Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
open on Thursday till 6pm and Friday until 9pm. Banks are open Monday
through Thursday from 9:30am to 4pm, and Friday from 9:30am to 5pm.
Camera Repair
Vintech Camera Repairs,
5th Floor, 358 Lonsdale St. (
&
03/
9602 1820,
or 0418-515 662 mobile), is well regarded.
Consulates
The following English-speaking countries have consulates in
Melbourne: United States, Level 6, 553 St. Kilda Rd. (
&
03/9526 5900
);
United Kingdom, Level 17, 90 Collins St. (
&
03/9650 4155
); and Canada,
1st Floor, 123 Camberwell Rd., Hawthorn (
&
03/9811 9999
).
Dentist
Call the
Dental Emergency Service
(
&
03/9341 0222
) for emer-
gency referral to a local dentist.
Doctor
The “casualty” department at the
Royal Melbourne Hospital,
Grattan Street, Parkville (
&
03/9342 7000
) responds to emergencies. The
Traveller's Medical & Vaccination Centre,
2nd Floor, 393 Little Bourke St.
(
&
03/9602 5788
), offers full vaccination and travel medical services.
Emergencies
In an emergency, call
&
000
for police, ambulance, or the
fire department.
Internet Access
There are numerous Internet cafes along Elizabeth Street,
between Flinders and La Trobe streets, and also around Flinders Lane, and
Little Bourke Street in the Chinatown area. Most are open from early until
well into the night.
Lost Property
Contact your nearest police station, or call in at the Mel-
bourne Town Hall, Swanston Street (
&
03/9658 9774
).
Pharmacies
The
McGibbony & Beaumont Pharmacy
is in the Grand Hyatt
hotel complex, 123 Collins St. (
&
03/9650 1823
). It's open Monday
through Thursday from 8am to 6:30pm, Friday from 8am to 7pm, Saturday
from 9:30am to 2:30pm, and Sunday from 9:30am to noon.
Post Office
The well-known
General Post Office (G.P.O.)
at the corner of
Bourke Street Mall and Elizabeth Street has closed and will be made into
a new hotel. Postal services are now available at two nearby locations: De
Bono Centre, 257 Collins St., or corner of Elizabeth and Little Bourke
streets. Both are open Monday through Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm. Poste
Restante hours are the same.
Safety
St. Kilda might be coming up in the world, but walking there
alone at night still isn't wise. Parks and gardens can also be risky at night,
as can the area around the King Street nightclubs.
Taxes
Sales tax, where it exists, is included in the price, as is the 10%
Goods and Services Tax (GST). There is no hotel tax as yet in Melbourne.
Telephones
For Directory Assistance call
&
1223;
for International Direc-
tory Assistance call
&
1225.
Weather
Call
&
1196
for recorded weather information.
3 Where to Stay
Getting a room is generally easy enough on weekends, when business travelers
are back home. You need to book well in advance, however, during the city's
hallmark events (say, the weekend before the Melbourne Cup, and during the
