Shopping and transportation

When you first arrive in Melbourne, you’ll probably be eager to discover where to shop for food and other items, and how to get around. Explore your many options.

Check out your local shopping centres. Even though you may pay less elsewhere, you’ll find these centres convenient.

Opening hours

Department stores and most other shops are open:

• Monday to Wednesday 9am–5pm
• Thursday to Friday 9am–9pm
• Saturday 9am–6pm
• Sunday 10am–5pm.

Major supermarkets are usually open until midnight. Convenience stores (e.g. 7-Eleven) at petrol stations stay open 24 hours a day, but you’ll generally pay more at these stores than you would at supermarkets.

Where to buy what you need

• Self-service supermarkets for food and household goods are located in all major suburban shopping centres. Supermarkets are cheaper than smaller specialty shops, although prices can vary from one supermarket to another.Major Melbourne supermarkets include:In some suburbs, you’ll also find Asian supermarkets selling a wide range of specialty Asian foods.Large markets sell everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to clothing. Large markets in and around Melbourne include:Shopping tipsSupermarkets offer a wide variety of food and household goods at competitive prices, but they’re not always your cheapest option. Shop around to find the best buys. And here are some other tips to help you save money:You can ask senior students during Orientation Week about the best places to shop near your campus.Halal foodsMany grocery items available in Melbourne shops and supermarkets are halal. The best way to check if processed food is halal is to see if it is halal certified. Ingredients and food additives are also usually listed on the label. Sometimes additives are represented by a number. Some of the main certification authorities are listed below.Woolworths and Coles are Australia’s major grocery shops. They offer a wide variety of halal certified food (varies from shop to shop). Visit in store or search halal from their online shopping website. Local markets are also a great way to explore and buy groceries. Dandenong market is a popular choice for the Muslim community due to it’s close proximately to Clayton campus.
• You’ll find a number of discount variety and department stores across Melbourne and its suburbs. These carry a large range of household items, toiletries and clothes.Some of the major discount variety stores are:Two of the more expensive department stores are:Make sure you understand the price of your item and save the receipt in case you want to return or exchange it. Stores generally allow you to return an item if it’s broken or damaged if only a short time has passed since its purchase.Second-hand storesSecond-hand stores (opportunity shops or ‘op shops’) are an inexpensive option if you’re on a budget. These shops sell donated clothing, furniture and household goods at very low prices. Although these items have been used, they’re generally in good condition.You can also buy second-hand items, such as furniture and household goods, online. Here are some websites dedicated to buying and selling at reasonable prices:You may need a car and trailer – or a van – to pick up large items if the seller can’t deliver them.When using second-hand websites, always make sure to read the seller and buyer reviews and consider taking a friend with you when meeting someone you don’t know.Don’t make an upfront payment to a stranger by money order or electronic transfer. Instead use secure payment options, such as PayPal or a credit card.One more warning. Always be wary of online sellers offering goods and well-known brands at extremely low prices. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• You can buy prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications at chemists (pharmacies). Some Monash campuses have healthcare services onsite, but you’re not limited to these services. For more about where to find chemists and healthcare services, go to healthcare in Australia.
• Milk barsMilk bars are small convenience shops in all Melbourne suburbs. They sell goods ranging from coffee, cold drinks and takeaway food to canned goods and breakfast cereal. You’ll generally pay more for items at a milk bar, but milk bars usually have longer opening hours than other shops, which can come in handy.FurnitureAustralian properties are rented or sold without furniture (unless otherwise stated) so you’ll generally need to arrange your own bedding and seating. Some larger trading stores (e.g. IKEA, Forty Winks, Sydney’s Furniture and Bedding, and Fantastic Furniture) sell inexpensive new furniture, and they can deliver to your home.Electrical goodsIn Australia, the electrical current is 240-250 volts at 50Hz and electrical plugs have a three-prong design unique to this region. To use your electrical goods from home, you’ll need an electrical plug adapter and, if your country’s electrics operate on a different voltage, you’ll also need to use an appropriate transformer. Or you may wish to instead buy new electrical goods after you arrive. You can find reasonably priced items (e.g. hairdryer and iron) at various electrical and department stores.LaundryIf there aren’t any washing or drying facilities where you live, you can take your clothes to a local laundrette or laundromat, where you’ll find coin-operated washing machines and dryers.

How to pay for goods and services

The final total price of your purchase (if paying by cash) is rounded down or up to the nearest five cents. This means, for example, you won’t get change if you pay $10 for a $9.98 item.

In Australia, you can pay in person for goods and services with:

• cash
• credit or debit card via an electronic processing system called EFTPOS (where you can sometimes withdraw cash when you make a purchase)
• lay-by (layaway) where the seller holds an item for you while you pay in instalments after leaving a deposit
• payWave or PayPass where you just tap your credit or debit card on a device to make a payment up to $100 without entering a PIN and more if you enter a PIN
• buy now, pay later services (e.g. Zip, Afterpay and humm) where you can get the item right away while you pay in instalments.

Ask about the availability of these services when you’d like to buy something and check if there are any extra charges or interest. When relying on credit, make sure you have the means to pay back what you owe.

In Australia, a product’s displayed cost is generally fixed and includes government taxes. Although bartering or haggling for a lower price is not generally done here, it’s acceptable in places such as garage sales, community markets and used-car dealers.

You’ve got lots of safe, convenient ways to travel around Melbourne and Victoria, as well as between Monash campuses. Check them out.

