Sydney · ~8.5 million · The Premier State · AEST / AEDT (daylight saving Oct–Apr)
Australia’s most populous state and the one most people land in first. Sydney is expensive, spectacular and hard to leave, but NSW is far bigger than its capital — surf towns up the North Coast, snowfields in the Alps, wine in the Hunter, and a lot of farm work inland if you are chasing regional days.
The bodies that actually decide these things. Everything further down this page cites one of them.
An ambulance ride is billed to you unless you hold a concession card — cover it before you need it.
Sydney rent is the highest in the country. Budget one-third more than you think, and expect to inspect a share room alongside twenty other people.
You can tap on to trains, buses, ferries and light rail with an ordinary contactless bank card — you do not need an Opal card at all.
SourcesNSW Ambulance — fees and charges (Ambulance billing)Transport for NSW — Opal and contactless (Contactless payment)G'day Guide estimate — not an official figure
Not free. You get a bill.
Costs are directional and change without notice. Confirm on the official page before relying on a figure.
Getting around
Fares are capped daily and weekly. Always tap OFF as well as on, or you are charged the maximum fare for that trip.
Bank card instead of a travel card? Yes — tap on and off with a contactless Visa/Mastercard/Amex or a phone wallet. Same fares and same daily and weekly caps as Opal.
SourceTransport for NSW
Health advice, 24/7
Free 24/7 registered-nurse advice line. Use it before an emergency department when you are not sure.
Sourcehealthdirect Australia
Driving
On a temporary visa you can generally keep driving on your overseas licence while it stays valid. Once you become a permanent resident you have 3 months to convert to a NSW licence. Carry an English translation or an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in English.
Service NSW — driving & transportSourcesTransport for NSW — overseas licencesService NSW — licences
Renting
Tenancy law, and where your bond is lodged. Your bond is lodged with a government authority, not held by the agent — if nobody lodged yours, something is wrong.
Tenancy rules & bondsWork safety
The state regulator for workplace health and safety. If a job feels unsafe, this is who you call — and they do not ask about your visa.
Report or askSourceSafeWork NSW
Costs & climate
The most expensive state for rent. Sydney share rooms commonly run $300–$450 a week; regional NSW is dramatically cheaper.
Temperate on the coast, hot and dry inland. Sydney summers are humid; the Snowy Mountains genuinely snow in winter.
SourcesNSW Fair Trading — rent and bond dataBureau of Meteorology — NSWG'day Guide estimate — not an official figure
SourceDestination NSW
Whatever the job, check your legal minimum rate on the Fair Work Pay Calculator in your first week. Underpayment of new arrivals is common and the calculator settles it in five minutes.
SourcesJobs and Skills AustraliaHarvest work via Workforce Australia (Seasonal work regions)
Six kilometres of cliff path, ocean pools and beaches. Free, and the best introduction to Sydney there is.
Two hours by train from Central. Bushwalks, waterfalls and the Three Sisters lookout at Katoomba.
The east coast backpacker heartland — lighthouse walk, easy surf and a strong hostel scene.
Australia’s oldest wine region, two hours north of Sydney and doable as a day trip.
The Manly ferry is public transport priced like public transport, with views a cruise would charge you for.
The biggest, most expensive and most photographed Australian city.
In your first week here
Sydney’s beaches at half the rent, with ocean baths at the end of the street.
In your first week here
The east coast’s best-known beach town — beautiful, busy and pricey.
In your first week here
Beaches, escarpment and a university town an hour and a half from Sydney.
In your first week here
Still to do?
The national list — myGov, tax file number, Medicare, Fair Work and the rest — is on the main guide, in the order that works. Tick it off as you go on the checklist in My guide.