Melbourne

Aldi — the discount champion

Woolworths — the big full-range

Coles — the other big one

IGA — local, pricier

Best: Nov – Apr · Wet: year-round (May – Oct wettest)

Fees: Big-four bank ATMs (CommBank, Westpac, NAB, ANZ) are surcharge-free for withdrawals; standalone machines in pubs/shops charge $2–3.

Limits: Usually A$1,000–2,000 per pull.

Best machines: CommBankWestpacANZ / NAB

Vaccines: Routine only — Australia is very low health-risk.

Health: Tap water is excellent everywhere. The hazards are famously outdoors: ferocious sun (the world's highest skin-cancer rates — 'slip, slop, slap' sunscreen), rip currents (swim between the red-and-yellow flags), and respect for wildlife/heat on hikes. Superb healthcare; insure as it's costly for visitors.

Tap water: ✅ Excellent and safe to drink from any tap nationwide.

Safety: Australia is very safe with low violent crime. The real risks are natural: sun, surf rips (always swim between the flags), bushfire season (check warnings in summer), and heat on outback drives. City nightlife precincts get rowdy late weekend but rarely dangerous.

For most short tourist trips, citizens of the US, UK, EU/Schengen, Canada, Australia and New Zealand either enter visa-free or get a simple online authorisation (an eVisa or eTA) before flying. Typical visa-free stays run 30–90 days. Some countries want a visa arranged in advance, and a growing number ask you to fill an online arrival or eVisa form even when 'visa-free' — so always check the official portal for your exact nationality before you book.