Australia Country Code

How do I dial mobiles vs landlines in Australia

Australia’s country calling code is +61. The key rule that solves most dialing problems is: Australian numbers are often written domestically with a leading “0”, but you drop that “0” when calling from overseas. In Australia, that leading 0 is the national trunk prefix used for domestic long-distance dialing; it’s not part of the international format. So an Australian landline written locally as (02) XXXX XXXX becomes +61 2 XXXX XXXX internationally, and a mobile written locally as 04XX XXX XXX becomes +61 4XX XXX XXX. 

Calling an Australian mobile number

Australian mobile numbers are 10 digits domestically and typically start with 04 (e.g., 04XX XXX XXX). From outside Australia, you dial +61 and then the mobile number without the leading 0:

• Domestic: 04XX XXX XXX

• International: +61 4XX XXX XXX 

A practical tip for your site: don’t rely on the first few digits to guess the current carrier. Australia supports number porting (customers can keep their number when switching providers), so prefixes that once hinted at a specific network are no longer a reliable indicator of who currently serves that number. 

Calling an Australian landline (fixed line)

Australian geographic (landline) numbers are also 10 digits domestically, and they start with one of these area prefixes:

• 02 (NSW/ACT and nearby)

• 03 (VIC/TAS)

• 07 (QLD)

• 08 (SA/WA/NT and nearby) 

Within Australia, local landlines are commonly 8 digits after the area prefix. If you’re calling a landline within the same area, you can often dial just the 8-digit local number; if you’re calling across areas (or calling from a mobile), the “always works” pattern is 0 + area code + 8-digit number. Internationally, you dial +61 + the area code without the 0 + the 8-digit number:

• Domestic (Sydney/NSW example): (02) XXXX XXXX

• International: +61 2 XXXX XXXX 

Non-geographic numbers (13/1300/1800) and “service” numbers

Australia also uses widely searched non-geographic business numbers:

• 13 and 1300 numbers (often marketed as “local rate”/shared-cost style numbers)

• 1800 numbers (freephone style numbers) 

For visitors and international callers, a useful warning is that some 13/1300/1800 services may be intended mainly for callers inside Australia. If a non-geographic number doesn’t work from overseas, look for the business’s standard geographic number (02/03/07/08) or an online contact option. Also be cautious with premium/service ranges (commonly described as “information” or paid services), since pricing can be significantly higher than standard calls. 

Best practice for websites, CRM, and click-to-call links

For maximum deliverability and fewer user errors, publish Australian numbers in E.164 format:

• Landline: +61 2/3/7/8 XXXX XXXX

• Mobile: +61 4XX XXX XXX

This avoids the most common mistake (dialing the domestic 0 from overseas) and works cleanly with tel: links and most messaging/calling apps. 

What are the emergency numbers in Australia

Australia’s primary emergency number is 000 (Triple Zero) for police, fire, or ambulance. There are also two secondary emergency numbers: 112 (works on mobiles, especially GSM/handsets) and 106 (text telephone/TTY emergency).