Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria sits on Birdwood Avenue in South Yarra, bordering the Yarra River just south-east of Melbourne's CBD, and covers 38 hectares of landscaped gardens, native and exotic plantings, and the Ornamental Lake at its centre, which draws black swans, ducks and other waterbirds year round. The lake and its surrounding paths give the gardens' most photographed views, particularly early in the morning when low mist can sit over the still water and the path network is close to empty. Spring, from September to November, brings blossom across the gardens' flowering trees and garden beds, while autumn, from March to May, turns the deciduous plantings around the lake gold and red; both seasons are considered the strongest for colour, with summer's harsher midday light better suited to shaded garden rooms than open lake views. A standard zoom lens covers the landscape views across the lake and garden vistas, while a macro lens is useful for close-up detail on flowers, bark and the birdlife that frequents the lake edges. The gardens open at 7:30am and the earliest hours offer the calmest water and fewest visitors, before joggers, tour groups and other photographers arrive later in the morning. Entry to the gardens is free, though commercial photography and filming, including with tripods for professional shoots, require a permit arranged in advance with the gardens; casual tripod use by visitors for personal photography is generally accepted on the paths. Drones are not permitted within the gardens.