Timetable Australia: time difference and opening hours

To see / To do Australia

Between the dynamism of the major metropolises, the silence of the vast urbanoutback and the more or less festive seaside resorts depending on the season, you can imagine that life doesn't move at the same pace for everyone! On the East Coast, where most of the population lives, shopping facilities open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays (later in shopping malls) and generally stay open on weekends. Shopping centers are generally open on Sundays. In the interior of the country and in some northern areas (where the sun sets early), shops and cultural establishments close around 4pm. It's worth noting that many cafés, even in the big cities, open quite early (around 7am) but also close quite early (between 1pm and 4pm).

Enjoying yourself Australia

Whether it is winter or summer, in Australia the restaurant hours are variable as they are everywhere in the world. However, Australians tend to dine early. In urban areas, restaurants often have fixed hours and do not offer continuous service, so you can have lunch from 12 to 2pm and dinner from 6 to 10pm. Beware, in some tropical cities (Cairns or Brisbane), some restaurants follow the rhythm of the sun and close their kitchens at 9pm. In some remote areas, restaurants have variable hours and sometimes close their doors completely randomly. In some bush and outback towns, you will sometimes have no choice but to go to one address: the famous roadhouses, where you can sleep, eat and buy groceries and gas.

Take a break Australia

Whether it's craft beer, Australian wine or skilfully prepared coffee, there's no time like the present to sample the delights Australia has in store for you! Cafés are generally open from 6 or 7 a.m. until mid-afternoon. In high season, the doors are open every day of the week and sometimes even on Sundays, but beware: opening times become more random as you head deeper into the bush. Some cafés convert to bars in the evening, keeping their doors open late into the night.

(To) please yourself Australia

In Australia, shopping centers and major retailers are generally open on Saturdays and Sundays. Outside major shopping centers, however, some stores are closed on Sundays. In the larger cities, stores generally open from 9-10am to 7-8pm, Monday to Saturday. On Sundays, stores close a little earlier (around 6pm).

Get out Australia

Cultural and sporting events are part of the excitement of Australian cities: with their millions of inhabitants, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth are cities that never sleep! Ambient bars, nightclubs, rooftops, secret clubs and other hidden addresses abound, closing their doors only at dawn. Nightclubs are generally open Thursday to Saturday from 10pm to 3am (later for afterhours). In more remote areas, such as small towns in the bush andoutback, clubs close much earlier.

It's worth noting that all major Australian cities, and often the smaller ones, have their annual festivals, which often last a few weeks and feature daily concerts and shows. These are good times to visit. In the same vein, there are also the Fringe Festivals, which program emerging artists, often featuring hilarious solo comedians or zany shows.