Australia is a safe, vibrant and exciting place to live. Australians pride themselves on their multicultural society, beautiful environment, pleasant climate and relaxed lifestyle. Education in Australia is highly regarded and respected throughout the world, with skills and qualifications earned in Australia easily transferable internationally.

Here you will find information on the following topics:

• Visa Information
• Renting & Accommodation
• English Conversation Classes
• Banks
• Shopping
• Finding Paid & Voluntary Work
• Health & Safety
• Beaches
• Getting Around
• Sport & Recreation
• Welfare & Community Services

Visa Information

All International students should be aware of the following visa requirements:

• Students must study a full time course which is a minimum of 20 contact hours per week.
• Students must achieve a successful academic record each semester.
• School age dependents that accompany you to Australia are required to pay full fees if they are enrolled in either a government or private school.
• Students under 18 years of age must have a Department of Immigration and Citizenship approved relative guardian or have appropriate accommodation/welfare arrangements organised by TAFE NSW - Illawarra Institute.

For more information go to www.immi.gov.au

Renting & Accommodation

Things to consider before renting

The Moneystuff website includes a number of suggestions about issues that people need to think about before renting a place.

These include:

• Is the weekly rent within your budget?
• Is there a laundry, will you need one?
• Do the stove and hot water work?
• Is the house/unit near public transport and close to food and grocery shops?
• Is the house/unit secure?

Looking for a place to rent?

The International Students Office can assist you to find appropriate accommodation in flats, units and boarding houses.

If you want to share a flat with friends you will probably have to pay $100 - $150 per room, per week, for rent and share electricity.

Lease - Most flats have a six-month lease (contract). When you find a flat, you will have to pay for the following:

Bond - This is a deposit. The landlord must give it to the Rental Bond Board. If you leave the flat in good condition you will get it back. It is usually four weeks rent, sometimes six weeks.

Rent in Advance - Usually two weeks rent in advance, sometimes six weeks rent in advance if the house or flat is furnished.

Lease Fees - These are the charges for making the lease which you sign. Approximately $15.

Electricity Bond - It costs $38.20 on the first account to have the electricity connected. You also have to pay a security deposit of $180 which you will get back when you leave (or you can use it to pay your last account). Further information from www.integralenergy.com.au or customer service on 131002.

Gas Bond - It costs $22.88 to get the gas turned on and $150 security deposit. You will get the $100 back when you leave (or you can use it to pay your last account). For further information from: www.agl.com.au

Please note that for the supply of energy there are a number of different energy companies available.

Telephone - Telephone line rental is approximately $20 per month. If there is a phone in the flat you pay $59 with your first account (connection fee) and an additional $3 per month for telephone rental. If there is no phone you will have to pay $209 for a line connection. Ring the Telstra or Optus office in your area if you have any queries. There is a range of telephone billing options available and the above prices are indicative only. Mobile phones are also very popular in Australia. There are a very large number of mobile packages available and in some circumstances a mobile phone may provide better value than a fixed land line.

It is recommended that you read any mobile phone contract carefully and ensure you fully understand your commitments before signing. Please remember telephone calls to people overseas are very expensive.

The following websites are useful when looking for places to rent:

If you want to rent a place privately that you should arrive before the end of January as most places will be rented by then.

Useful links

• Tenant Advice Service
• Tenant Advice Service: Illawarra
• Office of Fairtrading

English Conversation Classes

English conversation classes are an informal way for international students and their families to build their confidence in the everyday use of the English language. They are also a great opportunity to meet people who are also new to the area. There are several English conversation classes in the Wollongong region:

Illawarra committee for international students (ICIS)

ICIS holds English language conversation classes for international students and their partners. For more information visit the ICIS website.

St Michael's Anglican Cathedral in Wollongong

During school terms, every Tuesday starting at 10 am, a group meets to practise conversational English.

For exact location and further information visit the St Michael's website.

Other English conversation classes

For information about locations for other English conversation classes in the Illawarra, see the Illawarra Multicultural Services website section on languages.

This provides a telephone number to call to find out about various `English for life' classes in the Illawarra.

Alternatively, contact your local council to find out if English conversation classes are held in your area.

