Driving
The Australian authorities severely punish drink-driving, and the police, who carry out regular checks (particularly at night), enforce the law rigorously.
Tourists must be able to show the authorities their national driver's license, together with their international driver's license or an official English translation. Vehicle rental is only open to drivers over the age of 21, the majority age in this country.
It's essential to book in high season (December/January).
Visit car in the hinterland
The local police can give you useful advice on infrastructure and road conditions. Don't hesitate to ask them or even inform them of your itinerary. We recommend travelling by 4×4 in remote areas.
If you're traveling to areas away from main roads, take food, fuel and tires with you. Don't overload your vehicle, and never carry fuel supplies in a closed vehicle. If you break down, your vehicle will protect you from the heat. In the event of natural hazards (fire, flooding), follow the recommendations of the authorities and be prepared to evacuate immediately if necessary.
And if you want to fly away
Air travel is the fastest and most convenient way to cross the country and the continent, but it can be expensive if you don't buy your tickets in advance (at least 15 days in advance). The practice of buying tickets online is very widespread, and allows you to benefit from the following discounts
The main airlines are Qantas, Jet Star, Regional Express (Rex), Virgin.
Rail networkroad
In Australia, rail travel is via two major intercontinental lines operated by the Great Southern Railway: - The Indian Pacific, between Sydney and Perth (via Adelaide), The Ghan, between Adelaide and Darwin (via Alice Springs) and finally Overland (between Melbourne and Adelaide).
In addition, the CountryLink network, which covers three states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland), offers foreign visitors the opportunity to travel with a variety of tickets, but the railways are not very well developed.
Urban transport
Metropolises offer several networks: trains, buses and efficient suburban cabs.
Australian law is rigorously enforced, and enforcement mechanisms (financial penalties and/or imprisonment) are particularly dissuasive in the transport sector.
How about a drink?
Public consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden by law, as is the sale and consumption of alcohol by minors.
The blood alcohol level is limited to 0.05 % in the car for experienced drivers (or 0.05 g/100 ml) and 0 % for young drivers (less than 2 years' driving experience).
During vacations and weekends, police authorities carry out mobile alcohol checks on drivers (random breath testing, or RBT). There are also alcohol-free zones, which may be permanent (24/7) or temporary (vacation periods).
We strongly recommend :
- to avoid excessive alcohol consumption: damage to public places, damage to a person's physical integrity, disrespect for public authority) can be very severely punished;
- watch your drinks in pubs and bars to avoid, among other things, spilling narcotics (especially for women).
Tobacco and drugss
Smoking is prohibited in enclosed public places (including restaurants and pubs). The minimum age for selling cigarettes is 18, and it is forbidden to sell tobacco to minors.
As in France, it is now against the law to smoke with a minor in a car (18 in Victoria and Tasmania).
Depending on the seriousness of the offence, fines can reach several thousand Australian dollars, and prison sentences can range from 2 years to life imprisonment.
The concept of sexual assault in Australia is very broad, covering a range of behaviors from inappropriate or indecent acts to attempted rape. French nationals are therefore advised to be particularly vigilant and to avoid any attitude that could make them liable for what constitutes an offence. Consult the eVisitor Australia official website before you travel.
English 
French