UNITED AIRLINES: Official Carrier of Aussiecon Three, the 57th World Science Fiction Convention
UNITED AIRLINES: Official Carrier of Aussiecon Three, the 57th World Science Fiction Convention
The Board of Aussiecon Three has appointed United Airlines as the Official Carrier of the 57th World Science Fiction Convention.
Appointing an Official Carrier provides members from North America, or members who travel through North America, with an avenue for discounted international airfares with a respected airline. United Airlines operates throughout the United States as well as internationally to Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
As long as the minimum passenger number requirement is satisfied, members of Aussiecon Three will be eligible for an 18% discount from economy discount airfares that fall into the B, M or H fare basis levels. A 13% discount is available for business class airfares. The discounts will apply to travel from any point within the United States to Melbourne, Australia, once 50 Aussiecon Three members make bookings against the reference number provided below.
The travel window is from the 23rd August to the 16th September inclusive. This allows travel for up to ten days on either side of the convention.
While Aussiecon Three recognizes that there are a number of travel alternatives available to its members, we believe that we have negotiated an attractive offer with United Airlines. To travel with the Official Carrier of the 57th World Science Fiction Convention, please follow the instructions below.
Stephen Boucher, our Facilities Manager, has used this accommodation agency for eight years without major mishap. Because of the size and nature of Aussiecon Three, we will need at least 1000 rooms for the duration of the convention. Many of those rooms will be for our overseas members.
While we are confident that Lido Accommodation will provide a high level of service, we recognize that it is almost certain that a small number of members will experience some problems. If you are unable to resolve any difficulties directly with Lido Accommodation and believe that you require our assistance, please contact the Facilities Division.
Only one copy of your accommodation booking form should be sent to Lido Accommodation. Whether you email, fax or post the completed form, it should only be sent once. Lido Accommodation will normally sent a written confirmation before the end of the next working day in Australia. If you have provided Lido Accommodation with a fax number or an email address and have not heard from them within three working days, it would be sensible to contact them again to check to see if they received your original form. Reservation confirmations airmailed from Australia to North America or Europe will take one to two weeks to be delivered.
The Centra
One concern expressed to the committee over the past few months was that only a limited number of rooms would be available to members in the Centra, the main convention hotel, because of reservations for Guests of Honour and committee members. There are approximately 400 rooms available in the Centra for Aussiecon Three. About 25 of those rooms have been pre-allocated to Guests and specific committee members. That leaves 375 rooms available on a first come, first served basis to members. At the end of April, the Centra was fully booked for the night of Thursday, 2 September. At that time, a limited number of rooms were still available at the Centra for all the other nights for which the convention rate is available (Wednesday, 1 September and Friday, 3 September through Wednesday, 8 September).
J.A.B. Travel
The Board has only appointed Lido Accommodation to the role of accommodation booking agent. However, J.A.B. Travel, a sister company to Lido Accommodation, has indicated that it can provide assistance with flights within Australia to Aussiecon Three members. 21-day advance purchase fares, which must include a Saturday night stopover, are available. For further information, contact J.A.B. Travel at the address provided for Lido Accommodation on the Accommodation Booking Form.
Harp Travel
Harp Travel, the Melbourne-based travel agency that was instrumental in our negotiations with United Airlines, is able to provide assistance for both domestic and international travel arrangements. Harp Travel’s fannish travel credentials include travel to BucConeer by Aussiecon Three Chair Perry Middlemiss, and travel by another Australian to a Clarion Writers Workshop.
The point of contact at Harp Travel is Wayne Cummins. He can be contacted by telephone (+61-3-9859-1302), by facsimile (+61-3-9859-1352) or by email (wcummins@smart.net.au).
The International Date Line
If you are travelling to Australia from North America, your flight will cross the International Date Line and a day will be ‘lost’ (for an Australian, both North and South America are islands of the day before). Departing Los Angeles on the evening of the 1st of September, for example, will result in arrival in Australia on the morning of the 3rd of September. But, somewhat analogous to daylight saving, there will be a day ‘gained’ on the return flight.
From Here to There – Electric Eggs Beware!
While walking through the Melbourne Central Business District is generally
a pleasant experience, crossing the road at the intersection of Flinders
Street and Spencer Street near the Melbourne Convention Centre can be quite
daunting.
Both streets are multiple lane major thoroughfares with significant
volumes of high-speed traffic, particularly at peak hour. A railway
bridge complicates the geometry of the intersection. Westbound trams
(light rail vehicles) on Flinders Street turn north into Spencer Street
(and vice versa).
Traffic lights at the intersection do provide for pedestrian crossings.
However, if ease of access to the convention centre is important to you
and you decide not to stay at the Centra, you may prefer to catch a cab
(taxi) to and from the convention centre – even if your hotel is quite
close.
An import permit may be required for products containing prohibited substances such as narcotics, amphetamines, barbiturates, tranquilisers, growth hormones and steroids.
Some medicinal products may also require quarantine clearance. Medicines with components of human or animal origin, and traditional medicines which contain components from protected species, may have special import requirements or restrictions.
Medicinal products brought in by visitors but not used should be taken out of Australia on departure. As a general rule, visitors may bring medications required for personal use. The maximum amount allowable is three months' supply. Medications should be kept in the containers in which they were dispensed or supplied. Visitors needing to bring prohibited substances should check about import permit requirements, and also bring a letter from their doctor or medical practitioner.
Visitors must not send medications in advance through the post or as unaccompanied goods.