Banks

Most banks are open:

Monday to Thursday 9.30am - 4pm

Fridays 9.30am - 5pm

Saturdays (check with the bank of your choice as these times differ)

To open an account go to the information desk and ask to open a savings account. Once you have an account you can deposit or withdraw money at any branch of the bank. Most banks also have automatic teller machines which you can use anytime (but first you need to get a special card from your bank). Different banks charge different fees - check them out first.

Shopping

Most shops are open from:

9am - 5.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday

9am - 9.00pm Thursday - late night shopping

9am - 4pm Saturday

10am - 4pm Sunday

Small "corner" shops are usually open late.

There are Asian grocery shops in Wollongong and Goulburn (look up the yellow pages telephone directory for addresses). Large grocery stores such as Woolworth's, Coles, etc are generally open longer hours (8am-8pm or 10 pm).

Post Office

Letters within Australia cost 50¢ (up to 10 grams) to post.

You can buy an aerogram to send overseas for approximately 90¢.

You can buy a padded post bag or a cardboard box to send parcels.

There is no post office on campus. The nearest post offices are in Gwynneville (Gipps Street) and Wollongong (Crown Street). At Goulburn the post office is located in Auburn Street.

You can buy stamps at all the college's book shops.

Public phones

Long distance calls (within Australia): look up the STD area code in the front of the white pages in the telephone book. Put several coins in the slot, dial the area code, then the number. The phone will beep at you when your money has almost run out. STD calls are cheaper after 6 pm and cheaper still from 10 pm till 8 am.

Local calls - put 50 cents in the slot and dial the number.

International calls can be made from telephones displaying ISD signs or home phones specially connected. Page 273 in the white pages of the local telephone directory supplies all the required information. International phone cards are also available.

You can now get a local phone card for $5 or more. This card entitles you to make $5 worth of phone calls. When this runs out you simply buy a new one. Phone cards are also available at the college bookshops.

Information on local and national numbers phone 1223

Information on international numbers phone 1225 Reverse charges phone 12550

International calls 0011 International facsimile 0015

Newspapers

Newspapers are important for your study and conversation. The best day to look for accommodation, jobs, second hand furniture, bikes etc is Saturday.

The local paper in Wollongong is called the Illawarra Mercury and costs $1 during the week and $1.50 on Saturday. The quality daily papers covering NSW and Australian issues are The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian. The main local papers in Goulburn are the Goulburn Post and the Southern Highlands News.

Finding paid and voluntary work

International students are generally allowed to work a maximum of 20 hours per week (on a casual basis) during each semester of classes. Students should check their visa as some may need to apply to DIAC for permission to work. Students can work full-time during holidays.

Health & Safety

Medical Treatment

Emergency Treatment - Go to the Casualty section of any hospital. You do not need an appointment but you may have to wait quite a while (the most serious problems are dealt with first). The nearest hospitals are:

Wollongong Hospital Crown Street Wollongong 4222 5000

Bulli Hospital Hospital Road Bulli 4284 4344

Shellharbour Hospital Madigan Boulevard Shellharbour 4296 6666

Goulburn Base Hospital Gold Smith Street Goulburn 4827 3111

Bowral District Hospital Cnr Mona Road & Bowral Street Bowral 4861 0200

If you are unable to go to a hospital during the evening you can phone for the RADIO DOCTOR on phone no. 4228 5522. The doctor is available from 7pm until 6am.

In an emergency the phone number for Police, Ambulance or Fire Department is: 000

Non-Emergency Treatment - If you need medical attention but it's not an emergency ring a doctor and make an appointment. You can get the phone number and address of doctors by looking up "medical practitioners" in the yellow pages of the telephone book.

