Melbourne Travel Diary 2025: Getting Started (Part 1)

It all started when I casually mentioned that I wanted us to go on a family trip overseas. When your parents have traveled pretty much everywhere, it’s hard to find a destination that everyone hasn’t already been to. Then Melbourne popped into our minds. My parents had only been to Perth, but not Melbourne,  and since my aunt and cousins live there, it just made perfect sense. So, Melbourne it is!

We wanted this trip to be a free-and-easy family bonding trip, so we decided not to follow a tour group, which means we had to take matters into our own hands, and trust me, there were LOADS of matters to handle. The first challenge we had to face head-on, even before booking any flight tickets, was applying for a visa. There are tutorials online saying you could purchase your flight ticket first and then proceed to apply for a visa, but knowing how hard it is for Malaysian visas to get approved these days, and after hearing stories of friends having their visas canceled even though they were frequent yearly visitors, we were honestly anxious. We just couldn’t risk spending on expensive flight tickets without knowing whether our visas would be approved beforehand.

📂Documents We Attached for Our Australian Visa Application

Here’s everything we submitted as a group when applying for our Australian visas:

• 3 months’ salary payslips (To show proof of steady income and employment stability)
• EPF statement ( To show you’re financially secure)
• Savings account statements (the more, the better)
• National Identity Card (IC)
• Family Register and Composition Form (Marriage certificate, wedding photos)
• Passport (Make sure it’s valid for at least 6 months from your travel date)
• S&P Agreement (mortgage - We included this to show property ownership in Malaysia.)
• Itinerary ( We attached an Excel sheet of our 7D6N Melbourne trip, detailing places of visit, places of stay, car rentals and also estimated expenses)
• Employment letters (We attached both Surat Pengesahan and Surat Pelantikan since we’re government servants and had them translated into English)
• Declaration letter ( I personally think this is the MOST IMPORTANT document!)

📌Declaration Letter: A self-written letter stating our purpose of visit and assurance that we’ll return after the trip. In our letter, we wrote our purpose of travel, which was to have a family vacation (try not to write visiting relatives/family members living there). We also included our previous travel history, along with attached photos of entry and exit stamps from different countries in our passports as proof that we are financially capable and that we always return to our homeland, Malaysia. Most importantly, we included strong supporting reasons that show our ties to home. I wrote about my passion for my work as a school counselor, my involvement in community programmes at church, genuine love for the weather and food in Malaysia (which is truly the best!), and even attached a picture of my Frenchie to show that I have a dog waiting for me back home.

It took about a week to prepare all the necessary documents and photos. We downloaded the “Australian ETA” app on our phones from Play Store and just followed every step as instructed. It’s best to have all your documents on standby so you can attach them along the way. The visa application fee was RM 63/person. I guess the hardest part of this trip was the visa application. All the stress and anxiety that built up almost made us give in, and we almost wanted to pay for a professional visa application service from a travel agency, but thank God we pushed through. If we hadn’t persevered, we wouldn’t have gained so many firsthand experiences. For me, it’s these experiences that are truly priceless when planning a trip.  A week of anxious waiting, and then, all our visas were approved!😇

Once our visas were approved, we immediately set about booking flight tickets and car rentals. Our round-trip tickets were RM3,164.78 per person, which included extra checked luggage, travel insurance and in-flight meals.  And in between was all the planning, non-stop re-checking, and endless discussions, all the way until THE day (yes, we’d been planning this a whole year in advance). Some say the trip begins when you board the plane, but I think the journey starts much earlier. It starts in all the planning, researching, and daydreaming. All these made up for half the fun of a trip.

🚘Driving License

Malaysia’s physical driving license is accepted when driving in Melbourne, so we didn’t need to apply for an international driving permit. Since Malaysia no longer issues physical cards by default, we had to go to JPJ to request one. You’ll need to bring a copy of your flight ticket, visa, and passport as proof that you’ll be driving in another country. We first headed to UTC, but were told that they don’t issue physical cards, only JPJ does. Upon hearing that we’d be driving in Melbourne, the JPJ officers insisted that we needed to apply for an international driving permit, which would cost RM 150. I guess they just want to make a bit of extra money?😒Luckily, we had done our homework thoroughly and stood our ground, explaining that a driving permit wasn’t necessary for driving in Melbourne. After a few rounds of convincing and debating😩, the officers finally let us walk away with just the physical driving license.

