Useful tips

The UV index is often extreme in December. Wear SPF 50+, a hat and sunglasses, even on cloudy days.

At patrolled beaches, swim between the red-and-yellow flags. Rips are strong and hard to spot.

Use an Opal card or tap a contactless bank card or phone on trains, buses, ferries and light rail.

Daily and weekly fare caps apply when you tap with the same card; Sundays are capped low.

Wages include service. Rounding up or 10% for great service is welcome but optional.

Use the NSW Rural Fire Service “Hazards Near Me” app before walks and day trips.

Most visitors need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) before flying. Apply through official government channels only.

Hotels, harbour cruises and restaurants fill up before Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Summer afternoons can bring sudden thunderstorms; keep a museum or café plan nearby.

Tap water is drinkable. Bubblers and refill stations are common in parks and on the coast.

Many shops and restaurants close on Christmas Day; public transport runs on a holiday timetable.

Keep to paths in the bush and don’t feed birds. Bluebottles can sting on onshore winds; check lifeguard signs.