You do not require a letter of invitation to come into Australia. To assist in obtaining a travel visa, it is essential that you complete the online registration form and finalise payment in a timely manner. An official tax invoice and confirmation email will be issued to you which you will be able to submit with your visa application. You can also download a visa letter from your registration profile once your registration has been fully paid. In the event that your visa application is unsuccessful, a refund, less an administrative charge will be provided. You should allow at least 15 days for your visa application to be processed.
There are many visa options available to people wishing to visit and attend events being held in Australia, and the appropriate visa option will depend on the person’s purpose for visiting Australia. For participants, attendees and speakers that will not be working, performing or otherwise be paid to contribute at the event:
Banks: As a general guide, banks across the city are open for business Monday to Friday 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some banks in local shopping centres are also open Saturday and Sunday (with varying opening hours).
Automatic teller machines (ATMs): ATMs are located throughout the city and will recognise cards issued by most banks.
Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Diners Club are accepted across the city by most outlets with an increasing number accepting China UnionPay.
Currency exchange: Licensed money change services are available at the Brisbane Airport and at numerous Bureaux de Change located throughout the city. Most banks also offer currency exchange services.
Notes: $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100
Coins: 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢, $1 and $2
Pricing: Australian prices occasionally end in a variant of 1¢ or 2¢. Where this occurs, at the cash register the price is rounded to the nearest 5¢.
SkyBus operates four services from Melbourne Airport providing passengers fast airport transfers to Melbourne City, Docklands and Southbank, St Kilda and Frankston and surrounding bayside suburbs. Click here for more information.
Taxis and Uber (rideshare) operate from Melbourne airport. It takes between 20 - 40 minutes from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to the Grand Hyatt and prices range from $50 - $80 AUD.
Want to know the easiest way to get around town? Pick up a Myki travel card and travel seamlessly on all Melbourne Trams and buses across Melbourne. Travel on the tram in the innercity circle is free. Travel from any of the conference hotels to the Grand Hyatt are within the free zone. For more information on Public Transport in Melbourne please click here.
Melbourne is a great city to experience any time of the year and the extensive public transport system makes it easy to for you to discover the best that Melbourne has to offer. If you are new to Melbourne's tram network, here are useful links:
Melbourne in August can be cold with temperatures ranging from 4 degress celcius overnight up to 15 degrees celcius during the day. Bring warm clothes as well as scarves and jacket. It can also be wet and windy so come prepared. Rain ponchos will be provided for the tours on Wednesday if it is wet.
Mains supply in Australia is 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz with three-pin plugs used across the country. The Australian three-pin electrical socket differs from those found in most countries, and international travellers may require an adaptor socket. Standard outlets for 100-volt small appliances can be found in most hotel rooms.
Adaptors can be bought from the Brisbane Visitor Information and Booking Centre in the Queen Street Mall and from all good travel stores, chemists, and department stores.
In a life-threatening or time-critical emergency, dial Emergency Services on Triple Zero (000). The Triple Zero service is an operator-assisted service that connects callers to the most relevant emergency service organisation (police, fire brigade, or ambulance). Calls to Triple Zero are free and can be made from all telephones (landline, mobile devices, and payphones). When you dial Triple Zero services, the most important thing to remember is to stay focused, stay relevant, and stay on the line. Additionally, mobile users can dial 112 while the 106 emergency number connects to a text-based relay service for people who have a hearing or speech impairment.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a broad-based 10 per cent tax included in the shelf price of most Australian goods and services. The Tourist Refund Scheme allows international travellers to claim a GST refund (subject to certain conditions) on some goods purchased in Australia. The refund applies only to items worn or goods taken on board as hand luggage when leaving the country. More information available through the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Security.
Australia has a high-standard healthcare system offering a mix of public and private services. Several public hospitals with accident, emergency, and outpatient services are located close to inner-city Brisbane, while private medical practitioners can be easily located through the Yellow Pages website. Some international travellers will find their country has reciprocal healthcare agreements with Australia. As a general guide, these agreements provide for any ill-health episode requiring prompt medical attention. Comprehensive travel insurance is always recommended.
English is the official language of Australia but many foreign languages are used by local communities, including Arabic, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, and Chinese dialects. Translation and interpreter services can be accessed 24 hours a day by calling 13 14 50.
In the event of industrial disruption or other unforeseen circumstances, the conference organisers accept no responsibility for loss of monies incurred by delegates.
The wearing of identification badges is mandatory and will be required for admission to all sessions. These will be provided at the conference registration desk upon your arrival.
If you are planning to visit Australia to attend a business event such as a conference as a speaker, participant or attendee, (that is, you will not be working, performing, or being paid to contribute), you may be eligible for one of the following visas:
For further information about visa options, please visit the Department of Home Affairs’ website: www.homeaffairs.gov.au/Trav
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU CHECK YOUR VISA REQUIREMENTS WELL IN ADVANCE OF YOUR DEPARTURE DATE.
Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria with a population of over 4.8 million which accounts for 19.05% of national population. It ranks second most populated state in Australia after Sydney. Melbourne is Victoria’s business, administrative, cultural and recreational hub of the state. On an average day around 854,000 people use the city, and each year Melbourne hosts over a million international visitors.
| Common country codes | |
|---|---|
| China | 0011 + 86 |
| France | 0011 + 33 |
| Germany | 0011 + 49 |
| Hong Kong | 0011 + 852 |
| Ireland | 0011 + 353 |
| Italy | 0011 + 39 |
| Japan | 0011 + 81 |
| Malaysia | 0011 + 60 |
| New Zealand | 0011 + 64 |
| Singapore | 0011 + 65 |
| South Africa | 0011 + 27 |
| Spain | 0011 + 34 |
| United Kingdom | 0011 + 44 |
| United States of America | 0011 + 1 |
Directory assistance: 1223
Emergency calls in Australia: 000
Melbourne operates on Australian Eastern Standard Time: GMT plus 10 hours.
Service with a smile is the rule of thumb in Australia and tipping is always optional. If the service is worthy of a tip, it will be appreciated.
