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Things to Do in Southbank, Melbourne: The Local Guide

Use Southbank as your base for riverside gardens, historic parks, escape rooms and bigger Melbourne outings, from Elwood to the Dandenong Ranges.

By Melbourne Spots · 19 June 2026

# Things to Do in Southbank, Melbourne: The Local Guide

Southbank is one of Melbourne’s most convenient starting points: the Yarra is at your feet, the CBD is across the river, and a surprisingly broad mix of gardens, historic landmarks and group activities sits within reach. But it is worth being clear about the shape of this guide: the supplied venues are not all in Southbank itself. They spread through the CBD, inner suburbs and, in one case, beyond the city. Think of them as worthwhile outings to pair with a Southbank stay or riverside wander, rather than a list of attractions on one block.

The best choice depends on what you want from the day. For a quiet green escape, start with the riverside gardens and inner-city parks. For Melbourne history and architecture, head towards the CBD, East Melbourne or Carlton. If the weather turns or you are organising a group, the escape rooms offer a more structured plan.

The closest green escapes to Southbank

Alexandra Gardens

Alexandra Gardens are the most natural extension of a Southbank walk. Running along the southern bank of the Yarra beside the CBD, the gardens provide open lawns, leafy paths and views across the water towards the city skyline. Their appeal is not a single landmark but the chance to slow down in a genuinely central location.

They work particularly well as part of a longer riverside outing, linking with the Royal Botanic Gardens and the broader Yarra parklands. If you want a break from Southbank’s busy promenade without leaving the centre of Melbourne, this is the straightforward choice.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Melbourne Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Melbourne Gardens offer a much bigger change of pace. Sweeping lawns, ornamental lakes and themed plant collections spread across the riverside just south of the CBD, creating the kind of open space that locals use like a second backyard. It is free to wander, and the scale means you can visit for a short stroll or spend much longer exploring.

The famous Tan Track wraps around the perimeter, while the gardens themselves reward an unhurried walk through their different landscapes. Come here when you want greenery with variety rather than a simple patch of lawn. It is also one of the better options for visitors surprised by how much quiet, open space sits so close to central Melbourne.

Fawkner Park

Fawkner Park in South Yarra is another broad, leafy option, with sweeping lawns and avenues of mature elms. It feels less like a formal visitor attraction and more like a communal backyard for the surrounding inner suburbs, which is precisely why it is worth visiting.

The park suits low-key plans: a walk, a picnic or time outside without a packed itinerary. Its open layout also makes it a useful counterpoint to the built-up feel around Southbank. Choose it when you want a substantial park atmosphere but are more interested in everyday Melbourne life than ornamental features.

Historic parks and city landmarks

Fitzroy Gardens

Fitzroy Gardens sit on Wellington Parade in East Melbourne, close to the CBD, and combine grand landscaping with a strong sense of history. Elm-lined avenues, sweeping lawns, fountains and ornamental features make the gardens a pleasant place to wander, while Cooks’ Cottage provides the best-known landmark within them.

The gardens are free to wander and offer a more formal, composed experience than Alexandra Gardens or Fawkner Park. They are worth choosing when you want a classic Melbourne park with historic character rather than an active day out. Allow time to look beyond the main paths: the appeal is in the combination of mature planting, open lawns and small details encountered along the way.

Carlton Gardens

Carlton Gardens, just north of the CBD, are a particularly strong choice for anyone interested in architecture and urban history. The World Heritage-listed gardens preserve a grand example of 19th-century landscape design, with the Royal Exhibition Building at their centre.

A visit here is more than a park stroll. The formal layout and the building give the grounds a sense of occasion, while the lawns and tree-lined spaces keep it from feeling like a purely architectural stop. It is a good destination when you want to combine a walk outdoors with a tangible piece of Melbourne’s history.

Flagstaff Gardens

Flagstaff Gardens occupy an elevated position on the western edge of the CBD and are Melbourne’s oldest public park. That age gives the place genuine historic weight, but its practical appeal is just as important: mature trees, lawns and views towards the city skyline make it a welcome retreat from the surrounding streets.

This is the park to pick for a compact inner-city reset. It is less about elaborate attractions and more about the contrast between old trees and the surrounding CBD. Visit when you want some open air without committing to a longer suburban outing.

St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne

St Paul’s Cathedral stands opposite Flinders Street Station and Federation Square, on one of Melbourne’s most recognisable corners. Its Gothic Revival exterior, soaring spires and detailed stonework make it a landmark even before you step inside.

The interior is the reason to give it more than a passing glance. Stained glass, ornate detailing and the cathedral’s scale create a quieter, more contemplative experience amid one of the city’s busiest public spaces. It is a particularly useful stop on a central Melbourne day because it combines a distinctive building with a clear sense of place, rather than being just another photo opportunity.

