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Software Developer Survival Guide đ
A guide to get you started working in Melbourne, Australia.
Welcome to Melbourne
Melbourne is wonderful. Itâs the cultural hub of Australia and is filled with events, arts, sports, nightlife and a vibrant software community. The city centre is called the CBD or âcentral business districtâ. Itâs located on the Yarra river and will be your first point of interest.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Getting Around
- Accommodation
- Finding Work
- Things to Do
- Local Knowledge
Introduction
Melbourne is a multicultural city. People value freedom and the âfair goâ. That is, freedom of speech, religion and expression. People like to be treated fairly and are a hard-working and trustworthy bunch. Discrimination, racism and intolerance is not allowed, although you may experience the odd âquipâ. We live a happy life free of most corruption and generally trust the government.
Weather
The weather is known to be temperamental. One moment itâs sunny, the next itâs windy and rainy. Summer can bring extreme heat and it will follow with a storm. This heat brings bushfire and can cause a smokey haze to blanket the city. Winter is chilly but no snow as weâre at sea-level.
Temperatures range from 25-35C in Summer and 5-15C in Winter.
What to pack
You need a combination of clothes to get you through the seasons. Many workplaces have a smart casual dress code. Note that Australian electricity plugs are unique and look like this: / \
| Type | Clothes |
|---|---|
| Summer | Dress/Skirt/Tank-top |
| Winter | Coat/Pants/Woolly Socks |
| Business | Smart Casual/Suit if unsure |
Getting Around
The city isnât huge. Itâs spread out over about 30km. You need to work out the best transport method for you and where you stay. Most people have cars.
From the Airport
There are two airports, Avalon or Tullamarine. Both have a public bus service called Skybus.
| Airport | Destination | Distance | Bus | Uber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon | Southern Cross Station | 1 hour | $25 | $80 |
| Tullamarine | Southern Cross Station | 30 min | $20 | $40 |
Public Transport
You need a Myki card. Itâs a pre-paid card you can get from a station or ticket machine. You must tap it âonâ and tap it âoffâ when you disembark. Youâll get fined if you donât have a valid one. Full fare is about $7 a day and cheaper for students.
The network is confusing. Ask the staff for help to get to your destination.
Trams
Are free in the CBD! They follow set routes and are great to get around short distances.
Trains
All of them go to the CBD and do a âcity loopâ. Itâs the fastest way to outer suburbs.
The main city stations are:
- Flinders St Station
- Southern Cross
- Melbourne Central Station
Trains run 24 hours on weekends.
Buses
Youâll find these anywhere thereâs no rail.
Bicycle
Bikes are the best if you work in the city and live within 10km of it. Theyâre a cheap, clean and somewhat unsafe mode of transport. You can get a bike off Facebook Marketplace for $150. You must wear a helmet.
Beware of tram tracks.
Car/Motorbike
A valid license and registration are required from Victroads.
A car or motorbike can be obtained from:
Where to Stay
Housing is more expensive the closer you are to the city. A controversial rule is the best suburbs are on the South-East side of the bay and generally degrade running counter-clockwise in a circle around the CBD.
Locations
Inner-city suburbs are recommended for singles within 10km of the CBD and further out if you have a family.
| Suburb | Lifestyle |
|---|---|
| CBD | Newcomers, small rooms, convenient |
| Docklands | New apartments, windy, no atmosphere |
| Richmond | Football, sports types, grassroots |
| South Yarra | Fashion, party |
| Fitzroy | Hip, music, arts |
| North Melbourne | Left-wing |
| South Melbourne | Right-wing |
| St. Kilda | All sorts, Beach, vibes |
| Footscray | Rough and Tumble |
| Everything else | Suburbia |
Temporary
Find your feet by living in the CBD and think about moving outwards to save money, more space or a better vibe.
