Transportation
Sydney has a relatively efficient and modern public transportation system. Major suburbs are accessible by trains or buses. Several options are:
State Transit Buses - http://www.sta.nsw.gov.au/
CityRail Network - http://www.cityrail.com.au/
Trams/Monorail (City area only, expensive and recommended for tourists only) - http://www.metromonorail.com.au/
Ferries - http://www.sydneyferries.info/
Taxis - taxis are expensive, but very convenient. Taxis are metered with controlled pricing (http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/taxi/fares.html).

To check schedules for integrated bus, trains and ferries services, we usually use: http://www.131500.info/realtime/default.asp

Getting a bus/train ticket is the easiest way to travel. Options and prices:
TravelTens - 10 trips prepaid card
http://www.sydneybuses.info/tickets/travelten.php

TravelPass - prepaid card for unlimited travel for a weekly or seasonally (quarterly, monthly)
http://www.sydneybuses.info/tickets/travelpass.php

A TravelPass is worth it if you take more than 12 rides a week on a bus or need to use both a bus and train to travel frequently.

Renting in Sydney
Sydney has a crazy property market. As this is generally a buyers' market, there is a constant shortage in rental property. However, you can still find accommodation if you look before the peak periods of January/February and June/July. September/October are the best time to rent, but hey, nobody likes to move in the midst of a university session.
The major real estate agents operate in all major suburbs, namely L.J. Hooker, Raine & Horne, Laing & Simmons, etc. Online web sites include www.realestate.com.au.
For those intending to be a tenant, signing a lease is a must. A lease puts you on a contract with the landlord (or the agents acting on behalf of their client), usually over 6 or 12 months, for security. It ensures that there will be no disputes arising from the rental agreement, document the responsibilities of the landlord and tenants and provides tenants the security of a fixed rent over specified period and protection against unfair eviction, etc. A 4 week bond is usually taken to ensure that tenants take appropriate care of the premises. If premises are left in good condition, the bond will be refunded when the tenant moves out.

Average Rental Rates in Eastern suburbs:
$400-$500 for a new 2-bedroom unit/apartment and $300-$400 for an older unit.
$500+ for 3-bedroom units

Shared accommodation is common and this can be found on university notice boards, housing offices and classified ads. Shared accommodation simply means someone takes up a lease and then shares the unit with other people, so they split the rent and utilities among themselves.

Banking in Sydney
Students are encouraged to get a bank account as soon as you reach Australia. In the first 6 weeks of arrival, you can use your passport for identification. Beyond that, you will need to meet the 100 points ID test.

Australia has 4 major banks and many smaller ones:
Commonwealth Bank of Australia - the biggest retail bank, has most number of ATMs, popular with students
National Australia Bank
ANZ Bank - offers debit card facilities
Westpac

All major banks offer student accounts, with no charges for withdrawals or transfers. However, you must update your details with them every semester of study to enjoy the benefits.

Commonwealth Bank offers an option for students to open an account and transfer funds prior to moving to Australia.
http://www.commbank.com.au/movingtoaustralia/

Telecommunication
Mobile phones are widely used in Australia. Major cities like Sydney are served by advanced 3G mobile services from the major providers like Hutchinson's Three, Singtel Optus, Telstra and Vodafone.
You can either sign on a plan or go prepaid. Optus offers an attractive prepaid service that is popular with students. Three is by far the cheapest if most of your friends are on the same network, but you are forced to use a 3G-enabled mobile and sign onto a contract and use their locked phones to enjoy those benefits.

Internet Connection
The most common form of broadband internet is ADSL via landline connection. If you're renting, check that the unit has a landline connection that has been set up. Establishing a new connection costs more than A$100 and has to be done by Telstra.
To find the best ISP deals, check www.whirlpool.net.au. The biggest telecommunication companies are generally the least affordable, but you may benefit from bundled plans (phone + internet) and better customer service.
Broadband internet plans are capped in Australia, so take the download quota into consideration when selecting plans.

