Australia first-time visitor guide

Meat pie: Australia's national takeaway. $4-7 AUD. Try the Four'n Twenty brand, or a proper bakery pie.

Sausage sizzle: BBQ sausage in bread with onion and tomato sauce. $3-5 AUD. Every community event has one.

Flat white: Australian coffee style — espresso + microfoam milk. Sydney's coffee scene is world-class (Single O, Reuben Hills).

Vegemite toast: Salty yeast spread. Thin layer only! $5 jar will last years.

Lamingtons: Sponge cake dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut. $3-4 each.

Seafood: Sydney Fish Market — $20-40 for fresh seafood platters, $5-10 for fish and chips.

Kangaroo meat: Low-fat, sustainable. $15-25 at butcher shops.

Craft beer: Every major city has microbreweries. Stone & Wood (Byron Bay), Pirate Life (Adelaide). $8-12/pint.

Biosecurity fines: $340+ on the spot if you bring undeclared food. DECLARE EVERYTHING. Better to have them take your apple than pay $340.

Sun safety: UV index is extreme (often 10+). Slip on sun shirt, slop on SPF 30+, slap on hat. People die from skin cancer here.

Wildlife: Box jellyfish (Nov-Mar in northern waters), snakes, spiders (mostly venomous but bites are rare). Don't touch anything you don't know.

Distance again: Adelaide→Perth is 2,100km drive. Don't try to cross Australia in a road trip unless you have 2+ weeks.

Tipping culture: Not mandatory at restaurants, but rounding up bills ($38→$40) is common. No tipping at cafes or fast food.

Outback safety: Never drive in the outback alone without water, phone, and survival gear. Tell someone your route.