- Airbnb
- Hotel
- Hostel
Rent
A rental can be found on www.realestate.com.au/rent/.
| Type | Cost/week | Utilities |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Bedroom Apartment | $350 | $20 |
| 2-Bedroom Townhouse | $600 | $40 |
| 3-Bedroom House | $800 | $50 |
Share
A sharehouse or housemates can be found on www.flatmates.com.au.
The average cost for a single private room is $200-$300/week including bills.
Utilities
Names of big companies to get you connected.
| Banks | Elec/Gas | Phone | Internet |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANZ | AGL | ALDI Mobile | TPG |
| Commonwealth | Energy Australia | Optus | Optus |
| NAB | Origin | Telstra | Telstra |
| Wespac | Red Energy | Vodafone | iinet |
Find a Job
If you havenât found one already donât worry thereâs plenty of roles in software đ
Websites/Job boards
Meetups
Most meetups are in the CBD after 5pm. There are plenty of like-minded individuals and recruiters at events who will help you. Plus thereâs free food, beers and you might learn something.
Free Workspaces
Take advantage of these free workspaces
Melbourne State Library
- Heart of the CBD
- Super fast Wifi
- Desks with electricity everywhere
- Cool stuff to look at
- Coffee shop
Open 10am - 9pm (Mon - Thrus), 10am - 6pm all others.
Universities
- Heaps of desks
- electricity
- Technical libraries
Melbourne Uni, Monash Uni, Swinburne, Deakin.
Coffee Shops/Café
Melbourne is known for coffee. Embrace it and sit down for a local brew. I guarantee youâll be back.
McDonalds
Worst case scenario. Free wifi, questionable food.
Things to do
Sport
Melbourne is the sporting capital.
- Australian Open - Tennis
- Aussie Rules Football (AFL) - Unique to Australia, fast-paced, exciting and cheap. Highly recommended.
- Formula 1 Grand Prix - Motor racing
- Melbourne Cup - Horse Racing
- Cricket - See whoâs touring in Summer
- MotoGP Philip Island - Motorbike racing
- A-League Soccer - Football
- Rugby - Football
Art
Checkout the:
- National Gallery of Victoria - International tours such as King Tut, Impressionists.
- Melbourne Comedy Festival - Once a year
- Melbourne Film Festival - Once a year
- Theater - Broadways tour such as the Lion King/Book of Mormon/Harry Potter
- Dance, Ballet, opera
- Live Music - Heaps of local and international artists. Mostly found in Fitzroy.
- Street art and exhibitions - Hosier lane
Exhibitions
- Melbourne Exhibition Center
- Royal Exhibition Center
Party
Nightlife comes alive over the weekend. Itâs even bustling on a Tuesday/Thursday night and possibly Wednesday too.
- CBD
- Chapel St
- Fitzroy
- St. Kilda
- Richmond
- Casino
Weed is illegal and so is drinking on the street.
Drives
- Dandenong Ranges - Mountains and rain-forests to the East of Melbourne. Checkout âSkyhighâ for a view of the city at night (1 hour drive)
- Great Ocean Rd - Drive along the ocean and beaches (2 hours out of Melbourne)
- Yarra Valley - Go to the wineries and have lunch
Tips and Tricks
- People donât work weekends and only within their contracted 9-5 hours. Refuse unreasonable work outside your contracted hours. You are protected by the Fair Work Ombudsman.
- Melbourne has an alcohol drinking culture. Social after-work drinks are on Friday. Beer sizes come in pot/schooner/pint.
- Most things are paid online.
- The local hardware store is called âBunningsâ.
- The major department stores are Myer, David Jones, Kmart & Big W
- Tax time is July 1st. You do it online through the Australian Tax Office (ATO). Ask your employer or tax-agent if youâre unsure.
- People donât work on public holidays. Youâre entitled to 4 weeks paid leave each year and 10 paid sick days.
Emergencies
Dial â000â for all police, fire and ambulance emergencies đš
Contribute
Make a pull request to add your own unique insight to help other developers succeed.
Better yet, fork it and create one for your city! đ
GitHub: https://github.com/Dylan-George-Field/Melbourne-Software-Developer-Survival-Guide