MELBOURNE PEEPS! I need to travel to the RCH, could use some local input.

Ok, So as the title suggests, at the end of May I will be bringing my 10yr old DS down from Cairns (tropical warm days still!) to the Royal Children Hospital to attend a cluster of appointments spread over 3 days. I want to avoid hiring a car if possible & staying as close as possible to the RHC.

Anyone have any recommendations on accommodation? Will I manage with Public transport alone? On the first day the flights I am looking at having me landing at 2, then I have an appointment to attend at 4, is a 2 hour window plenty of time to get from the airport, dump stuff at accommodation & then get to the appointment? Or am I crazy?

End of May, is it likely to be wet? Cold? etc?

Catch a skybus or similar to your accommodation. I'd try and get accommodation close to the hospital. Public transport here is great. It probably will be cold and quite possibly wet. Check out stayz, wotif and last minute. I'd even call the hospital and see what accom they recommend to family who need it. They might know something awesome.

I am not sure a 2 he window is possible unless you have accom close to hossy. Check out the metlink website to plan public transport from where you decide. You might be worth going straight to RCH and then public transport to accom after. Keep in mind your appt could be up to 2 hrs late depending on the staff that day.

Yep, it will be wet and cold. So get a good umbrella, shoes for wet weather and warm clothes haha. Getting to the RCH is super easy from just outside flinders st. If you have a pram, people are happy to help lift it up and down the steps I've found. If you can afford accom in the city or near the hospital I'd go for that. If you get accommodation in the city you'll be able to go from hotel to hospital in that time frame.

ETA LOLOLOL!! Doubt your TEN year old DS needs a pram haha, I missed the 0 :p

The appointments are at the psychiatric unit, I would like to think they wouldn't keep a child with anxiety problems waiting for 2 hours! lol that thought scares me! I was looking at a place up the road from the RCH but I don't know if its a walkable distance or not. I will need to suss that out.

So looking at the Map, there is a Motor in (Park Square) on the other side of the Royal Park from the hospital, but on the same side of the road. Is Flemington Rd like a highway or would I be able to walk to the hospital from there?

I agree with Rouge, I'd contact the hospital first to see if they can recommend accommodation. There may be discounted rates etc for places affiliated with the hospital :)

It's a big road but you can absolutely walk along the footpaths, or catch a tram if it's pelting down.

Flemington Rd is just a big road. You will definitely be able to walk from there - it should take you all of 5-10 minutes.

Skybus do the hotel drop off (as Rouge said). If your hotel isn't in the drop off list, then the skybus will drop you off at Spencer Street (Southern Cross) station.

Honestly with a tired little man (after a flight) & luggage, I'd get a cab from the station to your hotel. You're looking at about $20 for the cab from the skybus stop to near the RCH.

Trams that go past the RCH are the 55, 57 and 59.

Look around Parkville and North Melbourne for accomodation. At a pinch you could stay on the border of Brunswick/Princess Hill (along the tram # 19 line, as the tram goes past the main hospital).

The hospital should be able to give you a list of suitable accomodation nearby.

You will need to get a myki for you both when you arrive so that you can travel on public transport. There is a 7-11 at Spencer Street that sells them (just near the skybus stop).

Is it just you and DS going Efjay? Are you familiar with Melbourne at all? I'd be happy to meet you on the first day and accompany you so you know where to go :)

Yep, Just me & Evan. No way could we afford all 7 of us to go down. Nope have not been to Victoria since I was in yr 10 on school camp!

DH thinks I should take at least 1 day to do something with Evan while we are there. Any ideas?

What are his interests?

Science, electronics that sort of thing

Scienceworks!

Science works is great - also the Melbourne Museum which is closer to where you are staying

The Arden in Arden St is pretty good and walking distance to RCH.

i would think only having two hour window from touch down to appt would be pushing it - if there are any delays at all, you'd potentially miss your appt or end up more stressed (and make E more anxious). i would be taking an earlier flight and trying to take the pressure off yourselves as much as you can at this end. it might mean things being a bit more chaotic that morning at home but getting here, getting settled - i would think that is more important. and it's common for flights to be late kwim? given you don't know Melbourne much, it would be easier to have extra time and be early...

Yeah I think that too BG but there are no other flights I would have to come the day before which adds to accommodation costs :(

If you do only have 2 hours them I would suggest catching a taxi straight from the airport to the hospital as that will reduce the travel time.

Sorry havent read all replies but does the hossy offer accommodation if ur DS is required there most the time? I know the public hospital near me has accommodation but that was for kids in scn so not sure if it was for other situations.

Guide to the RCH : Parent accommodation

you may qualify for acccomodation due to travelling lost distance

How is ds with flying? Might it be worth the extra accommodation costs to make the appointments as minimally stressful as possible...? Definitely contact the hospital and see if there is subsidised accommodation due to the travel distance.

