What an amazing park in Melbourne, I came here twice during our week long trip…read more Everything is so well-maintained and the architecture of the building and the fountain is magnificent. I took so many photos in front of the fountain (and I wasn't the only one). On the first day we came to this park we bought a coffee at nearby Good Measure (be sure to try their Mont Blanc) and walked around the gardens. The next time, we came with a blanket and just soaked up the sun and relaxed. It's an easy tram ride over here from the CBD, I would highly recommend anyone visiting Melbourne to put this on your list!

Well-maintained, 64 acre, green space in downtown Melbourne. There were lots of big old beautiful…read moretrees strangely circled in plastic so possums can't climb up and destroy them. I photographed a very strange possum in a. tree. We saw flowers, Berries in trees and fountains. The gardens are an example of Victorian landscape design with sweeping lawns and varied European & Australian tree plantings consisting of deciduous English oaks, White Poplar, plane trees, elms, conifers, cedars, turkey oaks, Araucarias & evergreen trees. Moreton Bay figs, combined with flower beds of annuals & shrubs were meticulously maintained. A network of tree-lined paths provides formal avenues for highlighting the fountains

Lovely garden! It's huge, so definitely plan a few hours if you want to see every corner of it…read more Couple lates with birds, ducks, and other wildlife hanging around. Saw some wedding photos being taken. Very easy to get here via public transit. The stop you want to get off at depends on where you want to enter the park.

As you continue along St Kilda Road (perhaps you have just visited nearby Alexandra Gardens; and…read morewant more of a nature fix) you will find more natural beauty and floristry to appreciate. The flower decorations on St Kilda Road; across the road from NGV International (National Gallery of Victoria) are great magnets to wanting some more natural therapy. And for free, you will not be disappointed with that abundance. Such nature so close to the city tends to remind those fully present to their surroundings a greater appreciation of more abundance in life. The number of parks and gardens within close proximity to each other is amazing. Do not stop your search for nature at this destination. A great oasis if you are passing through, and would like to immerse yourself in more of Melbourne's special playgrounds before heading to your ultimate destination at South Yarra: the Royal Botanic Gardens. Allow a bit of time to make this happen: your ideal day in nature. This isn't the type of garden you would want a picnic lunch in in a hurry; this park is designed to walk through and appreciate. All reading materials should wait until your at the next two parks: the Kings Domain and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

We just stumbled upon this park while walking back from St Kilda to South Melbourne. It was a…read morelittle after dawn, but still a surprisingly pleasant walk. People were jogging around the pond, and I even spotted a few brave souls kayaking in the dark! The city skyline reflecting on the water was especially picturesque--definitely one of those "glad we took this route" moments.

The Australian Grand Prix was my third F1 race and my absolutely favorite race that I've attended…read more Albert Park is a great venue and I can't believe that they made a racetrack at this park every year! Everything is very well-kept and the lake in the middle was such a peaceful juxtaposition to the fast cars on track. There were multiple spots to enter the park and different tram spots that only really got crazy on race day but throughout the rest of the race weekend it didn't get too overwhelming. I loved all the hills and grassy areas. Be sure to bring something to sit on, there's tons of grassy areas but not too many benches etc.

Walking along the Yarra River is something I'd absolutely recommend, even when it's a bit nippy…read moreoutside. We started at Federation Square and walked down to Spencer St. Bridge, crossed over by The Crown and walked past Polly Woodside before coming back on the other side. There are quite a few places to cross over if you want to hop back and forth. The side we walked on first had a bit of dead space as there were parks and underpasses and the back of Sea Life but if we had crossed over before Sea Life there were many shops and restaurants on the other side of the river. There were plenty of places to stop and have a drink or a snack along the way and there were even a lot of benches if you just wanted to have a rest. Floating bars and all that jazz. We even saw a floating swimming pool they must use in the summer. There is interesting art works and the bridges are just nice to look at too. There are boat cruises being sold along the banks of the river, the big kind and the kind where you man your own boat. We tried to do one but they were sold out for the day, so plan accordingly!

The Yarra river weaves through Melbourne. They were many restaurants and bars that are along the…read morewater front and barges in the water. Crew teams and river cruises take advantage of the river. Promenades on both sides have wonderful theaters as well as the bridges the cross.

Ruffey Lake park has something for everyone. Plenty of…read moreBBQ's and covered tables and benches, fun playgrounds, and a huge off leash dog area. Clean toilets and actual working taps ( yes lots of public toilets have no working taps, no locking doors and just plain gross). I find Ruffey lake very enjoyable to visit and amenities are well maintained. Lots of hills and paths for variety. Definitely a lovely day out!