Wollongong Medical Centre

237-241 Crown Street

Wollongong

Hours Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm,

Sun & Sat 9am to 5pm

(including public holidays)

Phone: 4254 2600

• Family General
• Pharmacy
• X ray / Ultra sound
• Pathology
• Immunisation
• Cardiac
• Nurses

Dapto Medical Centre

112 Princes Highway

Dapto

Phone: 4262 2122

Hours 7am - 10 pm

• General family
• X ray
• Dentist

Dentist

Dr Hooshmand & Associates

Suite 3, 129 Crown Street

Wollongong Mall

1800 888 402 or 4228 4122

Chinese Medicine

Kevin's Sun Clinic of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture

Westfield Warrawong Shopping Centre-1 King Street, Warrawong

Phone: 4276 2228

Chemists/Pharmacies - Most chemists are open from 9am - 6pm. If you need a chemist urgently, the chemist near Wollongong Hospital (Crown Street) is open seven days a week till late. Hospital Hill Pharmacy is at 338-340 Crown Street, Wollongong.

Phone Number: 4229 5868

Police Assistant line - 131 444

Dangerous Animals - In Australia there are only a few dangerous animals and insects but you should go to hospital immediately if you think you have been bitten by a snake or a spider.

Beaches

The Wollongong coastline offers 17 sparkling surf beaches that are patrolled by lifesavers from September to April. All beaches are in easy walking distance from shops, hotels and clubs. Why not bring your bicycle and enjoy over 60 kilometres of easy bicycle/walkway as you make your way from Bulli Beach in the north to Lake Illawarra in the south.

Safety Aspects

Do not swim or surf at an unpatrolled beach. At a patrolled beach, always swim between the flags.

If you get into difficulties while swimming wave one arm to attract a lifesaver's attention.

If you hear an alarm, leave the water immediately as a shark may be in the vicinity.

Do not walk on rocks close to the ocean as waves can be very unpredictable. People have been washed off rocks. Always keep your eyes on what the ocean and the waves are doing.

Getting Around

Public Transport

See Illawarra Guide - a Guide to Public Transport which provides maps, timetables and bus routes. www.totaltravel.com.au/travel/nsw/illawarra

Taxis:

4229 9311 (Wollongong) You can hail a passing taxi which displays a vacant sign or you can telephone for a taxi (the numbers are in the phone book for other areas).

Buses:

Wollongong campus - To travel between Wollongong city and the Wollongong campus, catch a Premier Illawarra bus. The most convenient bus stop is where Lysaght Street meets the Princes Highway (you'll have a short walk). The buses display a route number. Those showing the numbers 3, 6, 8, 50 or 51 will travel past this stop. Timetables are available from the bus driver or on the website www.premierillawarra.com.au. You must pay your fare each time you get on the bus. For bus information to University of Wollongong www.dions.com.au

Wollongong West campus - Buses stop at the Piccadilly Shopping Centre (above Wollongong Train Station) near Gladstone Avenue. It's a very short walk down Gladstone Avenue to the TAFE campus. Timetables are available from the bus driver. You must pay your fare each time you get on the bus.

Dapto campus - The bus stop is located outside the campus on the Princes Highway.

Shellharbour campus - Buses travel between Wollongong and Shellharbour Square Shopping Centre via Port Kembla. There is an overhead walkway to cross over the road from the shopping centre to the campus.

Trains:

Train timetables are available at all railway stations or www.cityrail.com.au.

Wollongong campus - The station nearest to the campus is North Wollongong. If you walk from the station do not try to cross the freeway, use the overhead bridges.

West Wollongong campus - West Wollongong campus is only a 200 metre walk from Wollongong Railway Station.

Dapto Campus - Dapto's train station is located 10 minutes walk from the campus.

Shellharbour campus - The nearest station to the campus is at Oak Flats (on the Kiama line). You would then need to catch a bus from the railway station to the campus. Check bus and train timetables.

Sport and Recreation

Sport is an integral part of Australian culture, and with the wonderful coastline and escarpment of the Illawarra, there are great sporting facilities on hand around the region.

All Here Waiting for You
Wollongong's location, climate and lifestyle engender and amazing choice of recreational opportunities. Visitors can spend their leisure time parasailing, windsurfing, fishing, sailing or scuba diving. They can climb a mountain or soar above the escarpment under a colourful hang glider and gracefully glide to the earth below. There's even a choice of spectator sports, if a more sedentary pastime is preferred.

On Your BikeAn excellent cycleway network skirts the famous coastline. Starting at Thirroul, the cycleway winds its way through spectacular scenery. The city boasts over 60 kilometres of shared cycleway. Not only is cycling an excellent recreational pursuit, it's a great way to explore the region.

