do i need a visa to Beijing for over 48 hours?

Hi, Sal, you had better apply a L visa in advance in Australia. You need to submit the following documents :
1. Completed Visa Application Form (Form V2011A) with a passport photograph attached and Supplementary Visa Application Form (Form V2011B).
2. Your passport with at least 6-month validity and at least 2 blank visa pages and one photocopy of its photo page.
3. Copies of photo page of your current passport as well as other ID, e.g. previous passport, driver license, etc.
4. If you have been granted Chinese visa(s) before, copies of recent Chinese visa with entry record is required. If they are not on the current passport, copies of the previous passport with the above data are required.
5. Valid Australian visa as well as entry record to the Consulate General (Original and the copy).
Good luck!