Credit cards are widely accepted at hotels, shops, restaurants and airlines. Commonly recognised cards include Visa, American Express, Mastercard and Diners Club. The only cards to be accepted at the Conference registration desk will be Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
The official language of the Conference is English. No simultaneous interpretation is planned for this event.
Australia has a decimal currency system. Notes are a high quality polymer-based synthetic and come in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. Coin denominations are 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent, 50 cent, as well as $1 and $2.
Prices under 5 cents are rounded up or down to the nearest 5 cent - that is, 3 and 4 cent totals are rounded up to nearest 5 cent, while 1 and 2 cent totals are rounded down to nearest 5 cent denomination.
Tipping is generally not expected within Australia, however it is acceptable to leave a small amount should you feel you have received exceptional service.
Most banks are open Monday to Thursday, 9.30am to 4.00pm and Fridays til 5.00pm. There are numerous ATMs (Automated Teller Machines), throughout the Experience Perth region that accept most cards.
All visitors are required to have a valid passport and may need an entry visa (please check with your travel agent). A visa can be applied for, and issued from, the Australian Government representatives in major cities throughout the world.
Every effort is made to ensure people with special needs are catered for. Should you require any specific assistance, please include a notation with your registration form to enable us to make your experience at APPEA 2012 a pleasant and comfortable experience.
The Adelaide Convention Centre has a non-smoking policy throughout the entire venue.
Shopping hours in Adelaide are generally 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm on Saturday and 11am-5pm on Sunday. There is late night shopping on Thursdays until 9pm in the suburbs. City stores trade until 9pm on Friday and 7pm on weeknights.
Adelaide is full of unique holiday experiences and that includes shopping.
Rundle Mall has more than 600 retail stores, three major department stores and 15 arcades. Paved and pedestrian friendly, there are also outdoor cafes and bars to rest your tired but happy shopping feet.
Boutique shopping - East of Rundle Mall is Rundle Street. It's perfect for the shopping connoisseur, with two blocks of cool boutiques, bookshops, cafés, restaurants and trendy pubs. Most are in historic nineteenth century buildings.
The Norwood Parade is very cosmopolitan. This street has a buzzing café culture, great coffee, lifestyle shopping, busy pubs and a melting pot of popular restaurants. Collectors love nearby Magill Road, which is a treasure trove for great art and antique furniture.
From Adelaide, catch the tram south across the parklands to King William Road. You'll find exclusive boutiques, crammed with imported and locally made clothes, jewellery and accessories. Enjoy the village ambience as you shop, then stroll along the paved street for a relaxing coffee or gourmet meal.
A few blocks to the east, Unley Road has more boutiques, antiques, art galleries, homewares, cafés, restaurants and pubs.
Outlet shopping - For outlet shopping, there's nowhere better than Harbour Town. It's 15 minutes west of the city, located near the Adelaide Airport. As part of Australia's leading direct factory outlet chain, Harbour Town also has supermarkets, cafés, homewares and sportswear.
There are more factory outlets, seconds' warehouses and clearance stores on Glen Osmond Road at Parkside near Adelaide city.
Chain store shopping - Retail giant, Westfield, has three suburban shopping centres at Marion, Tea Tree Plaza and West Lakes. Everything you need is under one roof and there are enough reasons to spend a whole day there.
Autumn (March to May) is a great time to visit Adelaide. There's a lot of sunshine and the weather in Adelaide usually stay in the low to mid 20s.
Average daily autumn (March-May) temperatures, Adelaide - Max 22.4°C, Min 12.5°C
Travellers should always wear a wide brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, sunglasses and at least an SPF 15+ sunscreen when outdoors and drink plenty of water. It is recommended that you drink at least two litres each day.
Be sure to wear sun protective clothing, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses and seek shade to protect your skin from skin cancer and other sun damage. Take extra care when outdoors between 10.00am and 3.00pm when UV radiation is most intense.
Smart casual clothes are suitable for the Welcome Reception and Farewell Cocktails.
Business attire / smart casual is the standard dress during the main conference daytime period.
For the 2012 APPEA Conference Gala Dinner the dress will be black tie / lounge suit.
