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We've compiled the best of the best in Melbourne - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Sixty-four acres of tree-lined paths, artificial lakes, and flower beds in this English-style 19th-century park, as well as a Moreton Bay fig tree significant to the Victorian Indigenous community, are the backdrop for the outstanding Melbourne Museum, and the World Heritage--listed Royal Exhibition Building, erected in 1880.
Within its 93 acres are 8,500 species of native and imported plants and trees, sweeping lawns, and ornamental lakes populated with ducks and swans that love to be fed. The Children's Garden is a fun and interactive place for kids to explore. Summer brings alfresco performances of classic plays, usually Shakespeare, and children's classics like Wind in the Willows, as well as the popular Moonlight Cinema series. There is also a garden shop and several cafés including The Terrace, which serves high tea. The present design and layout were the brainchild of W.R. Guilfoyle, curator, botanist, and director of the gardens from 1873 to 1910. Take a 1½-hour Aboriginal Heritage walk through the gardens, a significant site for the local Kulin Nation.
