Australian ATMs

rb10

Hello

Just wondering if anyone knows which Australian banks charge the lowest ATM fees for cash withdrawals from a UK card?

Are any of them free to use?

(I'll most likely be using a Halifax Clarity card, so no fees from this end).

Thanks in advance for any help.

callum9999

I'm pretty sure most ATMs were free - I never paid charges and don't remember having any trouble finding a free one. I mainly stuck to NAB but I'm sure I used Commonwealth etc. sometimes and they were fine.

Charging is more widespread there than here, but you shouldn't have any difficulty finding one (though the internet seems to think otherwise so maybe I'm conveniently forgetting!).

rb10

callum9999 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure most ATMs were free - I never paid charges and don't remember having any trouble finding a free one. I mainly stuck to NAB but I'm sure I used Commonwealth etc. sometimes and they were fine.

Charging is more widespread there than here, but you shouldn't have any difficulty finding one (though the internet seems to think otherwise so maybe I'm conveniently forgetting!).

When were you there? Fees on ATMs were introduced in Australia in 2009 so I'm looking for the post-2009 position.

Pennywise2012

Just to add, you can't always view your balance on an Aussie cash machine, so be aware that if you need to check it from over there, you may have to use internet banking! I think it varies depending on which UK bank you're with - I was able to check a Barclays balance a few years ago, but not a Santander one earlier this year.

I found ATM charging machines were similar to ours - ones inside shops and petrol stations charged a couple of dollars to use, but ones outside banks didn't.

claire16c

I was there in 2011 and I didn't pay any fees.

Im with barclays so as long as we used a West Pac, as they have an alliance with them, there were no fees, and the actual cash machines didnt have fees regardless of who we used - unless you went to use one inside a shop or something - so we just found another.

NiftyDigits

Was there over 2010/2011. No charges anywhere.

rb10

Thank you for the replies

Looks like we should be ok!

callum9999

callum9999 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure most ATMs were free - I never paid charges and don't remember having any trouble finding a free one. I mainly stuck to NAB but I'm sure I used Commonwealth etc. sometimes and they were fine.

Charging is more widespread there than here, but you shouldn't have any difficulty finding one (though the internet seems to think otherwise so maybe I'm conveniently forgetting!).

2010 and 2011. As others have said it was definitely really easy to avoid them - but I definitely did come across the odd Bank ATM (not just the ones inside shops etc.) that charged. BankWest may have been one off the top of my head.

The charging thing mainly applies to Australian bank accounts. I'm sure I used to get charged if I used my NAB debit card in non-NAB ATMs, but my UK cards were generally fine.

Susan1942

I was in Australia 2 years ago for 9 weeks. I didn't seem to be charged but in fact when I got my statement I think there was a charge for withdrawing cash. I am now shortly to go to Australia again visiting Singapore and Bali briefly befire spending about 7 weeks in Australia.
I use a Post Office credit card but withdraw cash from my Santander current account. Not sure if I should take more out each time or whether this would not make any difference. OR anyway that I can avoid these charges.

Sue

callum9999

Susan1942 wrote: »

I was in Australia 2 years ago for 9 weeks. I didn't seem to be charged but in fact when I got my statement I think there was a charge for withdrawing cash. I am now shortly to go to Australia again visiting Singapore and Bali briefly befire spending about 7 weeks in Australia.
I use a Post Office credit card but withdraw cash from my Santander current account. Not sure if I should take more out each time or whether this would not make any difference. OR anyway that I can avoid these charges.

Sue

If it's on the statement then the UK bank charged you. Therefore to avoid it, get a card with a bank that doesn't charge. Either N&P or Metro Bank for a debit card, or Halifax Clarity for a credit card (not ATM withdrawal fee or foreign exchange fee).