Melbourne

Melbourne – A Unique Welcome Indeed

The transformation of the living space by human ingenuity since knowledge becomes part of the human heritage is immense and Melbourne presents itself as an exciting  proof of it. Change is a choice as well as a necessity. As a choice, the artist in us translates the ideas that we got into concrete things. And so, a simple equation or geometric drawing unfolds to become a whole world. This is change by choice, coming as it were from the human mind through inspiration. Not always however is the choice made and even when it is made, there are forces of resistance. Change translates itself into necessity before resistance. To resist change therefore is to be swept away by it when it comes as it should be.

And so when in Nature everything is undergoing change even while the constants that hold the fabric together remain, the birth of ideas whose products become the works of arts that is called a town or a city as evidenced in its architecture, in its gardens, its rivers, all flowing together in one another, the kind of view you got from Melbourne 360 Obeservatory,  is the heart of beauty on display.

You can’t miss the feeling of watching a beautiful work of art as you look below and around Melbourne through Melbourne 360, the Melbourne Observation Deck at Rialto. If you allow your brush to flow which is the same as allowing your feelings to immerse in the view before you, what emerges are the colours of the rainbow, the kind that makes this planet of ours a gently moving, smoothly folding and intricately curling flow of love and peace.

We have been to Frazer Island. Yes, we have also been to the Green Barrier Reef. We emerged from them as if we have been transported to the dreamland of meditative pose of the forest in which the acrobatic stunts of the the squirrels from tree to tree, branch to branch and the nut cracking of the birds, perching here and flying away, flapping the wings, singing, constitute the music with no counterpart in town.

And now we are in Melbourne, looking at the city from Observatory Melboure 360. Suddenly we remember that we have seen something like what we have before us somewhere even if it is different. Yes, in Frazer Island! With a different message.
The city before us radiates peace and inner struggle. It is as quiet as the glittering lakes of Frazer Island or as the beautiful lady with watery eyes, the coral reefs of Great Barrier Reef. Under the canopy of Mother Nature, this Melbourne before us is as innocent as the sweet smile of a baby. And that’s its true nature! Innocence is the true nature of the human city in the motherly arms of Nature.

Stay! The longer you watch Melbourne from this Observatory, the closer you are to the primordial nature of all – our shared living habitat, this planet, its ecosystem of the flora and fauna and the all-enveloping, living and bouncing, healthy and healing space.

Alas! You have to leave the Observatory now. But relax. The pain of parting will soon metamorphose into the joy of meeting personally with and getting to know Melbourne. Now is the time to embrace the radiance of the queen, Melbourne, that has been waiting for you all the while and follow her to the gallery of attractions.
Hurry! You have seen Melbourne but you have not seen it all. We go to Eureka Skydeck 88! It’s the tallest Melbourne's observation deck, with 360 degree views of Melbourne. In addition to that, it is the worlds only 'edge' experience.

Before going to the Children’s Fun Paradise, that’s the Fun City, the UNESCO’s other World Heritage site in Australia, that is, the Royal Exhibition Building, famous as one of the world fair buildings of the nineteenth century, is a must-visit place. It is the first non-Aboriginal cultural site in Australia to win World Heritage listing.
Now is the time to hop to Fun City, the DarkZone Entertainment Complex for Kids.

There is a load of fun waiting for them there, the kids. And of course for adults too who have not lost the sense of letting go and letting the world roll away once in a while to allow new ideas to come in, this being one of the mysterious ways of the Muse – work, relax, let go and wait! I am back again with a plum of an idea for you in the mindspace!.

There are other fabulous, mean to say fantastic places of attraction in Melbourne. Luna Park is one of them. But what should not be missed after visiting these attractions are the rich bookshops of Melbourne and the supermarkets. To get a feel of Australian kitchen, you can begin with the restaurants. And don’t forget the souvenir shops too. They have what you may not have seen elsewhere as take-home gifts.

Visit Melbourne and keep it! It’s another way of saying that, once here, those beautiful experiences that you make shall continue to brighten you path. Ever.