UNSW Students
UNSW has 3 main campuses  - Kensington, COFA (College of Fine Arts) and ADFA (Australian Defense Forces Adacemy in Canberra). Chances are you'll be in Kensington, so this guide will assume this to be the case. Sydney is made up of the Central Business District (CBD) and its surrounding suburbs. Kensington is one of these suburbs in Sydney and is only 20 minutes from the CBD.

Where to Live and Getting There
External Accomodation
Most UNSW international students choose to live in the suburbs surrounding the university. These include Kensington, Kingsford and Randwick. Further away, there is Maroubra, Pagewood and Coogee. All suburbs are within walking distance, but those living beyond the first 3 should take the bus to university.

There are dedicated Express buses serving UNSW and Central station every 5-10 minutes daily during session. All suburbs are served by major bus services leading to the CBD (about 20-30 minutes in normal traffic).

Randwick and Kingsford are considered very popular and convenient suburbs. There is a Coles supermarket in Randwick, many places to eat, convenience stores, banks, shops, close to the Prince of Wales hospital, and within walking distance to Coogee beach, so you never have to leave the suburb if you don't want to. Randwick is closest to the upper campus of the uni.
Kingsford is populated by international students. It has a small supermarket, banks, many places to eat and also some Asian convenience stores. Kingsford is closer to the lower campus of the uni.

Residential Colleges
UNSW has 8 residential colleges on campus. These are:
New College (more academic, modern and expensive. Strict bans on alcohol.)
The Kensington Colleges which includes Philip Baxter, Basser & Goldstein (cheap, university-owned and operated, small rooms)
Shalom College (religious, run and supported by the Shalom Jewish Institute. Orthodox Jewish laws apply, so food is kosher, the Sabbath is observed and other Jewish customs are practiced)
Warrane College (religious, all-males, run and supported by the Catholic Church's Opus Dei)
Creston College (religious, all-females, also run by Opus Dei)
International House (cheapest, very popular with Malaysian/Singaporean students)
The religious colleges are still quite diverse and do take in international students regardless of faith or background.

You have to apply as early as possible as the colleges fill up very quickly. Some colleges require an interview and references provided in the application process, so be prepared for that. Short term accomodation is available at backpacker hotels and small motels around the university for the first few weeks, but these are not viable forms of accomodation beyond 4 weeks.

Students are encouraged to be in Sydney as early as January to search and battle it out for rental property.

University Website
http://www.unsw.edu.au

UNSW Housing Website
http://www.housing.unsw.edu.au/

Transportation
All Australian cities have better public transportation than Malaysia, and Brisbane is no exception. Getting around is easy, with one shot ticketing.

All you need for public transport (bus, train and ferry) can be found at www.translink.com.au

Brisbane's public transport charges by "zones". An overview of which zone is where can be seen at (http://www.translink.com.au/qt/translin.nsf/index/ti_zone). Usually Brisbane city ends at about Zone 5. And for some useless information, Robina (Gold Coast) is Zone 24. All bus stops/train stations have a label on them to indicate which zone you are in. You buy a ticket based on where you want to go. For example, if you are heaading from the City Centre to SunnyBank (the Chinatown), you need a zone 1-4 ticket. If you are heading from Oxley to Toowong, all you need is a zone 2-3 ticket. And if you are travelling within the same zone (say between Runcorn and Sunnybank), all you need is a zone 4-4 ticket.

Cost from one zone to another can be seen here (http://www.translink.com.au/qt/translin.nsf/index/ti_fares). International students (that means us) can get concession fares when we show our student card when purchasing. Concession fares are half the price of a adult (full) fare.

As of writing (Feb 2008), a "smartcard" system is being rolled out in phases. However, it looks like paper tickets are still going to be around for sometime, so in a nutshell, there are 5 types of tickets: single, daily, off-peak daily, weekly and monthly.

