Staying in touch with your family and friends is easy. There are many mobile phone providers in Australia, each offering an extensive range of mobile phones and payment options. Phone cards offering cheap rates for overseas calls are widely available.
Your education provider will generally have free internet and computer services. Internet cafés are common throughout the country, particularly in major cities, and many are equipped with communication services such as Skype. Public libraries also offer computer facilities, often at no cost. If you wish to have the internet connected at home, it's easy to organise through one of the many service providers.
Post offices are open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, although some have extended hours and are also open on Saturdays. Australia Post sends letters and packages around the world, generally in less than a week for international post and overnight for destinations within Australia.
The electricity current in Australia is 240/250 volts (AC 50 Hz). Australia uses a three-pin plug, so you will need an adaptor plug for appliances brought from home. If your appliances do not operate at 240/250 volts, you will also need a voltage converter. Adaptor plugs and voltage converters are easy to find once you arrive in Australia.