Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne offers a 363-hectare natural bushland experience alongside the Australian Garden, an award-winning, contemporary botanic garden celebrating the beauty and diversity of Australian landscapes and flora and featuring over 100,000 plants from 1,900 plant varieties.
The bushland has over 450 indigenous plant species and includes over 10 km of walking tracks, 6 km of cycling tracks, a lookout tower, picturesque shelters, barbecues and playgrounds. It is a precious remnant of the vegetation that once covered the broader region and is actively managed to control the number of non-indigenous plants and exotic weeds.
Various wildlife call Cranbourne Gardens home, including wallabies, koalas, wombats, echidnas and the nationally endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot.
Throughout the year, Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne offers a range of cultural and educational programs in its beautiful surrounds, including ‘Lightfall’, a 1 km light trail at dusk during the April school holidays.
Visitors can enjoy free guided walking tours, the Explorer open-air bus tour, a gift shop, and the Boon Wurrung Café. From the café, guests can relax with a meal or coffee while overlooking the iconic Red Sand Garden, whose design draws inspiration from outback Australia.
Scientists and Horticulturists working at the Gardens lead plant and wildlife conservation and community outreach programs to support threatened species. Programs include orchid conservation and education programs in support of the Southern Brown Bandicoot.
The Gardens also run a range of programs to encourage learning in nature and inspire the next generation, hosting thousands of students on excursions each year. The Woodland Picnic Area playground encourages children to fall in love with nature from an early age.
Visitors can also purchase plants in front of the gift shop or at plant sales run by the Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne.
Public transport to the gardens is available via a free shuttle bus, which can be booked between Cranbourne Train Station and the Gardens.
Visit https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/cranbourne-gardens for details.
