Located in Parkville, the park sits north of Flemington Road and stretches northwards to Park Street.
Royal Park is situated on land of importance to the people of the Eastern Kulin Nation. The park is also historically significant as the starting point of Burke and Wills' ill-fated expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1860. It was also the site of the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria (1861), part of which later became the Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens.
Royal Park was the site of a major Australian military camp and training ground during the First World War (1914 to 1918) and was used for the mobilisation of ANZACS to the Western Front. It was also a camp for both Australian and US troops during the Second World War prior to their deployment to Pacific War campaigns (1941 to 1945).
The redesign of the park in 1984 created wide open spaces, which make it hard to believe you are still in the city. Stretches of open grass alternate with areas of lightly timbered eucalypt forest, sports grounds, wetlands and gardens.
We are trialing the use of sensors at Royal Park to better understand our open spaces.
Learn more at Participate Melbourne.