Local parks beyond the centre

Edinburgh Gardens

Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North are one of inner Melbourne’s most loved public parks. The generous lawns, mature trees and open space function as a giant communal backyard for the surrounding suburbs, making the park feel lived-in rather than staged for visitors.

Go for the atmosphere as much as the scenery. It is a good setting for a picnic, a weekend gathering or an uncomplicated walk, especially if you want to see how Melburnians use their public parks. Compared with the formal gardens near the CBD, Edinburgh Gardens offer a more relaxed and social version of green space.

CERES Community Environment Park

CERES Community Environment Park in Brunswick East is a different kind of outing altogether. Set beside the Merri Creek on land transformed from a former tip, it combines an urban farm, environmental education centre and sustainability hub in a genuinely community-focused space.

The organic farm and nursery are central to its character, and the site rewards visitors who are interested in how a green space operates as well as how it looks. CERES is worth the trip when you want something more purposeful than a standard park visit: a place where food growing, environmental learning and community activity are part of the experience.

Group activities when you want something more active

Rush Escape Game - Escape Room South Yarra

Rush Escape Game - Escape Room South Yarra, on Toorak Road, is a ready-made plan for a group that wants more involvement than dinner and a drink. The experience is built around teamwork under pressure: participants work through clues, solve puzzles and try to beat the room’s time limit.

It suits friends, families or colleagues who enjoy problem-solving and do not mind a little urgency. The South Yarra location also places it on a busy shopping strip near the train station, so it can be paired with time in the surrounding neighbourhood rather than treated as an isolated activity.

Rush Escape Game - Escape Room Hawthorn

Rush Escape Game - Escape Room Hawthorn offers the same broad appeal on Glenferrie Road. The setting is a busy inner-eastern strip near shops and the train station, while the activity itself gives a group a clear shared challenge.

Choose this branch if Hawthorn is more convenient for your plans, or if you want to make an outing of the neighbourhood. The value is in the cooperation: everyone has to contribute clues and ideas, making it a better fit for an engaged group than for people seeking a passive attraction.

Virtual Room: Virtual Reality Escape Game Adventure

Virtual Room: Virtual Reality Escape Game Adventure on Peel Street in West Melbourne takes the escape-room format in another direction. Instead of physical sets, the group enters a shared virtual-reality world and works together to solve puzzles and progress through the adventure.

It is worth considering when you want something genuinely different from a standard sightseeing day. The emphasis remains on cooperation, but the technology changes the feeling of the experience. It is a strong wet-weather or group option for people who have already done the usual central-city landmarks.

Bigger outings beyond inner Melbourne

Point Ormond Lookout

Point Ormond Lookout is at Elwood on the bayside, rather than in Southbank, but it offers one of the clearest changes of scenery in this selection. A short, gentle climb reaches a vantage point above the foreshore, with a wide outlook over Port Phillip Bay and, on a clear day, the distant city skyline.

The attraction is the simple ritual: walk up, take in the panorama, then continue along the foreshore. It is best for a breezy, open-ended outing where the view does the work. With a 4.8 Google rating across more than 3,500 reviews, it is also a well-established favourite, though the real reason to go is the combination of bay, skyline and easy walking.

Kokoda Track Memorial Walk

The Kokoda Track Memorial Walk, commonly called the “1000 Steps”, is the most substantial outing listed here. It climbs through the forest of the Dandenong Ranges near Ferntree Gully and combines a physical challenge with a memorial to Australians who fought along the Kokoda Track during the Second World War.

The trail passes through towering mountain ash and tree ferns, giving the walk a distinctly forested setting rather than an urban one. Choose it only when you are prepared for a fitness-focused day and want the significance of the memorial to be part of the experience. It is not a casual Southbank add-on, but it is a memorable option for visitors planning a dedicated excursion beyond the city.

Practical tips

Use Southbank as your base, but check each venue’s suburb before setting out: the options range from the CBD and nearby riverside gardens to South Yarra, Hawthorn, Brunswick, Elwood and the Dandenong Ranges. Match the destination to the time you have. Alexandra Gardens, St Paul’s Cathedral, Flagstaff Gardens and Fitzroy Gardens are suited to a central day; the escape rooms need a committed group; and the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk deserves a dedicated outing.

For an outdoor plan, keep the weather in mind and choose between riverside gardens, formal historic parks, the bay at Point Ormond or the forested 1000 Steps. If you want a reliable group activity instead, decide whether your group prefers physical puzzles in a Rush Escape Game room or the shared virtual world at Virtual Room. Most importantly, do not confuse proximity with quality: several of the best choices are outside Southbank, but each offers a distinct reason to make the extra trip.