Practical Tips for Residents

Staying at Vizard House

How to reserve accommodation

Reservations for Vizard House are available by referral from the doctors, social workers or welfare workers at the hospital the patient is attending. Please telephone (03) 9419 8628 for further information.

Who can stay at Vizard House?

Accommodation at Vizard House is only available for friends or family supporting patients in Melbourne hospitals, and not for patients themselves.  In addition, guests must be in personal circumstances which make it impractical for them to use commercial accommodation for the duration of their stay.   The social workers at the hospital the patient is attending will be able to provide more information about your eligibility.

Costs to stay

The cost to stay at Vizard House will depend on a variety of factors, including your place of residence, but nightly costs for a single guest are generally equivalent to the VPTAS (the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme) rebate. See http://health.vic.gov.au/ruralhealth/patient-transport-assistance.htm for details of the Scheme. Modest extra fees will apply for additional guests.

Payment for accommodation will need to be made on the day of your stay, either in cash, by credit card or EFTPOS. A refundable deposit will be charged for your room and House key.

Are you eligible for a rebate?

Many guests will be entitled to a rebate for the costs of their stay through VPTAS or its equivalent in your home state, but this will depend on your personal circumstances. Information about your eligibility for the rebate will be available from the social work department of the hospital being attended by the patient you are supporting.

Check-in times

Generally guests are expected to check-in to Vizard House by 2.00pm on weekdays and 12.00 midday on weekends.  Check-out is between 8.00 – 10.00 am.

If these times are not compatible with caring commitments, please ring the resident manager on (03) 9419 8628 to discuss alternatives.

What to bring to Vizard House

Vizard House provides guests with a variety of amenities including:

  • bedding, sheets and towels
  • basic toiletries
  • laundry facilities
  • tea and coffee
  • a variety of magazines, books, games and children’s toys
  • a computer and printer
  • telephone (local calls)
  • metered Wi-Fi access.

You will need to provide anything else you think you might require for your stay, including food, personal toiletries, books, personal communications and entertainment (mobile phone, laptop, iPad etc.)

Getting around Melbourne

Vizard House is very conveniently situated, close to all public transport, major hospitals and with the Melbourne CBD just a short walk away.

To use public transport you will need to buy a Myki card which works on all trams, trains and buses. These can be purchased at 7-Eleven stores, from the Myki machines at railway stations and major tram / bus stops, online at here , or by calling 1800 800 007.

Planning a public transport journey can be a complex exercise, particularly if it involves more than one type of travel. A good way to start is to use the Journey Planner on the Metro website. This needs a bit of getting used to, but is worth persisting with as it helps with everything from timetables to connections and fares. See here.

Shopping guide around Vizard House

The area around Vizard House is well serviced with shopping facilities of all sorts. Major retail outlets can be found in Smith St, Fitzroy, the CBD and Church St, Richmond.

A selection of outlets that you may find helpful are listed here, and highlighted on the following map:

Supermarkets

Services
red_orifice IGA Tribeca Complex, 430 Victoria Pde, East Melbourne yellow_circlepng Post Office 126 Wellington Pde, East Melbourne
red_orifice Coles 240 Church St, Richmond yellow_circlepng Pharmacy 140 Wellington Pde, East Melbourne
red_orifice Woolworths 243 Smith St, Fitzroy yellow_circlepng CentreLink 617 Victoria St, Abbotsford
yellow_circlepng 7-Eleven, cafes, newsagent Wellington Pde, East Melbourne

Petrol Stations

Base Locations
gps_car_orange BP 282 Swan St, Richmond Melbourne CBD Corner of Bourke & Swanston Streets
gps_car_orange Shell 1181 Hoddle St, East Melbourne Vizard House 70 Clarendon Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002
gps_car_orange Caltex 286 Johnston St, Abbotsford

 

 

 

Clothing & Department Stores

All major department stores (Myer, David Jones, K Mart, Target, Big W) are to be found in the Melbourne CBD.

Clothing and fashion stores are centered in the CBD; Bridge Rd, Richmond; Smith St, Fitzroy and Lygon St, Carlton.

Banks

All major banks are to be found in the CBD.

CBA, ANZ, NAB and BoM branches are all located close to the intersection of Church St and Bridge Rd, Richmond.

Restaurants and Cafes

There are many fast food outlets, cafes and restaurants in the surrounding areas, but particularly:

  • Wellington Pde, East Melbourne (Italian, Asian, Indian, cafes)
  • Victoria St, Richmond (Vietnamese)
  • Bridge Rd, Richmond (everything)
  • Smith St, Fitzroy (cafes, fast food)
  • Lygon St, Carlton (everything)
  • Southbank Boulevarde (Italian, Asian, cafes)

Things to Do

There are always many events on the go in Melbourne. To get a good idea of what’s on during your stay go to www.visitmelbourne.com

The CBD has a number of cinema complexes, and there is a large Hoyt’s complex in Victoria Gardens, Richmond.

The Major Hospitals

The major hospital websites have a lot of useful information about their facilities and administrative procedures, as well as transport options.
Royal Melbourne | Royal Children’s | Peter McCallum Clinic | St Vincent’s Private |St Vincent’s | Alfred | Epworth Richmond | Royal Eye & Ear | Royal Women’s