The Explorer - Cranbourne Gardens

A feast for the senses

We visited the Cranbourne Gardens as part of a retirees group excursion. Some of our members had never been to the gardens and were blown away by the experience. The number and variety of trees and shrubs is a feast for the senses. We went on the The Explorer trip which was a great way to get an overview of the whole area and learn about the different plants. Our guide was knowledgable and friendly and made the trip very enjoyable. The Explorer trip was a great way to work out which areas to explore further afterwards.

A Taste of Australian Botanics

The bus driver was very informative. It was interesting to note the differing vegetation in areas dedicated to to particular Australian states. The red soil 'desert' is amazing. We'll be back again in Spring.

Amazing Day Out at RBG Cranbourne!!!

We had an incredible day at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. The gardens were stunning, with a beautiful array of native plants and breathtaking landscapes. A special thank you to our tour guides, Simon and Linda. They were knowledgeable, engaging, and made our visit truly memorable. Their passion for the gardens and the local flora and fauna was evident and added a lot of value to our experience. We highly recommend a visit to RBG Cranbourne and will definitely be back. Thanks again to Simon and Linda for a wonderful day!

Cranbourne Botanical Garden’s visit

Wonderful native botanical plants and garden, winding paths, water scapes lovely level walking paths. Little garden scenes . Bus ride and commentary Beas excellent. Great for all ages fitness and abilities Great cafe too

Cranbourne BotanicGardens

My mother, sister and I visited the Cranbourne Botanical Gardens yesterday. It was a pleasant sunny day. We were amazed by the beautiful landscaping and planting of native plants. Lovely areas of different varieties of plants and picturesque settings and themes. All immaculately cared for. Beautiful water scapes and themes. Easy to get about either by shuttle bus $15 or beautiful level Walking paths. Suitable for Wheelchairs or walkers, strollers and children, folk of all She’s and abilities. A great cafe too. Meals, rolls, sandwiches drinks etc

Aussie garden explorer

The tour guide was friendly and informative. It was slow paced allowing the passengers to take in the natural surroundings.

Tour with USA couple

This was a great morning, we were the only people on the Explorer. The guide was excellent and our American friends thoroughly enjoyed their time with us there. he was a retired landscape gardener from California so knew a lot of the plants.

SUPER DAY OUT AT CRANBOURNE GARDENS

NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT I WAS BLOWN AWAY WITH THE SCOPE AND BEAUTY OF THE GARDENS. THE STAFF WERE FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL. THE TOUR WAS EXCELLENT AND OUR DRIVER AND GUIDE, PETER, WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND HIS BRIGHT PERSONALITY MADE THE TOUR ENTERTAINING. LUNCH AT THE CAFE WAS DELICIOUS TOP MARKS ALL ROUND FOR A SUPER DAY OUT. NEXT TIME I'LL BRING THE GRANDCHILDREN AND A PICNIC IN THE BUSHLAND

Short but sweet

Took the kids to the gardens just to get them out of the house and decided to book a bus tour to kill some time. It was advertised as taking 30 minutes but it was over in 15. I'm glad we went during the holidays, because that meant the kids got to ride for free. I couldn't justify the cost if that weren't the case. The tour guide was lovely and did a great job at telling us all about the different areas of the gardens and we even got to see a bandicoot that was trying to sneak a peek at people's picnics. The bus tour is definitely aimed more towards tourists, and i would recommend it for anyone visiting Australia as the tour really helps to understand Australia's different climates, wildlife and landscapes. The kids really enjoyed it, which was the most important thing for me.

All aboard!

Outstanding & a non-negotiable: a informative, expert, insightful and comfortable experience that gives you an overview of all aspects of the Garden in every season! Your visit will be the richer for it and it is soooo reasonably priced!

The bus experience made...

The bus experience made it much more interesting for the kids. Our driver was very entertaining and knowledgeable.

Wonderful birthday.

We had a wonderful day at the gardens with family and friends to celebrate my birthday. The bus tour was an excellent way to get a good overview of the whole place then we did some walking it was amazing! We have all agreed to come back in spring. Thank you for a wonderful day out.

Highly recommended for those with mobility issues

What an amazing adventure! I booked online for a scooter and it was ready and waiting for me. We got coffees from the beautiful cafe and off we went looking around the Gardens. The two hour hire was the perfect amount of time for us to see most of it. It’s such an amazing peaceful experience to go through the mobility scooter isn’t too loud

Garden overview tour

Peter was a friendly and informative guide, the bus was comfortable and the Australian garden is amazingly beautiful and interesting

Beautiful Gardens and very family friendly

Loved the gardens and its well worth a visit. Only problem went as a single and the cafe is unable to cater and there is no outdoor eating area, but there are some beautiful picnic areas so again well worth packing a picnic lunch. Also took a tour (with Peter) and for me it was money well spent and gave me an overall picture of the grounds and then I was able to wonder around. Will go back with a bike to explore the wider more natural area of the grounds. Take the family and head off to explore you will not be disappointed.