Single: easy to understand. One shot. Gets you from A to B only. Usable only once.
Daily: valid on the day of purchase. So lets say you buy a Zone 1-3 ticket. You can go around zone 1-3 as many times as you like in that day of purchase.
Off-peak daily: great value if you start your day late. Usually about 40% less than a Daily ticket. Only valid on day of purchase, and between 9am-3.30pm, and after 7pm on weekdays, plus all day weekends and public holidays. So lets say you buy a Zone 1-3 off-peak daily ticket. You can go between Zones 1-3 as many times as you like between the mentioned times. Handy when you start your day late (say, lecture/classes only start at 10am) and leave the city after 7pm (say, late classes). All you need to do is buy one ticket. During weekends, buy one, and travel everywhere in Zone 1-3 the whole day. I love them.
Weekly: Vaild for the whole week, for the zones you buy for. So lets say you buy a Zone 1-3 weekly; you can go around zone 1-3 as many times as you like within that week.
Monthly: Vaild for a whole month (30 calendar days), for the zones you buy for. So lets say you buy a Zone 1-3 monthly; you can go around zone 1-3 as many times as you like within that month.

I usually go for a monthly. Since I stay in Zone 2, I buy a monthly zone 1-2 ticket. The great thing is you can also use the same weekly/monthly ticket if you are going beyond the zone you bought at. So say I want to go to Zone 3. I just show my Zone 1-2 monthly, and buy a single (off-peak/daily) Zone 3-3 ticket. Cheaper than buying a whole new Zone 1-3 ticket!

Daily and off-peak daily tickets are bought on the bus. Please have the correct change with you when you board the bus. Places to buy weekly and monthly's can be seen here (http://www.translink.com.au/qt/translin.nsf/index/ti_tickets_qr). Rankins on Queen St is the most popular one.
Renting in Brisbane
The property market in Brisbane is mad. Its a buyers' market, and there is a pepectual shortage in rental property. The only way you're going to find any decent accomodation is well before the peak season (Dec/Jan and June/July). September/October are the best time to rent, if you can cope with some disruption in your university life.

In Australia, prices are quoted in weeks, so a place for $200 means $200 a week, unlike Malaysia where it goes by month. Some people get into this trap when looking for acomodation.

The major real estate agents operate in all major suburbs, namely L.J. Hooker, Ray White, etc. Online web sites include www.realestate.com.au.

For those leasing, signing a least is a MUST. Usually the contract is at least 6 months, and usually up to a year. All leases have to go through the RTA (http://www.rta.qld.gov.au). The owner can't chuck you out while you still have a lease, and usually the rental is fixed for the lease period. However, like everything in life, exceptions apply.A 4 week bond is usually taken. If premises are left in good condition, the bond will be refunded when the tenant moves out.

Rental rates are usually divided by zone. I only know the prices for single rooms.

Average Rental Rates:
Zone 1: That's the city man! Expect AT LEAST $240 for a one bedroom apartment WITHOUT utilities.

Zone 2: Around the range of $140-$160 for a single bedroom, without utilities, depending on location.

Zone 3: Around the range of $120-$150 for a single bedroom, sometimes with utilities, depending on location.

Zone 4: you can still find rooms for as low as $90, with utilities to boot, but I'd set my budget around $95- $120.

Zone 5: Heaven knows what's there, but you're talking about an hour's commute to the city AT LEAST from that area!

Shared accommodation is common and this can be found on university notice boards. Shared accommodation simply means someone takes up a lease and then shares the unit with other people, so they split the rent and utilities among themselves. Try not to do this in 1st year. You can get some quite weird people.

Banking in Brisbane
Getting a Australian bank account while here is almost a must. Try to do it in the first 4 weeks, when you still can use your passport for ID. After that, you have to meet the 100 point ID test, which means you need a AUSTRALIAN drivers licence, etc. Your Mykad is useless here, so please don't try to use if for ANY form of ID.

Australia has 4 major banks and many smaller ones:
Commonwealth Bank of Australia - They have a branch at UQ and a ATM/branch at QUT.
National Australia Bank (NAB)
ANZ Bank
Westpac

And there are a few smaller onces in Queensland:
Suncorp
Bank of Queensland
Bendigo Bank

Try to shop around and see which bank suits your needs. You can't go anywhere without tripping over a ANZ and Commonwealth Bank ATM in Brisbane, but their interest rates are usually lower. Most, if not all banks have a high interest bank account. Most banks will have something like a sub-account where you can earn high interest on your money (up to 7% p.a.), and there is no minimum. Your money will be in a separate account, so to use the money in it you have to transfer from the sub-account to your main account. It gives me an incentive to save, and it also ensures that I don't use too much money in one shot, as most of my money is parked in a sub-account. A interesting discussion is here.
All major banks offer student accounts, with no charges for withdrawals or transfers. However, you must update your details with them every semester of study to enjoy the benefits. Easily done: just go into the bank with your student card.

Telecommunication

Local calls are fixed from landlines and public phones. This means if you make a local call to a fixed landline (not handphones!), you pay just one rate, be it if you talk for 10 seconds or 5 hours. Calling local number from a public phone costs 50 cents, but you can hog the phone as long as you legs can prop you up. From Telstra lines its 30 cents a local call, and talk all you want, up to about 10 hours. But if you can talk for 10 hours non-stop, you seriously need a life. tongue.gif

Mobile phones are widely used in Australia. Some say more than traditional land lines. Most of Brisbane is served by advanced 3G mobile services from the major providers like Hutchinson's Three, Singtel Optus, Telstra and Vodafone.
You can either sign on a post-paid plan or go prepaid. Optus offers an attractive prepaid service that is popular with students.
Three (yes, the teleco's name is the number Three) is by far the cheapest if most of your friends are on the same network, but you are forced to use their 3G-enabled mobile (which you may have seen parallel imported into Malaysia) and sign onto a contract and use their locked phones (locked as in locked to Three's network. So no chance of using that phone on other teleco's) to enjoy those benefits.

Be wary of the "cap plans", such as Three's/Optus/Vodafone's. The word "cap" is misleading. A more apporpriate word would be "minimum spend". For instance, Three's $29/month "cap" plan, while offering you $130 of credit, see's you needing to pay $29 a month, even if you don't use $29 worth of calls, let alone $130. And you are tied to them for 2 years. If you want to bank out before 2 years is up, you need to pay the excess. So assuming you back out 4 months after you signed up, you will have to pay 20 x $29 = $590 penalty.

However, its good for those who can't stop talking. The $49 cap plans give you something like $300 of credit. A lot of my friends use that credit to call back home to Malaysia/Singapore, and the line is generally clear. If you needs are less, try Optus or Vodafone's prepaid plans, where credit can last for 2 months to as long as a whole year (yes, 365 days)! Of course, your call charges will be a bit higher than normal plans.

But the great thing is, Australia has number portability! So lets say you brought your own phone, you signed up with Optus and got a very nice number which everyone can remember, then 4 months down the road you realise (say) that Vodafone has a better deal for you. You can switch to Vodafone (for a small fee) while keeping your number! Of course, this means you can't tell which teleco your friend is on just by looking at the number. All HP numbers start with the 04 prefix.

In a nutshell: do some research. Optus especially keeps changing their plans. Check their websites or go into their shops to get a few fliers.

Internet Connection
The most common form of broadband internet is ADSL via landline connection. If you're renting, check that the unit has a landline connection that has been set up. Establishing a new connection costs more than A$100 and has to be done by Telstra. Line rental is usually $20/month.
To find the best ISP deals, check www.whirlpool.net.au. The biggest telecommunication companies are generally the least affordable, but you may benefit from bundled plans (phone + internet) and better customer service.
All Broadband internet plans are capped in Australia, so take the download quota into consideration when selecting plans. Get used to it. Be VERY wary of "unlimited" plans, as they usually come with more terms and conditions than the "cap" plans. And please, avoid Dodo (http://www.dodo.com.au/) like a plague. Even if they give you free internet access. Even if they offered to pay your international student fees for the rest of your course if you sign up. On a second thought, I wouldn't mind that..............

If anyone has any questions on Brisbane, I'm more than happy to help out.

Transportation
Public Transport
As it is with most major Australian cities, Perth has an efficient and modern public transportation system. Major suburbs are accessible by trains or buses. Because different universities are located at different places, students will have different commuting choices given the university they study in. The main modes of transportation should be the bus and the rail network, both operated by Transperth.

Transperth - Transperth

The greater Perth area is also separated into different zones similar to most Australian cities, extending out from the middle which is the city center. Travelling between different zones will cost you different fares, the further the more expensive.

A smart tag-type card called Smartrider similar to our Touch-n-Go in Malaysia is required if you are to travel by public transport. You will have to tag on when you board the bus, and tag off when you alight. Credit can be added to the card at some convenience stores, and at all major stations. Students studying in UWA will get concession fees if they register their Smartriders on the university's StudentConnect website. I am unsure whether other universities offer such capabilities online, but generally students with a proof of enrolment (i.e. student cards) can get concession fees. I am also not sure of the railway's workings, so it's best if someone who has experienced it write up on it instead of me.

Driving
A large number of international students will eventually end up buying cars late in their first year or during the beginning of the second. Cars can cost from as little as a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars, but as long as it is in working order, you can be sure that someone will buy it. Many students will opt for those that cost under 5000 dollars, cars of which are usually around 12-15 years old. One of the most popular choices is the Toyota Camry, as it doesn't cost much but is pretty reliable. Well to do students will go for Japanese coupes usually, opting for cars like skylines. Those will cost between 12000-80000 dollars depending on the model.

We pay what we call the rego here, which is equivalent to our road tax back in Malaysia. For most of the cars it will be under 500 dollars per year, but it is optional as the other choice would be half-yearly payments. Included in the rego is personal injury insurance for both the driver and any third parties, not including material losses. Insurance can be purchased separately from insurance companies such as RAC or just cars, costing anywhere between 200-2000 dollars, depending on whether it is comprehensive or just third party. Age, housing location, type of parking, prior accident histories will also affect the premium paid.

Parking in the city is relatively cheap compared to other cities, with the best option coming from Central Perth Parking (CPP) costing around 2.2 dollars per hour. Wilson's Parking should be avoided. Petrol prices ranges from 1.20-1.60 per litre, and price changes everyday but can be watched through FuelWatch at Fuel Watch

Renting in Perth
Depending on which university you attend, students have different renting options. University of Western Australia is Nedlands, sitting by the Swan river just 5 minutes drive from the city center. Curtin University of Technology is located in Bentley, around 15 minutes drive from the city. Murdoch University is located in Murdoch, about 20 minutes drive from the city. Edith Cowan University is in Joondalup, around 45 minutes drive to the city.

UWA students will usually rent around the university which is Nedlands since most would prefer places that are within walking distance. Those who drive or don't mind traveling further can opt for Claremont, Mosman Park, Cottesloe, Subiaco, the Mounts Bay area up to and including those in the city. These places are the upmarket locations in Perth so the crime rate is very, very low. Prices range from around 110-150 per room, or about 350-500 for a 2-3 bedroom unit.

Students of Curtin and Murdoch will usually rent around their universities as well, which is Bentley and Murdoch respectively. However, those who don't mind traveling further usually go for Como, Victoria Park, Willetton and such. The upper Como area nearer to South Perth has a relatively low crime rate like those around UWA, but moving down south will start to be a bit dodgy. Victoria Park is a very convenient location as there are lots of eateries and shopping places around. Bentley should be avoided though as it is a high crime rate area, even on university grounds with a few high profile cases being covered up by a certain university. Rental prices range from around 80-130 per room for the immediate area around the universities, to about 100-150 for areas further from it.

Houses can be searched for on Real Estate and as with most other cities in Australia, the peak season for rentals would be around the intake periods of universities, which is around late Jan-late March and late June-late August. Periods apart from these should be easier to rent in since there will be less competition.

Banking in Perth
To open a bank account in Australia requires you to undergo a 100-points test, which is done to prove your identity. Passports and COEs are usually needed, and other documents that have your name and address on it like bills would be a good back-up if you have any.

