Climb, slide, hide, and explore at the new playground in Melton Botanic Garden.
The stunning new nature play space sits alongside two large gazebos, picnic tables, barbecue facilities, and a picturesque lake full of birdlife for families to enjoy. Whether it’s active play, sensory play, or imaginative adventures galore – the grounds of the Melton Botanic Garden provide a magnificent backdrop for endless fun.
Melton Botanic Garden Nature Playspace
We absolutely love spending time in nature as a family, and in a world dominated by technology and screens being outdoors always brings with it an exciting opportunity for fun, education, and rejuvenation. The Melton Botanic Garden, located in the heart of Melton, offers a refreshing escape into the beauty and wonders of the natural world.
The garden is a wondrous work-in-progress run by passionate volunteers who have taken their commitment to promoting the love of nature a step further by introducing a fantastic new addition – a nature play space.
The playground is beautifully designed for the perfect mix of imaginative, active, and free play where children can explore, relax, learn, and have fun.
The play area emphasises natural elements incorporating rocks, logs, indigenous sculptures and plants to cultivate an environment that nurtures imaginative play in harmony with the surrounding garden.
A dry creek weaves its way through the playspace, with multiple ground mediums for little hands and feet to explore including big rocks, small pebbles, gravel, pavement, sand, water, and bark.
My kids love the sand pit, water pump, and mud play area, especially on warmer days. With plenty of climbing nets, log towers, rope tunnels, and a slide it’s definitely a canvas for inspiring play.
This is a world where treehouses, forts, and fairy homes come to life as children can build, dig, climb, and create using all the natural materials at their fingertips.
Sheltered picnic tables with barbecue facilities lie on either side of the playground, which means plenty of space for groups and families to enjoy a meal together. There are bins and also toilet facilities nearby.
The playground is located adjacent to a large lake which is home to a variety of birds, reptiles, and insects. Families can sit by the lake and challenge each other in spotting all sorts of native wildlife such as ducks, swans, rainbow lorikeets, honeyeaters, rosellas, pelicans, kookaburras, and even the wedge-tailed eagle.
With various bench seats dotted throughout the garden, it’s easy to find a nice spot to sit and meditate, or just simply spend some time watching and listening to nature.
After visiting the playground it’s worth exploring the 25 hectares of natural beauty throughout the Melton Botanic Garden, which features a wide range of drought-tolerant plants both native and from across the world.
The botanic trail has a paved track that loops around the lake and through the beautiful, diverse vegetation, which is perfect to walk, scoot or bike along. Also nice and easy for prams and strollers.
The garden’s crowning jewel is the Dryland Eucalyptus Arboretum, boasting a nationally recognised collection of over 100 eucalyptus tree species. It is also complemented by Indigenous Grassland, Bushfoods, West and South Australian Gardens, and the Koori Student Garden.
Among the many varieties of colourful proteas in the Southern African Garden lies a stand-out red tree. The Friends of Melton Botanic Garden decided to paint the deceased sugar gum a vibrant red instead of cutting it down, leaving a unique feature that kids love to spot.
For kids who love creepy crawlies, the minibeast trail is designed to introduce visitors, especially children, to the fascinating world of small creatures living in these gardens. Minibeasts to discover and learn a bit about include the comb-footed spider, green-backed grasshopper, blue-banded bee, orb-weaving spider, plus other tiny invertebrates that play essential roles in the garden’s ecosystem. There is a signpost beside the creek with minibeast information at the garden.
There are two entrances to the garden and I recommend the entry at 40 Lakewood Boulevard which has a small car park, and is a short walk from the playground and toilet facilities. There is plenty of street parking if the car park is full.
At the northern entrance to the garden on William Street is a plant nursery where you can purchase the plants showcased in the Melton Botanic Garden for your own backyard.
While you’re in the area, consider exploring the delights of Hannah Watts Park, the historical charm of Willows Historic Park, or the engaging experiences at the Melton Library and Learning Hub for a full day of family enjoyment.
Tips for visiting Melton Botanic Garden:
- Pack a picnic lunch or make use of the onsite BBQ facilities;
- There are toilets onsite but no baby change table;
- The paths are pram-friendly;
- The paved walking trails are suitable for bikes and scooters;
- Dogs are permitted on a lead;
- The best entry for the playground is at 40 Lakewood Boulevard, which has a small car park or street parking nearby.
Melton Botanic Garden, 40 Lakewood Boulevard, Melton, 03 9747 7200, csu@melton.vic.gov.au
Friends of the Melton Botanic Garden Inc, friends@fmbg.org.au
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