Parks and gardens have really been the saviours of 2020, hey? We’ve all thoroughly enjoyed our meanderings through local parks, but thankfully, we can all visit a much-loved Melbourne garden soon again.
Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens are reopening to the public on Saturday, September 26. The gardens will open daily at 7.30am and shut at 5pm and the Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Darne, the Terrace Café, Gardens Shop and drinking fountains will remain closed.
Under current rules you can visit with one other person or the members of your household for up to two hours. You can only visit if everyone lives within 5km of the gardens. Check up on the current rules with this handy explainer on “outdoor recreation”. Note: from September 28, as part of metro Melbourne's second step, public gatherings can increase to up to five people from a maximum of two households.
As with the “in-between times”, the gardens will be taking active measures to keep visitors and staff safe. There will be restrictions on capacity in certain areas of the gardens and narrow garden pathways will be one-way only. Naturally, there will be no events or tours taking place. You can read more about the RBG’s opening updates here.
Live out east? The Cranbourne Botanic Gardens (one of our favourite secret gardens in Melbourne) will be reopening as well, on Monday, September 28. The café, barbecues, Gardens Shop and drinking fountains are still closed.
