Melbourne is Victoria's capital and Australia's second largest city. It has been voted one of the worlds most liveable cities and has a cosmopolitan population of 3.4 million.
Cruise ship passengers arrive at Station Pier in Port Melbourne, which is only 4 kilometres from the city centre and has direct transport links by road and an extensive public transport system.
Station Pier offers four dedicated berths making this southern capital the perfect cruising destination.
Why is Melbourne one of the fastest growing cruise destinations in the southern hemisphere?
- We offer a safe and friendly environment.
- We provide a superior Meet, Greet and Farewell Program.
- We have an international airport ranked in the top ten in the world with direct flights from Los Angeles daily.
- We offer many forms of transport from the terminal e.g. tram, shuttle bus, taxi and limousine.
- We have many international attractions within 10 minutes to an hour of the cruise ship terminal.5
The strength of Melbourne lies in the diversity and friendliness of its people.
Spectacular sports, arts and cultural events will have you enthralled.
A national fashion and shopping capital since the 19th century, Melbourne continues to set standards in the quality of products and customer service.
To implement a city experience, within one and a half hours of Melbourne you can explore three distinct and easily accessible regions including the Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley wine regions, historic Ballarat and Bendigo and the coastal regions of Queenscliff and the Mornington Peninsula.
Sightseeing Opportunities (Short Trip/Half Day)
- Bunjilaka Exhibition at Melbourne Museum - A living cultural centre for Victoria's Aboriginal community and all those wishing to learn more about Australia's Indigenous cultures.
- Golden Mile Heritage Walk - Walk Melbourne's Golden Mile linking most of the city's key heritage sites.
- Visitor information is available at Station Pier. It is provided by City of Melbourne Volunteers
- Melbourne Zoo - Located 5 minutes from the city you can view more than 350 wildlife in brilliant botanical settings.
- Old Melbourne Gaol - Gain an insight into prison life in a model 19th century gaol.
- Queen Victoria Market - The Queen Victoria Market bursts with fresh produce, international cuisine, a wondrous range of wares, clothing and souvenirs.
- Melbourne Observation Deck - The tallest office building in the southern hemisphere which boasts spectacular 360-degree views of Melbourne.
- Royal Botanic Gardens - Established in 1846, the Royal Botanic Gardens cover 36 hectares. The gardens are home to over 12,000 different species of plants and are a natural sanctuary for native wildlife.
Sightseeing Opportunities (Full Day)
- Goldfields - Grand nineteenth-century buildings grace the streetscapes of Ballarat and Bendigo, while townships like Maldon, Castlemaine and Stawell, thick with quaint shopfronts and miners' cottages, wear their goldrush heritage on their sleeves. Sovereign Hill recreates a goldmining town and the life of its people in the 1850s. Besides goldrush history and culture, the Goldfields entice with fine food and wine, outstanding art galleries and extensive parklands and gardens. For superb collections of local and European painting, drop by two of Australia's best regional galleries - the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery and Bendigo Art Gallery.
- Great Ocean Road - The Great Ocean Road winds westwards from the major regional city of Geelong to the South Australian border. Along with striking ocean views, the region contains laidback coastal towns and maritime villages.
- One of the most visited stretches of road is the Port Campbell National Park, home to significant areas of native bushland and fauna. The coastline has been sculpted over millions of years to form a series of striking natural features. You can wander the boardwalks and paths at the Twelve Apostles, remarkable limestone rock stacks rising from the ocean, while further along, London Bridge is another amazing rock formation not to be missed.
- Phillip Island and Gippsland - Phillip Island and Gippsland is famed for its natural attractions and abundant wildlife. Here, you can see little penguins waddling up Summerland Beach each night, Australian fur seals cavorting around the Nobbies and koalas at close range in their natural habitat.
- Gippsland is gourmet country, filled with wineries, cheese-makersgrowers, markets and fruit and berry farms. When you're not dining and wining, linger awhile in historic gold towns or maritime villages.
