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PO Box 211,
Warrandyte Victoria
Australia 3113
Tel: +61 3
9722 2046
Fax: +61 3 9722 2177
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Melbourne Information
Melbourne is the Capital of Victoria. The State of Victoria
is on the
East coast of Australia.
Time
Melbourne time (Eastern Standard Time) is 10 hours ahead of GMT
(Greenwich Mean Time). Daylight Savings occurs from late spring
until early autumn.
Airports
Melbourne's Domestic & International Airports are located approximately
30 minutes North of Melbourne. Melbourne Avalon Domestic Airport
is located approximately 40 minutes West of Melbourne.
Taxi Cabs
Melbourne has ample taxis available for hire within the
Metropolitan area. Taxi's can be hailed from the roadside, designated taxi ranks or booked by telephone.
Cash or credit cards are accepted.
Public Telephone Network
Telephone calls made from public pay phones in Australia costs a minimum of 40 cents, with
local calls being 40 cents and all other calls being time based.
Some pay phones in Australia accept pre-paid phone cards.
Calling Overseas
International Direct Dial (IDD) telephones calls can be made
from public pay phones.
To make an International call, dial the International
access code (0011), the Country Code, the Area
Code, then the telephone number. If the Area Code begins
with '0', for example London (0171) leave '0' from the number you are dialing.
i.e.. 0011 + 44 + 171 + (Telephone Number).
Frequently - called Country Codes:
United Kingdom 44
China 86
USA 1
Canada 1
Germany 49
Hong Kong 8522
France 33
Greece 30
Italy 39
Taiwan 886
Japan 81
New Zealand 64
Switzerland 41
Spain 34
Indonesia 62
Korea 82
Useful Telephone Numbers
Telstra
Directory Assistance - 1234
24 hour Emergency Numbers
Fire, Police and Ambulance 000
Voltage
Australia's electricity voltage for domestic use is AC 240
volts, 50 cycle. The standard plug is a distinctive three
pronged - type. Adapters are available from travel shops and
hardware stores.
Weights & Measures
Australia operates on the Metric system. Temperatures are
given in degrees Centigrade (˚C), liquids in litres,
distance in Kilometres and weights in kilograms
Conversions:
˚C to
˚F
:
add 15 and multiply by 2
Litres to Imperial Gallons: multiply by .22
US gallons: multiply by .26
Kilometres to miles: multiply by .62
Kilograms to pounds: multiply by .45
Banking Hours
Banks are open from 9.30am - 4.00pm Monday to Thursday and
open till 5.00pm on Friday. Some Banks and Building
societies are open Saturday Mornings. 24 hour
automatic teller machines are available throughout the
city and suburbs.
Shopping hours
Standard City and Metropolitan shopping hours are 9.00am - 5.30pm
Monday to Thursday and 9.00am - 9.00pm on Fridays. On
the weekends most operate between the hours of 9.00am -
5.00pm. Some convenience stores, supermarkets
and fast food restaurants are open 24 hours a day. Pharmacies are
typically open for 9.00am - 9.00pm, seven
days a week.
Postal Services
Australian Post Offices are open; 9am - 5.30pm
Monday to Friday and 9.00am - 12.00pm on a Saturday.
Currency and Currency Exchange
All major banks provide currency exchange services during
banking hours. Travel Agents, currency exchange desks at
the airport and Melbourne City exchange kiosks are also
available.
Australia uses a decimal system of currency, i.e. 100 cents
equals one dollar. Notes used; $5, $10, $20,
$50 and $100. Coins used; 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent, 50 cent,
$1 and $2. Prices in shops and for service are rounded up or
down to the nearest five cents.
Tipping
Tipping while appreciated, is not required or expected in
Australia. If you feel you have
been given good service, a tip of 10% of the bill is
standard.
Public Holidays
New Year's Day January 1
Australia Day January 26
Labour Day 1st Sunday in March
Easter Good Friday through to Easter Monday
ANZAC Day April 25
Queen's Birthday 2nd Monday in June
Melbourne Cup 1st Tuesday in November
Christmas Day December 25
Boxing Day December 26
Duty & Tax Free Shopping
Melbourne's Duty and tax free prices are amongst the
cheapest in Asia. There are a wide range of stores selling
luxury items such as cameras, perfumes, watches, jewellery,
opals and souvenirs free of Australian Customs Duty and
GST. Duty Free shops are located at Melbourne International
airport, throughout Melbourne
City, as well as some Melbourne suburbs.
Seasons
<
Summer December - February
Autumn March - May
Winter June - August
Spring September - November
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