Melbourne's Best Green Bits (Parks and Gardens)

For those days when the buzz of the city becomes less of a thrill and more of an irritation, you’ll need a few ‘green’ spots to help recharge. Luckily Melbourne has quite a selection. So grab a newspaper and a takeaway latte, and plonk yourself on something green. And breathe deeply.

Albert Park Lake

This man made lake is probably most famous for being the site of the contentious Grand Prix. Opponents believe that the vast lake - a sanctuary for an assortment of wildlife as well as many frazzled humans - shouldn’t be traumatized by the ‘whirring’ of racing cars and the stench of burning rubber. During the non-Grand Prix months you’ll be able to sit under a shady tree and watch the majestic swans glide by. Carousal, a stylish, casual café perched on the eastern edge of the 4.7km walking track, serves breaky, light lunches and a not too shabby coffee.

The Exhibition Gardens

A stones throw from the CBD, the Exhibition Gardens are well frequented by office workers and students through the week. There’s nothing better than lying back and peering through the green lacey canopy to a blue Melbourne sky before heading back to the office.

The nice thing for a visitor is once you’ve had a lie down on the plush green grass (yes, there’s still some, notwithstanding the impact of 3A water restrictions) you can pop along to the Melbourne Museum or Imax Studio which are both on the grounds. Oh, and check out the gorgeous domed roof of the Exhibition building.

Botanical Gardens

Often referred to as the ‘lungs of Melbourne’, the Botanical gardens provide a great reprieve from the frenetic pace of the city. You’ll find monstrous trees with terrific foliage for great shade on a hot day. The resident bats come out in full force at night, as does the Moonlight Cinema and an annual Shakespeare theatre performance.

The Catani Gardens

St Kilda is one of Melbourne’s most popular bayside suburbs and often busy and a little crazy. But it does have many ‘green’ spots so winding down isn’t so hard. One of my favorite is the Catani Gardens – a grand boulevard of palm trees with the bay running alongside it. There’s a playground for the kids and a Pony Bus comes along on weekends providing $5 rides on wee little Shetland ponies.