- Yarra Valley, Dandenong & The Ranges - An hour's drive from Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is home to Victoria's earliest vineyards. Numerous wineries provide cellar-door sales and tastings of hand-crafted wines, and have restaurants serving gourmet food and fine local produce. Also in the Yarra Valley, the Healesville Sanctuary Wildlife Park is where you can experience close encounters with native Australian wildlife like dingos, kangaroos, wombats and platypus.
- An enjoyable introduction to the area is a ride on Puffing Billy, Australia's oldest steam railway, which travels through thick forests and lush fern-filled gullies. At William Ricketts Sanctuary, set discreetly among rocks and fern gardens are kiln-fired clay sculptures of Aboriginal figures.
Dining (Best Restaurants for Lunch and Dinner)
Afternoon Tea at the Windsor
103 Spring Street, Melbourne
Tel: 61 3 9633 6004
Flower Drum
17 Market Lane, Melbourne
Tel: +61 3 9662 3655
Ezard at the Adelphi
187 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Tel: +613 9639 6811
Colonial Tram Car Restaurant
Tel: +61 3 9696 4000
Langtons Bar & Restaurant
61 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Tel: +61 3 9663 0222
Donovans
40 Jacka Blv, St Kilda
Tel: 61 3 9534 8221
Evening Entertainment
Arts Centre
100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Tel: +61 3 9281 8000
Crown Casino & Entertainment Complex
8 Whiteman Street, Southbank
Tel: +61 3 9292 5505
Gin Palace
190 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 3000
Tel: +61 3 9654 0533
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Southbank Boulevard, Southbank
Tel: +61 3 9626 1111
Best Hotels (city based)
- Crown Towers
- Sofitel
- Sheraton Towers
- The Hotel Como
- The Hyatt
- The Windsor
Best Beaches - Regional (Victorian Coastline)
- Anglesea
- Lorne
- Portsea
- Queenscliff
- Sorrento
- Torquay
Best Beaches - City (Port Phillip Bay)
- Black Rock
- Brighton
- Sandringham
- St Kilda
Golf
- Royal Park, 3km from City
- Albert Park Public Golf Course, 3 km from the City
- Cheltenham, 20km from City
Tennis
- Albert Park Aquatic Centre : 3 km from City
- Melbourne Park : 2 km from City
Best shopping areas and distance
- Bridge Road, Richmond (factory outlets)
- Chapel Street, South Yarra
- Crown Entertainment Complex
- Melbourne Central, City
- Queen Victoria Market, corner of Victoria and Elizabeth Streets, City
- South Melbourne Market
- Top end of Collins Street: 5km/10minutes from port
Art and Craft
- Aboriginal Art Galleries
- Makers Mark (Jewellery)
- National Gallery of Victoria
- Queen Victoria Market
Normal Retail Trading Hours
- Monday - Thursday: 9.00am - 5.30pm
- Friday: 9.00am - 9.00pm
- Saturday: 9.00am - 5.00pm
- Sunday: 10.00am - 5.00pm
Major Events
- Australian Open Tennis Championships - January
- The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival - April
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival - March
- The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show - March
- Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix - March
- Spring Racing Carnival - November
- Melbourne Festival - October
- Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix (Phillip Island) - October
- Wangaratta Festival of Jazz - November
- Equitana Asia Pacific (biennial) - November
Working hours |
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| Customs Officers | 24 hours |
| Quarantine Officials | 24 hours |
| Immigration Officials | As for Customs (Australian Border Force) |
Customs and Immigration |
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| Passenger Manifest | Three copies at the first port of call with one copy to Immigration (with the passenger cards), one copy to Australian Border Force and the third copy to remain on board the ship. |
| Embarking Passenger Manifest | 3 copies - 1 to Australian Border Force 1 to Port 1 stays onboard |
| Crew Manifest | 2 - 1 to Australian Border Force, 2nd stays onboard |
| Stores List | 2 - Australian Border Force and 1 to Port |
| Customs Declaration (Ship) | 1 - Australian Border Force |
| Customs Declaration (Crew) | 1 - Australian Border Force |
| Forms Comments | All forms listed above are produced at the first Australian port of call and then one copy of each form travels on board the ship to be produced at subsequent ports. |
| Customs Declaration (Passengers) | One at first Australian port of call only. |
Port health |
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| Health Declaration |
Through the Department of Agriculture's Maritime Arrivals Reporting System (MARS) all ships are required to submit: Pre Arrival Report and Human Health Updates
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The following Ground Handlers are ACA members and supply superior ground handling services throughout Australia.