• Monash provides regular, free shuttle buses (with free wi-fi) between the Clayton campus and Caulfield and Peninsula campuses, and between the Peninsula campus and Frankston Railway Station.To use this service, just show the driver your valid Monash student or staff M-Pass.Buses run regularly Monday through Friday during semester. Outside semester, a Clayton to Caulfield service continues to operate, but less frequently than usual. For details, see shuttle bus timetables.
• Melbourne has a public transport system of trains, trams and buses. Catch a tram to travel around Melbourne’s central business district (CBD) – trams run along most main streets. Go by train around the greater Melbourne metropolitan area. Buses mainly service suburban locations.Check Transport Victoria timetables carefully. Public transport operates all night on weekends only.International Student Travel PassIf you’re an international student doing a diploma, advanced diploma, bachelor’s degree (including honours) or associate degree at Monash, you may be eligible for a 50 per cent discount on an annual full-fare public transport pass. To receive this discount, apply for an International Student Travel Pass (ISTP) in the Web Enrolment System (WES). If you’re eligible, we’ll email you an ISTP code to use on the ISTP website to receive your discounted International Student Travel Pass.Concession card for Monash Abroad studentsIf you’re a Study Abroad or an Exchange at Monash student with the word EXCHANGE in your course title, you may be eligible for a domestic student travel concession card (discounted myki). If you’re at Monash for just one semester, this concession card is more economical than the yearly International Student Travel Pass.mykiIf you’re not eligible for an International Student Travel Pass or a domestic student travel concession card, the Commuter Club offers a 10 per cent discount on a yearly myki card.This reusable smart card stores myki Money (dollar amount) and/or a myki Pass (number of travel days) to pay for travel on public transport in Victoria (metropolitan trains, trams and buses and some regional buses).You can buy a myki card and top it up online or at train stations, certain tram stops, bus interchanges and retail outlets displaying the myki sign.If you’re using myki Money, you always need to ‘touch on’ and ‘touch off’ the myki reader with your myki card to get the lowest fare. If you don’t touch off, you’ll be charged a default fare that may be higher than otherwise.ZonesThe public transport network is divided into two zones. Zone 1 covers the inner-city suburbs of Melbourne and Zone 2 covers the outer suburbs of Melbourne. Most fares are based on these zones and the corresponding travel time. Travelling within one zone will be cheaper than travelling across two zones.If you’re travelling by train from the city to the Clayton campus via the Huntingdale Station, you’ll stay within Zone 1. (This will be cheaper than travelling from the city via the Zone 2 Clayton Station.)If you’re travelling by train from the Pakenham/Cranbourne side to the Clayton campus via the Huntingdale Station, you’ll stay within Zone 2.The 601, 630 and 900 buses between the Clayton campus and the Huntingdale Station all stay within Zone 1. The 601 bus is an express service that runs frequently on weekdays.Free Tram ZoneTrams around Melbourne’s central business district (CBD) are free so you don’t have to touch on or touch off with your myki card. If your tram leaves the free zone, you’ll need to touch off.Safety and complianceAuthorised Officers (in uniform or plain clothes) ride the trains, trams and buses to keep public transport safe by preventing destructive or dangerous behaviour. They also make sure everyone pays their way by checking that commuters have valid myki cards. Failure to travel with a valid card could lead to a fine.
• You’ll find Melbourne taxis easy to spot. They’ve got a lamp on the roof and most are painted yellow, silver or white.A taxi driver wears a uniform and must display an identity card at all times.Fares and additional chargesYou can keep track of your fare by checking the taximeter (usually quite visible). And there may be additional charges in Melbourne (e.g. late-night surcharge between midnight and 5am, phone booking fee, CityLink toll and waiting fee at airport taxi rank). All taxis must charge the standard fare. Between 10pm and 5am, you’ll need to pay the fare in advance.Hailing a taxiThere are various ways to get a taxi in Victoria. You can hail one from the side of the road or at a taxi rank – a taxi with the roof light on means it’s available. You can also book a taxi by phoning one of the major taxi companies. Or you can use one of the apps that allow you to book, track and pay for a taxi.Melbourne’s major taxi companies:Outer suburban taxi company:
• If you’re on a student visa, you may drive for your first six months in Victoria if you possess a valid and current:You must carry your driver’s licence with you whenever you drive.How to apply for a Victorian driver’s licenceIf you have an international or overseas driver’s licence, you must convert it to a Victorian driver’s licence within six months of your arrival. Even without some other type of driver’s licence, you can still get a Victorian driver’s licence.To be eligible for a Victorian driver’s licence, you must be 18 years or older. You may need to pass an eyesight test, a road law knowledge test, hazard perception test and a practical driving test to get a licence. (Some countries are exempt from these tests.)Know the road rulesIf you’re going to drive in Australia – even if you’re an experienced driver with an international or overseas driver’s licence – you must know the road rules before you attempt to drive.In Australia, we drive on the left-hand side of the road. There are also rules specific to Melbourne, such as hook turns and driving procedures along tram routes. We recommend that you take one or two driving lessons in Australia before you begin to drive here on your own.You are required by law to obey our road rules and the conditions of your Victorian driver’s licence. If asked by a police officer to show your driver’s licence, you must show your Victorian licence (if you have one) rather than your international or overseas licence.Get the Road to Driving Solo booklet and study the road rules and signs carefully. You can download a free copy online (pdf) or buy a copy at a newsagent or any VicRoads office.Here are the key road rules:
• When cycling, you must always wear a helmet. At night and in low light, you have to have a front white light and a rear red light on your bicycle. All cyclists must follow the road rules.You can take your bicycle on Melbourne’s trains, but not on trams or buses. Never board through the first door of the first train carriage (an area for mobility impaired passengers) and keep all passageways and doorways clear. Only folding bikes that meet the specific size criteria can be carried on trams and buses. Find out how to ride your bike safely.