He will be fine flying, the time it will take may be an issue. I don't mind taxi if it means we get there on time . We may qualify for the travel subsidy because what we need is not here in cairns so if that is the case qld's gov will book flights, I'm not sure yet how much say I will get. But if they pay for flights and part of accommodation then we will be a bit more flexible with costs

I live in the area so can vouch for walking distances. The hospital borders Parkville and North Melbourne so search both those suburbs when looking around as North Melbourne might have more options

The Park Squires hotel in Flemington road is definitely walkable. Flemington road is a major road, very noisy but you would walk along side a park for the whole way with only one road to cross so it's a good choice. The only issue I have with that one is that it is at a pretty busy intersection, where flemington rd intersects with citylink, I would imagine it is pretty noisy. Another hotel close by is Rydges Nth Melbourne. Across flemington road and a short walk but it is close to public transport and closer to the local shops etc for a bit of Melbourne cafe lifestyle. If cost is a real issue, the Arden (already mention) is pretty cheap, I think about $80 night last time my folks stayed. It is a bit more of a walk but absolutely do-able. The quality can be a bit hit and miss from accounts I have had from family and friends but it is super close to town, the market etc. There are also serviced apartments around we have had family use via wotif at a reasonable rate, try the British Apartments on Arden St.

Check out the public transport victoria website for public transport planning. It is fab as you can enter your start and end point, your arrival or departure time and it will give you the best public transport options (train, bus, tram, walking) with maps. The hospital is on tram route 55 and 59.

As for getting from the airport: a taxi tends to cost us about $40-50 from the airport to parkville/north melbourne. Skybus is in the vicinity of $17 each with hotel transfers available. You otherwise have to get a Myki (full fare 3.50 - 2hrs, 7.00 - all day) and make your way via tram/train to your accommodation. Considering the cost difference, it might be worth your peace of mind to just get a taxi to accomodation, get settled and take your time to get to the appointment.

Have you thought about contacting Ronald macdonald house and seeing if you are eligible for accommodation there?

I did look into it a little bit but you can't book ahead, they can only tell you if you on the day if there is a room available for you so I think it would be too hard to work with that uncertainty.

I can nearly guarantee you wouldn't get into Ronald Mac unless your son is admitted. You have to take proof to admission when you took into RMHC.
They're usually pretty full anyway.

As Nai said, with a two-hour window get a cab from the airport to the hotel (or to the hospital if you're really pushed for time). Not worth the aggro of stuffing around with skybus and trams to save, I dunno, $20 once you've factored in skybus tickets and myki tickets. I know money is tight but I think for this one I'd definitely prioritise making it as stress-free as possible.

Also, it's worth weighing up the costs of an apartment with a kitchenette versus just a hotel room. I find I save heaps if I've at least got somewhere I can make a bowl of pasta and a simple sauce versus getting takeaway or eating out for dinner.

You are welcome to stay at my house and borrow my car if you like.

I'm near camberwell, 20 min walk to the station. About 20 min to the RCH in off peak traffic, by car, or about 40 min by train/tram.

My elder son is on the waiting list to see Alasdair Vance at the ACPU too. I get you on the anxiety...

Let me know if I can help.

That's who we are seeing divvi, we keep getting offered strattera for him but it seems to high risk of suicide and he has already displayed those concerns so I don't think we should risk it. I'm hoping Rch can offer us a better plan of attack then just try it and see. Thank you for the offer, If our travel and accommodation subsidy gets knocked back I may well be in contact!

FJ - you asked about what to do in Melb to entertain E for a day - you know i'm not a Melburnite, but i have heard there is a wonderful family friendly Aquarium type place to take kids. Hopefully a Melb BB-er will know the proper name of it and fill in the gaps for me.

The one place i do know about, have visited several times (but not for many years) in Melb is an organic gardening estate called CERES. Great place to wander around, lots of stuff on display.

Yup Gigi, The Melbourne Aquarium is a rather magical place, especially the touch pools and the tropical fish atoll and the shark tunnel thingy. Love it!

Hmmm I'm not sure evan would be that interested in the aquarium to be honest, will keep it in mind though.

FJ - he would love the museum (and it's free) as well as science works. There's really not going to be much time for anything else. My almost 10yo DS who is the one on the wait list, would pick either of those options before anything else. Probably better on a weekday though, solely from the sensory perspective - many many more visitors on the weekends.

I will look into science works. Is it interactive? He isn't big on just looking lol

Very interactive

The Melbourne museum is pretty amazing with lots of interactive stuff. It's not walking distance from RCH but is easy to get to once ure in the city.

If you are going to take the skybus pay for a return trip coz I think that's cheaper.