Families

Discover the beauty of this inner-city oasis and enjoy live commentary in the comfort of an open-air minibus. Admire rolling lawns and the stunning living collections at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.  For private group bookings, please call 03 9252 2429 or email mbookings@rbg.vic.gov.au. School Holiday Explorer Bus Children ride for HALF PRICE on the School Holiday Explorer Bus during the Victorian school holidays. Experience amazing sights, sounds and scents as you cruise through Melbourne Gardens on this tour designed especially for families.

wominjeka! Journey into Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, a significant cultural site for the local Kulin Nation, with a First Peoples guide.  Gain insight into the rich history and thriving culture of the First Peoples of Australia with a multi-sensory journey of identifying significant native plants within the Gardens. Your guide may encourage you to use taste, touch and smell to learn about Aboriginal plant uses, customs and ongoing connection to Country. What to expect during your experience Meet our First Peoples guide at the visitor centre Journey through the Gardens engaging your senses with touch, taste and smell as you learn about plants traditional uses, cultural significance and enduring connection to Country See and feel First Peoples cultural items Ask questions and learn about First Peoples history and enduring connection to Country For private group bookings, please call 03 9252 2429 or email mbookings@rbg.vic.gov.au. A note for participants. At Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria we acknowledge the rich diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, representing more than 250 language groups across Australia. We invite you to join this walk with an open heart and mind to deepen your understanding of First Peoples' heritage and living culture—especially in relation to the plants and landscapes of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne is full of incredible birdlife, from coots to cormorants, spinebills to swans. On this guided walk, spot water birds nesting around Ornamental Lake and delight in the sights and sounds of the birds that call the Gardens home. Continue your discovery with a take-home bird guide.

A free guided walk is the perfect way to enjoy the sunny weather in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Led by a passionate guide, discover the remarkable plant diversity of this sanctuary in the middle of bustling Melbourne. For paid private group bookings, please call 03 9252 2429 or email mbookings@rbg.vic.gov.au.

Pack your headphones, set off along the meandering path andimmerse yourself in Australian Drylands, the latest episodein our much-loved audio series Sonica Botanica. Explore the stories, themes and science behind this experimental new garden, created in response to the challenge of climate change.  Big topics need big voices; you’ll hear interviews andconversations with horticulturists and scientists from ourexpert team as well as biogeographer, Prof. Michael-ShawnFletcher (Wiradjuri) and award-winning poet Dr Jeanine Leane(Wiradjuri), whose words have become a material part of theAustralian Drylands landscape. Visit the featured locations, scan the Sonica Botanica QR code and take in these sublime sonic snapshots or listen online now. Best enjoyed through headphones. Image credit: Igor Sapina 

Glide between the bays and islands of Ornamental Lake on a guided boat cruise.

Stellar Nights is sold out for spring. Join our mailing list below to be the first hear about new tickets for summer. Embark on a captivating journey through time and space with our guided tours at the Melbourne Observatory. Dating back to 1861, discover the Melbourne Observatory’s significant place in Victoria’s history and its continued importance as a cultural and heritage site. Experience two of the iconic telescopes housed in the buildings of the Observatory. Delve into distant nebulae, lunar landscapes, and planetary wonders. Join the Astronomical Society of Victoria’s passionate guides for an unforgettable night, where the present, history and cosmos converge. Presented by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and The Astronomical Society of Victoria.

Set your young ones on an adventure exploring the wondrous scenery, plants and creatures of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne with our Seek and Find Nature Cards, especially developed by artist Claire Mosley. Collect a card from the Visitor Centre and explore the different landscapes and living collections as you search for all things big and small.  

Solar Tours is sold out for spring. Join our mailing list below to be the first hear about future ticket releases. Come and experience the wonders of our closest star—the Sun—like never before at the historic Melbourne Observatory. You’ll be expertly guided through safe solar viewing using the beautifully restored 4-inch Photoheliograph telescope, as well as solar projection with the Troughton & Simms telescope. Expect to see incredible details on the surface of the Sun, including sunspots and solar granulation, and discover the rich history of solar astronomy at Melbourne Observatory. This program aims to educate and inspire, offering a rare glimpse into both the science and history of solar observation. Whether you’re a curious first-timer or a seasoned space enthusiast, this is a daytime astronomy experience not to be missed! Presented by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and The Astronomical Society of Victoria. Image credit: Astronomical Society of Victoria  

Join our friends and neighbours from the Robin Boyd Foundation on this expertly curated walking tour through South Yarra’s diverse architectural streetscape. In 1958, architect powerhouse Robin Boyd completed his experimental and instantly iconic modernist home in Walsh Street, a stone’s throw from Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.  Boyd joined a celebrated list of architects and landscape designers who contributed to the design excellence of the precinct, including the Gardens’ own William Guilfoyle. Starting at the Gardens and over a leisurely 2.5 kilometres, you’ll explore a slice of South Yarra remarkable for its architectural diversity and sheer number of well-preserved, heritage listed residences. Your guide will highlight the history, landscapes and stories of this unique pocket of Melbourne.  Presented by Robin Boyd Foundation in association with Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Image credit: Mike Lam @mikelamwz