Royal Bontanic Gardens

A calm and relaxing refuge away from the busy life of the city, the Royal Bontanic Gardens (RGB) is within walking distance of the city or minutes by tram. Either way this is a scenic route down the well renowned Boulevard that is St. Kilda Road. It is easy to lose yourself in the tranquil settings of the gardens whilst occasionally spotting some of Melbourne’s taller buildings peaking between trees in the distance. Thriving on the South bank of the Yarra River, Melbourne, Victoria, it is thirty-eight hectares of delicately landscaped gardens; a glorious place of sight, sound and smell, take a walk and experience the freshness of the air, greenery of the scenery and the sound of wildlife. Discover why RBG Melbourne is recognised as the finest botanical garden in Australia and one of the best in the world.

There are over 10,000 species and 5,000 individual plants in the gardens, among them trees and plants of great cultural and environmental value. Many of these plants are irreplaceable as they are endangered or even extinct in the wild. A place widely-regarded for having the world’s finest botanic gardens, it is as if wildness was cultured.

Renowned for magnificent vistas over rolling lawns & glittering lakes, the Gardens are home to Individual plants from around the world and abundant with native bird & animal life. Native wildlife at the city gardens includes black swans, bell birds, cockatoos, kookaburras, possums and wallabies. Feel how it is to be wild and at the same time tempered as the place screams nature's work with a human touch of care.

Pleasing and fascinating features of the city gardens include the Ornamental Lake, National Herbarium of Victoria, Old Melbourne Observatory, Australian Rainforest Walk, and Water Conservation Garden. A walk around the entire Melbourne gardens will take about two to three hours at a medium pace.

While you indulge in this walk, feel the fresh garden breeze. The gardens are ideal for unhurried walks, strolling, jogging on designated routes, plant spotting, or just lazing away the day. They're open to the public everyday and are free. Among the gardens' facilities are lakeside tearooms and two garden specialty shops. With lushness thriving luxuriously yet delicately landscaped, the Royal Botanic Gardens are recognized worldwide as one of the finest examples of landscape gardens.

The city's botanic gardens, established in the nineteenth century in the style of European landscape, often featuring monuments, sculptures, and public art, represent the formal side of Melbourne's parks and gardens.

Other botanic gardens in the tradition of the Victorian era can be found in the suburbs, like the Williamstown Gardens and St Kilda Gardens, while fine examples can be found in country Victoria such as at Ballarat, Hamilton, and Geelong. There are also gardens in this tradition to be found in the grounds of stately homes such as Como, Rippon Lea, and the Mansion at Werribee Park.

The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne visitor’s centre is located at the southwestern edge opposite the imposing Shrine of Remembrance, a memorial to the Anzacs and all those who came after them in the many wars and conflicts in which Australia took part.

How to get to the Royal Bontanic Gardens

Take Trams 5, 8, 16, 64 or 67 on Swanston Street/St. Kilda road. Get off at Domain Interchange and walk towards the Shrine of Remembrance. The drive way entrance to the gardens is on the other side of the shrine

Hours of operation:

• 7.30am to 8.30pm November to March
• 7.30am to 6.00pm April, September and October
• 7.30am to 5.30pm May to August

Further Information about the gardens and guided tours is available at the centre.