Duration: 1-2 hours
Price Guide: $0-$unlimited, depending on how much shopping you do!
Last Reviewed:

If you’d like to see the Gleadall St Market in action (the final stop on this tour) you’ll need to time your tour for a Saturday morning as the market finishes at 1pm each Saturday.

Catch a train to Richmond (Zone 1). From the city loop this should take approximately 10 minutes or five minutes on a direct train from Flinders Street Station.

At Richmond station, follow the signs that direct you to Swan Street. Exit down the ramp and turn left, past the car rental store. Pass under the railway bridge and continue walking.

Swan Street shops: Swan Street may not be as whacky as Chapel Street or as grand as Melbourne’s city centre, but it certainly holds its own when it comes to discount shopping. Many stores sell Australian fashion designers’ seconds or rejects so, if you know a good deal when you see one, you could nab yourself a serious bargain.

Bridge Road is parallel with Swan Street, but it’s about a 10-minute walk from one to another. If you wish to reach it, turn left onto Church Street and walk over the hill; the major road at the bottom is Bridge Road. You may turn left or right to explore. If you don’t want to walk, you can catch the 78 or 79 tram along Church Street to get you there.

Richmond Town Hall: If you turn right at the bottom of the hill you will see the Richmond Town Hall on your left. Inside, it hosts all of Bridge Road’s cultural information. Take note also of the bronze plaques on the buildings, which will provide you with some historical insight to this Heritage-classified area.

Continue down Bridge Road.

Corner of Bridge Road Church St: there are vast numbers of cafes, restaurants and bars to be sampled around this intersection, including venues offering Thai, Burmese, Malaysian and Lebanese cuisine. Sweet Bunny is a super-cute confectionery shop that should also be visited.

Adjacent to the Town Hall is Gleadell Street Market (open Saturdays 7am-1pm) where you will find a wide range of local seasonal produce being sold by the people who grew or made it.

Gleadall Street Market: Richmond’s Gleadell Street market on Saturdays is packed with seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh bread, herbs, flowers and gourmet delights. The market is open 7am to 1pm every Saturday except Easter Saturday, Anzac day and two Saturdays over the Christmas period. The original Richmond market opened in 1873 and this market continues the traditions of farmers travelling to Richmond to sell their fresh produce.

Duration: 2-3 hours
Price Guide: $0
Last Reviewed:

When it comes to shopping, Chapel Street is one of Melbourne’s best known areas. If you’re fed up of high street shops and looking for something a little bit different, this street is second to none when it comes to variety. For everyone after something run of the mill, I advise you head elsewhere; you’ll find no tracksuits or Target stores here. Three words to best describe this street? Vintage, unique and expensive…

Catch a train to Windsor (Sandringham Line). From the city loop it should take approximately 15-20 minutes.

As you exit the station turn left, you are now at the start of Chapel Street.

First impressions can be deceiving – I admit at first glance I thought this place seemed rather shabby, dull even, with nothing obviously special to offer. However, after you’ve passed the first few rows of laundrettes and kebab huts, you’ll start to notice some interesting little boutiques. Go in them. Every one is fabulously different!

After roughly ten minutes walking you’ll notice Chapel Street Bazaar to your left.

I found this huge store/mini market to be strangely reminiscent of my Gran’s living room. Even if you’re not after anything it’s worth a look – from kitsch costume jewellery to vintage clothes and accessories, bizarre ornaments and every collectible imaginable, it’s all utterly useless in the most wonderful way. (It’s alarmingly easy to convince yourself that you do actually need some of this junk, I found myself debating whether or not to buy a pair of $150 geisha shoes … don’t ask.)

Exit the Bazaar and continue down Chapel Street.

If you’re hungry, there’s plenty of choice. The cafes are cute and the restaurants are swish; I personally sampled lunch at Tusk (a corner cafe 10 mins from the station on your left), which I couldn’t fault. There are also a few specialist cake shops which you probably wont be able to resist either. Pran Central Food Court is a 20 minute walk from the station, once again on your left, situated in the Pran Central Shopping Centre (just after Wittners shoes). This offers yet more variety.

