Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne

Victoria, Australia

Living History

View, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens photograph (c) Ali Kayn 1996

Established in 1846, the gardens cover some 32 acres. The gardens provide a popular place for families to picnic and feed the ducks, swans or sparrows while more energetic individuals can be seen running the fitness circuit (Tan Track) around the perimeter.

Photograph, royal botanic gardens, melbourne, victoria, australia (c) Ali Kayn 2005

Rainforest Garden, photograph (c) Ali Kayn 2005

The gardens, together with the Kings Domain, Alexandra Gardens, Queen Victoria Gardens lie between the Yarra River and the busy St Kilda Rd. Features of interest include La Trobe's cottage, the Shrine of Remembrance, the National Herbarium of Victoria and the Myer Music Bowl (with ice skating in winter).

See our photostory History and Culture in Plants (2014)

We have plenty of photographs of the Royal Botanic Gardens, they can be viewed from our clickable maps.

Maps for the botanic gardens:

Map of Gardens with Gates

Map of Lawns

Map of Collections

Map of Features

On the other side of St Kilda Rd lies the Arts Centre, including the Concert Hall, State Theatre, Studio and Playhouse, the Australian Ballet Centre, National Gallery of Victoria, and the Victorian College of the Arts.

Items of Interest: Historic gardens and lawns, children's garden, ornamental lake, café

Just the facts:

Contact details:

Open from 7:30 a.m. to dusk every day of the year. Confirm on web site


Getting there by public transport:

Southbound tram 8 from Swanston St to stop 23, Domain Rd

For a panorama which includes these gardens (in the background) 1997

pictorial guide to melbourne and victoria, click here

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