Visas

Please note that an invitation letter may be required to obtain a visa to enter Australia. It is best to start the process of obtaining a visa early. We suggest visiting the Australian Immigration and Home Affairs website to find more info on which visas are needed.

What visa do I need to enter Australia as an international attendee?

We suggest to visit the Australian Immigration and Home Affairs website to find more info on which visas to apply for.

Who will organise and pay for my visa?

It is the responsibility of the attendees to apply for the appropriate visa and pay the associated costs. We are not involved in the visa granting process.

Do I need a letter of invitation?

If your visa application requires a letter of invitation from the event organiser, please contact OzGrav by email with the following information (more information may be required depending on your circumstances):

• Full name as stated on your passport
• Professional title/job title
• Institution/Organisation name
• Address of your Institution/Organisation

Transport

HOW DO I GET FROM SYDNEY AIRPORT TO THE MERCURE HOTEL OR MARSFIELD SITE?

Both the International and Domestic terminals have a connecting train line that takes passengers to Sydney’s main rail station - Central station. The cost of this fair is approx. $17 AUD one way.

If you do not wish to catch the train, you can also get a taxi to Central Station (in the city) from outside the airport terminals. The fair is approx. $30-$50 AUD (depending on traffic). If there are 2-3 of you travelling together to the city, you could carpool and split the fare.

Once you are in the city, the train and bus network can take you anywhere you need to go, including out to Marsfield and the Mercure Hotel. Take the train to Macquarie University. The CSIRO Marsfield site is a short 5-minute drive or 20-minute walk from this train station, and the hotel is even closer (about 500m away).

Travel cards in Sydney are called OPAL cards (recommended). You can purchase your OPAL card here, and learn more about them here . The transport across the city is very safe. To use your OPAL cards you must tap on when starting your journey and tap off when finishing your journey. Taxis take both cash and cards.

TRAIN TRANSFER

To travel by train to Macquarie Park from the international airport:

Go to the Airport Train Station, Platform 1. Take the T8 line to the City Circle via Museum. You will arrive on Platform 5 at this station.

Disembark and cross over to Platform 4 where you will board the Hornsby via Gordon train, which will take you to Chatswood Station, Platform 4.

Once again disembark and walk for two minutes to Platform 3 at Chatswood Station, where you will board the Tallawong metro. This metro will take you to Macquarie University Station where you will have reached your destination. The Mercure Hotel is a short walk from here.

BUS TRANSFER

To travel by bus to Macquarie Park from the international airport:

Go to the Airport Train Station, Platform 1. Take the T8 line to the City Circle via Museum. You will arrive on Platform 5 at this station.

Disembark and exit the station, taking the Clarence Street exit. On Clarence Street, there will be a few bus stands, and you will need to go to Stand R.

Board bus 288, 291 or 292 (any are fine) which will take you to Macquarie University Station where you will have reached your destination. The Mercure Hotel is a short walk from here.

Buses also accept OPAL cards for payments.

The TripView app TripView App is useful for planning local public transport trips

Currency and Tipping

SHOULD I USE CASH OR CARD?

Nearly all places in Australia accept cards with Mastercard and VISA being more accepted over AMEX. It’s a good idea to carry a small amount of cash in case of emergencies. We cannot guarantee all foreign credit cards will work, so having cash is handy. In Australia, we use paywave / tap-and-go functions (requires chip in card or phone), but merchants can also request your signature when using your cards. You should let your financial institution know that you are travelling to Australia and will be using your card, so it is not flagged as an international scam transaction (which can lock the card).

DO I NEED TO TIP IN AUSTRALIA?

In Australia, tips are not socially-mandated and is generally not done. If paying cash you may wish to round up to the nearest dollar to avoid breaking small change.

IS FOOD PROVIDED AT STUDENT WEEK?

Yes, lunch is catered for as part of student week - which includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Feel free to bring any snacks along if you wish. There are multiple kitchens in the Marsfield office, each with refrigeration, hot water, microwaves, toasters and cutlery. There is also an onsite canteen where you can purchase food, drinks and coffees (closes at 2pm).

Nearby Macquarie University also has a large food court with multiple food outlets.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I BUDGET FOR FOOD IN AUSTRALIA?

Given we are supplying food during the day for the meeting week, you will likely only need to cover breakfasts and dinners. Cost of food is roughly (in AUD) $20 for breakfast, $20 for lunch, and $20-$30 for dinners.

Climate

WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE IN SYDNEY?

Sydney weather this time of year can be four seasons in one day. June is the start of our winter months, so the temperatures can be cool, esp, at night. Days are sometimes also wet. Pack jumpers and jackets for this trip, as you are likely to need them.

Closer to the date, you can see the Sydney forecast here.

Tourism

CAN I DO ANY WALKS AROUND MARSFIELD?

Marsfield is a pleasant suburb to walk around, without too many steep hills. There is also a nearby nature reserve that connects to one of Sydney’s national parks (Lane Cove National Park).

CAN I EXPLORE SYDNEY?

The city of Sydney is about 17km away from Marsfield and getting to and from the city is easy with trains, buses and taxies (and ubers).

