Pocket Guide
Nº7 · Kings Domain, South Yarra

Shrine & Botanic Gardens

Kings Domain: the Shrine, a governor’s cottage and 38 hectares of garden.

FreeHalf day

Draft trail. We haven’t walked this one yet to check every detail. Opening days, prices and paths can change, so check before you go.

Shrine of Remembrance: Shrine of Remembrance - View of Melbourne1 / 6
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

South of the river the city opens into parkland. The Shrine of Remembrance, finished in 1934, still lines a ray of sunlight up with its Stone of Remembrance at 11 am every Remembrance Day. From there, paths lead past La Trobe’s prefabricated cottage into the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Getting there
Anzac station (Metro Tunnel) is about 300 m from the Shrine. Trams along St Kilda Road stop outside.
How long
About 3 hours, 3 km on foot (2 h 45 min at the stops)
Cost
Free
Best time
A fine morning; the gardens open early and stay open later in summer.

The stops

  1. 1Shrine of Remembrance · History · 1 h
    Victoria’s war memorial, with galleries below and a balcony view above.
    Directions
  2. 2La Trobe’s Cottage · History · 15 min
    The prefabricated home of Charles La Trobe, the colony’s first governor.
    Directions
  3. 3Royal Botanic Gardens · Nature · 1 h 30 min
    Founded in 1846: lakes, fern gully and a huge plant collection, free to enter.
    Directions
On the map
Walk Public transport (schematic) Drive

Tips

  • The Shrine’s balcony has one of the best free views of the city skyline.
  • La Trobe’s Cottage opens only on limited days; check before you go.

Collect this trail’s stamp in your Passport by checking in at each stop.