16th Annual
V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2006

27 August - 1 September 2006
Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, Melbourne , Australia

Venue Information

The Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, stretching 450 metres along the Yarra River, opened in February 1996 to great acclaim, winning a multitude of awards for its unique design. A great benefit of this venue is that the exhibition and all sessions and posters will be located under the one roof. The Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC) is located near the Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex. The Complex provides a broad range of restaurants and entertainment facilities.

Just up the river on the south side near St Kilda Road and the Arts Centre, which has various performance spaces for theatre, concerts, opera and ballet, is the South Bank complex, or Southgate, as it is commonly called. This has become a meeting place for all ages. Casual and formal restaurants, wine bars and stylish shops are situated along a paved river frontage. The location is popular for locals and overseas visitors alike.

Internet Access

Melbourne Convention Centre offers a wireless broadband network, connections are charged at an hourly rate from 1 hour to 168 hours (7 days).

There are two options for payment as follows:

Payment rates are still to be confirmed and will be updated here as soon as possible

General Information

“What will it cost me?”

The following costs are an estimate of the expenses you may incur whilst attending the 16 th Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference. Of course, there are many alternatives both less expensive and more luxurious! The Conference Managers are more than happy to assist in the planning of your trip.

Airport Transfers – AUD$24.00 based on a shuttle bus return trip

Melbourne Airport is located 20 km or 25 minutes from central Melbourne. A shuttle bus, SkyBus, operates 24 hours a day between the Airport and the city centre. The service runs approximately every 30 minutes at a cost of A$12 each way. Drop off points are located throughout the city centre close to hotels and facilities. Phone: +61 3 9670 7992

Accommodation – AUD$360.00 based on 6 nights at AUD$60.00 per room per night

Please note that the above rate is a room only indicative estimate of Melbourne backpacker accommodation and there will be a range of accommodation options available to suit all budgets.

Eating Out – AUD$120.00 based on dinner for 6 nights at AUD$20.00 per person per night

The above estimated cost is for a main meal only. As with accommodation, there is a wide range of restaurants, cafes and bars to choose from with varying menus and prices.

The following link to the Melbourne Best Restaurants guide may assist you in selecting a venue for the best dining experience to suit your tastes and budget:

http://www.bestrestaurants.com.au/melbourne_restaurants.asp

Total: AUD$504.00 for a 6 night stay in Melbourne

Flights

To research and book your international flight to Australia, please click on the following link:

http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/home/qualifier-region-au

Most International flights will fly directly into Melbourne, eliminating the need to get a connecting domestic flight.

Following is a map indicating estimated international flight times.

Venue

A consistent winner of many prestigious 'Awards for Excellence', the Melbourne Exhibition Centre is renowned for providing delegates with the highest standards of personal service and conference facilities under one roof. Melbourne Convention Centre

Weather

Melbourne has a temperate climate with mild winters. August is at the very end of Winter and September marks the beginning of Spring. Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures at this time of year are 16 and 7 degrees C (61 and 45 degrees F) respectively. Monthly average rainfall for August is 50 mm with rain falling an average of 14 days in the month and a relative humidity of 72%. Melbourne averages 5 hours of sunshine per day at this time of year.

Planning your travel

Because of time change and jet lag the Organising Committee suggests you consider arriving in Australia by 25 August 2006. This will also enable you to relax and familiarise yourself with your hotel and its surrounds before the start of the Conference.

Public Transport in Melbourne

The Conference venue is within easy walking distance to most hotels in the Melbourne central business district (CBD). Although it is rapidly expanding, the geographic area of the Melbourne central business district is around 5kms X 5kms.
The Melbourne CBD (and its suburbs) is one of a few cities in the world that has a low cost electric tram network, as well as an underground train system. There is a free-of-charge historic tram that runs regularly around the perimeter of the Melbourne CBD. This free historic tram is designed for visitors to Melbourne and has high-quality maps and tour guides on board – a most recommended means of getting around the Melbourne CBD.

The city and suburbs is also well-serviced by taxis and buses, or for something a little different, catch a water taxi along Melbourne’s famous Yarra River and docklands area. One of the reasons that Melbourne is regarded as one of the world’s safest and most livable cities, is because it is quite safe to walk and travel around Melbourne, day and night.
Melbourne is well serviced by trains, trams, buses and taxis both in the city and surrounding suburbs. For more information about the transport network, go to VicTrip (www.victrip.com.au)

Local Transportation

Melbourne Airport is located 20 km or 25 minutes from central Melbourne. A taxi fare is approximately A$40.

A shuttle bus, SkyBus , operates 24 hours a day between the Airport and the city centre. The service runs approximately every 30 minutes at a cost of A$12 each way. Drop off points are located throughout the city centre close to hotels and facilities. Phone: +61 3 9670 7992

Childcare Services

Childcare services can be made available at any of the listed hotels. Should you wish to enquire about these services and their associated costs, please contact the hotels directly. Contact details can be found on the accommodation page of this website.

 

The Host City - Melbourne

Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, known as Australia's Garden State, is situated on the picturesque tree-lined banks of the Yarra River. It is a thriving cosmopolitan city with a unique balance of graceful old and new architecture surrounded by parks and gardens. Melbourne has a wealth of culture, is Australia's leader in theatre, sport and fashion, and has some of the finest restaurants in the country.

Things to See and Do in Melbourne

The central business district of Melbourne is based around the delta of the Yarra River at the top of a large bay. The city area contains some of Australia’s finest parks, gardens and historic buildings, all within walking distance. Melbourne is also Australia’s entertainment, sporting and cultural capital. Nearly every cuisine is represented in the many hundreds of Melbourne’s very reasonably-priced restaurants and cafes.

Places of interest include:

• Melbourne Zoo, recognised as one of the world’s best.
• The observation deck of the Rialto (southern hemisphere’s tallest building) for a bird’s-eye view.
• The sporting precinct which includes the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), scene of the Melbourne 1956 Olympics and still one of the world’s great stadiums, as well as Rod Laver arena (venue of the Australian Tennis Open).
• Many waterfront promenades and cafes along the Yarra River or docklands precinct.
• Some of the finest examples of historic gothic architecture (used as backdrops in many major movies).

For more information on Melbourne and its surrounding regions, please visit the following websites:

Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB)
Tourism Victoria
CitySearch
Melbourne Diner's Guide
Melbourne Airport
The Age Newspaper
Bureau of Meteorology
 Visit Victoria
Melbourne City Council