Victoria

-HAYLEY BLUNDEN

Regions/Destinations & Types of Product Offered

• Victoria is a state in the south-east of Australia. Victoria is Australia's most densely populated state and its second-most populous state overall. Most of its population is concentrated in the area surrounding Port Phillip Bay, which includes the metropolitan area of its capital and largest city, Melbourne, which is Australia's second-largest city. Victoria offers endless places/destinations to visit such as;

• Melbourne • Great Ocean Road• The Murray• Gippsland• Phillip Island• High Country• Yarra Valley and Dandenong• Goldfields• Grampians• Mornington Peninsula • Daylesford & the Macedon Ranges

Melbourne

• Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. Melbourne offers many events all year round, things to see and do and many spectacular places to eat and drinks, for all the different types of travellers such as families, elderly, couples, disabled, backpackers etc.

Current Health & Safety issues for the destination including weather information, health advisory notice issued by state/territory Government health departments,

safety advisory information issued by federal and local police authorities and emergency service authorities

• Melbourne Australia is generally a safe destination with travellers enjoying unhindered travel experiences in terms of their personal safety and security. Our stable political system, well-maintained roads, low crime rate and high standard of health make it a safe and easy country to explore.

• No special immunizations or vaccinations are required to visit Australia unless you have come from, or have visited a yellow fever infected country within six days of your arrival.

• Definitely a must for all tourist/travellers is to get some travel insurance as it can save you a lot of money if you get injured or hurt on your holiday and also gives you a sense of relief knowing your covered if something does happen to go wrong on your holidays (e.g. loosing your luggage, or getting injured).

• There are a number of health services available to visitors• Safety advisory information issued by local police for Melbourne Victoria- http://

www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=10366• Weather Information; its important to get in touch with the Bureau of

Meteorology to know the weather forecast for your stay in Melbourne Victoria and to be aware of any warnings such as fire or flood warnings etc.

Regulatory issues including passport, visa and restrictions for visiting that destination

• When Arriving in Australia you must declare all foods, plants and animal items.• You need a valid in-date passport to travel to Melbourne Australia, with

validity lasting longer than the period your stay.• If you are looking to work over hear In Australia Victoria you need a working

holiday visa. And it is a temporary visa for young people who want to holiday and work in Australia for up to a year. It is a temporary visa that encourages cultural exchange and closer ties between Australia and eligible countries. You must be outside Australia when you apply for the working holiday visa.

• Water restrictions for visiting Melbourne Victoria apply• Abide by the Victoria’s government and commonwealth legislations.• Must wear helmets when riding a bike, skateboard etc. at all times, especially

when riding on the roads.• Must be over 18 to engage in drinking activities and to enter a pub, bar or

nightclub in Australia.

Key information on major geographicalfeatures including:

• Climate; Melbourne's weather can be very unpredictable and has a reputation for its changeable weather. A tip for any visitor is to be prepared for anything. Take an umbrella and wear layers that can be worn or removed as needed. Melbourne enjoys a temperate climate with warm to hot summers, mild and sometimes mild springs and autumns, and cool winters. Seasonal temperatures are;

Season Average Maximum Average Minimum

Summer (Decemeber-Feburary) warm to hot

25°C (77°F) 14°C (57°F)

Autumn (March- May) mild 20°C (68°F) 11°C (52°F)

Winter (June–August): cool to brisk

14°C (57°F) 7°C (45°F)

Spring (September–November): cool to mild

20°C (68°F) 10°C (50°F)

• Melbourne in fact it is a great place to watch the seasons change. In summer most people head out to visit the golden beaches. In autumn, experience the glorious foliage of the many European-style parks that fringe the CBD. In winter, enjoy the warmth of cosy cafes and bars. Spring is a time for renewal, a great time to head back into the parks and revel in our beautiful gardens.

• Location; Melbourne is located with the coordinates of 37°48 49″S ′144°57 47″E. It is located on the large natural bay of Port Phillip, with its ′City Centre situated at the northernmost point of the bay. The metropolitan area extends south from the City Centre, along the eastern and western shorelines of Port Phillip, and expands into the hinterlands.

