- Address: Birdwood Ave, South Yarra VIC 3141, Australia
- Phone: +61 3 9252 2300
- Website: https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/
- Area: 38 hectares
- Foundation date: 1873 year
- Founder: William Gilfoyle
- Opening hours: November-March from 7.30 to 20.30, April, September and October from 7.30 to 18.00, May-August from 7.30 to 17.30
- Cost of visit: free of charge
Royal Botanic Gardens ( Melbourne ) are located on the southern bank of the Yarra River near the city center. Here planted more than 12 thousand species of plants, representing both Australian and global flora. The total number of exhibits reaches 51 thousand. This huge greenhouse is considered one of the best in the world, as here scientific work on selection of new species and adaptation of plants imported from other countries is constantly carried out.
Historical reference
The history of botanical gardens dates back to the middle of the XIX century, when soon after the founding of Melbourne it was decided to create a local botanical collection. The marshy banks of the Yarra River are best for this. Originally there were no gardens, but a herbarium, but the then director Gilfoyl radically changed the face of the garden, planting it with many tropical and temperate plants.
What is the Royal Botanic Garden in Melbourne?
The branch of the Botanical Garden is located in the suburb of Cranburn, 45 km south-west of Melbourne. Its area is 363 hectares, and the specialization is the cultivation of mainly local plants in the section of the Australian Garden, which has been operating since 2006 and awarded a lot of botanical awards.
Directly in the city, botanical gardens are located near the Recreation Parks. This group includes the Gardens of Queen Victoria, Alexandra Gardens and Kings Domain. The territory has been completely refined since 1873, when the first lakes, paths and lawns appeared here. On the Tennyson lawn, you can see several 120-year-old elms.
Today, the Botanical Garden hosts several exhibitions that correspond to most of the geographical regions of the planet: the South Chinese Gardens, the New Zealand Collection, the California Garden, the Australian Gardens, the Tropical Jungle, the Rose Alleys, the Succulent Garden and much more. Ferns, oaks, eucalyptus, camellias, roses, various kinds of succulents and cacti and many other representatives of the world vegetable kingdom feel as cozy here as in wildlife.
One of the central exhibits of the collection is the Branch Tree - eucalyptus riverine, whose age reaches 300 years. It was under him once the state of Victoria was declared an autonomous from the UK colony. However, in August 2010 the tree was seriously damaged by the Vandals, so its fate is in question. In the Royal Botanical Gardens, you can meet many representatives of the local fauna, including bats, kukabarry, cockatoo, black swans, makomako (bell-birds).
Activities of the Royal Botanic Gardens
Thanks to the ongoing work on the study of plants and the identification of their new species, the first National Victoria Herbarium was created here. It presents about 1.2 million specimens of dried-up representatives of the kingdom of the flora, as well as an extensive collection of video materials, books and articles on botanical subjects. Also here is the Australian Research Center for Urban Ecology, in which special attention is paid to monitoring plants growing in urban ecosystems.
In addition to scientific research, the Botanical Garden is a place for entertaining walks. Here, picnics and theatrical performances dedicated to William Shakespeare (in January and February, the cost of tickets is 30 Australian dollars), as well as weddings. In the gardens there is also a shop where you can buy everything associated with plants: postcards, paintings and works of art, books, home accessories and souvenirs.
How to get there?
You can get here either by public transport or by car. There is a tram 8 to the garden, next to Domain Street and Domain Road. You need to leave at stop 21. On the car from the southern part of the city you should go to Birdwood Avenue, and from the north - by Dallas Brooks Dr. Entrance to the gardens is free. You can visit them from November to March from 7.30 to 20.30, in April, September and October - from 7.30 to 18.00, and from May to August - from 7.30 to 17.30.
It is forbidden to inflict damage on plants, or photograph or shoot video without the permission of the administration of the park.
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