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Travel and Accommodation

Getting to Sydney from overseas. Qantas Airways Limited is the official airline for the conference. Under this arrangement Qantas offices in all parts of the world will discuss with you or your travel agent any special travel requirements and itineraries, and will explain airfare structures for the most economical travel to suit your needs. Please quote the reference code CIC*461/52. Qantas reservation telephone numbers are

Getting to Sydney from within Australia. Special discounted fares of up to 40% off the normal economy class fares have been negotiated for delegates (subject to availability at the time of booking). Please call Qantas (Australia-wide) on 1800-684-880 and quote reference code 1273012.

On arrival at the airport: getting to Macquarie University or your hotel. Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport is about 12 km south of the city of Sydney. Macquarie University is a further 15 km to the northwest near the suburb of Epping. If you are planning to arrive in Sydney by air between Saturday 11 July and Monday 13 July, and you inform us of your flight number, we will arrange transportation for you from the airport to the university or to your hotel. At times when large numbers of people are expected we will endeavour to provide free transport but during slack periods we will arrange the most economical transport for you. On arrival, look for the signs and the volunteers in the distinctive yellow tee-shirts and caps. At the International terminal they will be near the exits from the customs hall and at the Qantas Domestic terminal they will be near the baggage carousels (if you arrive at the Ansett domestic terminal it is only a short stroll to Qantas). But remember, you must tell us which flight you will be on or we may not have anyone there to meet you.

If you arrive at times other than above you must rely on your own resources to find us. There are numerous bus companies offering transfers to hotels in the downtown area, from a bus stand outside the International terminal building. Investigate these before hiring a taxi. If you arrive Monday to Friday there are also two local buses you can use. Buses on route 305 will take you to Railway Square (Central Railway Station) where you can catch the train to Epping and there connect by bus 288/290 to Macquarie University. Bus route 100 will take you via the city to North Sydney Station where you can transfer to buses 290/292/294 to the university. If you find you have to take a taxi prepare for a fare of about A$20-25 to the city and A$50+ to the university.

The four major car hire companies (Hertz, Thrifty, Avis, and Budget) have outlets at the airport and you can pre-book your car through your travel agent or through the company’s offices in your home country/state. Many other smaller companies have cars at reasonable rates. When hiring a car be sure to obtain the additional insurance to waive the "excess" in case of damage.

Accommodation and bookings. Hotel accommodation ranges from luxurious to basic and hotels are widespread throughout the Sydney area. With the collapse of many Asian economies, forward bookings for hotel rooms this year are down, so there will be plenty of accommodation available. Accommodation Line, the official accommodation booking agency for the conference, will offer you a greater range and better discounts than we otherwise could negotiate. Check their listings on http://www.accomline.com.au and book with them using their online forms, by email hotels@cia.com.au, or by FAX +61-2-9261-8565.

Sydney also has lots of youth hostel and backpacker accommodation. For details, check http://www.ans.com.au/~sydney/accommodation/listing/hotels.htm and contact the Youth Hostels Association, YMCA, or YWCA in your home state or country.

Student accommodation. Student accommodation in Residential Colleges at Macquarie University is very limited and there are only a few single rooms available. The colleges will allocate these rooms on a first-come, first-served basis to students. Students should contact the colleges direct for availability and fees (which range from A$45 to A$60 per day) on the following numbers:

Robert Menzies College Telephone +61 2 9936 6000 FAX +61 2 9936 6005

Dumnore Lang College Telephone +61 2 9856 1000 FAX +61 2 9887 3910

Accommodation for students is also available on a first-come first-served basis at Billy Blue Palace, in Greenwich, a short bus-ride from the university on the 288-294 route. Bunk accommodation is available at A$165 per week and twin-share at A$185. For details contact them direct, Telephone +61 2 9436 1881, FAX +61 2 9436 1595. We will also set up a billeting service where students can stay with volunteers. For details check the web-site in early March or email george.mckay@mq.edu.au.

Shuttle bus service. Tuesday to Thursday we will provide a morning shuttle bus service from specified locations near hotels in the city, Darling Harbour, and Kings Cross areas to the university and a return bus in the evening. Book your accommodation before registering and fill in the space on the form so we can plan our shuttle bus routes.

Local travel during the conference. Sydney’s public transport system consists of trains, buses and ferries which operate on a unified fare basis. Weekly travel-passes offer the best value because they are valid for unlimited trips within a specified fare zone for a week from time of first use. A GREEN weekly travel pass costing A$28 will take you from the city to Macquarie University by train and/or bus and will let you take the inner harbour ferries (e.g. to Darling Harbour, Manly, or the Zoo) for seven days.

Bus routes 288-294 operate between the city (Queen Victoria Building and Wynyard) to Macquarie University and Epping and connect with trains on the North Shore line at North Sydney Station and the main Northern line at Epping Station.

There are many other good value deals to be had in bus transport with both public and private transport companies including free buses to Darling Harbour, all-day travel passes, and Explorer services. Check out the Lonely Planet site for more information.

Taxis cost A$3 per flag-fall and $1.07 per km with a $1 booking fee (or A$30 per hour), $2 to cross the Harbour Bridge, and other miscellaneous charges for extra baggage etc. but taxi drivers do not expect a tip – in fact most will round down small change!

Parking at Macquarie University costs $2 per day or $8 for a weekly ticket outside term time.

Dining in and around the university. The university union will offer breakfast and lunch services. Some dinner service may be available but is unpredictable. Nearby Macquarie Shopping Centre (a comfortable 10-minute stroll) has a food hall and numerous restaurants which are open for lunch. Dining in and around the city is a cosmopolitan experience. Be adventurous. A hint – tipping is not as rampant in Australia as in many other countries. Wait staff are paid union-negotiated wages and a tip of 5% for good or 10% for very good service generally is considered adequate. In shopping malls and cafes or milk-bars no tipping is the rule.

Daytime child-minding services. Child-minding is a highly regulated, government supervised service. Facilities will be available and details will be published in the May newsletter. Most hotels will arrange evening babysitting.

Activities for accompanying persons. A variety of activities are available in and around the city. There will be more news of these in the May newsletter.

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