The best Holiday in Melbourne ever.

If you are considering Melbourne as your next holiday destination, then you may want to have a time table of the places you would want to visit and the activities you would want to engage in. I know you may be thinking that it would be boring to have time table. Rather that perceiving it that way, why not use it as a guide. You do not have to follow strict time limits. Just make the best out of your holiday by being able to tell what you did or did not do and then make a point of doing it the second time you revisit the city.

You may want to taka a boat tour on the Yarra River. The boat tour provides for a relaxed way of sight seeing the areas around the river. If you want, you could go for a rowing boat and participate in this traditional way of navigating in water. Conversely, you may choose to take a tour on a tram. These are usually found at the city center and are ideally made for tours around the city attractive sites. You could say that it is a form of guided tour as it has a commentary on board. Another place to visit that has many inter connecting attractions is the royal Exhibition building.

This is a historical site that was awarded the World Heritage title. Parliament was housed in this building in the year 1901. Outside the exhibition building is the Carton garden. This garden forms a great picnic spot. It also has many different types of flowers and trees. At the far end of the garden is the Melbourne Museum. Get educated here on the history of the city as you look at old picture and some artifacts.

Crown the day with a walk down the dinosaur walk and take in the sight of the skeleton of the now extinct animal. Now wouldn’t you call that a well spent day in Melbourne.

When to go?

Melbourne is a city that is comfortable to visit all year round, however Melbourne’s summer’s can get very hot on the odd day. Autumn is a great time of year to visit Melbourne because the weather is fine during the day and the nights are mild. In spring there is often a lot of rain, though not the downpours that you would expect further north. Melbourne’s winters as expected are quite cold, particularly in the mornings and nights.

Average minimum and maximum temperatures
Summer 14 C – 25 C
Autumn 11 C – 20 C
Winter 6 C – 14 C
Spring 9 C – 20 C

What to do and see

Melbourne is renowned for being one of the top international travel destinations and is often labelled Australia’s ‘Cultural Capital’. Melbourne is a city of contrasts, there is a huge cultural and artistic pride and an equal commitment to sports, entertainment and glamour.

Treat your taste spuds to some of Melbourne’s world-class coffee, a great way to start your day. Sit yourself down at a cafe on one of the many alleyways off Bourke Street and take in the wonderful aromas and flavours of an Italian or local roast. Enjoy Melbourne’s superb variety of cuisines throughout the city and its surrounding suburbs – Chinese and Japanese in the city, Italian in Carlton, Vietnamese in Richmond, Spanish in Fitzroy and a whole range more.

If sport’s more your flavour, then watch an Australian Rule’s Football match at the M.C.G and get amongst the action and excitement with another 80,000 screaming fans. In March, head to the Grand Prix at Albert Park for some serious adrenalin-fuelled racing. Or watch the Australian Open tennis tournament and watch the champions play.

Go on a “discover Melbourne tour” and learn about the people that shaped and built this amazing city. Explore the grand architecture, historic buildings, arcades and hidden laneways that make up Melbourne’s cultural heritage.

Hot Spots - The Eureka Tower

Make your way to Southbank and head for the Eureka Tower where a lift awaits to take you to the 88th floor where you will have stunning views over Melbourne’s CBD. The looking point is the highest in the southern hemisphere and for those that don’t mind a thrill, there is a glass cube-like structure that extends out from the main building so you can see around as well as down…a staggering 285 metres.

Whenever people decide to visit Melbourne, they won’t be disappointed.
The journey begins already on the way to the hotel through the city over the beautiful Westgate Bridge, along the new skyscrapers in Docklands and Southbank.

Arrived in the city it won’t take long till you will decide to go for a nice shopping trip. There is so much to see- Melbourne Central with his hundreds of shops, QV and China Town and not to forget the huge main train station “Flinders Street”, a beautiful, historical building opposite Federation Square where you can enjoy a nice meal or chill out in the sun or walk along the river.

