Disability Services

The MCEC
Hotel Accommodation
Getting To Melbourne
Getting Around Melbourne
Service Animals
Hearing Impairments
Mobility Impairments
Vision Impairments

An Aussiecon 4 Invitation

Especially if you live outside Australia, the idea of travelling to Aussiecon 4 may seem a bit intimidating if you're also dealing with disability issues. However, Australia is increasingly disability-friendly, and Melbourne is quite accommodating. To make Worldcon as accessible to its members as possible, we've gathered information to help you plan your trip, and we will be providing on-site services as well.

If you have questions not covered here, or if you will need disability-related assistance at the convention, please email disabilitservices@aussiecon4.org.au . Though we may be unable to fulfill some requests, the sooner you let us know your needs, the better the chances that we will be able to help.

I look forward to seeing you at Aussiecon 4.

Karen Babcock
Disability Services Coordinator
disabilityservices@aussiecon4.org.au

The MCEC

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is a lovely venue in terms of disability access. Assisted hearing technology is used in all meeting rooms and event spaces, motorised doors provide easy wheelchair access to all function rooms, and lifts and signs have Braille markers. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are at various locations within the MCEC.

For more information, see the MCEC Disabled Access page.

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Accommodation at Worldcon Hotels

We've sent out questionnaires to get detailed information about disability access at the con hotels and are starting to get responses. Check back here for updates.

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Getting To Melbourne

Airlines: Most airlines will carry medical equipment at no charge and will provide assistance at the airport to passengers with disabilities. Contact your specific airline for details.

Airports: Tullamarine Airport, located approximately 25 km northwest of downtown Melbourne, has good facilities such as unisex toilets. A tiny number of Jetstar domestic flights arrive at Avalon Airport.

Skybus: The rapid-link bus service between has a 100%-wheelchair-accessible fleet for service between Tullamarine Airport and the city. Once you arrive at the city, shuttles to city hotels are available (some but not all are accessible). For more information, see Skybus service info.

Trains within Victoria: All V/Line regional train stations within Victoria and some V/Line coaches are wheelchair accessible. For more information, see V/Line accessible regional services.

Interstate train travel: Travelling by train can be a great way to see Australia. It can provide challenges for disabled passengers, but access is improving. The following services provide train service to Melbourne:

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Getting Around Melbourne

Public Transportation

Melbourne has an excellent public transportation system. At the heart of the system are the commuter train lines that radiate from the Central Business District. Trams and buses provide inner-city transportation and transportation between suburbs. For the most part, public transport in Melbourne is disability-friendly.

Trains: All metropolitan trains and train stations are wheelchair accessible. For more information, see Metlink Accessible Train info.

Trams: Melbourne's tram network is partially accessible. The low-floor trams don't have ramps, so access is only possible at special stops. Better to keep to buses and trains. For more information, see Metlink Accessible Tram info.

Buses: Most of the buses in Melbourne are wheelchair accessible. For more information, see Metlink Accessible Bus info.

Private Transportation

Car/van rental: Some car and van hire companies provide vehicles which are wheelchair accessible or can be modified to be hand-controlled. These vehicles should always be booked well in advance.

Taxis: For those with visual impairments taxi totems, located primarily in the inner suburbs, provide travel information in tactile and Braille text and have a light that can be activated to alert passing taxis to stop. Wheelchair-accessible taxis are available throughout Melbourne and its suburbs, including the airport. At the airport, the taxi coordinator will request a wheelchair taxi for you. You can also request one when booking:

Note that when calling these numbers you have to ask specifically for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, as the numbers are used for anything non-standard (e.g., carrying more than four passengers); if they think you want a van for capacity reasons, they're more likely to charge at the van tarriff.

Note also that Victorian residents who have a Multi Purpose Taxi Program card can get a 50% discount on taxi fares. Visitors from overseas do not qualify for the discount. Taxi drivers are NOT allowed to charge you more, or to charge a separate "wheelchair lift fee", if you do not have the Multi Purpose Taxi Program card.

Walking and Wheeling

The City of Melbourne has downloadable maps that include the locations of wheelchair-accessible toilets and telephones, public TTY telephones, disability designated car parking spaces, accessible off-street parking, train stations, accessible pathways, taxi ranks, public seating and street gradients.

CBD Melbourne Mobility Map 2009 (PDF, 2.8Mb)
Melbourne Docklands precinct mobility map (PDF, 3.5Mb)
Entertainment and Sporting Mobility Map 2009 (PDF, 2.4Mb)

The City of Melbourne has also gathered information about accessible amenities in the city.

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Bringing Service Animals to Melbourne

Air travel within Australia: According to Civil Aviation Regulations, dogs "accompanying a visually impaired or hearing impaired person as a guide or an assistant" are allowed on planes; all other service animals must fly in cargo unless the airline has received written permission from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

Quarantine: If you are bringing a service dog to Australia, it will not be subject to the standard 30-day quarantine period as long as you and the dog meet the criteria specified by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

Public tranport: Guide dogs, hearing guide dogs, and guide dogs in training can travel for free on all public transport services. Other service animals may be allowed to use public tranport, but you will need to obtain an Assistance Animal Pass.

Public spaces, businesses: Guide dogs for people with vision and hearing impairments are permitted in public spaces and businesses. They are not considered pets and are not subject to "no pets allowed" regulations. The rules on other service animals are less clear.

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Hearing Impairments

The MCEC has assisted-listening devices available. In addition, we will reserve seats at the front of each panel and event for those who need to be close to hear better or to lip read.

We also hope to have Australian and American Sign Language interpreters available, especially at larger events. If you need a sign language interpreter, please email  Disability Services as soon as possible, and be sure to specify which sign language you use. If you are interested in providing sign language interpretation, please see the Volunteers page.

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Mobility Impairments

We will reserve space for scooter users and wheelchair users at all panels and events. We are also gathering information on mobility equipment rental.

If you are bringing your own power chair or scooter from a country that uses 110 or 120 volts, do remember that Australia uses 230-volt power. Unless your battery charger has a transformer that can handle the higher voltage, you will need to rent a charger for use in Australia.

If you are interested in renting mobility or medical equipment during Worldcon, please  email  Disability Services with the type of equipment you need, and we will contact you with information on pricing when it becomes available.

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Vision Impairments

We will reserve seats at the front of each panel and event for those who have limited sight.

In addition, we plan to have large-print versions of as many printed materials as we can, and we hope to produce audio versions as well. If you are interested in receiving large print or audio versions, please email Disability Services and let us know which format you need so we can be sure to produce enough copies.

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Disclaimer: Aussiecon® 4 is convened under the auspices of the Victorian Science Fiction Conventions Inc (ABN 90 257 542 181) and as such, is governed by its rules and regulations. Victorian Science Fiction Conventions Inc. is a not for profit association incorporated under the Victorian Associations Act, 1981. Aussiecon 4 is supported by the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Melbourne [ www.melbourne.vic.gov.au] . "World Science Fiction Society", "WSFS", "World Science Fiction Convention", "Worldcon", "NASFiC", "Hugo Award", and the distinctive design of the Hugo Award Rocket are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.