Telephone numbers in Australia facts for kids

Country Code: +61 International Call Prefix: 0011 Trunk Prefix: 0

The Australian telephone numbering plan is like a special set of rules for how all phone numbers in Australia are put together. These rules help make sure every phone number is unique and works correctly. The way phone numbers are set up has changed many times over the years. A big change happened between 1994 and 1998.

How Phone Numbers Work in Australia Today

Australia is split into four main areas for phone numbers. A standard phone number in Australia usually has ten digits. It always starts with the number '0'.

The first few numbers tell you what kind of phone service it is. Here's a simple look at how the numbers start for different services and regions:

• 00 This is for emergency calls and for making international calls to other countries.
• 01 These numbers are for special or alternative phone services.
• 02 This is for landline phones in the Central East region. This includes places like NSW and the ACT.
• 03 This is for landline phones in the South-east region. This covers areas like VIC and TAS.
• 04 These numbers are for digital mobile phones, like the ones using GSM and 3G networks.
• 05 These are for universal or personal numbers, which can be used in different ways.
• 07 This is for landline phones in the North-east region, which includes QLD.
• 08 This is for landline phones in the Central and West region. This covers places like SA, the NT, and WA.
• 1 These numbers are for special services that are mostly used only within Australia.

How Phone Numbers Used to Work (Before 1994)

Before 1994, the phone number system in Australia was a bit different. Here's how some of the numbers were used back then:

• 00 This was used for TAS, as well as for toll-free numbers, premium services, and satellite phones.
• 01 This was for older AMPS mobile phone services.
• 02 This was the main area code for Sydney.
• 03 This was the main area code for Melbourne.
• 04 This was for regional areas in NSW that were less than 200 km from Sydney.
• 05 This was for regional areas in VIC.
• 06 This was for the ACT and NSW regional areas more than 200 km from Sydney.
• 07 This was the main area code for QLD.
• 08 This was for SA and the NT.
• 09 This was the main area code for WA.

The Emergency Number

In Australia, if you have an emergency and need help from the police, fire department, or ambulance, you should always call 000. This is the special emergency telephone number for Australia.