Major cities, towns, tourist areas &precincts

• The city of Melbourne offers a lot of great tourist areas and attractions to see and do while visiting and holidaying in Melbourne. If you don’t know where to start the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square is a one-stop shop for visitors offering free brochures, maps and event listings, along with souvenirs and a travel booking service, great for tourist. Melbourne provides non stop action for its tourist, from laid-back laneways and lush parks to grand libraries and museums, all wrapped up in a vibrant atmosphere. Melbourne's main tourist attractions and areas consist of; galleries and public art especially street art and Melbourne is known as one of the world’s greatest street art capitals for its unique expressions of art displayed on approved outdoor locations throughout the city, also there is plenty of attractions for kids and the whole family including aquariums, Melbourne zoo, Luna Park, art play, IMAX museums, Royal Botanical gardens, ice-skating etc. Nightlife entertainment consists of bars and nightclubs to enjoy with live entertainment from karaoke to live music performances. Melbourne also has many famous landmarks and notable buildings including AAMI park were many sporting events are held, Capitol Theatre, MCG (Melbourne cricket ground), Etihad Stadium-one of Australia’s leading multi-purpose venues catering for major sports and entertainment events, Federations Square, Flinders street railway station and many, many more spectacular buildings and landmarks.

• Melbourne’s laneways and arcades are lined with fine dining restaurants, chic cafes, hidden bars and fashion boutiques or head to one of the many lush gardens throughout the city. Tourist love shopping while on holidays and Melbourne definitely provides this with its amazing shopping centres such as the Block arcade and the Royal arcade, tourist who love shopping will surely be in heaven, as Melbourne is Australia's best shopping destination.

• Melbourne's Precincts and neighbourhoods offer a lot of attractions and tourist areas also including; China town- which is great for the Chinese tourists, and a great place to try Chinese and Asian food. Greek precincts- even though Greek is a world away, Melbourne's Greek precinct is buzzing at all hours of the day and night, and is a treasure trove of mouth watering delights. Lygon Street-Stroll along leafy Lygon Street and discover Little Italy, the place where Melbourne's famous cafe culture was born.

• http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Whatson/Pages/Whatson.aspx

Special Regional Features• Melbourne provides many special features that makes this destination so popular

to visit including; the Architecture and streetscapes which can readily be seen in many parts of Melbourne and what is interesting about Melbourne is that both old and new architectural forms can sit side by side and successfully compliment each other. Exploring Melbourne’s many laneways are not to be missed and are a unique feature of the city. Melbourne's cultural features are a stand out as there is defiantly no shortage of museums, art galleries and theatres. Often referred to and respected as the food capital of Australia, you will find some of the country’s most wonderful restaurants and cafes in Melbourne and the local produce (that is so often used in local restaurants) is frequently of the highest quality. As well as being the food capital of Australia, Melbourne is also renowned for being the country’s fashion and style capital. In Melbourne, you will find some incredible stores, ranging from designer labels to mainstream and department stores to fabulous markets featuring up and coming designers. Melbourne is also known for is passion for sport. Melbourne is home to many of the country’s most important sporting events, such as; the Australian Open tennis tournament, Formula One car race and the Spring Racing Carnival. So if you are a traveller who likes sports this is a great place to watch, and if you are not a die hard fan of sports, seeing a sports match in Melbourne is defiantly worth while.

• These are just some of the wonderful features the City Melbourne has to offer and you can see why it is such a popular tourist destination and why it is a must visit.

Man-Made AttractionsMelbourne has numerous, spectacular man made attractions including;• Major shopping centres such as Campbell arcade, Royal Arcade and The

Block Arcade etc.• Major sporting and entertainment grounds including AAMI park and

Etihad Stadium• Capitol Theatre & Forum Theatre • Australian Centre for Contemporary Art • Crown entertainment Complex • Eureka Sky deck• Federation Square• Museums• Libraries• Street art• Melbourne zoo and aquarium • Luna park

Major transportation gateways & networks

Melbourne offers has a variety of transportation gateway & networks including;• Melbourne's visitor shuttle bus- The Melbourne Visitor Shuttle is a great

way to explore inner city Melbourne. Ride in comfort while listening to stories about the city's colourful past and current quirks. Tickets are just $5.00 for the whole day and kids under 10 get on for free. The shuttle bus operates daily (expect for Christmas day) and departs every 30 mins from 9:30 till 4:30.

• Public transports- trains, trams and buses• Cars- on street parking is available, commercial car parks are also available • Taxi’s- numerous different types of taxi’s are available including wheelchair

accessible.• Bikes- Melbourne offers dedicated bike tracks and an impressive network of

on-road bike lanes, it's so simple to ride around Melbourne and take in its many magnificent sites.