Melbourne Botanical Gardens: A Must-Visit Attraction in Melbourne

A highlight of any trip to Melbourne is time spent in the Melbourne Gardens, one of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria. Established more than 175 years ago, the Melbourne Botanical Gardens have long been enjoyed as a place to relax and unwind among nature.

The Melbourne Botanical Gardens provide an escape from the city, without actually having to leave the city. Located on 38 hectares at the edge of the CBD, the gardens showcase plant life from across Australia and around the world.

The Australian Forest Walk immerses you in native eucalypts, while Fern Gully transports you to a shaded oasis, and the Cacti and Succulent Collection is home to plants from water-scarce environments.

As you walk the paths throughout the gardens, you’ll discover a diversity of landscapes – all within a stone’s throw of Melbourne CBD. 

There’s plenty to see and do when you visit the Melbourne Botanical Gardens. You could easily spend an entire day visiting the various plant collections and themed gardens. So that you can get the most out of your visit to the Melbourne Botanical Gardens, we’ve curated a list of highlights to get you started. 

The Aboriginal Heritage Walk at Melbourne Botanical Gardens is a paid tour experience where you will discover the gardens with a First Nations Guide. On this tour of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens you’ll gain insight into native plants and their uses, as well as learning about the culture and history of First Nations people and their ongoing connection to Country.

The Australian Forest Walk takes you through a large area of Melbourne Gardens that showcases and conserves plants from the east coast of Australia. Some of the plants you’ll see in the Australian Forest Walk include the Queensland Kauri Pine (Agathis robusta) and the Common Heath (Epacris impressa) which is Victoria’s floral emblem. The Australian Forest Walk can be viewed year-round and the paths in this section of the gardens are wheelchair accessible.

Known as ‘The Tan’, the Tan Track is an almost 4km loop track around the Melbourne Botanical Gardens. This track has distance markers every 250m and is popular with runners and walkers in Melbourne. Being a loop track you can enter and exit the track at any point, however the official start and finish point of The Tan is at the Pillars of Wisdom on Alexandra Avenue near the Swan Street Bridge over the Yarra River.  

The Arid Garden features drought-tolerant plants that thrive in arid conditions such as cacti and succulents. The Arid Garden has thousands of cacti and succulents on display from 400 different species and was created from the generous donations of private collectors. Some of the plants in this collection are rare and threatened in the wild, making it an even more special experience to appreciate while visiting Melbourne Gardens. You’ll find the Arid Garden located on the Anderson St side of the Melbourne Gardens.

Alongside the Arid Garden is Guilfoyle’s Volcano. Located at the highest point of Melbourne Gardens, it’s here that you’ll be rewarded with a view of the surrounding gardens and the Melbourne city skyline. It is named after landscaper and botanist William Guilfoyle, who was the curator of the gardens in 1873. Guilfoyle’s Volcano is built on the site of the reservoir that Guilfoyle built to water part of the gardens at the time. The design of the garden at Guilfoyle’s Volcano is meant to mimic the look of an erupting volcano. One of the plants used to achieve the lava effect is the Echeveria 'Zorro', which has thick, crinkled red and maroon leaves.

The Ornamental Lake is one of the most popular places to relax in Melbourne Gardens. The lake is teeming with birdlife and is surrounded by lawn and shade trees under which to rest while enjoying the tranquil surrounds. A great way to experience the lake is with a cruise on a punt. Punting on the Lake is available at the Ornamental Lake during the warmer months of the year.

If you’re visiting the Melbourne Botanical Gardens with children, don’t miss the Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden. Located within the grounds of the Melbourne Gardens, the Children’s Garden is especially designed to be a fun and engaging place for children to play. There is plenty of variety within the Children’s Garden allowing the young ones to discover wetlands, rainforest vegetation, and a bamboo forest. The Children’s Garden closes over winter but is otherwise open Wednesday through Sunday and during school holidays and on public holidays too.

Throughout the year, Melbourne Gardens hosts many tours, events, and seasonal activities.

Activities you might find at the Melbourne Gardens include guided walks, talks, tours of the historic Melbourne Observatory, musical events, as well as meditation and mindfulness experiences. The roster of events at the gardens is always being updated so if you’re looking for a unique and fun way to experience the Melbourne Gardens, you’ll never be short of inspiration.

When planning your visit to the gardens, be sure to check the What’s On section of the Melbourne Gardens website to find out what’s coming up.

Melbourne Gardens is open every day of the year and entry is free. Be sure to check opening hours when planning your visit.

There are water fountains and toilets located throughout the gardens. A Garden Shop is available if you’d like to purchase nature-inspired gifts and mementos from your visit to the gardens. There’s also a Visitor Centre where you can stop in to learn more or ask any questions you might have during your visit to the Melbourne Gardens.

For those with access requirements, most areas of the gardens are wheelchair and walker accessible. There is also accessible car parking and accessible toilets at the gardens. You can learn more about accessibility at the Melbourne Gardens on the website or by stopping into the Visitor Centre at the gardens.

You can discover the Melbourne Gardens from the comfort of the Explorer Bus. The Explorer Bus is a 30 minute paid experience and has regular departures throughout the day. While on board you’ll enjoy live commentary pointing out key features of the gardens that you pass along the way.

If you’d like to explore the Melbourne Gardens with the expertise of a guide, there are free guided walks on offer throughout the year. The walks are free but bookings are essential.

Melbourne Gardens is a great place to enjoy a picnic. If you’d prefer to visit a café, stop into The Terrace alongside the Ornamental Lake. The Terrace is open daily for breakfast and lunch with both eat-in and take-away options available. The Terrace enjoys a beautiful view overlooking the lake, gardens, and Melbourne city.  

Depending on which part of Melbourne you’re travelling from, one way to reach the Melbourne Gardens is on foot. As a guide, the walk from Federation Square to the Melbourne Gardens Visitor Centre is about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you’ll find bike paths leading from the CBD to the gardens.

You can also take the bus or tram to the Melbourne Gardens.

For the bus you’ll want to take Route 605 which stops 200m from the gardens near Melbourne Observatory on Birdwood Avenue.

For the tram you can take you Routes 3/3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72 which stops 600m from the gardens at the Shrine of Remembrance on St Kilda Rd. You can plan your trip on the Public Transport Victoria website or app.

If you’re visiting the city and looking for a Melbourne hotel, you have plenty of options to choose from. If you’re after an apartment-style hotel, Quay West Suites Melbourne is located overlooking the Yarra River at Southbank with onsite facilities including a magnesium mineral pool and steam room.

Another apartment style Melbourne accommodation option is Mantra Southbank Melbourne. With 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, this is a great place to stay if you’re travelling with family or friends and would like a little more room and the convenience of kitchen facilities.

For hotel accommodation in Melbourne CBD, Novotel Melbourne on Collins is a great option for comfort and convenience in a central location. When you stay here, you’re close to the dining, theatres, and shopping Melbourne is famous for… and just a short tram ride away from the beauty and tranquillity of Melbourne Gardens.