Top Parks and Gardens in Melbourne

Escape Melbourne’s busy city center without actually leaving town with a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Established in 1846, the RBG is home to the Melbourne Observatory Building as well as extensive information on Australia’s native people. Take an Aboriginal Heritage Walk and learn how tribes use plants as food and medicine, and see a traditional smoking ceremony.

Though it’s best-known as the home of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Albert Park is an inner-city sanctum home to sports venues, playgrounds, and a lake inhabited by swans. The park is a staple of sports-focused sightseeing tours and offers a clean and leafy place to picnic. 

Located just outside the CBD, Kings Domain Gardens—which encompasses several distinct gardens—is reachable via the Royal Botanic Gardens. Points of interest include the Queen Victoria Garden, home to rosebeds and a statue of the monarch herself, and the Alexandra Gardens, which skirt the Yarra River. 

With English Elms and deciduous Australian trees, Fitzroy Gardens is hailed as one of Melbourne’s finest gardens—an accolade that ensures that it’s a staple of sightseeing tours. Park highlights include Captain Cook’s cottage and a model Tudor village. 

Part of the Mornington Peninsula, Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Garden features the oldest traditional hedge maze in Australia. Explore sculpted gardens on the self-guided discovery trail; breathe the fragrance of lavender from the field; or enjoy coffee and cake in Ashcombe Café.