Melbourne is Australia’s fastest growing capital with many moving to take advantage of the café culture and hipster beards. The city’s population continues to grow as a result of high migration from overseas, interstate and within Victoria itself.
Some of the most common reasons why people are choosing to move to Melbourne include education, job opportunities or simply the pull of it being in the world’s most liveable city. So if you’re planning on making the move to Melbourne, here are some of the things you’ll soon be familiar with.
Public transport is good, Myki, not so much
Melbourne’s public transport is regarded among the best in Australia, however, it’s the use of the Myki card needed that many struggle with. The rules of the Myki card are convoluted to say the least. On trains and buses, touch on before getting on the train and touch off when you exit the station. If you use Myki Money on your card and don’t touch off, you’ll be charged a default two-hour fare for metropolitan Melbourne.
On trams, touch on when you get on. You only need to touch off if your whole trip is in Zone 2. If your trip is entirely within Zone 2, touch off to pay the cheaper Zone 2 fare. Don’t touch on when your entire journey is within the Free Tram Zone. Confused? Read more about travelling on public transport in Melbourne here.
Four seasons in a day
There’s a reason why Melbourne is often referred to as the city with four seasons in a day. Melbournites aren’t known for their tanned skin and summer glow, instead having to deal with long winters and extreme changes in temperature and weather condition in the space of just a few hours. Moving to Melbourne requires you to get used to the idea of layering your clothes.
AFL is a religion
You might think that you’re not going to get into sports when you move to Melbourne, but you’re wrong. Here, AFL is more of a religion than a sport, with people worshipping the footy gods each weekend during the season. You’ll have to pick a Melbourne-based team and learn the rules so you can get up to speed with the lingo.
Road Rules
You might assume that every state and territory in Australia abides by the same road rules but unfortunately, that’s not the case. In Melbourne, there are several road rules that specifically relate to trams. For example, you may only overtake a tram on the left and you cannot drive past the rear of a tram stopped at a tram stop where there is no safety zone or dividing strip.
The most foreign of the road rules is possibly the ‘hook turn’, used at some intersections in Melbourne where trams operate. To turn right at an intersection with traffic lights and a ‘Right Turn from Left Only’ sign, you must make a hook turn to avoid delaying trams. For more information on the road rules used in Melbourne, visit the Vic Roads website.
Ready to make the move to Melbourne? Get in touch with your Grace Mobility Specialist for more information on relocating and settling in to your new city.