Why not take a walk to the impressive Botanical Gardens or visit the Crown Casino Entertainment Complex? And that’s just the beginning of Melbourne! Melbourne offers a multicultural cuisine of Greek, Italian, Chinese and Indian food. It is well known for its Victoria Market where you will find a nice souvenir for sure.

Melbourne got a nice beach side and its worth to take a trip on the coastline or go for a swim on a sunny day. Not to forget are other attractions like the famous Great Ocean Road, Lorne, Torquay or Philip Island. Everything is just a few hours far from Melbourne.

For all the Shopping Fans- there a Shopping Centers everywhere, the biggest one is Chadstone Shopping Center, a whole street with Factory Outlets. Melbourne will impress you!

Mandy from Germany

Carlton Gardens

Have you been looking for an idyllic garden setting where you can relax and get away from the bustle of the city? A place where you can enjoy your lunch, read a book, smell the roses and take some time out?

And all that without having to catch a tram, train or bus?

Well yes, such a place does exist. Only a leisurely ten minute walk from the corner of Swanston St and Queensberry St will find you in the beautiful heritage site of the Carlton Gardens. And not only is the setting peaceful and relaxing but the surrounding areas are chock full of history.

If you feel so inclined take the time to wander around and notice the changes from the original 19th century gardens. The various patterns that had been made including circles and scrolls in the 1800’s were later removed and re-placed with much simpler planting patterns. However in 2008, a move was made to bring back the charm of the original gardens and what you see today can transport you back in time.

In addition, nearby stands the historic Royal Exhibition building and the contemporary Melbourne Museum offering you ample opportunities to explore the past and present history of Melbourne.

Dione J.

Sport and Multiculti in Melbourne
The second largest city of Australia and capital of Victoria is coined by almost 150 different nations. The merging of the cultural nuances generated a uncommon people mixture. This mix lends Melbourne its charm and its individuality.

A further concise characteristic for the city is the sport. Who doesn't know the Tennis Grand Slam tournament of the "Australian Open", the Australian Formel 1 Grand Prix or the Top Riding Event "Melbourne Cup", Football and Cricket are also characteristically for Melbourne, the city which carries also the name "Australia's capital of sport".

For friends of surfing is it unfortunately very difficult to find a suitable Surf spot in direct proximity. Only the Elwood and Middle park of beaches are suitable for Windsurfing or Kite boarding. But who is willing to drive a little bit (max. two hours) will find some great possibilities on Phillip Island, in Mornington, in Peninsula and along the Great Ocean Road. All the areas around Port Phillip Bay and Sorrento are recommended for divers. A highlight for Inline skating fans offers a coastal line from Port Melbourne over St. Kilda to Brighton.

Melbourne offers its inhabitants during the summer time the "summer-Fun-in-the-parks" Festival with free open air concerts and meetings to observe the south of the starry sky. Who doesn't want to be noticeable between the native inhabitants during this time shouldn't forget the picnic basket.

You can find a lot of possibilities to go out in Melbourne. Most of the Nightclubs offer free entrance during the week, on weekends is the entry between A$ 4-12. Particular loved are the Nightclubs Honkytonk, Lounge, Revolver Upstairs and the Metro Nightclub. For friends of Live Music is the Arthouse a must. The entrance is usually free and alternative australian bands play in music styles like Death Metal, Trash and Ska.

It's pretty easy to find a job in Melbourne, because of the big hospitality area there.

A costless tour of Melbourne

The Victorian capital, Melbourne, is a busy city that makes one imagine that a lot of money is needed to explore it. This could not be further from the truth. Although an economic hub, you will be glad to know that there a number of money free tour options for your consideration. Here are some of them that are a worthwhile when you visit this magnificent city.

You could choose to take a ride in the city circle tram. It incorporates the word circle in its name as it usually moves around the city following a circular route. The tram is burgundy in color. The route it follows allows you to view some of the many attractions in Melbourne. To make your experience better, there is a commentary giving information on some of the attractions you pass by. The tram operates daily from ten o’clock in the morning to six pm. From Thursday to Saturday the operation time is extended to nine pm. The best thing about this is that the ride is absolutely free of any charges.

