International Student Information

3.5 Getting around

Public Transport 

Lyndale Secondary College is located a short drive from Dandenong station. The PAKENHAM and CRANBOURNEtrain lines service this station. There is a bus stop for services 850 and 804 directly outside the school on Gladstone Rd. A school safety crossing can be used to cross the road safely to access bus stops. This crossing, and others like it are staffed by a crossing safety officer an hour before and after school.

 

Passengers require a valid Myki card for travel on Victorian public transport. A student Myki card can be arranged through the International Student Coordinator. When boarding a train, bus or tram in Melbourne use the green touch pads to ‘touch on’ (press your Myki card against the pad) when you board the vehicle. It is also important to ‘touch off’ just before you alight the vehicle to ensure you do not get overcharged for your trip. 

 

When travelling on the trams within the Melbourne city limits, there is no need to touch on or off using your Myki as this travel is free. Conversely, Myki cards are not able to be used on the V-Line state-wide train network, the Skybus running between the city and the airport, or within other capital cities or town centres around Australia, where different ticketing systems are used. 

 

For more information on Victoria’s public transport system visit ptv.vic.gov.au.

Taxis and Uber

Taxis and Uber services are prevalent across Melbourne. Uber is conducted through the corresponding Uber app relevant to your smart phone and can be used by following the instructions contained on the App. There are a number of taxi companies who can fulfil your travel needs. Taxis will not engage in haggling or bargaining as they are permitted only to refer to their meter in order to charge for travel. For this reason, it is inadvisable to travel long distances in this fashion. Taxi numbers for Melbourne include:

 

  • 13CABS: 132 227
  • National Taxi Booking Service: 131 008

Driving 

Driving laws in Australia depend on the state in which you are living. In order to drive in any state you will need to hold either an international driving license or a license issued by the state in which you will be residing (in this case Victoria). For information on licensing in Victoria refer to https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licenses/renew-replace-or-update/new-to-victoria. In addition, if you wish to obtain your Victorian driving license you must be at least 16 years old and undergo several theory and practical tests. For more information on how to obtain your learner’s permit and probationary driver’s license refer to the previous website address. 

Bicycles 

Melbourne has a range of bike tracks to choose from if you enjoy riding around to experience your new city. It is also a city which is bike friendly, having special bike lanes on many roads. Operating a bike does not require the use of a license as cards do, but this does not mean they are not subject their own set of laws. The laws pertaining to bike-riding in Victoria include:

 

  • an accredited bike helmet must be worn at all times when riding a bike
  • you must make yourself as visible as possible to other road users during hours of darkness, including using a set of bike lights (white at the front, red at the back) 
  • you must use bike lanes where they are available
  • do not ride bikes on urban freeways
  • do not carry any other person on the bike with you

 

Failure to obey bike laws in Australia may result in an expensive fine. For more information on bike road laws, refer to www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/road-rules/a-to-z-of-road-rules/bicycles.

Shopping

Shopping can be a fun and exciting experience in Australia. While most shops have a high level of customer service, shop workers always appreciate when manners (please, thank you, and excuse me) are used. This ensures they will be very helpful in assisting you with your transaction. 

Where to Shop

Melbourne is home to many shopping centres of varying sizes, which house retail chains as well as custom boutiques. Each centre aspires to deliver a comfortable and safe shopping experience, but is mindful to remind shoppers to closely monitor their personal items of value such as wallets, purses, mobile phones and watches. Local shopping centres include:

  • Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre, Mulgrave (5.2 kilometres from LSC)
  • Dandenong Plaza, Dandenong (4.4 kilometres from LSC)

Large shopping centres on the eastern side of Melbourne include:

  • Chadstone Shopping Town, Chadstone (16 kilometres from LSC)
  • DFO South Wharf, Melbourne city (32 kilometres from LSC)
  • Westfield Doncaster Shopping Centre, Doncaster (26 kilometres from LSC)
  • Melbourne Central, Emporium and QV, Melbourne City (31 kilometres from LSC)
  • Westfield Fountain Gate, Narre Warren (14 kilometres from LSC)
  • Eastland Shopping Centre, Ringwood (18 kilometres from LSC)
  • Harbour Town, Docklands (34 kilometres from LSC)
  • Westfield Knox, Wantirna South (14 kilometres from LSC)

Business Hours 

Business hours in Australia vary greatly, depending on location, type of shop or company, time of year, day of the week and public holidays. All businesses are closed on Christmas day with the exception of some service stations, convenience stores and fast food outlets. The following guide to trading hours is comparable to other states and territories across Australia: 

Bargaining/Haggling

When shopping in Australia, you generally don’t bargain or barter (also called haggling) for the price of an item. The displayed price for items is fixed and if Australian GST (Goods & Services Tax) is applicable it will already be included in the displayed price.  However, there are exceptions to this rule. There are places and circumstances in which it is perfectly acceptable to barter for the best price possible. These may include:  at garage sales, community markets, second hand dealerships, or at electrical goods’ stores, furniture shops, or when purchasing a motor vehicle if you are offering to pay in cash, or have seen the item at a competitor store for a better price.

 

If you are paying by CASH and, if you are buying more than one item, you may have more bargaining power.  Begin the bargaining process by asking: 

 

“What’s the best price you can give me?”

 

Or at a garage sale, you might pick up several items whose combined total is $50 and say:

 

“I’ll offer you $30 for all of these.”

Purchasing an Item

There are many ways to pay for goods and services in Australia. This includes paying with cash, using your bank card, or by cheque. The most common methods of purchasing items are by cash or EFTPOS.   

 

EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) allows you to use the card attached to your Australian bank account to make purchases and withdraw cash at the same time (at the retailer's discretion) from more than 103,000 merchants across Australia. Just swipe your bank card through the EFTPOS card reader, select your account type and enter your PIN (Personal Identification Number). You may also choose to pay-wave or pay-pass your transaction if it is under AU$100 by holding your card over the EFTPOS machine until it beeps. In this way there is no need to enter a PIN. 

 

EFTPOS and pay-wave/pay-pass is available at most shops in Australia. Just look for the EFTPOS sign.  You can choose to make the EFTPOS transaction from your savings account, cheque account or credit card.  You receive a printed receipt after each purchase and the transaction appears on your statement. Some shops have an EFTPOS limit and/or charge a small fee for transactions under a certain amount. They will usually tell you if that is the case.