School Holidays

After captivating audiences during its spectacular November debut, this much-loved event returns for a brand-new series over two unmissable weekends in March 2025, bringing more unforgettable music to the heart of Melbourne. Once again, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne is partnering with Roundhouse Entertainment, the team behind a day on the green, to transform the lush Observatory Precinct into a stunning outdoor concert venue. This March, expect even more magic as world-class artists perform under the stars, surrounded by the breathtaking backdrop of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Don’t miss your chance to be part of Melbourne’s newest and most exciting music series. Fri 7 March - Róisín Murphy with special guests Midnight Juggernauts and Dj Paulette. Sat 8 March - The Cruel Sea with special guests Mark Seymour & The Undertow, Vika & Linda and Loose Content. Sun 9 March - Groove Armada. Fri 14 March - Boy & Bear with special guests Sarah Blasko, Augie March and De Porsal. Sat 15 March - Lake Street Dive with special guests Playlunch and Batts. For more information about Live at the Gardens events, please visit www.liveatthegardens.com.au.

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. Kids Explorer Children ride for FREE on the Kids Explorer Bus during the school holidays. Experience amazing sights, sounds and scents as you cruise through Melbourne Gardens on this tour designed especially for families. Children-specific commentary will be provided on the following tours during Victorian school holidays: 11am and 1:45pm on weekdays, 11am and 2pm on weekends. Learn more here. 

Womin Djeka! 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 through a journey of identifying significant native plants within the Gardens. Learn about Aboriginal plant uses, customs and ongoing 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.

Originating from Japan, Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” is a preventative health practice that improves and strengthens mental and physical wellbeing. Recognised as a public health practice in Asia and Europe, Forest Therapy is gaining global acclaim as an evidence-based, cost-effective and natural remedy – a ‘green prescription’ for a healthier you. You will learn simple nature connection, sensory and creative practices to help calm your mind. Other proven health benefits of Forest Therapy include boosted immune system, reduced stress levels, regulated pulse and blood pressure and better sleep. For exclusive group experiences, team-building, or staff wellbeing programs please email events@rbg.vic.gov.au. Presented by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, In My Nature and the International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance (INFTA).

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.

Moonlight Cinema is back this autumn at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Enjoy movies under the stars with your favourite cult classics, box office blockbusters and family flicks. Don’t miss the chance to spend a autumn evening in this spectacular green oasis.

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. Please note that there will be no Free Guided Walk tours on Fri 18 Apr (Good Friday) or Fri 25 Apr (ANZAC Day).

Do you want to understand how climate change is affecting our plants and wildlife and contribute to climate change research? Join our ClimateWatch advocates on this free guided walk to monitor biodiversity at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Learn about indicator species of plants and animals and how climate change is affecting their seasonal behaviour. The data you observe and record will help shape Australia’s scientific response to climate change. Make a real difference in your local community. Download the ClimateWatch app prior to the tour. Learn more at www.climatewatch.org.au.

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 and learn how to use a telescope yourself on the Observatory Viewing Lawn. 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. Please note this tour is fully booked until the end of Autumn. Presented by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and The Astronomical Society of Victoria.

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

Immerse yourself in intertwining stories, atmospheric music and mesmerising sounds of the natural environment in Sonica Botanica, created by Melbourne sound artist Patrick Cronin. Weaving together interviews, field recordings and a musical score, this evocative listening experience responds to collectors’ passions, botanical knowledge, favourite memories, childhood impressions, historical anecdotes and cultural viewpoints. Introducing a brand-new episode this summer, Sonica Botanica: Kids Get Down to Earth. Students from Ardeer South Primary School take over the mic with stories and interviews from across the Gardens.  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 

Visitors to the Gardens can listen to an exclusive podcast interview with celebrated writer Olivia Laing, interviewed by Sophie Cunningham.  Olivia discusses her new book, The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise, which moves between real and imagined gardens, exploring how new modes of living can and have been attempted amidst the flower beds. Listen as you walk through the Gardens, and experience first-hand the joy of wandering in nature. Available online to listen anytime. Presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre. Image credit: Olivia Laing, image by Sandra Mickiewicz