Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, one of Australia’s seven states and territories and the business, cultural and recreational hub of the state.
Melbourne is a very sophisticated world city that inspires a deep passion in all who live there. ‘Melburnians’ love the city’s vibrant energy, restaurants, fashion boutiques, café-filled laneways, funky bars, stunning galleries, spacious park and village-like inner suburbs each with its own character and sense of community. It is no wonder that Melbourne has been independently judged as the world’s most livable city for three years in a row.
At the street level, Melbourne’s labryrinth of connecting laneways and arcades provide an ‘other world’ experience of intimate spaces and mystery, and are home to many of the city’s dining, bar and shopping experiences.
Melburnians love to party with a year round calendar of events offering something for everyone to enjoy. These include Melbourne Fashion Week, the Melbourne International Arts, comedy and film festivals, and the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
The city is also sport mad and hosts the famous Melbourne Cup Carnival (featuring the Melbourne Cup, a horse race that ‘stops a nation’), the Australian Open Tennis Tournament, the Australian Football League Grand Final, and the Australian Grand Prix. The city also hosts major cricket and golf tournaments.
Melbourne has a reputation for changeable weather and is often referred to as having ‘four seasons in one day’. As a general rule the city enjoys a moderate climate with warm to hot summers, mild and sometimes balmy springs and autumns, and cool winters. Maximum temperatures average 25° in the summer (December to February) and 14° in the winter (June to August).
Cost of Living
Comparatively, Melbourne is one of the more expensive Australian cities to live in. To offset this, wages can be commensurately higher.
Transport
Melbourne has a very efficient, integrated public transport network of trains, trams and buses connecting all points of the metropolitan area and making it very easy to get around.
Melbourne airport is a direct gateway to regional, Australian and international destinations while ferry services provide transport to the beautiful state of Tasmania.
Banking
Banking hours are generally 9.30am - 4.00pm Monday to Thursday and 9.30am - 5.00pm on Friday. Some banks and credit unions offer extended hours during the week and are open on Saturday mornings. Most banks will change foreign currency to Australian dollars.
Travellers cheques are widely accepted as are major credit cards such as VISA and Mastercard. Diners and American Express credit cards are not as widely accepted.
Working in Melbourne
Under current Australian visa regulations, students residing temporarily under a student visa are permitted to work up to 40 hours per fortnight. For more information visit Australian Government Department of Home Affairs.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OHSC)
The Department for Immigration and Border Protection requires holders of a student visa to purchase and maintain OHSC for the entire length of their student visa.
OHSC usually pays 85% of the fee for each consultation with a medical practitioner (including specialists), X-rays and pathology services.
CRICOS Provider Number: 02380M
RTO ID number: 4959
