Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre — Attraction in Melbourne

I’ve been to the Botanic Gardens many times and it never gets old. Even as someone who’s not super into plants or gardening, it’s just a beautiful place to walk around, clear your head, go for a picnic or catch up with a friend.

The gardens are massive and really well looked after. There’s such a big variety of trees, flowers, and little tucked-away areas that it’s easy to spend a couple of hours just wandering. It feels peaceful and quiet, even though you’re right near the city. The lake in the middle is a nice feature too, and you'll see all kinds of birds, turtles, and shady spots to sit by the water.

There are plenty of wide paths so it’s easy to walk or even bring a pram, and there are lawns where people relax, read, or have a picnic. I’ve also done the Tan walking track a few times, which loops around the outside and is popular with runners, which is great if you want to combine exercise with some nature.

The cafe near the entrance and the lake are great places to some coffee or something to eat. The cafe by the lake is especially nice if you can grab a seat and enjoy the scenic views of the lake. There are toilets scattered around the park and some water fountains. Everything feels really clean and safe.

It’s definitely one of my favourite places in Melbourne for a chilled afternoon. Whether you’re a tourist or a local, it’s 100%...

As a local I enjoy bringing visitors here when they come to the city for a few days. We tend to BYO snacks because the queues can be quite long (especially for take away coffee). But they can easily be enjoyed while walking around or grabbing a spot on one of the many lawn areas.

Recently I took my friend on The Explorer bus. 30 mins, $15, it's a great way to get an overview of the gardens and save your tired feet. It's my third time taking a friend on this tour, and it's always informative, sharing a range of info about the trees and the gardens themselves. It's a single loop (no hop on and off), and tickets are easily accessible from the Visitor Centre. By arriving around 20 mins early I've usually been able to secure a spot on the next ride (every 30 mins, but don't quote me). If you don't mind the Left/Right instructions being reversed, I recommend the back seat!

This time around we had guide Tommy, who was unfailingly friendly and enthusiastic, both to us on the tour and to everyone we passed as we...

We attended the Observatory for Stellar Nights. It was a a cold day and so I rang the help desk to confirm where the tour usually takes place- indoors or outdoors. I was told indoors so we didnt bring parkers. We arrived on time, plenty parking ( metered) and in just a short walk we arrived at the meeting point. The tour was mainly outdoors. The guides were very knowledgeable, engaging and happy to answer any questions. We managed tonsee Saturn and its rings but the overcast made it slightly difficult to see anything else. Half the group missed out on seeing Saturn. We were advised that even if its raining, the tour still goes ahead and the group watches PowerPoint's instead. I would recommend cancelling your tour if there is potential for the weather to be overcast/ wet.

The tours are only run on Monday...