Ahh, another one of those rather charming parks that one seems to encounter when one wanders…read morethrough a country town. Well, this isn't quite the case since Healesville is reasonably close to Melbourne, but it is far enough away to consider it to be a country town. The park itself is quite large actually, and has quite a bit of shade, in the form of trees, as well. Another thing is that there is a creek flowing through it, which I also quite like. Oh, and there are plenty of places to sit, as well as play equipment, and the gym type equipment that you tend to find in a lot of these places as well.

This is another one of those huge parks - Australian cities do seem to have quite a few of them,…read morethough unlike Adelaide, Melbourne isn't actually surrounded by them, but they are there. This one happens to have the Zoo, and there is also a railway line and a tram route that runs through the middle of it. Like a lot of these huge parks there happens to be some sporting ovals, and a golf course, here as well. One of the great things about this park mind you are the sounds of the animals as you make your way through here. Yeah, it is delightful.

Royal Park is huuuugggge. You can wander (or ride) through the park for ages and wind up in a…read moretotally different suburb than where you started out, or even find yourself at the zoo. Unlike a lot of the large parks in the area, Royal Park has mainly native vegetation, so is a lot dryer and scrubbier than nearby Princes Park, making for a more exotic picnic experience. There's a small lake (or a large pond) and plenty of open space to play frisby or mix your jog up with other exercises. Being located so close to Melbourne's main medical precinct, Royal Park also serves as a relaxing space for people visiting friends or family in the nearby hospitals. The amenities include tennis courts, toilets and plenty of water bubblers. Royal Park can easily be accessed by any of the 50's tram routes.

This park is quite delightful, though I suspect that it probably exists to make sure that the…read moreneighbouring houses don't end up getting flooded. Still, turning the floodplain into a park is pretty cool, and it is lovely, with a mix of natural beauty along with decent gardening. It is probably more suited for a bike track though, and they certainly have one that runs along it, but on the otherhand it is also a rather pleasant walk. Yeah, I liked it.

BATS!!! We had a wonderful little family hike here to see the famous flying foxes, otherwise known…read moreas fruit bats. Being from Hawaii, this was a totally unique and cool experience as don't really have a lot of bats in hawaii! We walked maybe a half mile from the parking lot and BAM, BATS GALORE! This place is totally worth visiting!

I love coming here, as soon as the weather gets good I'm making any excuse possible for a day out…read morehere. This is a quiet park right off the eastern freeway. It's close to the city, but feels like a whole new place. This park has bbq facilities with wooden tables under pavilions, there's not too many spots so you might want to get in early if it's going to be a long weekend (or exceptionally sunny day). There's also a café here that sits besides the river, where you can dine outside and enjoy the serenity. This is definitely perfect for families as there are bike trails, a playground and did I mention the rowboats for hire. Yes rowboats! There's also fishing available, although I'm not sure if you would catch anything here. If you don't like bats, I probably would come here then. I was lying in the sun with my hunny after a lovely picnic, we didn't notice anything at the time- but after careful inspection of the funny looking leaves on the trees, turns out they were bats. A hundred or more bats, hanging from the nearby trees sleeping. They weren't scary, or noisy or obtrusive, it was just a surprise to see so many up close. Bats aside, this is a lovely park. Perfect for whatever occasion.

Treasury Gardens is the park that lines Spring Street at the end of Collins St/Flinders Lane,…read morebefore Fitzroy Gardens. Fitzroy Gardens is much bigger and full of interesting things to see and do, but if you just want a nice patch of grass and some shade to chill under with easy access to the CBD, Treasury Gardens has got you covered. The people watching here is second to none. With the Treasury building (and Victoria's registry office) next door, you're bound to see an eclectic array of bridal parties walking through the gardens for a photo on weekends. On weekdays, with Collins Place just a few doors down, I like to grab a salad or rice paper roll and head over with a blanket and a book to enjoy some quiet time amongst the hustle and bustle. You won't find kids and dogs here, this is the office worker oasis.

A beautiful oasis in the city as you are about to leave the city. The abundance of trees and…read moreperfectly cut lawn makes a great lunch trip and walk around the park all so worth it. Another wedding hot spot in Melbourne City, and for the all the right reasons too. A great trek for riding bikes is also included; and also the ducks pond towards Parliament House is aesthetically beautiful and pleasing. Love the flowers and lily pads there. A great spot to read a book; take it all in; do nothing; meditate and hug your partner if you have one - all in addition to grabbing something to eat in nearby Collins Street; eat it here or come prepared for a picnic with a group of friends and work colleagues. Those of us living in Melbourne are grateful to have an abundance of parks to enjoy in the city and the city fringe; and Treasury Gardens is one of those parks. Although its quite small; no need to worry because as you walk away from the city; cross a busy road and you have landed yourself into another oasis called Fitzroy Gardens. Just be careful as the traffic gets quite heavy in this area.

This is a lovely little park that happens to be located just across from the pub. It is sort of one…read moreof those places that add quite a lot of life to a small suburb stuck on the outer edges of a major city. However, it is clear that the park, and the suburb, have been around for quite a long time, and it is a lovely place to relax, and maybe even have a picnic.

Okay, this park isn't particularly huge, but considering what used to be here, they certainly have…read moreadded quite a lot of life to the place. In fact, it is probably one of the very few things that one can actually do in Docklands on a weekend, considering pretty much everything, without a doubt, is basically closed. However, this park is quite nice, and well kept, and there is even some play equipment here. However, it still really isn't one of my favourites.

I only came to this park so I could see the old railway bridge, and it is certainly pretty…read moreimpressive. The park has a pretty large pond, and lots of guess, though they weren't all that aggressive, which is a pretty good thing because I heard that they can be at times. It is a rather lovely park, with an old-style entrance which certainly does give it some character. Yeah, it would certainly be a nice place for a picnic.