As the cost of living rises, it’s important to help your parent uncover discounts for seniors in Victoria. If you’re over 60 years of age, the Victorian Seniors Card Program offers older Victorians a wealth of benefits from discounts on public transport to savings at local businesses. The program helps save on everyday expenses and encourages older people to keep active and engaged in the community, by providing incentives and making it more affordable to get out and about. Here’s a quick guide to help you determine which card you’re eligible for based on how many hours you work. We’ll also share what discounts for seniors in Victoria are available and how to apply.
Eligibility for each card
Seniors Card
To apply for a Victorian Seniors Card, you must be over 60 years of age, a permanent resident of Australia, and currently living in Victoria. You also need to be retired or work
up to 35 hours a week. With a Seniors Card, you can enjoy free or discounted public transport with a seniors Myki card, and even be exempt from the cost of a fishing license in Victoria. The Seniors Myki card gives you weekday concession fares on trains, trams and buses. It also entitles you to free travel on Saturdays and Sundays in two consecutive zones (for example, Zones 1 and 2).Seniors cardholders also gain access to a wide range of discounts and services through the Discount Directory. Keep an eye out for the “Seniors Card Welcome Here” logo, or simply ask for your discounts when shopping.
Seniors Business Discount Card
If you’re over 60, a permanent resident of Australia, and living in Victoria, and working
more than 35 hours per week, the Seniors Business Discount Card is the card for you. Note it doesn’t provide discounts on public transport.
What are the card types and who is eligible?
Types of discounts for seniors in Victoria
Both the Seniors Card and the Seniors Business Discount Card come with a wide range of benefits to help ease cost of living pressures. These include special discounts and deals for:
- shopping (all 10% off on menswear, books, butcher shops, art, graphic, craft supplies, and more)
- dining (it’s common to see Seniors Cards discounts of 10% at cafes and restaurants around the state, and even some online meal preparation or delivery services)
- travel (20% off Aussie travel insurance, 10% discount on the best available rate on hotels, 5% off All Cruises & All Holiday Packages in addition to 20% off on Travel Insurance, and more)
- entertainment (seniors bowl at Junior rates everyday, up to 14% monthly saving on Value 12 NBN Plan Up to 20% monthly savings on Standard and Bonus Home Phone Call plans, and more)
- health services ($100 eGift card when you switch health insurance, 15% discount, free weekly medication packaging, free health checks, free medication delivery, 5% discount and gap free checkup, and more)
How to find discounts for seniors in Victoria
You can find deals near you using the hard copy print directory or online discount map, and explore all available offers on the statewide
cardholder discount directory.
Businesses will often have the “Seniors Card welcome here logo” in the window or at the point of sale, but if they don’t, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Look for the Seniors card welcome here logo above
Can I use my Victorian Seniors Cards in other states or countries?
Each Australian state and territory has its own Seniors Card program. Businesses in other states will generally recognise cards from Victoria, however they aren’t obliged to honour the same discounts. It’s best to ask if discounts are available for VIC Seniors Card holders before you buy.
Check out the websites for each state or territory below in the useful links section for more information.
It’s uncommon for other countries to have similar programs. However, New Zealand has the
New Zealand Super Gold Card where businesses in New Zealand may offer reciprocal rights.
If you’re from another state, territory, or New Zealand, many VIC Seniors Cards businesses will provide reciprocal deals for you – just ask (nicely).
How to apply
To apply for your Victorian Seniors Card or Business Discount Card to get discounts for seniors in Victoria, you can call 1300 797 210, visit a Service VIC centre near you or use the
online application link.
You’ll need the following:
- Make sure you have your green Medicare Card handy to complete your application. This is a free card. There are no costs associated with applying for this card.
- Applicants for a Victorian Seniors Card only (i.e. not Seniors Business Discount Card) can also pick up an application form from their local library. All paper application forms (not online form) require a statutory declaration which must be witnessed.
- Standard processing time is around four weeks from when we receive your application. You can apply around three weeks before your 60th birthday. The card is free and there is no cost to apply.
Some useful links for discounts for seniors in Victoria:
At Carers’ Circle, we’ll be publishing more articles about other ways your parents can save money. So if you have any ideas you want to share with us, please
contact us.
Photo credit:
Senior holding a Senior Discount Card from COTA NSW website.
Author: Marl Gallaza
Marl Joseph Gallaza is a writer with a passion for local history, especially stories from his home country, the Philippines. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in History from Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology and has been exploring historical topics ever since. Marl’s professional journey has also included three years as a virtual assistant and five years in the BPO industry as a customer service representative.
Now living in Cebu City, Marl enjoys spending his weekends at the beach or by the pool and playing lawn tennis. Currently, he’s writing articles about caregivers and seniors in Australia. You can connect with him on Instagram at @marllaza_.
