Did much of your garden die after the extreme conditions of last summer? Join one of our horticulturalists on a stroll through the Australian Garden to learn about the ‘dream team' - the top drought-tolerant plants for your garden. Keep your garden beautiful in spite of water restrictions and the summer heat.

Celebrate the beauty and diversity of Australian plants, landscapes and people at the Australian Garden. A range of activities will be on offer.

Bikes, birds and bush breakfast

Join an experienced guide on a journey around the RBG Cranbourne bushland by bicycle.  Enjoy the early morning bird calls, catch a glimpse of local wildlife and finish with a barbecue breakfast at the Woodland Picnic Area. An easy ride for the whole family. Please bring your own bike and helmet (helmets are mandatory). Visitors to meet their guide at the Stringybark Picnic Area.

9.30am - 11.30am
$33.00 adult; $28.00 concession; $25.00 Garden Grub Kids' Club member.
Bookings essential.

Family activity ~ Safari birds!

Why not make a colourful Australian bird fridge magnet out of felt cloth? A great keepsake to take home after your time in the Australian Garden. Suitable for all ages, but primarily 5-10 year olds.

12.30 - 1.30pm
$3.20 child; $2.70 Garden Grub Kids' Club member

Aussie barbecue

An Aussie barbecue will be on offer in the Australian Garden, so bring your friends, find some shade and enjoy a picnic at the Gardens.

11am - 3pm
Prices vary.

The Gardens Shop

Step inside The Gardens Shop this Australia Day and enjoy a taste of the some of the lovely jams and chutneys we have on offer. Whether you're after something spicy or sweet, we'll have something to get your taste buds tingling!

Discover the magical and mysterious treasures of the Australian Garden in summer.    Follow our Fairy Guides as they weave their way from the Visitors Centre through the Australian Garden to uncovering some of the mysterious features of our special Australian plants.  Search for the signs of flower fairies and elves as we settle amongst the plants for a magical fairy story and some fabulous fairy crafts.  We may even catch a glimpse of a dragonfly!

All fairies and elves are encouraged to wear costumes suitable for the weather on the day.  

Suitable for children aged 2 to 5 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Flutter to the activity station to make some magical fairy and elf crafts to take home, and encourage fairies to your garden! A great activity for the whole family.

Put your adventure hat on as we go off on safari through the Botanic Gardens. The Gardens are full of wonderful native plants and animals for you to find. We will be looking for birds, reptiles and insects, and recording them in our own nature diary.

All explorers are encouraged to wear their safari or explorer outfit, suitable for the weather on the day.  

A great program for the family - aimed at 5-10 year olds.

Why not make a colourful Australian bird fridge magnet out of felt cloth. A great keepsake to take home after your time in the Australian Garden.

Suitable for all ages, but primarily 5-10 year olds.

Join us for a delicious bush barbecue, before exploring the bushland of RBG Cranbourne at dusk with our experienced guides.  Look out for native wildlife as wombats, wallabies and possums emerge as they wake for the evening. Watch the sunset over Melbourne from Trig Point Lookout. Bring along a torch and dress appropriately for the weather on the day.

This program is subject to cancellation on days of extreme fire danger.

Get your hands wet, look for bugs and play with chemicals - it doesn't get better than that! Conduct a habitat survey, use a water quality test kit and identify aquatic animals living in fresh water to find out how land use affects water quality. A fantastic program for families.

Suitable for 10-14 year olds and their families, or vacation care groups!

Brad Trembath has always had a passion for the Australian bush and its fauna, and travels extensively with a camera in hand to capture birds and animals in their natural environment. He places a great deal of emphasis on light and action, with meticulous attention to detail making his paintings look life-like enough to be compared, by many, to actual photographs.

Australian Lemon Myrtle is highly aromatic, having an exquisite flavour and aroma described as a blend of lemon grass, lime and lemon.

Lemon Myrtle is a refreshing herbal tea product with a superlative flavour profile. Lemon Myrtle creates a superb tea blend when blended with Green Tea, Black Tea, and various herbal tea products.