Approach |
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| Refer to | Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) Operations Handbook |
Pilotage |
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| Pilotage company name | Port Phillip Sea Pilots Pty Ltd |
Shipping Agents |
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| To view the list of Shipping Agents available at the Port of Melbourne, please click on the following link > Shipping Agents | ||
Port Operations/Services |
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Towage |
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| Are tugs available | Yes | |
| Are tugs compulsory | Yes | |
Tug operators |
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| Svitzer Australia phone | 61 3 8671 2200 | |
| Svitzer fax | 61 3 9646 0217 | |
| Ship or tug lines | Tug lines | |
| Tug working hours | 24 hours | |
Linesmen |
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| Working hours | 24 hours | |
Port Officials |
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| Working hours | 24 hours | |
Stevedoring |
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For details of suitable stevedores, please contact the Shipping Agent |
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Provedoring |
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Provedoring / stores - fresh produce and export markets are within an easy 5 km of the pier and can service a home-porting or visiting cruise ship at short notice.
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Telephones |
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| Telephones | Yes | |
| How many | Various - depending on number required. | |
| Notice required | Yes | |
Bunkering |
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| Fuel Grades | All | |
| Further Information | For more information, click here > | |
Water |
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| Fresh Water | Yes | |
| Further Information | For more information, click here > | |
Dry Garbage |
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| Dry garbage | Yes | |
| Barge alongside | N/A | |
| Containers available | Yes | |
| Further Information | For more information, click here > | |
Wet Garbage |
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| Wet garbage | Yes | |
| Ship or shore pump | Both | |
| Sludge disposal | Yes | |
| Sludge details |
Automated sewage facilities are available with direct access and conveniences into the local network. |
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Charges |
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| Port Charges | For more information, click here > | |
Repair Facilities |
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| Nearest dry dock | For more information, click here > | |
| Divers Available | Yes | |
| Engineering facilities | Yes | |
Dredging |
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| Dredging undertaken | Yes | |
| Dredging when | As required. Please click here for more information. | |
Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) |
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| Address | Level 5, 530 Collins Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 |
| Postal: GPO Box 261 Melbourne Victoria 3001 |
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| Telephone | +61 3 8347 8300 |
| Facsimile | +61 3 8347 8301 |
| Web Site | www.vicports.vic.gov.au |
| Email Address | cruise@vicports.vic.gov.au |
Berth Details |
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| Berth | Station Pier (3 dedicated cruise ship berths) |
| Maximum draft | Refer to Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) Operations Handbook |
| Tidal variation | Refer to Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) Operations Handbook |
| Berth length | Refer to Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) Operations Handbook |
| Guaranteed berthing for cruise ships | Yes |
| Are other ships able to dock | Yes |
| Cargo ships at dock | No |
| Security fences | Yes |
Nearest Ports |
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| Australia | Hobart |
| Nearest Overseas Port | Wellington |
Terminal facilities |
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| Terminal building | Yes |
| Meet and Greet facilities | Yes |
| Toilet facilities | Yes |
| Telephones | Yes |
| Availability of maps and/or brochures | Yes |
| Souvenir shopping | Yes |
| Money exchange | No |
| Is the US Dollar accepted? | No |
Transport |
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| Closest airport to pier | Melbourne Airport |
| Distance to airport | 26 km |
| Transport to airport | Yes |
| Can passengers walk to city | No |
| Drive time from pier to shuttle stop | 5 - 10 minutes |
| Distance from pier to city centre | 4 km |
| Are shuttle buses necessary? | Yes |
| Suggested shuttle stop in town | Swanston Street |
| Availability of taxis at pier | Yes |
| Availability of public transport at pier | Tram |
Tour buses |
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| Distance from ship to tour buses | 10 metres |
| What is the normal coach capacity? | 50 - 60 passengers |
| Are tour buses air conditioned? | Yes |
Tourism operators in Melbourne: