I'm hoping a local will be able to help me with this. We will have a rental car and will be picking our son up from the airport (domestic terminal) on Christmas Eve. Can we drive up and wait for him, or will we have to park the car? If the latter, where do you suggest we ask him to meet us? (He won't have a cell phone that works in Australia, so a cell lot won't work.)

As an aside, he will be very jet-lagged, having flown from the USA and then transferring in Sydney to a domestic flight to Melbourne.

Another question: We need to pick up groceries before getting our son, any suggestions of stores close to the airport, where we might also get a cooler and ice? After getting him we'll be heading out of town on the Great Ocean Road, and it doesn't look like we'll find anywhere to eat on Christmas Day, hence the need for groceries.

And one last question: any idea for sightseeing relatively close to airport? His plane arrives 3:30pm.

Thanks in advance.

You will not be able to wait in the car to pick up at kerbside. It is strictly limited to just a few minutes for pick up and drop off. You will need to park and unfortunately short-term parking at the airport is a huge rip off so be prepared. Incidentally make sure you pay for your parking at one of the machines before you get back into your car.

As you won't be able to contact each other via a cell phone I would suggest that the simplest course of action is for you to all meet at the carousel where he will be waiting for his luggage. He will have already done customs and immigration in Sydney if he is coming in on a domestic flight. You don't mention which airline he is on. If he is flying on Virgin, when you enter the car park you will be nearer the Virgin end of the terminal. If he is flying in on Qantas or Jetstar they are at the opposite end of the terminal (international is inbetween) so it would be better to park at the farther end of the carpark. Don't stress about whether you are parked in the right area. All three terminals are interconnected, you will simply need to walk a bit further.

For domestic flights there will be no problem with you being able to walk up to the carousel area and then just check the flight numbers to see which one he will need to use. Alternatively you could say you will meet near the car rental desks. There is a grouping of them in each terminal.

As I am sure you realise, Christmas Eve is likely to be extremely busy with everyone trying to get home for Christmas Day. I would allow extra time to get out to the airport and luggage collection etc is likely to be longer than usual.

There isn't anywhere really sightworthy near the airport itself that I can think of and I would expect that things are likely to be shutting earlier than usual as it is Christmas Eve.

As for groceries, are you staying in the city? There are a number of supermakets within the city itself. Your hotel will direct you to the nearest one. Also the David Jones department store has a good food hall to pick up something a bit more upmarket for your Christmas day lunch. There is also Victoria Market where you could buy lots of goodies to eat and drink and is a great spot for tourists to wander around anyway. I think that will be much simpler than stopping on your drive out to the airport as that it is all on by freeway, so you would actually need to leave the freeway and trundle around one of the suburbs to find a supermaket. Likewise as you head off to the GOR, you will be on a main highway/freeway all the way now with one exception (can't wait for that one last section to be finished - not a traffic light between my house and the holiday house once I'm on the freeway).

Where are you actually spending Christmas Day? I might be able to find somewhere you could book into for lunch if you are interested though, of course, as you say everything might be booked out - or at least all the ones worth eating at.

you can actually meet him as he comes off the plane but as Shandy says be prepared for a big parking bill.
You could go to Westfield shopping centre on the way to the airport if you are coming on the freeway or you should be able to find a place on the way to Geelong or at Werribee/ geelong to buy groceries

Yes, of course, Northie is right you can just go to the Gate to meet as he comes off the plane. Don't know why I didn't think of it. Must have been having a "seniors' moment".

Thanks everyone.

Just out of curiosity, is there a cell phone lot at Tullamarine Airport? Easy to find? My daughter has a cell that works in Australia and my husband might have one, so my daughter and I could meet my son and call my husband when we're out front.

We're staying in South Melbourne on St. Kilda Rd. and picking up rental car at Avis on Moray St. Any suggestions for grocery stores in that neck of the wood?

My son's plane arrives 3:35pm on Qantas on Dec. 24. How much time do you think we should allow to get to the airport from South Melbourne?

GOR: We're staying near Apollo Bay so if anyone is aware of any restaurant that might be open on Christmas Day, I'd love to hear of it!

I assume you mean a place where you can wait and receive a phone call by the term "cell phone lots"-no there are none and you will be fined if you find a park on the side of the road and you will see the areas all fenced off to discourage this practice.
You will be able to get food supplies at South melbourne market.There is a Coles supermarket in Clarendon Street.
45 mins should do for the trip but there will be lots of traffic due to Xmas eve and if you don't know the roads I would take more time.

I checked out the couple of restaurants that I wouldn't mind having Christmas lunch at Apollo Bay but no luck. There is more choice at Lorne which is about a 30 min drive from Apollo Bay. However, that would mean the driver would be very limited in how much alcohol he/she could consume (drink/driving laws) and I wouldn't be recommending for a person unfamiliar with the GOR to be driving it with even only a couple of drinks. If you are keen I can enquire though.

Regardless, a barbeque or a picnic with some lovely food that you have picked up would make for a great Christmas lunch and is something of an Australian tradition for Christmas. Find a lovely spot with a view over the water and you will be right, though admittedly weather can be very hit and miss on Christmas Day as it is change of season. It could be very hot or quite cool and rainy.

From Moray Street, turn into Coventry Street, heading west. Just before you hit Clarendon Street, you will see the entry to the Coles supermarket parking lot on your left. Parking is free for the first hour. You can probably buy a cooler at Coles, and get ice at most 7-11 stores. You can stock up on Christmas goodies at Coles, and there's a wine shop just across Coventry Street. Or walk a further 200 metres along Coventry St to the South Melbourne market.

And if you want a nice hotel to have a drink, O'Connells in South Melbourne, corner of Coventry and Montague Streets is most civilised. Tell the barman that Peter and Louise recommended the place, and they'll probably respond by hoping that said Peter and Louise are enjoying venice.

In terms of ice, the supermarket may well have an ice machine. The ones around me do. Also many petrol stations sell ice as well.

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions!