Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens are a magnificent 38-hectare green expanse just south of the city centre, regularly rated among the world's finest botanic gardens. Sweeping lawns, ornamental lakes, and themed plantings, from a fern gully to a cactus collection and an Indigenous heritage trail, make it a place to wander, picnic, or simply escape the city. Black swans glide on the central lake, and the skyline rises beyond the treeline.

Highlights include the Guilfoyle's Volcano water reservoir-garden, the children's garden, and the Aboriginal Heritage Walk that shares the land's First Peoples history. In summer the lawns host outdoor cinema and theatre. The adjoining Shrine of Remembrance and the Tan running track make this the green heart of Melbourne.

Don't miss

• Sweeping lawns, lakes, and themed garden beds
• Guilfoyle's Volcano garden and the fern gully
• Black swans on the ornamental lake
• The Aboriginal Heritage Walk
• Summer outdoor cinema and theatre

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

Cheapest way inVanDusen Botanical Garden Admission Ticket4.6★ · 191 travelers~24 hoursFree cancellationFrom$12 per personSee dates →Best full dayVictoria and Butchart Gardens Day Trip from Vancouver4.7★ · 2,279 travelers~13 hoursFree cancellationFrom$221 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleThe Butchart Gardens Express Shuttle from Downtown Victoria4.5★ · 657 travelers3–5 hoursFree cancellationFrom$45 per personSee dates →

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How travelers rate it

Know before you go

• Entry is free; only guided tours and special events are paid.
• The Aboriginal Heritage Walk is a standout guided experience, book ahead.
• Bring a picnic; the lawns are made for it, and there's a café on site.
• Combine with the adjoining Shrine of Remembrance and a loop of the Tan track.

A bit of history

Established in 1846 on the banks of the Yarra River, the gardens were shaped substantially by director William Guilfoyle from the 1870s into the sweeping, picturesque landscape style seen today. They hold tens of thousands of plants across thousands of species and remain a centre of botanical science.