Victoria Visitor Information
General Information
Driving is done on the left hand side of the road in Australia with major routes well signposted and roads in good condition. Distances and speed limits are expressed in kilometres and range from 50km per hour in residential areas to 110km per hour on freeways. Drink driving is a serious offence and offenders will be fingerprinted and arrested. Breath analysis can be conducted anywhere at random and the legal blood alcohol content limit is 0.05%. The legal drinking age is 18 years with ID required as proof of age. It is illegal to supply liquor to a minor.
Banks offer 24 hour Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in retail areas and outside branches however it is advised that you check with your card issuer to ensure your card, account or credit card can be used in this way. Travellers cheques aren't generally accepted except in some hotels and major stores however these will generally display a sign welcoming the use of travellers cheques. Foreign currency is also not accepted and the Australian currency is comprised of 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 coins and $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 notes. Tipping is not mandatory and no service charge applied however a 10% tip is optional for good service.
Victoria operates on Australia Eastern Standard time for most of the year which is based on Greenwich meantime plus 10 hours. Daylight saving applies from the last Sunday in October until the last Sunday in March. Clocks are advanced one hour during this period.
Travel Advice
Coaches, private car, stretch, or mini-bus transfers are all available. Melbourne also has an integrated system of electric trains, trams and buses known as the Met. Tickets that allow travel across all services can be purchased from vending machines at railway stations and on any bus or tram. Coins are required.
If you wish to be free to explore Victoria at your own pace, hiring a car is a fantastic way to do this. Rental cars, campervans and motorhomes are readily available from Melbourne Airport and Melbourne City locations from a number of smaller reputable operators as well as big names like Budget, Hertz, Avis, Thrifty and Selta Europcar. You must be 21 years or older and hold a current driver's license to rent a car however an international license is not necessary.
Citylink a 22km expressway with tunnels under the Yarra River linking the airport with the city and south eastern suburbs. It is divided into two sections, the southern and western, and connects the Tullamarine Freeway and the West Gate and Monash Freeways. Distinctive blue and yellow signs identify Citylink, warning drivers tolls apply. Citylink uses electronic tolling (no toll booths). Casual users can purchase 24 hour or weekend passes from post offices or the CityLink Customer Centre (www.citylink.com.au). Passes allow unlimited travel on all Citylink sections. The date of travel must be nominated with the 24 hour period beginning from the time of the first trip. Weekend passes apply from midday on the Friday to midnight on the Sunday. All vehicles using Citylink are photographed and those without valid e-tags or day passes are fined.
Australia's health care is among the best in the world with highly trained professionals providing a range of medical and dental services available in Sydney. Despite being comparatively cheap, visitors from the UK, Ireland, Finland, Malta, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands and New Zealand enjoy free or subsidised medical and hospital care thanks to taxpayer funded Medicare reciprocal national health care agreements. Regardless, it is very highly recommended that anyone travelling to Australia take out comprehensive travel insurance. Also, visitors with medical conditions should carry a letter from their doctor outlining their condition and medication to avoid restriction of their medication. Most medications are available in Australia but require a prescription which can be filled by a qualified pharmacist at a chemist.
The weather in Victoria has a generally mild and temperate climate, with warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. Coastal areas, such as Melbourne, experience moderate rainfall year-round, while the northern and western regions tend to be drier with more variation in temperature.