Just outside Gate O of the Royal Botanic Gardens is the historic Melbourne Observatory. Built in the early 1860s, this was once a centre for weather forecasting, time setting and the surveying of Victoria. On Monday evenings over summer the observatory runs tours of the complex, which still uses much of its original astronomical hardware. Tours are run by experienced guides from the Astronomical Society of Victoria. Bookings are obligatory. No children under eight.
Melbourne Observatory
Melbourne
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.31 MILES
Considered one of the finest examples of Victorian-era landscaping in the world, Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens draw over two million visitors a year…
0.98 MILES
Melbourne's most-celebrated laneway for street art, Hosier Lane's cobbled length draws camera-wielding crowds to its colorful canvas of graffiti, stencils…
0.12 MILES
One of Melbourne's icons, the Shrine of Remembrance is a commanding memorial to Victorians who have served in war and peacekeeping, especially those…
0.8 MILES
With a capacity of 100,000 people, the "G" is one of the world’s great sporting venues, hosting cricket in summer and AFL (Australian Football League,…
1.8 MILES
With more than 600 traders, 'Vic Market' is a large open-air market brimming with food, shopping and cultural experiences. Early mornings are best for…
2.51 MILES
With a palm-fringed promenade, sandy beach and eclectic architecture, St Kilda’s seaside appeal lands somewhere between Brighton in England and Venice…
0.6 MILES
Housed in a vast, brutally beautiful, bunker-like building, the international branch of the NGV has an expansive collection, from ancient artefacts to the…
3.38 MILES
Established in 1862, this compact zoo remains one of the city’s most popular attractions and continues to innovate, having become the world's first carbon…
Nearby Melbourne attractions
1. Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden
0.09 MILES
Inspire your budding botanists at this award-winning children's garden, located at the western entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Interactive play…
0.12 MILES
One of Melbourne's icons, the Shrine of Remembrance is a commanding memorial to Victorians who have served in war and peacekeeping, especially those…
0.16 MILES
On the outer edge of the Botanic Gardens, this Italianate Government House dates from 1872. A replica of Queen Victoria’s Osborne House on England’s Isle…
0.31 MILES
Considered one of the finest examples of Victorian-era landscaping in the world, Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens draw over two million visitors a year…
0.46 MILES
Built to host the swimming events for the 1956 Olympic Games, this dramatically shaped structure is now used by the Collingwood AFL club as a training…
6. Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
0.51 MILES
ACCA is one of Australia’s most exciting and challenging contemporary galleries, showcasing a range of local and international artists. The building is…
0.54 MILES
Weird, wonderful and thought-provoking Buxton Contemporary, located at the University of Melbourne’s art school, opened in 2018 powered by the Michael…
0.6 MILES
Housed in a vast, brutally beautiful, bunker-like building, the international branch of the NGV has an expansive collection, from ancient artefacts to the…