About 20-25 minutes down Chapel Street you can turn onto Commercial Road (at the traffic lights, left or right)

There isn’t too much here apart from a few more restaurants and high street shops. But if you have time to kill, it could be worth a gander (there is also an outlet of one of Melbourne’s favourite handbag and accessory stores, Quick Brown Fox).

Continue down Chapel Street.

Did I mention how good for shoes this place is? No? Well, it’s really good. If you’re after some retro cowboy boots or 60s pumps then you’re spoilt for choice. And surprisingly enough, heaps of shops here are very affordable. There are, of course, a couple of tres exclusive boutiques that charge ridiculous amounts for second-hand jumpers that look like your Dad’s, but they’re not the only sorts of shops. As you near the Commerical Road end of Chapel Street you will notice the boutiques fade out and are replaced with more restaurants and chain stores.

Tiring, all that shopping eh? If you really can’t be bothered to walk back, you can catch a tram back right to the station anywhere along Chapel Street, catch the number 8 tram from Commercial Road into the city or walk west up the hill from the Chapel and Commerical corner to South Yarra Station where you can catch any of the City Loop or Flinders Street-bound trains into town.

Duration: 1-2 hours
Price Guide: $0
Last Reviewed:

This amazing 38 hectare garden is said to be one of the world’s finest botanic gardens – boasting over 10,000 species of plants (many endangered) and an array of wildlife, it’s not hard to see why. Directions to the gardens are surprisingly sparse, but thankfully it’s not too hard to find. Open 7.30 – dusk (5.30 or 6pm in winter, spring and autumn, 8.30pm November to March); admission is free. The directions I have given follow a scenic route along the Yarra River, taking about 25 minutes in total. Alternatively, you can ride the free Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle to the Royal Botanic Gardens – the Shuttle begins at the Melbourne Museum and runs every 15 minutes between 10-4pm daily.

Catch a train to Flinders Street Station (on the city loop)

Exit via the main entrance of the station and cross over to Federation Square.

Federation Square holds a host of attractions to suit every desire. From swanky cafes and bars to the incredible National Gallery: Ian Potter Centre (which hosts Australian art), it’s a mix of culture and style. Perfect for lunch or cocktails.

Walk diagonally through Federation Square and down any of the sets of steps that lead to the Yarra River (Transport Bar will be on your right, the Ian Potter Centre on your left) At the bottom of the steps turn left.

The Yarra River runs through the very centre of Melbourne. It has played a huge part in the city’s development, once effectively a drain for the city’s early industry it has been cleaned up and now provides miles of picturesque walks for all to enjoy, is host to numerous rowing clubs, fisherpeople and other water activities. It is also host to events that are held as part of the Melbourne Festival and the Moomba Festival.

Continue walking alongside the river, following the path around until you reach Swan Street Bridge (approximately a 5-10 minute walk)

Throughout this walk you will notice various sculptures and other art dotted around. This is the Birrarung Marr precinct; art that is not confined to gallery walls. Just right of the footbridge are the Federation Bells, which play set compositions daily. On the other side of the river you will see the various rowing and boating clubs of Melbourne.

Cross Swan Street Bridge. Go straight over the road and turn left. To your right is a big hill. Follow the path that leads diagonally up and left. At the end of this path you will see a gate. This is one of the entrances to the Botanic Gardens.

Immediately as you enter there is a map showing you the layout of the park. There is no set route to go, so take your pick. Be warned – the scale of this park is huge, so be prepared to get lost – thankfully there are cafes and tearooms within the park should you need a pick-me-up. Most trees and plants are marked with informative plaques so you can get an idea of what you’re looking at. It’s hard not to see the wildlife here as most come to you; whether it’s a skittish possum or one of the overly friendly black swans (hold onto your sandwich, one was harassing me for mine). In the lake, the eels are prolific. On a sunny day, this is a truly beautiful place to visit, so be sure to take your camera. Once amongst the flurry of fauna and flowers, you almost forget you’re in the middle of a huge city; there aren’t any buildings near the park grounds and little of the city skyline is visible once you’re within the garden fence. If you have the time, try and see everything, but my personal favourites include the Lily Lake, Long Island and the Glasshouses.
One weekends the gardens are a very popular picnic spot and many functions, particularly weddings, are hosted there. During summer, there is a cinema at night and plays and pantomimes are also held on the grounds. There is a charge for all these events, see the Tourist Office in the city for more information.