If you want to spend time in Sydney on tourist activities, see here

Sydney is a beautiful harbour city and there is much to explore. From the Jurrasic rainforests in Blue Mountains to the west, to our world-famous golden beaches in the east.

SATURDAY 17 June

If you are staying in Sydney on Saturday 17 June 2023, and would like to spend the day having a sampler of the city, feel free to contact PPTA PhD student Rami Mandow, who will organise a group event for the day. A number of options have been considered, and are outlined on this Google Doc. These are based on a variety of weather conditions and costs. The event with the highest number of participants interested will be the group event, but attendees are more than welcome to take up these options on their own as well:

During both the Student Week and the IPTA meeting, attendees are encouraged to remain Covid-safe, by:

For both meetings, we also request participants:

Visas

Please note that an invitation letter may be required to obtain a visa to enter Australia. It is best to start the process of obtaining a visa early. We suggest visiting the Australian Immigration and Home Affairs website to find more info on which visas are needed.

What visa do I need to enter Australia as an international attendee?

We suggest to visit the Australian Immigration and Home Affairs website to find more info on which visas to apply for.

Who will organise and pay for my visa?

It is the responsibility of the attendees to apply for the appropriate visa and pay the associated costs. We are not involved in the visa granting process.

Do I need a letter of invitation?

If your visa application requires a letter of invitation from the event organiser, please contact OzGrav by email with the following information (more information may be required depending on your circumstances):

• Full name as stated on your passport
• Professional title/job title
• Institution/Organisation name
• Address of your Institution/Organisation

Transport

WHERE DO I GET MY FLIGHTS FROM IN SYDNEY?

The international and domestic terminals are at different locations in Sydney - and you will be required to travel between the two terminals depending on where you land or leave from.

Flights to Cairns (closest airport to Port Douglas) at Sydney Domestic Terminal leave from Terminal 2 for all airlines, excluding QANTAS, which leaves from Terminal 3. We recommend having booked these flights prior to your arrival in Sydney.

HOW DO I GET TO PORT DOUGLAS FROM CAIRNS?

Once you get to Cairns airport, there is a shuttle service that will take you up to the seaside town of Port Douglas, where the meeting will be held. The shuttle service can be booked here and takes about 1 hour. The cost is $50 AUD.

You can also hire a car or use rideshare services. Find out more here.

Currency and Tipping

SHOULD I USE CASH OR CARD?

Nearly all places in Australia accept cards with Mastercard and VISA being more accepted over AMEX. It’s a good idea to carry a small amount of cash in case of emergencies. We cannot guarantee all foreign credit cards will work, so having cash is handy. In Australia, we use paywave / tap-and-go functions (requires chip in card or phone), but merchants can also request your signature when using your cards. You should let your financial institution know that you are travelling to Australia and will be using your card, so it is not flagged as an international scam transaction (which can lock the card).

Whilst many places in Port Douglas also accept credit cards, there are likely many places that prefer cash, so it would be wise to take some local currency as required.

DO I NEED TO TIP IN AUSTRALIA?

In Australia, tips are not socially-mandated and is generally not done. If paying cash you may wish to round up to the nearest dollar to avoid breaking small change.

Food and Dining

IS FOOD PROVIDED AT THE SCIENCE MEETING?

Food will be provided as part of the meeting, including morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. If there are any special deity requirements, please note these when registering.

There is also a special dinner, which is covered by the conference price.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I BUDGET FOR FOOD IN AUSTRALIA?

Given we are supplying food during the day for the meeting week, you will likely only need to cover breakfasts and dinners. Cost of food is roughly (in AUD) $20 for breakfast, $20 for lunch, and $20-$30 for dinners.

Climate

WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE IN PORT DOUGLAS?

June in Port Douglas is considered the dry season, with temperatures during the day averaging about 25 degrees Celsius, and falling to approx. 16 degrees Celsius at night. It is, however, the tropics, so the climate can change fairly quickly, so pack warm clothes as well.

You can keep your eye on the weather forecast for Port Douglas, closer to the date, with this link.

Tourism

CAN I EXPLORE PORT DOUGLAS?

As Port Dougles stretches along the coastline, the town itself is also stretched. The Pullman resort is towards the south end of Port Douglas. You can take a walk along the coast to get into town, or use taxi services, though, we don’t think you will need to leave the resort much.

If you want to spend time in Port Douglas on tourist activities, see here.

CAN I EXPLORE THE LOCAL RAINFORESTS OR THE GREAT BARRIER REEF?

Port Douglas is the gateway to two beautiful rainforests, as well as the Great Barrier Reef (which lies about 30 km east, out at sea). These are world heritage listed areas and offer views of some of the world’s most unique fauna, flora and habitats

Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef tours can be organised with local tour operators, but most of them require a full day commitment. This might be a suitable option for those wishing to arrive earlier or leave a few days after the conference itself.

Covid-19 Guidelines

During both the Student Week and the IPTA meeting, attendees are encouraged to remain Covid-safe, by:

For both meetings, we also request participants: