로 한국의 거의 모든 업종의 상권이 형성되어 있습니다.
>> 기타 지역
위의 지역 이외에 북쪽의 Chatswood (채스우드), Sydney City (시드니 시티) 등에도 활발한 한인상권이 형성되어 있으며, 특히 유학생, Working Holiday (워킹 홀리데이) 학생들이 증가함에 따라 시드니 시티 한인상권이 급속히 발달한 것이 특징입니다. 한인 거주지역은 시드니 전 지역에 고루 펴져 있지만 일반적으로 유학생, 워킹홀리데이 학생을 비롯한 단기체류 한인은 Sydney City (시드니 시티), Strathfield (스트라스필드), Chatswood (채스우드)에 거주 비율이 높고, 한인교민들은 Eastwood (이스트우드), Epping/Ryde (에핑/라이드) 지역, Strathfield (스트라스필드)를 중심으로 한 Inner West (이너웨스트) 지역, Hills (힐스) 지역, Chatswood (채스우드)와 그 위쪽의 Hornsby/Waitara (혼스비/와이타라) 지역, Newington (뉴잉턴), Rhodes (로드스) 지역에 많이 거주하며 이 지역들에도 크지는 않지만 한인상권이 자리잡고 있습니다.