One of the big issues with talking about free places to go in the run up winter is that I really wanted to visit a few parks over the course of the blog and take some photos to post.
But, alas, the weather was either not great or I was busy as the weeks went by, so I could never really manage it.
Living really far out of the city made it harder, since Point Cook’s weather system is only loosely connected to the CBD’s and by the time I get in, the weather could have completely changed on me.
But, at any rate, the parks aren’t going anywhere and summer, to paraphrase Game of Thrones, is coming.
It’s pretty easy as you walk along Swanston or La Trobe, or through Bourke Street or Melbourne Central, to miss the parks that line the edges of the city.
If you went down to check out the Shrine of Remembrance, you’ll hopefully have walked around a bit of the Royal Botanic Gardens, but the thing is huge.
If you checked out the Old Treasury Museum, you’ll have been in the Treasury Gardens, but did you have a look at the Fitzroy Gardens next door? What about the Carlton Gardens next to the Melbourne Museum?
The Queen Victoria Gardens border the Royal Botanic Gardens across the road from the NGV, and Yarra Park surrounds the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Directly across the river from Crown Casino is Batman Park, the site of the old Railway yard.
Some slightly more out of the way parks, for those adventurous enough to go looking, are the Flagstaff Gardens and Fawkner Park.
If you follow St Kilda Road past the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Shrine of Remembrance and turn left on to Toorak Road West, Fawkner Park is on your left.
It’s a relatively big park, too, so put aside a bit of time to wander around it, maybe take a picnic if the weather’s nice.
The Fitzroy Gardens are to the north of the CBD, along La Trobe and, unsurprisingly, across the road from the Flagstaff Train Station.
For those willing to go that bit further for a gardens, or if you’re going to the beach in summer, St Kilda has the Carani Gardens not far from the beach front.
Getting there is simply a matter of grabbing a tram from Swanston St, those that goes there will have it prominently displayed since it’s a popular destination.
So, as I said, it’s not really the weather for it, but once it starts to warm up a bit, there are plenty of gardens to get out to and have a wander/picnic.
Alastair Collins
