Melbourne's Parks and Gardens

Where to Enjoy the Outdoors in Australia's Garden Capital

Jul 12, 2009

Whether it's walking, biking, playing or simply relaxing that appeals, there's an open space for every mood in Melbourne.

There are lots of places to enjoy the outdoors in Melbourne, from small suburban parks to large areas of native bushland and beautiful formal gardens, and they each offer visitors a different kind of experience. Look below for some of the best.

European Beauties - Fitzroy, St Vincent and the Royal Botanic Gardens

Beautiful, serene and mysterious, the Royal Botanic Gardens are one of the highlights of Melbourne, and are worth at least a couple of hours in any itinerary. Not only are they the loveliest public gardens in the city but arguably in the entire country, and even for those with little knowledge about plants it's hard to walk away without feeling awed by the scale and diversity of the plantings. The hidden lawns, century-old trees and maze-like pathways give the place a magical feel and make it a joy to explore.

Fitzroy Gardens, which lies just east of the city, is more open but equally magnificent, with wide boulevards lined with elms and twisted Moreton Bay figs and lawns shaded by a hundreds of established trees, including pink-flowering cape chestnuts, pines, maidenhair trees, lindens and native flame trees, which glow with vivid red flowers in the summer. The Conservatory has wonderful flower displays year-round and, nearby, Captain Cook's Cottage stands as a memorial to the man who 'discovered' Australia.

Heritage-listed St Vincent Gardens in Albert Park is far smaller but there's no more idyllic place to have a picnic or simply relax on the grass. Apart from being one of the nicest neighborhood parks in Melbourne it is also in one of the city's most beautiful urban settings, with restored Victorian mansions and terraces bordering it on all sides.

Other attractive European-style parks in Melbourne include Carlton Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens and the Kings Domain (which borders the Botanic Gardens) in the city, Fawkner Park and Victoria Gardens in South Yarra, and the St Kilda Botanical Gardens.

Room to Move - Melbourne's Best Parks for Walking, Playing and Biking

The Yarra Bend Park area is one of the largest green spaces in Melbourne, with over 600 acres of native bushland, formal gardens and playing fields that spread north from a winding section of the Yarra River in Abbotsford. Comprising Studley Park, Yarra Bend Park, Dights Falls Park and Fairfield Park, this is a great place to get active, with two golf courses, miles of walking and biking trails and canoeing and kayaking on the river. It is also an excellent place to go birdwatching, with over 125 recorded species, and to view the thousands of flying foxes that call the park home - watching the chaos of 10,000 large flying mammals screeching and yelping as they leave the park to feed is a pretty amazing sight.

In the city's west, Footscray Gardens is an open, sun-drenched park in a peaceful setting next to the Maribyrnong River, Melbourne's 'second' river. The wide lawns are perfect for running around with a ball, and with a biking trail following the Maribyrnong from the city this is a great place to have a rest and a picnic while following the length of the river trail, which ends 14 miles away in Brimbank Park (another spacious parkland).

A bit further out, Jells Park in the eastern suburb of Wheelers Hill is one of the most popular urban parklands in Melbourne, with over 120 hectares of wide grassy spaces, a lake, bushland and recreation facilites, including three adventure playgrounds for children. Dandenong Creek runs through the park and the trail that runs alongside it provides opportunities for walking, biking or rollerblading. The park is part of the 1300-hectare Dandenong Valley Parklands area, so there are plenty more green spaces to explore once you've seen what Jells has to offer. Unlike the other parks listed, however, this park is difficult to access without a car.

Melbourne's Historic Homes and Gardens

Melbourne has two remaining urban estates, Werribee Park and Rippon Lea Estate, and although they both cost money to visit (around AU$13) they are very pleasant places to while away a few hours and learn a little more about Melbourne's history and heritage. Werribee Park is on the western side of Port Phillip Bay, and its acclaimed rose garden, restored Italianate mansion, sprawling formal gardens and riverside setting all contribute to its appeal. For a good day out combine a trip here with a visit to the Werribee Open Range Zoo, where you can view animals in a more natural environment; combined tickets are available.

Rippon Lea Estate in Elsternwick, about 20 minutes south of the city, isn't as large but the buildings and gardens are just as lovely, with attractive grassy areas, an orchard and vegetable garden, a large variety of trees and plants and lots of pretty vistas across the lake and ponds.

When to Visit Melbourne's Parks and Gardens

For the vast majority of Melbourne's parks summer means brown grass and sometimes even burnt leaves, as the extreme temperatures and tight water restrictions take their toll. Early summer is better than late summer - the days aren't as hot but are still long and the grass is more likely to still be green. Winters can get chilly but there are also many mild days, and this is when gardens are looking their greenest. The parks are generally less crowded and if the sun is out it can be easy to forget it's even winter - especially if you hail from a truly cold clime.

Both autumn and spring have mild daytime temperatures and are nice times to visit, though if you come in early autumn you may find the grass still hasn't had time to recover. However, some significant gardens, including the Royal Botanic Gardens, are exempt from the toughest water restrictions so stay green all year. Late April and May have the best autumn colors (though Melbourne is certainly not renowned for its autumn leaves) and August and September produce wonderful blooms from the fruit trees that fill Melbourne's private gardens.

The copyright of the article Melbourne's Parks and Gardens in Australia Travel is owned by Merinda Wilson. Permission to republish Melbourne's Parks and Gardens in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.