Another activity that you could engage in without having to spend money is a visit to the Australian Center for the Moving Image. It is located at the famous Federal Square, which is an attraction in itself. In this center you will find exhibitions on films which are both local and international. The exhibitions are not for films only but also include screen arts. Although a fee may be charged for some views, there is no fee charged at the entry of the centre. After you have had your fill of the films and arts, you can relax and re-energize yourself in one of the cafés or restaurants at the Federation Square.

There are more places you can visit while in Melbourne without having to spend a dollar. This makes it a competitive city to tour.

Getting to places around Melbourne – using public transport.

Melbourne is renowned as the best city or one of the most livable cities in the world. Studying in Melbourne is not complete if you have not experienced this wonderful city in Australia. The things to see and experience in Melbourne are vast. Melbourne Visitor Center at Federation Square is a one-stop shop for information. Here you get information on Melbourne and Victoria, free brochures and maps.

One reason Melbourne is known as a great city to live in is its public transport system which gives access across the city and to outback town centers. Trains, trams and buses connect the metropolitan city of Melbourne. The extensive rail and coach network connects the city with regional areas of Victoria as well.

An interesting thing to do is to go on the free tour of the city of Melbourne accompanied by a local guide. In fact you will find these guides in the city directing people. So Melbourne is a friendly city and you won’t get lost!

The face of public transport in Melbourne is called Metlink - a partnership of Melbourne’s train, tram and bus operators. Metlink provides customers with a ‘one-stop-shop’ for information about services, fares and ticketing. Information on Metropolitan and V/line can be obtained though interpreters from English to German as well.

Myki is Victoria's new ticketing system which is operating on metropolitan trains. Myki is a reusable smart card that can store either travel days (Miki pass) or a dollar value (Miki money), and these are used to pay for your journey.

The myki and Metcard systems operate in parallel for now, so you will be able to use either a myki or a Metcard if you are travelling in Zones 1 and / or 2. Zone 1 is the area close to the city of Melbourne while Zone 2 refers to outer suburbs of Melbourne. V/line refers to trains and coaches traveling away from Metropolitan Melbourne. Myki is also operating on regional bus services in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour, Warragul and the Latrobe Valley.

Bicycles can be carried on metropolitan trains. Cycling is a healthier and greener option which is applauded by Aussies. Cycling would enable you to see places and get to know the area you are living in which you would miss. You can park your bicycle safely at the train station. You can also store your bike in bike lockers at selected Metro and V/Line stations which can be rented free after paying a bond as little as Aus$50 for 3 months.

A little caution must be exercised not to inconveniencing passenger though, especially during office hours. You cannot board at the first door of the first carriage, as this is a priority area for mobility impaired passengers. Always walk your bike along the platform and do not mount until you have exited the station.
So keep to the rules and enjoy the easygoing but busy lifestyle of Melbourne.

Interesting Melbourne “4 seasons” a day weather

The Melbourne city is the capital city of the Victorian state. It has a high population and in fact ranks as the most populated city in Victoria and the second in all of Australia.

Being bordered by hot inlands and the cold ocean to the south, Melbourne experiences weather that keeps on changing. In the summer the weather differences caused by the two different bordering areas weather condition, cause a cold front. The cold fronts in turn, cause severe weather conditions. You can get heavy thunderstorms a lot of rainfall and even gales. Melbourne also experiences convectional rainfall from time to time.

This usually happens near a cool body of inland water. If there is sufficient sunshine, in the afternoon you make get some heavy rains that start and stop very suddenly. The rain is usually very heavy and you get significant drops in temperature within a very short time. They may also be accompanied by hail. If this is so then it would be advisable to take shelter to avoid any regrettable eventualities. This sudden downpour usually gives way back to the sunshine that was there before the sudden downpour. You would have to visit this city to experience this awesome game by the weather as it keeps on raining and stopping unexpectedly a number of times in a day.

During the winter you will find that Melbourne has low temperatures than other places inland. Snow fall is quite rare in this city. What is common though in this season is fog and frost during.

