General Information

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and is Australia’s second largest city, located on the southern coast of Australia’s eastern seaboard at the top of the Port Phillip Bay & by the banks of the Yarra River. Melbourne was named after the Prime Minister of Britain at the time of its foundation, Lord Melbourne. From 1901 until 1927, it served as the capital of the country.

About the Conference Venue –Sebel Hotel, Albert Park

The Sebel Albert Park Melbourne is centrally located on Queens Road, minutes from Melbourne's central business district and St Kilda Road.  The hotel overlooks picturesque Albert Park Lake, the venue for Melbourne's Formula One Grand Prix, is close to South Yarra's Chapel Street retail precinct and The Royal Botanic Gardens.

Airport and Transportation

  • Visitors are strongly advised to make bookings early to obtain best fares.
  • Melbourne Airport is approximately 20 kilometres or 25 minutes northwest of the city and can be easily accessed by car, taxi or bus.
  •  Once in Melbourne, there are many transport options including taxi, train, tram and bus. For more information on getting around Melbourne, click here.
  •  Skybus and Jetbus operate shuttle bus services Monday to Friday from the Airport to the city. Both services can provide transfers to city hotels.

Climate

October is spring in Melbourne with generally moderate weather. The temperature usually ranges from a minimum of 9°C at night to a maximum of 22°C during the day (48°F minimum, 71°F maximum).

Currency

Australia's currency comprises coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent and one and two dollar denominations; and notes of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar denominations.

Entry to Australia - Passport and Visa

All travellers, except New Zealand citizens, must obtain a visa or travel authority before travelling to Australia. Applications for some Australian visas can be made using a computer with an Internet connection.

To submit an online application for a visa, clients must hold a valid passport. The passport should be valid for at least 6 months. This service is in addition to making applications by mail or in person at a departmental office in Australia or an Australian Government office overseas. When applying for you visa, proof of conference registration may be necessary. Please contact your travel agent or airline for further details or visit the internet site: www.immi.gov.au

It is important that participants apply for their visas well in advance of anticipated travel i.e., four to six weeks.

Proceedings of the Conference

Conference proceedings will be published on CD and distributed to delegates at the Conference. Additional copies of the Proceedings will be available for purchase after the Conference.

Social Activities

The formal social activities of the Conference will be the Welcome reception drinks at the Sebel Hotel Albert Park on 10th October and the Conference dinner at the Plaza Ballroom - Regent Theatre on 11th October.