Nature and wildlife in Melbourne

In Melbourne it can be easy to forget you’re in a city of three and a half million people, with its lavish parks, gardens and waterways providing pockets of calm and tranquillity in the middle of the bustling city. Wander the tree-lined pathways through the Treasury and Fitzroy gardens or enjoy the sculptured terraces of Birrarung Marr, Melbourne’s newest garden situated on the shoulder of the Yarra River. For a truly Alice in Wonderland escape, explore the Royal Botanic Gardens – an ornamental labyrinth of lawns, weaving paths and venerable old trees.

Melbourne’s gardens are also home to a host of bird, animal and aquatic life, but for a more formal introduction to native Australian wildlife and other locally-found or more exotic species, visit the internationally acclaimed Melbourne Zoo. As well, the state-of-the-art Melbourne Aquarium harbours thousands of creatures from the Southern Ocean.