Name: Carlton Gardens
Address: 1-111 Carlton St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
Telephone: (03) 9658 9658
Rating: 4.6

Landscaped Victorian-era park now containing the Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum.

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Carlton Gardens, along with the Royal Exhibition Building, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, recognizing its cultural and historical significance.

UNESCO Status

The Royal Exhibition Building, a centerpiece of Carlton Gardens, officially opened in 1880 for the Melbourne International Exhibition.

Exhibition Building Opening

Carlton Gardens features two picturesque ornamental lakes that add to the serene atmosphere of the park.

Ornamental Lakes

The gardens are designed in a formal Baroque style, characterized by symmetrical layouts, grand avenues, and meticulously planned flowerbeds.

Garden Design

Carlton Gardens is home to a thriving population of brushtail possums, often seen (or heard!) at night.

Nocturnal Residents

Prior to European settlement, the area now known as Carlton Gardens was an important gathering place for the Indigenous Kulin nation, and the gardens contain some replanted native flora.

Native Flora

Carlton Gardens

Carlton Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site, showcases a remarkable example of Victorian-era garden design, distinguished by its formal flowerbeds, meticulously planned avenues of trees, and elaborate fountains. The Hochgurtel Fountain, a prominent feature, is a testament to the era's fascination with ornate water features. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the gardens are home to the Royal Exhibition Building, a surviving structure from the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, a period of immense prosperity and global connection for the city. Interestingly, the gardens were originally intended to be larger, but land was allocated for other purposes, shaping its current boundaries. The mature European trees, including elms and oaks, create a unique microclimate, offering a cool respite even on hot Melbourne days. The gardens also feature two small lakes, providing habitat for various bird species, adding to the biodiversity within this urban oasis. The intricate parterre patterns, best viewed from the Exhibition Building's dome, reveal the meticulous planning that went into creating this landscape masterpiece.

Introduction

Carlton Gardens exemplifies Victorian landscape design through its sweeping lawns and diverse collection of European and Australian flora. Designed in the late 1850s by Edward La Trobe Bateman, the gardens were later redesigned for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, integrating Joseph Reed’s Royal Exhibition Building. This 26-hectare site showcases formal avenues of tree-lined paths, highlighting the Exhibition Building's architecture and fountains, most notably the grand allée of plane trees.

The gardens' botanical significance is evident in its outstanding plant collection, including conifers, palms, and both evergreen and deciduous trees, many of which have matured to exceptional sizes. Noteworthy are the elm avenues of Ulmus procera and Ulmus × hollandica, rare examples globally due to Dutch elm disease. The site also features a rare Acmena ingens, one of only a few known specimens, an uncommon Harpephyllum caffrum, and Victoria's largest recorded Taxodium distichum.

Ornamental features include two small lakes in the southern section and three fountains: the Exhibition Fountain by Joseph Hochgurtel, the French Fountain, and the Westgarth Drinking Fountain. The French Fountain, circa 1880, stands at the Nicholson Street entrance, featuring youths supporting dolphins and a cupped scallop shell. These elements combine to create a quintessential Victorian landscape, blending natural beauty with structured design.

Victorian Landscape Design

The grounds north of the Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens once housed the Exhibition Oval, featuring a fifth-of-a-mile oval asphalt cycling track built in 1890. Refurbished in 1896, the track's surface was improved with widened and banked corners, hosting cycling races until the 1920s, alongside low-powered motorcycle events. In 1928, the cycling track was removed and replaced with a dirt track for high-powered motorcycle racing, reflecting the sport's growing popularity. A new seventh-of-a-mile banked oval board track was constructed in 1936, but its existence was short-lived.

In 1939, the Supreme Court ruled the track violated the Exhibition Act, which mandated free public access to the grounds. Consequently, the track was relocated to Napier Park in Essendon. Throughout its operation, the grassed oval within the racing tracks served as a venue for various field sports events and carnivals. Notably, during a 1931 dispute involving the Victorian Football League, the oval was considered as a potential VFL venue for the season. Today, no trace of the cycling or motorcycle tracks remains, as the gardens have evolved into a popular location for wedding photography and exhibitions.

Historical Cycling Track

Carlton Gardens features an award-winning children's playground located in the northern section, designed with a unique 19th-century maze concept. This playground offers a variety of engaging structures for children of all ages, including swings, slides, a sandpit, climbing frames, and musical elements. The playground is based on the concept of a 19th-century maze.

The Carlton Gardens North Playground includes a cubby with a slide, a track glide, and a sandpit, providing diverse play options. The playground is designed to stimulate children's curiosity and physical activity, making it a popular destination for families.

The playground's design integrates historical elements with modern play structures, offering a unique and stimulating environment. It is thoughtfully designed to ensure accessibility and safety for all children. The playground is a key feature of the Carlton Gardens, enhancing its appeal as a family-friendly destination within Melbourne.

Children's Playground

Carlton Gardens holds significant botanical importance, showcasing an outstanding collection of plants that contribute to its World Heritage status. The gardens feature a diverse array of flora, including conifers, palms, and both evergreen and deciduous trees, many of which have reached remarkable sizes and forms. Noteworthy are the elm avenues, composed of Ulmus procera and Ulmus × hollandica, which are globally significant due to the rarity of such examples, largely diminished by Dutch elm disease.

Within the gardens, a rare specimen of Acmena ingens, a rainforest tree native to eastern Australia, can be found, with only a handful of other known examples. Additionally, the gardens boast an uncommon Harpephyllum caffrum and the largest recorded Taxodium distichum in Victoria. South-west of the Royal Exhibition Building, outstanding specimens of Chamaecyparis funebris and Ficus macrophylla further enhance the botanical collection.

The landscape design incorporates sweeping lawns and varied plantings of both European and Australian trees. Deciduous trees such as English oaks, white poplars, plane trees, elms, conifers, cedars, and turkey oaks are interspersed with evergreens like Moreton Bay figs, complemented by flower beds of annuals and shrubs. This combination creates a rich tapestry of plant life, contributing to the garden's aesthetic and scientific value. The Moreton Bay fig tree near Gertrude Street also holds significance to the Victorian Aboriginal community as a historical meeting place.

Botanical Significance

Carlton Gardens, adjacent to the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, Australia, were designed to complement the building for the international exhibitions of 1880 and 1888. Conceived through the joint efforts of architect Joseph Reed, who also designed the Royal Exhibition Building, and William Sangsten, the gardens provide a direct link to the rest of Melbourne. Originally, the gardens were enclosed by cast iron gates.

Today, Carlton Gardens are divided into the South and North Gardens. The South Garden, part of the original design, features an axial layout and served as a ceremonial route between the Royal Exhibition Building and the gardens. It remains a popular venue for exhibitions. In contrast, the North Garden was created from a wooded area after the demolition of annexes and is designed in the gardenesque style, featuring formal flower beds, clusters of trees, two lakes, and three fountains.

The gardens cover part of the 26-hectare site on which the Royal Exhibition Building sits, surrounded by four city streets. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004, the Royal Exhibition Building and its surrounding Carlton Gardens exemplify the architecture and technology of the Exhibitionist Period. The site continues to attract visitors, showcasing Melbourne's cultural heritage and commitment to conservation.

Carlton Gardens

Did You Know?

UNESCO Status

Exhibition Building Opening

Ornamental Lakes

Garden Design

Highlights from Reviews

Location