For more information, contact:
Therapeutic Goods Administration
Phone: + 61 2 6232 8536 (international)
Fax: + 61 2 6232 8605
TGA website http://www.tga.gov.auEnvironment Australia
Phone: + 61 2 6274 1900
For more information on health generally, see this page: http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/health.htm
Stop at the kerb
Look to the right,
Look to the left,
Look to the right again.
Then if the road is clear of traffic,
Walk straight across the road - Don't Run!
Walk straight across the road.
Jaywalking is illegal. Victorian police don't often undertake a blitz on this pedestrian problem but it has been known to happen. I believe the fine is of the order of AUD$25 but could be more. It is always better to cross at the lights. All major interestions (and quite a lot of the smaller ones) in the Melbourne CBD are controlled by traffic lights. Each set of traffic lights has a set of controlling pedestrian signals - the standard red/green man setup is usual though there are some around still with the walk/don't walk signs. Green means you can cross, flashing red means you can finish your crossing but don't start a new one, solid red means you should be finished your crossing. Note that the bulk of pedestrian signals do not operate automatically, and this is the bit I dislike. You will have to push a button located on a square panel attached to the traffic light pole to request the lights to change. When crossing theroad walk on the left and stay between the lines. Wait for it, wait for it......
Melbourne has one of the largest tram systems in the Western world (note the word "tram", they are not "trolley cars"). Pictures of several types of trams appears throughout this website. There are two or three different types of tram but they are all mainly big, run in the middle of the road, and are painted green and yellow. The exception to this is the City Circle Tram service (which circles the CBD and passes about 100 metres from the entrance to the Centra) which is painted brown and cream. City Circle Trams are free.
The astute among you will now have started to visualise the trams running
down the middle of the road while you stand on the footpath (not "sidewalk")
waiting for it to arrive. How do you get from the footpath to the
tram without getting run down by screaming Melbourne taxi drivers?
In the CBD tram stops are located at nearly every intersection (certainly
all main ones and quite a lot of the smaller ones). Traffic barriers
have been erected in the middle of the road ensuring the safety of people
waiting for the tram. Basically you need to visualise the following:
a footpath, the kerb, first lane of the road, second lane of the road,
two sets of tram tracks, and then another two lanes and then the opposite
footpath. Cars are not allowed to travel in the area
of the tracks unless they are turning across them. The barriers
in the road are situated between the tram tracks and the road traffic,
and, yes, there is room to stand between the barrier and the track so as
not to be squished by the oncoming tram. In the early days the cleaning
bill was far too high so they moved the barriers back a bit...
If you are not in the CBD and are standing on a footpath by a tram stop and there are no barriers in the middle of the road, what do you do then? Signal the oncoming tram to stop, wait for the tram to stop, wait for the traffic on your side of the road to stop behind the tram and then walk across the road and enter the tram. Piece of cake, except for the tourist who doesn't know the driving rule "when a tram stops, vehicles travelling behind the tram must also stop". Always check that the traffic is stopped before leaving the footpath. Same goes when you get off a tram. With barriers you're okay because the cars can't get at you. When there aren't any barriers, make sure that you check that oncoming cars have stopped before stepping onto the road.
One last thing about trams, don't jump across in front of them. Think of them as a small train which takes some time to stop. If they hit you, you will come off second best. I saw someone get hit by one onceand the tram was barely moving. It was not a pretty sight.
You should note that the presence of trams and the need for people to walk across traffic to get to them has changed native Melbourne pedestrians' road habits. Do not try to emulate them unless you like to live dangerously. More than anywhere else I've been, Melbourne pedestrians walk wherever they feel like. Most Melburnians consider pedestrian crossing signs to be advisory; I'd suggest, as a tourist, you should see them as compulsory.
The con site is situated right on the edge of the CBD of Melbourne.
As such it provides some good walking opportunities along the edge of the
river - on the north side along Flinders Street to the main shopping precinct
and on the south side along Southbank past restaurants and cafes to the
Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens. I can only suggest you take the
opportunity to go for a stroll, it is all perfectly safe. I'd also
suggest utilising the tram system to get around. It is one of the things
that gives Melbourne its unique identity. In particular take
a trip around the CBD on the free City
Circle Tram service.
Also, there is the Melbourne Zoo Tour - Tuesday 7 September -
On behalf of the Ian Gunn Memorial Fund. A visit to the Melbourne
Zoo on the morning of Tuesday, 7 September, is being organized to visit
the Fijian Banded Iguana, which is sponsored in the memory of Ian Gunn,
as well as of lots of other animals! A bus will be arranged if there
is sufficient interest, otherwise we can all enjoy a tram ride from the
city to Royal Park. Please send expressions of interest to Karen
Pender-Gunn.
At present the Australian dollar buys between 60 and 65 cents US, or the US dollar buys between AUD$1.50 and AUD$1.70. This means that Australian hotel prices are cheaper than they first appear to visitors from the US or Europe but more expensive to visitors from Canada or New Zealand.
Retails prices in Australia are inclusive of wholesale sales tax. While the Federal Government has proposed the introduction of a Goods and Services Tax, similar to the European Value Added Tax, this will not be introduced until at least the year 2000. Any retail price that you see should be the final price and it is not necessary to add tax.
Tipping is neither required nor widespread in Australia but the service
staff that you meet will no doubt appreciate any tips that you may leave
them. Australians generally tip only when they have received exceptional
service.
World Science Fiction Society, WSFS, Worldcon, Science Fiction Achievement Award, Hugo Award and NASFiC are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.
Aussiecon 3 Webmaster: Tim Richards. Website queries: webmaster@aussiecon3.worldcon.org. General queries: info "at" aussiecon3.worldcon.org