Financial information

Banking services in Australia are extremely competitive. Over 20 local and numerous international banking groups are represented in Australia. All major banks in Australia have a branch in cities and regional centres. Most shopping centres have Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) facilities. These machines can be used for deposits and, in many instances, withdrawals 24 hours a day. Many department stores, supermarkets and specialist shops have electronic transfer terminals (EFTPOS) where cash withdrawals can also be made in addition to purchasing goods. Normal banking hours are from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Thursday, and 9:30 am to 5:00 pm on Friday. Some banks are also open on Saturday mornings.

Credit cards

Credit cards are widely accepted around Australia. The most commonly accepted credit cards are American Express, Bankcard, Diners International, MasterCard, Visa and their affiliates.

Australian Currency

Australia uses a dollars and cents system of decimal currency with 100 cents in a dollar. The bank notes in use are $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. Coins used are the silver coloured 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent and 50 cent and the gold coloured $1 and $2 coins.

Australia's development of the polymer (plastic) banknote heralds the introduction of advanced banknote technology for the new millennium and rewrites world standards in design. Not only is it extremely secure, but its concepts of cleanliness, environmental responsibility and recyclability set an example for the world to follow.