Fast Facts
History
Settled by white Europeans in 1835, Melbourne was first a
home for the indigenous population (known locally as Kooris) for as long as 50,000 years prior. A major goldrush attracted worldwide attention in 1848 and a boom ensued, which lasted nearly 40 years. It also gave the city its magnificent public architecture, gracious parks and opulent mansions. Established as the commercial headquarters and seat of government, Melbourne was the birthplace of Australian federation.
Climate
Melbourne climate is temperate and variable with no great extremes and one of the lowest rainfall levels in Australia.
www.bom.gov.au
Population
Melbourne: approx 3.6 million
Victoria: approx 4.5 million
www.abs.gov.au
Public Holidays
| Event |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
|
New Year's Day
|
Tue 1 Jan |
Thu 1 Jan |
Fri 1 Jan |
|
Australia Day
|
Sat 26 &
Mon 28 Jan |
Mon 26 Jan |
Tue 26 Jan |
|
Labour Day
|
Mon 10 Mar |
Mon 9 Mar |
Mon 8 Mar |
|
Good Friday
|
Fri 21 Mar |
Fri 10 Apr |
Fri 2 Apr |
|
Easter Saturday
|
Sat 22 Mar |
Sat 11 Apr |
Sat 3 Apr |
|
Easter Monday
|
Mon 24 Mar |
Mon 13 Apr |
Mon 5 Apr |
|
ANZAC Day
|
Fri 25 Apr |
Sat 25 Apr |
Sun 25 &
Mon 26 Apr |
|
Queen's Birthday
|
Mon 9 Jun |
Mon 8 Jun |
Mon 14 Jun |
Melbourne Cup Day
(Melb. Metro area only)
|
Tue 4 Nov |
Tue 3 Nov |
Tue 2 Nov |
|
Christmas Day Holiday
|
Thu 25 Dec |
Fri 25 Dec |
Sat 25 &
Mon 27 Dec |
|
Boxing Day Holiday
|
Fri 26 Dec |
Sat 26 &
Mon 28 Dec |
Sun 26 &
Tue 28 Dec |
www.vic.gov.au
Time Zone
Australian Eastern Standard Time is GMT plus 10 hours. Daylight Savings is from the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in March. There are several time zones in Australia. The West Coast is two hours behind the East Coast.
www.timezoneconverter.com
Tipping & gratuities
Not required or expected in Australia - this includes taxis.
Exchange Rates
Online currency converter: www.xe.com
Translating & interpreting services
Melbourne has many venues fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for simultaneous interpreting for the benefit of presenters and delegates. Experienced, internationally accredited interpreters in over 60 languages have been providing services to many international conferences.
www.immi.gov.au
Visas
All travellers to Australia, other than Australian and New Zealand citizens, are required to obtain a Visa to travel to Australia.
The Business Visa allows people attending conferences and meetings in Australia to make a short visit of up to three months.
Australia's Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
is the world's most advanced and streamlined travel authorisation system. If the country your passport represents has ETA Business Access, it enables visitors to Australia to obtain authority to enter at the same time as they book their travel arrangements. There is no need for the traveller to complete an application form for a Visa. In addition, a recent innovative enhancement to ETA arrangements allows a traveller to apply for an ETA over the Internet.
www.immi.gov.au
Are you aware of the Tourist Refund Scheme?
You can claim a refund of the goods and services tax (GST) and wine equalisation tax (WET) that you pay on goods you buy in Australia. The refund only applies to goods you take with you as hand luggage or wear on to the aircraft or ship when you leave the country. You can obtain more information at: www.customs.com.au
Download the GST refund for travellers PDF
How to Get Around - flight information
Melbourne's 23 international airlines can take you anywhere in the world on hundreds of flights every week. Melbourne Direct shows you how you can save time and make overseas travel easy by flying direct from Melbourne.
www.melbournedirect.com.au
For more information on getting around Australia visit:
www.qantas.com.au
www.virginblue.com.au
www.jetstar.com.au
Airport Transfers
For information regarding airport transfers visit: www.skybus.com.au
Save time and effort with Qantas Group Travel
If your conference has a minimum of 20 delegates or more, then Qantas Conference online can give you more flexibility and save time and effort.
www.qantas.com/grouptravel
Travel for visitors with disabilities
See the Tourism Victoria Disability Travel Facts PDF document.