Ohhh...Diamantina...he's lucky all he did was tick off drivers. That's what the green arrow is for (here in Perth anyway).

<When I drive in the USA or Europe the hardest part on turns is making sure I am on the correct side of the road after turning left.>

I have the same problem when I go home to the US for a visit. I almost gave my mother a heart attack when I turned left towards the wrong lane. Oops...

That's what the RED light is for too: STOP.

There are some intersections where left turns are allowed, but there is always a sign to indicate it, usually on the traffic light pole on the LHS.

Yes, I am relieved my husband was never injured or ticketed due to his ignorance of the traffic rules. He works in Dunedin now, but several years ago he worked in Gisborne for a couple of months, and somehow he never caught onto the fact that turning left on red was not allowed. Luckily, there isn't much traffic in Gisborne.

Believe it or not, here in Northern California, if you can turn right on red and you do not, drivers behind you will honk their car horns! On my last trip to NZ, on the leg from Auckland to Christchurch, I sat next to a couple from Toronto, Canada, and warned them not to turn left on red! They were grateful for that tip.

But I digress...

I think your time in Melbourne and Sydney is prob a bit much as others have said.

If you're planning on driving, I wouldn't do it on your first day. I'd get used to looking at the traffic and crossing the road so you get used to which way the traffic goes. It takes me a few days in North America to aclimatise myself to look the other direction. Hubbie was always stepping out in to oncoming traffic although no disasters.

To the poster who loves the Sydney Art Gallery. I didn't love it. I grew up in Melbourne and thought their gallery fabulous. At a recent trip to see the Chinese warriors I asked an attendant..."where are all the paintings by the big masters". He said they didn't have any and he agreed when I told him I thought Melbourne way better!

In Sydney a fun tour I liked was the Ghost Tour of the Quarantine Staton. Not really scary but an interesting tour with the fun of the dark being thrown in.

For Aussie carriers for internal flights I like webjet.com.au

Haven't yet visited galleries in Melbourne, but regardless, I really enjoyed the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney. Been two or three times.