Transport: To/From the Airport

  • SkyBus express can transfer you to and from Melbourne CBD. There is a bus very 10-15 minutes and tickets can be bought with a credit card, either online and at the self-serve e-kiosks at the SkyBus stop in the airport. For details such as fares and pick up locations, you can visit their website.
  • A trip from the airport to the CBD by taxi will usually cost you AUD$50-$60. Do not forget to consider the distance to your accommodation from the CBD.
  • Another option is Uber. You can use the Uber app to estimate how much it would cost you to move from the aiport to your hotel.

Transport: Within Melbourne

Buses, Trams and Trains are available and will get you around Melbourne. You must tap on/off with a Myki card, which can be purchased at Tram stations or shops such as 7-Eleven. Another option is to create a mobile Myki card through the Google Wallet and use it to tap on/off, but be advised that this only works for Android phones with NFC technology. Additional details can be found at the Public Transport Victoria website.

Please note that there is a free zone for Trams in the CBD where you do not have to tap on/off.

Things to do in Melbourne

The following websites might be good as a starting point to look for things to do in Melbourne:

  • Australian Open: If you are interested in tennis, check it out! Depending on your date of arrival you could even grab some daily passes starting at ~10 AUD. Details in the link.
  • What’s on Melbourne: A nice compilation of miscellaneous events and things to do around Melbourne. Offers the possibility of searching by date.
  • Koorie Heritage Trust: Experience the Aboriginal culture by visiting one of the largest collections of Koorie art and artefacts on permanent display; an annual exhibition program showcasing local Aboriginal artists; plus, an opportunity to purchase handcrafted locally made gifts. Be inspired by the rich and complex history of the world’s oldest continuous living culture. Admission is free.
  • Aboriginal Heritage Walk: Get to know native plants and learn about connection to Country on an Aboriginal Heritage Walk through the Royal Botanical Gardens. Cost is $20.00-$40.00.

  • Australian Sports Museum: Relive legendary sporting victories and discover inspiring stories at the redeveloped Australian Sports Museum. The interactive, multimedia museum is home to an incredible collection of Aussie sports memorabilia. Pay your respects in the cricket gallery, or branch out into other codes before creating your own gold medal moments at the interactive Game On. Book ahead for an MCG tour for a behind-the-scenes visit to Australia’s most famous sporting ground, including a visit to the media centre and a peek into the players’ change rooms. Check the timetable as tours will not run on event days. Opening hours (Daily): 10:00am-5:00pm. Click here for fees and booking.

  • Enjoy the Yarra River by boat: GoBoat offers electric picnic boat hire on Melbourne’s Yarra River. Be your own captain, with up to eight people on board. No boat licence or boating experience is required and the boats are super easy to operate. Their boats are hired by the hour and the longer you book for, the cheaper the price is per hour. They recommend two or more hours on the water.

  • Moonlight Theatre: Movie outdoors in the park (in the Botanic Garden). During the days of the conference, you could watch: The Devil Wears Prada (TUES, 30 JAN) or Argylle (WED, 31 JAN).

  • Craft breweries and distilleries: Melbourne’s craft beer scene is outstanding. Head into Collingwood on the 86 tram and you’ll find a bunch of microbreweries that have set up shop, making it easy to sample diverse flavours in a few short blocks. Get taste-testing at Fixation Brewing Company, Molly-Rose and The Mill Brewery. Let the experts show you around on a pre-booked Craft Beer Lovers’ Tour. If you’re more in the mood to be spirited away, Fossey’s Distillery on Lygon Street offers tasting paddles loaded with gins and whiskeys while Starward in Port Melbourne has been turning heads with its innovative single malts. For a tipple with a side of history, head to Little Lon Distilling Co., a tiny distillery housed in a heritage red brick cottage in the city’s notorious former slum district.

  • Melbourne Skydeck - Incredible View of Melbourne: The Southern Hemisphere’s highest observation deck is the SKYDECK in Southbank. Enjoy the expansive city views, step out onto The Edge – a transparent glass cube – and enter a 6D immersive sensory experience in the Voyager Theatre.

  • Art Exhibits: Get up to speed with the latest exhibitions while you’re in town. The Australian collection at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square is an undoubted highlight, and free to enter. You should also check out ACMI’s calendar. See the latest global exhibitions at the NGV International and soak it up, literally, in the immersive digital art space LUME. Finally, head to Melbourne Museum for their new Gandel Gondwana Garden; it’s an outdoor gallery where you can step into the Victoria of the past.

  • Hot Air Ballooning over Melbourne: Melbourne is the only major city in the world you can travel over by balloon!

  • Midsumma Festival returns in 2024 to once again showcase a diverse celebration of distinguished queer arts and cultural festivities. Celebrating the LGBTQIA+ communities since 1988, Midsumma Festival proudly presents over 200 events showcasing queer culture, featuring local, interstate, and international artists in spectacular performances, talks and social events.

  • Virtual Tours – Museums Victoria: Explore Melbourne Museum through mini-websites, audio tours and virtual tours on Google Maps.

  • Selection of Paid tours.

Excursion Options

  • Winery Excursion (Wine Tasting Tour):

    The Yarra Valley wine region dates back to 1838 and is located only an hour from Melbourne. Wine growers in this region were considered pioneers of the Victorian wine industry, and today it is arguably one of the best wine regions in the world. This picturesque region is filled with rolling hills, vineyards, and charming cellar doors.. If you’re a wine lover, then the Yarra Valley is definitely the destination for you. You will finish your visit at a well-known local chocolaterie and ice creamery, where you can enjoy chocolates and ice-creams and take in remarkable views. Price: $125-$165 AUD including wine tastings and transport.

  • Wildlife Park Excursion (Australia’s Wildlife Tour):

    We’ll spend the afternoon and evening exploring top attractions including Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, the Woolamai surf beach and coastline, the Nobbies and the Penguin Parade at sunset, where the local colony of little penguins emerges from the water to make their way to the burrows in the sand dunes. This tour is the best way to discover the wild coastal scenery and delightful animals of Australia. All entrance fees, transportation, and lunch are included in the price of the tour. Dinner will be at the cost of the participant in the town of Cowes. Pickup at Swinburne at 12:15-12:30 pm, return to Swinburne at 11:30 pm. Price $100-$140.

  • Historical Walking Tour of Melbourne and lunch on the Yarra River:

    There is so much more to Melbourne than many locals know about. These free guides will unpack the stories and history of Australia’s cultural capital and provide insights into the people, places and events of this amazing city. Beginning at the State Library, you will explore Melbourne’s beginnings and development from its indigenous history right up to the major developments that have made Melbourne the world city that it is today. You’ll explore laneways, art, cafe culture and hidden bars. These tours are offered on a “pay what you think it’s worth” model so people of any budget are able to turn up and enjoy the tour and discover and learn about our great city. The expected gratuity is usually $10-$15 per person. Daily at 2:30 sharp. Reachable by public transport.