Wollongong's Wonderful Waterways
Wollongong's superb, golden beaches are an excellent source of recreation, including swimming and surfing. The lifesaving movement attracts numerous visitors during the summer months when local and national clubs compete at surf carnivals. Public interest in these events has soared in recent years, mainly due to the gruelling Iron Man series. This major national event is dominated by home-grown national champions such as the Mercer brothers and Jonathon Crowe. Surfing is another popular pastime with the numerous headlands producing top surfing conditions year round. Scuba diving, spear fishing and snorkelling are also well established. The tranquil waters of Lake Illawarra make it ideal for fishing, sailing, windsurfing and waterskiing.

The Great Escarpment Escape
A series of well established walking trails through rare tracts of pristine rainforest offers visitors of all ages and physical ability ready access to this outstanding natural resource. The more adventurous can choose to abseil sheer cliffs, climb challenging rocky outcrops, swim crystal clear mountain streams and mountain bike ride through rugged terrain. Mount Keira also provides an idyllic setting for both field and range archery.

Team and Spectator Sport
Numerous sports grounds throughout the city provide top grade facilities for the more conventional sporting activities and spectator sports. Beaton Park Athletics Track is a world-class sporting venue that attracts both amateur and professional athletes. Nearby is Beaton Park Leisure Centre, offering gymnastics and aerobic facilities, indoor squash courts and a heated swimming pool.

Local rugby league, soccer, baseball, and basketball teams are avidly followed by fans and are all highly successful in the competitive arena. Home grounds are located at Brandon Park for the Wollongong Wolves soccer team, the Wollongong Entertainment Centre for the Wollongong Hawks basketball team and WIN Stadium for the St George Illawarra Dragons.

Horse and greyhound racing attract many punters at local tracks. Motocross is also a popular spectator sport and one that produced a local hero of world renowned, 500cc world motorbike champion, Wayne Gardner.

The Wollongong City centre website provides more information about sporting and recreational activities available in the Wollongong area.

Welfare & Community Services

All TAFE NSW - Illawarra Institute Campuses have their own libraries. Campus Libraries are an integral part of the education and training programs of the Institute through their provision of services, resources, computers and other facilities to support the teaching and learning experience.

Visit the Campus Libraries website to find out more information on specific Campus libraries.

All major centres where TAFE NSW - Illawarra Institute have Campuses also have town libraries.

Wollongong City Library

Wollongong City Library located on the ground floor at 41 Burelli St.

The Library provides an excellent range of services including:

• free internet access
• references and information services
• community language resources
• music and CD collection

In addition to the services outlined above, Wollongong City Library also provides local information about Wollongong.

This information includes:

• history of Wollongong
• members of parliament
• tourist attractions
• an excellent directory of community services available in Wollongong

International students can join Wollongong City Library free of charge for a renewable 12 months.

Students must show their student identification.

Information about memberships at Wollongong City Library

Illawarra Ethnic Communities Council (IEEC)

The Illawarra Ethnic Communities Council is a community based, not for profit organisation that represents the interests of people from culturally diverse backgrounds living in the Illawarra.

Community services directory

For information about other community services specific to your region, please refer to the council websites relevant to your campus:

Wollongong, West Wollongong, Dapto, Yallah Campus:

Wollongong City Council: http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/

Shellharbour Campus:

Shellharbour City Council: http://www.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/default.aspx?WebPage=16

Nowra, Ulladulla Campus:

Shoalhaven City Council: http://www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/

Batemans Bay/Moruya Campus:

Eurobodalla Shire Council: http://www.eurocoast.nsw.gov.au/

Bega Campus:

Bega Shire Council: http://www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au/

Cooma Campus:

Cooma Monaro Shire Council: http://www.cooma.nsw.gov.au/

Goulburn Campus:

Goulburn Mulwaree Council: http://www.goulburn.nsw.gov.au/

Moss Vale Campus:

Wingecarribee Shire Council: http://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/

Queanbeyan Campus:

Queanbeyan City Council: http://www.qcc.nsw.gov.au/

Yass Campus:

Yass Valley Council: http://www.yass.nsw.gov.au/