There are so many varied things to do in and around Melbourne and further afield across the whole of Australia. It is a top holiday location and will be perfect to visit in March when it will still be Summer. We would love to help you plan your trip so please contact us for advice as we both know Melbourne & Australia very well. Try the websites www.visitvictoria.com.au, www.visityarravalley.com.au

Cautions on the road include:

• Speeding – the police are eager to do you for speeding with hidden speed cameras on all major and minor roads. Just drive within the limits.
• Parking – they will get you for parking everywhere in the city so make sure its ok to park and do not face the opposite direction to the traffic. And the posh English accent will not let you off either as my father found out!!
• Alcohol – this is even more of a no no. The limit is the same as in the UK at 0.05% but is much more enforced. There are often roadblocks for random testing, especially going up to the Yarra Valley Vineyards – Surprise!! As they say in Australia ‘If you drink & drive then you’re a bloody idiot!’
• Australians – a bone of contention in our household but without a doubt a much less courteous bunch on the roads.
• Australian wildlife – they’re big, bouncy, come out mainly at night & can leave a big dent in your car. Main culprits are kangaroos and wombats. Not that common to see them out on the roads but they do live up in the Yarra Valley & come out more at night.
• Melbourne hookturn – because of the trams in the centre of the city at certain interchanges in order to turn right you need to pull into the left and wait for the lights to change. Get it wrong & you could get crushed. Confused? Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_turn or just do what the locals do.
• Tollroads – main ones include the Airport Freeway as well as the Eastlink out to the Yarra Valley (to the wedding), as well as Monash Freeway to the south. Like the London Congestion charge there is no toll booth but cameras so you need to ensure your car has an e-tag pre-paid or you pay on the internet, ideally before. Talk to the hire car company or buy a Melbourne pass at www.citylink.com.au

Like in the UK they drive on the left hand side of the road which makes it easy. Considering the distances covered even in the Melbourne area it may be worth hiring a car from the airport if you are coming from overseas.

Before travelling to Oz we recommend you visit this promotional video for tourists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy_TB6onHVE