Photograph of a still pond with the reflection of the sky. There is a high-rise building and a yellow sculpture in the background.
Photograph of two people walking along a path in a bushland setting. There is a wayfinding sign in the foreground with Zoo, Golf Course and Tennis Courts written on it.
Photograph of a small brick building with a high pitched gable roof. There is a pine tree to the right hand side of the building.
Photograph of people sitting in a grassy slope and on a bench on a sunny day. There is a large old eucalypt tree in the foreground.
Photograph of a person walking along a path alongside a grassed area. There are trees in the background and beyond that are many high-rise buildings.
Photograph of a still pond with the reflection of the sky. There is a high-rise building and a yellow sculpture in the background.

Re/discover Royal Park

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Description

Royal Park, part of the land of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, is the largest open space in the City of Melbourne, covering 169 hectares. Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, it is recognised for its rich and layered historical significance.

The park is distinguished today by its distinctive landscape character, sporting and informal recreational uses, cultural heritage and ecological values. In 2024, the City of Melbourne is preparing a new masterplan for Royal Park, outlining its long-term vision and future management. GML Heritage was commissioned by the City of Melbourne to develop the park's first Conservation Management Plan.

What's On

Join GML Heritage and the City of Melbourne on a guided tour through Royal Park and delve into its rich history and significant heritage values. Led by landscape heritage specialist Dr Christina Dyson, historian Dr Helen Doyle, and City of Melbourne open space planning specialists Fiona Finlayson and Alicia Otto, this tour will traverse key areas of Royal Park, including the Australian Native Garden, the Grassland Circle and wildflower planting test plots, and explore historic buildings in the park such as the Walmsley House, and the Women’s Dressing Pavilion. Participants will gain insights into the park’s evolution, its diverse uses over time, its exciting future, and the deep connections that the people of Melbourne have with this special place.

This outdoor walking tour includes low to moderate activity covering approximately 2.5 kilometres walking, with some areas of uneven ground. If there are any changes to this event due to extreme weather, we will be in touch via email no later than 12 hours prior to the event.

Images: (1) Royal Park Storage Pond. (2) Royal Park. (3) Royal Park Women's Pavilion. (4) Royal Park Australian native garden. (5) Royal Park Grassland Circle. (6) Royal Park Storage Pond. All photos: courtesy of the City of Melbourne.

Important Details

Time & Date

Saturday 27
Tour runs 10am
Running for 90 minutes in groups of 40
Bookings required

Sunday 28 July
Tour runs 9am
Running for 90 minutes in groups of 40
Bookings required

Bookings required—$7 booking fee applies
First release tickets: 12pm Wednesday 3 July
Second release tickets: 12pm Saturday 6 July

Meet outside Walmsley House located in the Australian Native Garden, Royal Park. Enter from Gatehouse St, 100 metres west of Royal Parade.

Parking available on-street in Gatehouse St or The Avenue. For public transport, take the #19 tram (stop Gatehouse St). There is bicycle parking at the entrance to the Native Garden.

Covered and comfortable shoes essential. Please come prepared for the weather with warm clothes, water bottle, sunscreen, sunhat, raincoat etc.

This tour will conclude at the Women's Pavilion, 11 Old Poplar Rd, Parkville VIC 3052.

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ACCESSIBILITY

Partially wheelchair accessible, Accessible bathroom, Accessible parking nearby

There is an accessible toilet and parking bay at the Australian Native Garden entrance and non-accessible toilets opposite the Women's Dressing Pavilion. The walk will be on pathways but may involve traversing some grassed areas and crossing roads. Total length approximately 2.5 kilometres. Please contact us if you have any questions about accessibility.

Location

161 Gatehouse St, Parkville VIC 3052

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