Helpful Travel Information - Victoria

Victoria is a state of dramatic contrasts - from the exciting inner city life of stylish Melbourne to arid bushland, ski-fields, green rolling pastures, mountains and national parks.

The state's capital, Melbourne, is a great place to start your Victorian trip with its sports obsession (Melburnians would fill the MCG to watch a ping pong match!) big events, theatre, fashion, food and bars. From Melbourne the dramatic coastlines, countryside and national parks are all a short distance away. Renowned attractions such as the Great Ocean Road, Wilson's Promontory and the Yarra Valley are only a few hours drive, as is Phillip Island where you can see the quirky tux'ed penguins parade around.

SAFARI PETE'S 'DON'T MISS' LIST

Catch a match at the 'G:

Many Melburnians would argue the MCG is more of an Aussie icon than Crocodile Dundee, Sydney Opera House and a kangaroo put together. No trip to Melbourne is complete without sitting in the MCG, meat pie in one hand, beer in the other, amongst 80 000 screaming fans watching an Aussie Rules football match.

Coffee and Pizza in Lygon St:

Almost more Italian than Italy itself is Lygon St - the heart of Italian culture in Melbourne. In the early days it was the place to watch cars thumping out tunes and doing burnouts down the street of a Saturday night (this honour is now reserved for Chapel Street unless Ferrari win the Grand Prix!) These days, you'll just have to be content with an afternoon or night spent in one of the many cafes on the bustling, colourful street being hustled by the maitre de's, indulging in pizza, pasta, vino, espresso and tiramisu - bellissimo!

Wander along the St. Kilda Pier:

St Kilda is the home of the funkies, ferals and fashion divas of Melbourne. Its eclectic mix of people and groovy community feel have been made famous by the hit Aussie show 'The Secret Life Of Us' and is a definite must see for any visit to Melbourne. Make sure you take a stroll along the St. Kilda pier and watch the sunset from the point looking back over Melbourne. Afterward stop for a drink or five at the Esplanade Hotel (the 'Espy') - a famous Melbourne icon.

Laugh at the Melbourne Comedy Festival:

If you're in Melbourne mid March to mid April grab a cheap seat and spend a night laughing yourself silly at the Melbourne Comedy Festival. Venues are scattered across Melbourne and the festival showcases the best of local and international comedy.

SAFARI PETE'S QUICK FACTS

Size:

227 620 sq km.

Telephone Area Code:

Time:

GMT plus 10 hours. Victoria operates on Eastern Standard Time (EST) and has Daylight Savings from October to March (when clocks go forward an hour).

Population:

4 800 000.

Capital City:

Melbourne is Victoria's capital and has a population of 3.4 million people.

Climate:

It's been said that if you don't like the weather in Melbourne - just wait five minutes - it will change! To give you some idea, in summer it averages 28 degrees Celsius while in winter the average is 8.

GETTING ABOUT

Getting to Victoria:

Train/Coach: Buses arrive in Melbourne from other Australian capital cities, regional centres and major tourist precincts like Cairns and Alice Springs. Interstate rail services operate between capital cities and are a quick comfortable alternative. Another option is go on a one way adventure with a small backpacker tour operator. Many leave from Sydney and Adelaide and are a great scenic way to reach Melbourne and see all the sights along the way.
If you travel to Melbourne by train you'll arrive at either Spencer Street Station (interstate) or the main metropolitan station - Flinders Street. If you arrive by coach you'll end up at Spencer Street Station or at the Greyhound depot in Franklin Street. All stations are right in the middle of the city so its easy to connect with trams to get anywhere in Melbourne. Best idea is to contact your YHA hostel and ask for specific tram numbers to catch.
Plane: Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport has stacks of international and domestic flights. If you're flying into Melbourne, the cheapest and easiest way to get into the city is on the Skybus. It operates 24 hours a day, departing approximately every 20 minutes from outside the Arrivals Terminals (domestic and international) and runs directly to Spencer Street Railway Station. It takes about 30 minutes (longer in rush hour) and will drop you off at the YHA during the day. Check with YHA when booking your accommodation for details.

Getting Around Victoria:

There are numerous options for getting around Victoria ranging from driving yourself to catching buses or trains. Bus travel is the cheapest way to get around, but can be a bit tedious. The trains are more comfortable, but the routes are often less extensive. Places outside the major centres of Victoria that don't have rail lines can often be reached by the V Line (train company) bus. Of course, when in Melbourne the best way to travel is on the trams!

More Info:

Information on trains, buses, timetables and prices can be found on Victoria's comprehensive public transport website www.victrip.com.au or call 131638.