This is a big park. Like huge…read more It feels like you could be far away from the world, but then you can get a glimpse of nearby houses and a small view of the Doncaster mall sitting up on a hill. It really is nice for a daytime, the sun is out so you should be outside type of day. It's good for a walk around their many paths, or for a picnic on one of their many open hilly spaces. If I was a dog, this would be optimum day out stuff. Because at Ruffey Lake Park, there are dogs galore, on leashes, on the footpath, running around, soaking up some sun rays, taking a dip into the lake, this park is their oyster. The lake itself, is average size, it's nothing to exclaim over, or take in. For seating, if you didn't take a blanket with you and are one of those don't-like-grass people, then find yourself one of the many benches that are laid out throughout the park. For the kiddies, there are two playgrounds with swings and activities, I feel like whenever I've been here, that area is hands down the most populated part of the park. For all of your park needs, Ruffey Lake is a stand out.

The Tim Neville Arboretum in Ferntree Gully is a perfect spot for an afternoon out with a young…read morefamily. There is a large playground that has been recently renovated and is brand new. It has a child safe gates and a fence around it to encourage supervision. It is a pretty popular playground and gets quite busy on sunny days. The park has two really pretty lakes complete with ducks. There are boardwalks and bridges to walk over and a nice track that meanders all around the park. To appreciate the peace and the beautiful scenery make sure to take a seat at one of the park benches scattered all around - they are perfectly placed for the best views. Although if you are coming for peace and quiet you'd be best off coming during a weekday as on weekends and school holidays there will be kids everywhere. The Knox Bicycle Track runs alongside the park making it a great picnic lunch spot if you're going on a big ride. Kids often ride their bikes around the tracks in the park and there are plenty of grass areas big enough to kick a ball around and be more active. Supervision of kids is essential around the lake as there are no barriers or anything to prevent people from falling in. Dogs are common visitors to the park and must be kept on a leash at all times. The park is really unique in that it caters to every member of the family, young and old and it really is a beautiful spot. Very popular for wedding receptions and events there is a pergola at one end that often plays host to quite a crowd. There are adequate parking spaces available as well as side street parking.

With the outer east slowly building up and attracting more and more new residents to the area, one…read moredifference we have to the west is the amount of greenery we hold dear. At the foot of the Dandenongs, between Fern Tree Gully and Boronia, sits the Tim Neville Arbouretum, a huge expanse of lakes, fountains and open space that has been a favourite for picnics, weddings and lazy Sunday afternoons for as long as I can remember. As a kid we used to come here on our bikes and tear around the paved track that winds its way through, across the footbridge and past the amphitheatre, that is home to yearly Christmas Carols by Candlelight. Perfect on a warm day, there are also BBQ's to use, and plenty of rooms for a large group.

While Fitzroy Gardens is known as a historical garden built in 1800's, I found the park lacking in…read moreinteresting attractions. It's a good park to take a stroll but that's about it. Personally, I think you can skip and not miss much. The Captain Cook's Cottage wasn't even occupied by Captain Cook and requires an entrance fee to enter. The Conservatory with floral displays is so small you'll finish exploring in about 5 minutes.

Our first port of call was the lovely and historic Australian city of Melbourne. We compared our…read morepre-cruise visit in bustling, contemporary, modern architecture, and high-finance areas of Sydney's CBD, like the USA's Los Angeles, to the more politically-centric, traditional British architecture and environment, and historic Melbourne city, like the USA's New York City, as we drove through Australia's second most populous city. We noticed Melbourne's CBD (Central Business District) was designed as a grid with wide thoroughfares alternating with narrow, smaller "Little" streets running parallel to them and plentiful laneways. Many street names honor British colonial leaders, British Royals, local politicians, and influential 19th-century residents. Our guide mentioned themed street clusters in newer suburban residential developments named after sports figures (cricket, football, & golf), Beatles' Strawberry Fields, medieval Camelot, literary figures, aviation companies, photography, and more. We were then treated to the historic, Victorian-era park where we strolled and relaxed along its tree-lined avenues, fountains, sculptures, conservatory, and looked forward to visiting the historic Cook's Cottage (original English home of Captain James Cook's parents), Fairies' Tree, and model Tudor Village on a chilly and slightly wet morning. I could imagine picnicking or just lazing back under the shade of trees during their warmer, clear-sky Spring or Summer seasons. Anyway, knowing we were going to stroll through the gardens, I made sure to take an allergy tablet, since the gardens have various plant and tree species our home state doesn't have. During our two-hour meandering through the Fitzroy Gardens, I felt my stress leave my body as my eyes, ears, and breathing embraced this beautiful English garden.

I think the older I get the more I appreciate green open spaces and the peaceful "organic" time…read morethat can be spent. Theres no entry fee, no crowds, sales people, queues or personal space invasion. Just grass and trees. Darebin Parklands is literally a forest only 10kms away from the Melbourne CBD. The main entry is via Separation street from Northcote and visitors are greeted with a modest BBQ area. This area is deceptively large, follow one of the many walking trails and within minutes you are in deep (ish) bush and have lost sight of civilisation. There is a lookout that has amazing views back onto the city and a walking track that follows along the Darebin creek. The creek track is FUN! bridges cross over the creek and open onto different little parks and spaces to explore. This park is so big that you really can find your own patch of green to hang with friends. For the less adventurous a picnic rug and cheese is also a perfectly acceptable option.