accessible melbourne

[Captain Canuck]

Hi Everyone, I suppose this is probably a thread which needs to end up in travel, but I am really looking for someone who lives in OZ. As I will not only be travelling there in Feb. I will be studying and living there for a year, ten months acutally. I will be living in Melbourne, Australia and if anyone is from the area, or region close by I would really appreciate speaking to you about OZ. If you happened to have attendend Deakin University that would be great to know.

Anyway, all you folks down under. If I can pick your brains for a bit I would appreciate it.

Thanks

ps IF this post more appropriately fits into travel then feel free to send it there too.

[Annabanana]

Which campus of Deakin are you going to be studying at? If its the one in Geelong i can give you quite a bit of information as I grew up in the same suburb and my horses had their paddocks at the back of the uni.

Here is a link to the largest sci association in victoria, it might come in handy.

http://www.paraquad.asn.au/Entrance/entrance.html

Just remember Melboune can be freezing cold in Winter and stinking hot in summer.....lol....have fun though.

[Captain Canuck]

Thanks for the email and the link to Paraquad. Oh and I will be studying at the Burwood campus. Any thoughts on this area. Actually what's Melbourne like generally for accessibility?

Oh and what's this about Melbourne being freezing cold in the winter. I'm from the great white north, Canada, and have come to endure temperatures as low as minus 25. Honestly I've gone to work in the morning and come home with snow drifts so high that I can't get in my house.

Thanks again Anna for your repsonse.

[Annabanana]

I dont know the Burwood area so cant comment, but I think you will find accessibility will be ok, anything that is a public building like libraries, halls etc are most likely accessible, or anything that has been built in the last 10 or 15 years should be accessible. All of the larger shopping malls will be ok. I think you will find the access is prob similiar as to Canada.

You should have a blast, Melbourne is a great city and there are some great places to go within a couple of hours on the weekends, such as to see the Fairy Penguins or The Great Ocean Road is awesome, it twists and winds all along the coast and there are some great pubs right on the ocean along the way.

Hope you get a chance to go to Sydney too, its great for tourists!

[AussieShan]

Hi Captain

I live in Melbourne with my fiance (C4) - we would be happy to answer any questions you have!!
I'll list a few websites for you to look at - let me know if there is anything I can help with.

http://www.easyaccessaustralia.com.au/other/accessmelb.pdf
http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/travel_info/index.asp?thm=36

As for our "freezing winters" - they would be considered mild to you! No snow here, at worst our nights would drop to 4-5 degrees celcius, days around 13 degrees????

[Captain Canuck]

Hi AussieShan,

Thanks for posting on this. I also found the links very helpful. Yes it's true I will be coming to OZ in the New Year. So it sounds as if the winter do not get too cold. What about rain, do you get alot of rain. I guess just any general information is very helpful. I've been told that access is very much like Canada. Anyway I am really looking forward to it.

[candra]

Well Bruce Cameron wrote a great book about accessible Melbourne, after he wrote "Easy Access Australia". I've lived in Australia and I realize access standards may be different down there, but I like Bruce's books because he describes the access and he includes floorplans for the accessible rooms in his books. They really are quite good. I highly recommend them.

Candy Harrington
Editor, Emerging Horizons
The Only Accessible Travel Magazione
www.EmergingHorizons.com
Read my blog - www.BarrierFreeTravels.com