❗Make sure to call your car rental company or check their website to confirm the rules, as there’s no guarantee they’ll stay the same over the years❗

✈ Immigration Customs 

I think the second exciting (and a lil scary) part of this trip is filling in the "Australia Arrival Card" on the plane and also knowing which lanes to take during immigration customs. There are two main lanes for passengers to choose from when going through Australian immigration and customs: the "Nothing to Declare" green lane and the "Goods to Declare" red lane. Australia is VERY strict when it comes to bringing in certain food, plant materials, or animal products. It’s really important to be honest when declaring goods to avoid any penalties. If you are unsure, just tick “Yes” and declare, it’s safer than risking a fine.

Australia Arrival Card

If you're bringing Panadol or gastric medicine, be sure to tick ‘Yes’ on Question 1 (Do you have any medicines, steroids, narcotics or any other drugs?) of the arrival card to declare your medications as required. Make sure all medicines are kept in their original packaging. If the medicine is from a clinic, they must have a doctor’s label or script, and if the medicines are purchased over-the-counter from the pharmacy, make sure that medicines are kept in their original packaging/box, so that officers can clearly see the ingredients. For our case, we brought traditional Chinese medicine for our aunt, so we ticked 'Yes' for Question 7 too (Grains, seeds, bulbs, straw, nuts, plants, parts of plants, traditional medicines or herbs, wooden articles?). We also brought along the receipt and ingredient list for the Chinese medicine. 

Make sure to check the Australian Border Force website beforehand to see the full list of items that need to be declared, and don’t forget a pen for filling in the card on the plane. We went in fully prepared, with all our answers ready in advance, yet our hearts were still racing with anxiety. We saw lots of tourists confidently strolling through the green lane, but our aunt had warned us to be honest. Since we were carrying plenty of Malaysian snacks for our relatives and weren’t 100% sure if any ingredients were prohibited, we nervously chose the red lane, which barely anyone else took. The green lane was a sea of queuing tourists, and as we inched forward in the red lane, we could see many of them from the green lane being pulled aside for random luggage checks. SO BE HONEST, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. When it was finally our turn, the customs officer asked what we’d brought. We just answered honestly, keeping our sentences simple (do not elaborate and make your circumstances more complicated than needed 😅), and just like that, we were through! The relief was instant, and it felt like a small victory.✌

🚙Car Rental

After doing a lot of research, we decided to rent our car from SIXT. We booked about six months in advance through their website and reserved an 8-seater hybrid car for the seven of us, making sure there was enough space for our luggages. To make it work, we travelled really lightly. For example, two people shared just one piece of luggage. Since car laws in Australia are strict, we didn’t want to risk putting bags on the seats instead of in the luggage compartments (car boots). Any bags that we had originally planned to put on the car seats in case the luggage compartments were full, we instead packed as backpacks. The hybrid also helped us save a lot on petrol. We only had to stop for a refill twice during our Melbourne trip, which was totally worth it.

Once your booking is confirmed, you’ll receive a reservation confirmation email.

Car Rental Reservation Confirmation

You can either pay in advance when booking or choose to pay on the spot. Paying in advance is usually much cheaper, while paying on the spot comes with a service charge. Even though it’s more expensive, we still opted to pay on the spot, since arriving too early or too late for our booking could result in a penalty, and we like to play it safe. Luckily, we did, because our flight was rescheduled at the last minute! It's always best to play it safe when you have uncertain circumstances, to give yourself a peaceful heart and mind. 😙Another important tip: DO NOT skip car insurance and do not just go for the bare minimum. Always purchase full coverage, especially when you’re in a country with a stronger currency. If anything happens, the cost could be astronomical.

our 8-seater car

When we got our car, we made sure to record a full video of it (inside and out), covering everything from the front and sides to the gear and interior. That way, if there were any scratches or dents from a previous renter, we’d have proof and wouldn’t get charged for damage we didn’t cause. Also, be sure to give the car a quick clean (we just vacuumed out the dry twigs and leaves) before returning it to keep it looking presentable. Otherwise, you might get hit with a cleaning fee.  

SIXT booth

I find this video from 小红书 (Xiaohongshu) really helpful  👉 SIXT Car Rental.  It's a step-by-step guide showing how to walk from Tullamarine Airport (Melbourne Airport) to the terminal building directly across the airport to reach the SIXT car rental booth. It also shows the entire real process of renting a car — everything you need to do from start to finish. What we really liked about SIXT is that they give very clear instructions, and the staff at the counter are super friendly. They even have employees waiting at the terminal car park to assist you when you return the car, even after working hours. The employees wear bright orange jackets, so you can spot them from afar — no need to worry about finding them. Overall, the whole process was smooth and quick.

🏠Our Stay

We were really grateful to our aunt and her family for letting us stay with them at Ferny Creek, Seabreeze Ave, nestled in the Dandenong Ranges, throughout our Melbourne trip. We had a wonderful time getting a true local house experience. The house was warm, cosy, and made us feel right at home. The road up to the house wound gently through the lush greenery, reminding me of Cameron Highlands in Malaysia, only an even more enchanting version. It felt like living in the middle of a dreamland: trees, bushes, and flowers everywhere, magpies singing cheerfully, and even spotting the occasional deer wandering by.

Home in the heart of Ferny Creek

Us with uncle Robert & aunty Janet

Even the bathroom feels like a mini retreat

The bathtub we never got to use… because it was way too cold!

Simple details that make a house feel like home

Two incredible mothers, the quiet superheroes of our trip. 

Every morning, they would rise before us, filling the house with the comforting aroma of breakfast, 

and every evening, after our long days of adventure, they lovingly prepared dinners. 

Their care made every moment feel warm and homey.💖

Sitting by the fireplace even in spring because the chill in the air called for it. 

I have always dreamt of this from the pages of books, and now I finally get to experience it in real life.

Among logs, cabins, and a small blue truck, a rustic fairytale comes alive.

Two school boys waiting for the bus to arrive. Looks like it eh?😹

The one and only photo of us eating at the dining table

Most of the time we were rushing out for the day or hurrying to shower and rest after a long day, never pausing to simply be. My sister captured this moment spontaneously, and though we all look puffy and far from glamorous, it feels incredibly precious. Only then did it strike us — we should have taken more ordinary photos, not just the polished, touristy ones. We never realize the importance of moments like these until they become history. 

After I returned to Malaysia, I couldn’t stop thinking about migrating. It felt like the kind of life I truly wanted. My aunt said, "Yes, come!".  My mum joked, “Go ahead,” and for a moment, I actually imagined starting anew. Tony also jokingly said, “Let’s give up everything here and start fresh in Melbourne.” I even found myself browsing the immigration website to see how to apply for permanent residency. On one hand, job opportunities seemed plentiful for Chinese, and the idea of a fresh start was so tempting. On the other hand, I have so many deep connections here in Malaysia — my family, my friends, my culture, my dog, the food, the weather. Leaving all of that behind would mean giving up pieces of myself that I hold dear. It was a struggle, about wanting everything and also knowing you can’t have it all. I guess that’s how life is: constantly wanting more and trying to find a balance between what you desire and what you already have.

💌End note

From securing visas and collecting our physical driving licenses, to planning our itinerary, navigating immigration, and renting our car, to enjoying breakfast chaos, cozy evenings by the fireplace, shouting at magpies in the morning and even the occasional quarrels between siblings (and the epic battles for the one and only toilet), the first chapter of our Melbourne adventure was filled with moments that will linger in memory. Writing all these down so these memories won't fade with time, and also because I will definitely be revisiting again. 

A huge thank you to Aunty Janet, Uncle Robert, Callum, Mitchell, and Broden for all your incredible hospitality. We are truly grateful that you all went out of your way, travelling from your respective homes and taking time out of your busy weekdays to show us around and share your city with us. After long days at work, you all still made the effort to make our trip so special. It’s these seemingly small gestures that mean so much. You all made us feel so welcomed and cared for. Till we meet again!😉

Upcoming👉 Melbourne Travel Diary 2025: Chasing Adventures Down Under (Part 2)