Spring time enjoys clear skies for continuous days. The weather is also mild and perfect for those interested in going around the city to explore. As for the summer you will experience some of the hottest days here. In fact Melbourne is the capital city in Australia that holds the record of the highest temperature amongst the Australian cities.

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Employment Services for international students and interns

Learn more about living and working in Australia.

Receive handy tips for working all around Australia and information about jobs available in Australia.
Jobs for International students

Even though most of the international students come to Australia with enough savings for their university fees and living expenses, many prefer to work while they are studying.

Working while you are enrolled in a university course as an international student can be for many reasons. Most likely of them is to give the students extra pocket money which is handy if you wish to go out on weekends or even travel within Australia while you are there. However, many students also look for jobs for non-financial reasons, such as looking to network and make friends, and an opportunity to learn about a work culture that is probably different to their own country.

Whatever your reason may be to work, we are here to help you prepare to look for a job in Australia.

As an international student in Australia, you will have certain work hours restrictions while your course is in session. The current working limit is 20 hours per week. That means that while the course is on, international students are not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week. Therefore, the kind of work you look for is dependent on whether the company hires part-time employees or not. Though there is no limit on hours you can work while your university is on holidays, it only helps you work indefinite hours for few months in a year.

Most common type of work for international students is in retail, hospitality and customer service/call centre industry. It is comparatively easy for students to get a job as a shop assistant or a shop sales person in Australia. Moreover, since most of the shopping is done over the weekend, students can easily accommodate this job with their university time table. Training is usually provided in the form of working with another shop assistant for couple of days. Job in retail mostly pays a fixed salary but there are certain exceptions where the shop owners are happy to pay a commission based on the sales figures achieved by employee.

There are big supermarket chains in Australia that are also looking for students to fill in various roles such as at the check-out section or to fill in the shelfs with various products. Jobs in one of these supermarkets can provide you valuable experience and a decent salary. Moreover, these supermarkets are there in every second or third suburb which would give you the option of working in a nearby suburb and save on travelling time.

Australia is a food loving country and offers variety of cuisines to suit everyone’s needs. Therefore, there is abundance of restaurants in Australia. These restaurants are always looking for reliable staff to fill in roles of kitchen hand, waiters or assistant to the chef. As an international student, you can look for a job at such places.

Hospitality jobs also include working at hotels. There are various part-time positions available at many hotels which are usually grabbed by international students and travellers. Most of the jobs in hospitality industry pay fixed base salary per hour but some allow you to share in the tips that are received. Like retail jobs, training in hospitality jobs are provided by making you work under an employee who has been working in such a role for long.

Most of the jobs in retail and hospitality are not advertised online or in the newspapers but through word-of-mouth promotion. Therefore, it is handy to know people who work at such places. Best source of these jobs are your fellow students who are working in such jobs and can get you in for an interview if there is a vacancy.

Call centre jobs are of two kinds. One has a customer service focus where you receive calls from customers who have issues with a product or simply need to ask certain questions regarding the product they bought or are planning to buy. Second kinds of jobs have a sales focus where you are required to sell a product or service over the phone.

Customer service jobs are easier to handle as they don’t have a sales target. Whereas in the sales job, you can easily stress out if your job depends on achieving a certain number of sales per day or per week.

Customer service jobs usually pay a fixed salary but jobs in sales have a variable component too. This variable component is either called a bonus or commission and is mostly dependent on the number of sales you achieve. Many sales jobs provide uncapped commissions to encourage staff to make as many sales as possible. Therefore, if you are good at sales, you can make good money working in these jobs. Although it can also have a disadvantage of non-uniform earnings as your sales are likely to change every week.

Training for these jobs is usually provided by a trainer in a formal manner. The trainer spends a day or two with new recruits and explains the features and benefits of the products the company deals in. Most of these jobs are listed through online recruitment websites but as usual, networking helps in finding out about such jobs before they become public.

