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The White Hat Guide to Alexandra Gardens, Queen Victoria Gardens & King's Domain

(Melways Ref. 2F K9)

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These three parks run continuously from the banks of the Yarra along St Kilda Road to the Shrine and beyond. They also border the Botanic Gardens and Government House. These three parks together with the Botanic Gardens make up the vast area of green to the left of the river in the poster to the right.

Alexandra Gardens

The Alexandra Gardens were created in the late 1860s from land reclaimed from the re-routing of the Yarra River. The gardens were reconstructed and laid out in their current form in 1904 and quickly became a focus for weekend recreation and promenading. The section of the Yarra with the Alexandra Gardens on one side and Birrarung Marr on the other are among the most picturesque and most often depicted areas of the city. The Alexandra Gardens are best known to the locals for the rowing sheds and as the venue for Moomba and similar festivities. For refreshments you can wander a little further upstream to one of Melbourne's favourite barbecue spots, sit on the grass and enjoy a burnt snag while the river flows slowly by. Or, if you prefer, you can wander a little further downstream and sip your cafe latte at Southgate complex while the river still flows slowly by. The Yarra is in no hurry, so why should you be?

The Henly-on-Yarra regatta has been held here annually since the reconstructed park opened in 1904, and it was on this stretch of the Yarra that the oarsome foursome trained. The small judges box built on the riverbank in the 1930s at the finishing line of the regatta can still be seen, as well as a war memorial for oarsmen who were killed in WW1. The Riverslide Skate Park attracts hundreds of skateboarders every day, and at the base of Princes Bridge you can hire a bike and ride for many kilometres along the bike paths which follow the river.

The Alexandra Gardens are really much more park than gardens, but you can still see the star bed which formed part of the original design and the Canary Island Date Palms planted soon after.

The Alexandra Gardens, along with Birrarung Marr on the opposite bank of the river, are usually the central to the Moomba Festival and fireworks displays for such events as New Year's Eve.

Riverslide Skate Park

Riverslide is the largest & best-appointed Skate Park in inner Melbourne. Featuring an 1800sqm skating surface & a café, it’s a must for any interested skaters. Located within a five-min walk from Flinders St Station, it’s situated in the picturesque Alexandra Gardens. Supervision & first aid assistance is provided on site during peak periods.

Free
(Mel ref 2F J7)
Enquiries: 9663 0495

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Moomba Festival Melbourne's long running community festival featuring rides, activities and entertainment in Birrarung Marr and the Alexandra Gardens and this year also featuring special activities at the Docklands on the Sunday. 12th to 14th March 2011 -

Queen Victoria Gardens

Heading away from the river and crossing the busy Alexandra Avenue you come to the Queen Victoria Gardens.  The frontage along St Kilda Road is suitably manicured and includes the large Floral Clock and an equestrian statue of King Edward VII. the Lady Janet Clarke Rotunda  as well as lakes and rose gardens.

This site was chosen in 1905 for gardens to commemorate Queen Victoria, and naturally enough contain a large statue of the monarch as a centrepiece. The gardens also contain a small artificial lake and waterfall, rose gardens, rockeries and garden beds as well as impressive landscaped lawns and well established trees.

King's Domain

The King's Domain had been used for many purposes before becoming parkland in 1854. It has been progressively developed since that time with the most striking feature being the re-routing of St Kilda Road to create an artificial hill for the Shrine of Remembrance making it a dominant view along the city's Swanston Street. A section of the domain became a unique setting for Government House, the home of Victoria's Governor. This area is open to the public on a limited basis. In the 1950s an important addition was the Sidney Myer Music Bowl which is home to numbers of open air performances during the summer months. Also in the Domain are the Pioneer Women's Garden. This was built in 1934 as a tribute to the pioneer women of Victoria and it is adjoined by a sunken garden and reflecting pool. The Domain is also home to Governor La Trobe's Cottage - the humble forerunner to the nearby Government House. Visible from St Kilda Road is the Linlithgow Flower Bed with its changing plantings commemorating particular organisations or events

The White Hat Quiz

• Various statues in The Domain and connected gardens show people on horseback. How can you tell the status of a person from a 19th century equestrian statue?

Sidney Myer Free Orchestral Concerts at the Music Bowl - Concert 1 - 'Romantic Favourites' Did you miss this event? Then subscribe to our free email newsletter to receive advance notice of events such as this one. White Hat has kept its subscribers Informed since last century and has long become a Melbourne Institution for those Intelligent and Independent souls prepared to look beyond the bounds of either the mainstream -commercial or mainstream-alternative marketing machines. (However, be warned that we can occasionally be a little Irreverent.) The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with Lutz Koehler (conductor) and Maxwell Foster (piano) perform: Verdi The Force of Destiny: Overture Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Concerti) Brahms Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.68 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Symphonies) The Sidney Myer Free Orchestral Concerts in the Music Bowl are one of the highlights of the Melbourne Summer. The businessman and philanthropist Sidney Myer left a trust to benefit the people of Melbourne and Australia. Not only did this trust make possible the building of the public Music Bowl, it continues to continues to contribute to the quality of life of Melburnians through works and events such as the annual free concerts. Gates open at 4pm and the concert starts at 7pm. White Hat recommends you get there early because, if the weather is fine it can fill quite quickly. This is the ideal place to have a champagne picnic with friend under the stars while listening to classical music. You are allowed to bring reasonable amounts of food and alcohol but no breakable glasses, sharp objects, or seating which obstruct the view of others. Before you decide to turn it into a fully-fledged camping expedition we suggest you check the conditions of entry. Our rating: Five Hats Wednesday 17th February 2010 Sidney Myer Music Bowl -

Carols by Candlelight An event that has become a popular part of the Melbourne calendar 24 December 2010 -

Australia Day Picnic & Historic Vehicles Display The popular historic vehicle display, with more than 500 veteran and vintage vehicles, entertainment, free activities and food stalls. 10am to 4pm, 26 January 2011 ? King's Domain - Free

Where are the Alexandra Gardens, Queen Victoria Gardens & King's Domain?

Click on the Alexandra Gardens, Queen Victoria Gardens or King's Domain link to the right of the map. Use the controls to zoom in or out on the map or change to satellite view.