Perth's bank choices are Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ, NAB and BankWest. Both Comm Bank and BankWest have the highest ATM count in Australia(IIRC), but BankWest's card offers mastercard debit and credit facilities so it might be a better choice for those of you who would want to shop online.

Telecommunication
Students in Perth will usually choose between Three Mobile or Optus as they have the biggest dealer networks in Perth. It will be wise to choose Three if most of your friends are using Three because you will be allocated free 3 to 3 calls. Optus has an attractive prepaid solution with its turbocharge facility though which offers more than double the top-up credits for use.

Internet Connection
There are many different choices of ADSL here in Perth, with the majority using Optus or IINet. I have tried both, and in terms of service, Optus is slightly more stable but IINet's customer service is second to none. Both operators offer ADSL2 now so downstream speeds of up to 24mbits can be attained. The speed is fast but the quota system is in place in Australia, meaning you will be given a certain amount of downstream quota of which once used up, the speed will be throttled down to 64k dial-up speeds until the quota renews in the next month. Prices can be checked from Optus or IINet.

ADELAIDE

University of Adelaide
aobk84
nerd nation
dantwt
onemilimeter
december88

Univeristy of South Australia (UniSA)
Unwritten Law
nFiniteFX
nimloth32
pyroboy1911
ATI.Bob
cherryfrost
wartevar
sandwich_box
lordsharingan
littlebug85

South Australian Institute of Business & Technology (SAIBT)
snowcandy

Eynesbury International
kaiz3n

Flinders University
xsak

Bradford College
Lemonfish
BRISBANE

University of Queensland (UQ)
coolgirl_y2k1
QuackSilver
Wind82
^mtv^
vdvaart
walkin86
Blackdawn

Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
Haya
Jerayn
Vintec
phunkydude
aladdin
ceciliacmf

La Trobe University
lazo

Griffith University
Plant

Year 12
prod
CANBERRA

Australia National University (ANU)
Endless9930
Havoc Knightmare
ET_10
MELBOURNE

Monash University
-Jonathan-
blu3chip
bhypp
Sesshoumaru
sotong4896
szeki
Godevil
Cruzer
towjin
eugenel

University of Melbourne
orangysb
wKkay
ezralimm
limchee
pucman
zltan
zennway
alwayshappy
techlover
kumahachi
limeuu

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
dilz
seorang
Dr3@m
dead_psycho
tripleuend
ivango88
aladdin
3ric
ahxiang
[="@k£LwIN@"=]
ameer88

Deakin University
Psyhun
katunX
Amoureuse

Trinity College Foundation Studies Programme
genejere
jolenemeteor
HyeoshinX

Holmesglen Tafe
KVReninem

Box Hill Tafe
PeNNyPupZ

Unknowns
porkchop
sinichi_v
RBR
-bhypp
tohnern
timjim
eRiCCa
E|dan
ah_keh
StarGhazzer
almattitude_v1
PERTH

University of Western Australia (UWA)
soontheam
jiahuilee
Leonel
mooze
ckwei

Curtin International College
MildBluese
s373n

Tuart College
Dantwt
manutd6389

Curtin University
bubucaca
perky
phat_newbie

Murdoch University
veronicawmh

Taylors College Foundation (UWAFP)
onelove89

PIBT
AspireAcer

Edith Cowen University
collin_nunis

Unknown
Rel Centurica
johnkor
SYDNEY

University of New South Wales (UNSW)
blaxez
chris_c28
Peisqo
pangping1510
jae
naturesimple
foofoosasa
Cheesenium
kamagotchi
OnePageMemory

University of Sydney
knuxed
lone_drifter
mangoman
greyPJ
Patrick12

University of Wollongong (UOW)
Computer^freak
jtsl9

University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
FayeChan

University of Newcastle
CrazyNut
b3ta
haan(R)

Charles Sturt University
Jingle^Beow^

Macquarie University
y@m@d@_iToE
TASMANIA

University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Tasbmed
green_ing
mwkh_hope

Unknowns
jianee89