If you are doing a marketing course and have a requirement of practical work experience as part of your course, most of the sales jobs can be counted towards this requirement. Whether you are involved in sales through a retail shop, door-to-door, kiosk or a call centre, you can present it as a part of your work experience to the university. The lecturer in charge of the course would be able to guide you in this matter as well.

Thus, there are numerous opportunities for international students who are looking for jobs to complement their stay in Australia.

AA Education Network Jobs

AA Education Network has got undisputable reputation in providing excellent services to students planning to study in Australia or New Zealand.

AA Education Network assists potential international students in all aspects of studying and living in Australia. Our services include helping students choose the right course and university, plan their trip to Australia and when they are in Australia, help in settling down. Although this is where most of the other agencies stop, AA Education Network goes beyond in its assistance to International students.

AA Education Network understands the effort international students have to put in getting a job in a new country and we also understand how big relief it is for students to find a job that compliments their studies. Therefore, AA Education Network has lot of job opportunities specifically designed to suit international students.

AA Education Network offers jobs of online writer and online photographer that can be chosen by international students without compromising their universities times.

Online photographer

If you don’t fancy writing but have a passion for photography, AA Education Network has a job for you.

We are always looking for unique photos of highest quality to go along with the articles written about international education and travel in Australia and New Zealand.

Australia and New Zealand are known as the one of the most beautiful countries in the world and therefore we are looking for someone who can capture the essence of these two countries in photos. The photos should be able to demonstrate the beauty of these two countries to people who are looking to visit these countries down under for either studies or travelling.

Your main role will involve taking unique pictures of different places around Australia and New Zealand and copy them on a DVD. At the end of every month, you can send a DVD with 100 or more photos on it to AA Education Network. If the pictures are unique, of highest quality and meet AA Education Network’s requirement, they will put them on one of their websites.

If you take a photo of a person, you will need to seek their permission before the photo can be put on a public website. Like articles, these photos will also become property of AA Education Network and therefore need to be compliant with copyright regulations and acts.

You will need to generate an invoice at the end of each month and if the photos are approved, you will be paid an amount per photo.  

Students will need to have their own camera that can take pictures of highest resolution so that the pictures are not distorted if enlarged.

If you wish to apply for this job, please contact our office.

The benefits of AA Education Network jobs are endless. Not only they provide jobs with most flexible working environment, they also give you amazing exposure if you want to explore your passion in writing or photography. Number of hours and the time you put in the job entirely depends on you and therefore you will not have to worry about your university course or even your other job if you have one.

Moreover, if you want, you can request a reference letter or a project report from AA Education Network for any future job, whether or not related to writing or photography.

Online Writer

This job is suited to those who have English or German as their first language.
The job requires writing articles for websites mainly related to international education in Australia and New Zealand and/or travel around these two beautiful countries.

You main responsibilities in the job will include getting a project or a topic from AA Education Network, conduct some research on the topic and write an article that could be uploaded on a website. The article should be unique and written in good English with no grammatical mistakes. You will also be required to do research and use all appropriate points that need to be added to the article to make the article a comprehensive one for the topic given.

For research, if you have been given a topic relating to travelling, you can visit other websites including each state tourism website to ensure you have covered all the important places and their attractions. For education relating articles, you can visit university websites to get information on the courses offered and their content.

If the article meets the requirement of AA Education Network, you will be paid depending on number of words in the article. The payment will be done in lieu of the invoice which you will need to raise at the end of each calendar month. Once an article is complete, you will be given the next topic to write an article.

There is no set hourly requirement for the job and you can work as many hours in a week as desired. Also, there are no set times for the work during the day and therefore, you can work on the articles around your university times without affecting your course. All we ask for this job is that you have a computer and an internet connection.

If you wish to apply for this job, you will need to write to AA Education Network with your resume and a work sample of 200 words about education in Australia and New Zealand. You will also need to provide a proof that your English skills are of sufficient level.

Please note that the articles will be the property of AA Education Network and therefore needs to be compliant with copyright regulations and acts.

AA Education Network manages large number of websites and therefore if you have written a unique article covering education and travelling aspects, we are sure to find a place for it. Therefore, this job never expires.

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