Wonderful experience at Cranbourne Botanical Gardens

Wonderful display of native plants. The train is well worth the extra. Learnt so much about the native flora and fauna. Amazing that parking and entrance are free. Lots of guides around to answer any questions.

One day in the garden

My first visit was in 2012, and now back again 2024z what a different. Still an awsam place to visit. Start with the bus to hear the story and have an overview. Then walk around an feel the silence and see thoose fabolous plants and flowers. We will come back

Cranbourne - plants, bandicoots & bellbirds

The Garden Group from our retirement village thoroughly enjoyed the day. The Explorer highlights included an excellent and informed commentary plus humour, bandicoots and bell birds! Lunch in the cafe topped off a great day! Staff were most obliging in the organising of the trip beforehand too! Margaret

Great

This really is a lovely place. Run by lovely people. Not commercialised. Celebrating and showing the genuine Australian land.. We loved it. The 35 minute Australian garden guided drive is a must.

Highly recommend

I’ve wanted to go here for years. We loved the gardens , the tour on the bus . We did the wet lands walk . It’s wonderful to see a place that showcases Australia’s flora . Actually saw a bandicoot too .

Best driver guide ever!!!

We were impressed not only for how large and beautiful the Cranbourne Gardens were but for the amazing Explorer bus driver/guide. Simon really knew it all, provided so much information during the entire tour, and you could realise how passionate he was by sharing his knowledge. He was also so happy to answer all the questions. Simon is not only so knowledgeable but very charismatic and entertaining. BEST GUIDE EVER!!!

Tour, wonderful park

Amazing Cranbourne Botanic Gardens exceeded all expectations with their exceptional tour. The staff was incredibly friendly, and the cafe offered a delightful array of delicious food. It was truly a great experience for everyone involved.

A great day out .

The Botanic gardens are an excellent example of our Australian bush from many areas . The mini train that takes you around gives you a great overview of the area . And lots of information . On a cooler day we would now walk around again . The cafe and gift shop worth a visit and all you deal with were very happy to work there . It’s about 7 years since we were there and it’s a credit to you all . Thanks. - a great day out .

Getting around with the motot wheel chair.

Have been visiting the arden since it was opened. This time I needed the motor wheel chair. It was the only way I could get around, and without it we would not have gone. I am so thank ful for it. Unfortunately I had to walk, or better said, stagger and limp from the car to the visitor centre under quite a bit of pain. The wheel chair was available for 2 hours, I took a bit longer to get around, and 'raced' back over the last half of the circuit, may be I should have requested it for longer since it appears there were no other bookings, and the staff were friendly, engaged and helpful. One is instructed before starting off as to operation and rules regarding the motor wheel chair, there is also a guide to the gardens including where it can be used. Other visitors were very considerate, which contibuted to a rememberable time; the Goldilocks weather made the day even better. When I am better and time permitting will visit again. We try to pick different times of year as the garden is ever changing. Many thanks to those who make the gardens possible

Beautiful gardens

Beautiful gardens and very helpful and friendly staff. We booked a free mobility scooter which was fantastic for my dad to get around the gardens.

Well worth a visit!

We had a really enjoyable day at the gardens with family! The Explorer bus means that you can have a good overview of the various areas of the gardens. The information from the guide was interesting and informative. There are plenty of areas for the children to run and play. The restaurant had lovely food and the service was excellent.

Great was good

Was a nice place to visit. Went on the tour with Peter who was excellent. You can tell he really enjoys his job and is very knowledgeable. Kids enjoyed the water area, would be nice to see more things involving water for the kids

A perfect day out

We loved the electric cart tour at the start of our visit. The guide was funny, knowledgable and helpful. It was a great way to get an overview of the vast beautiful gardens. My 93 year old Mum even had a drive around in one of the free mobility chairs. Her first time in one of these. So easy and it made it possible for us all to see more. The cafe serves a wide range of excellent meals and snacks. The gardens themselves are stunning. Would love to come back with a picnic!

Love this gorgeous bus tour

Such a gorgeous place, we loved the tour. Peter was incredibly knowledgeable, fun and pleasant. Would love the tour to go for a little longer. On a side note - the signage to get into the gardens wasn't great!

Loop of the Gardens

Had a lovely day at Cranbourne Gardens and recommend The Explorer tour, it is a 20 minute loop around the gardens that gives a good view of the whole site with interesting commentary.

Lovely introduction to the gardens and their story.

We'd been here several times previously, but never taken the Explorer tour - so glad we did: Peter was a delightful guide, lovely manner, and we learnt so much more about these fascinating gardens. Recommend.

Perfect garden tours

Highly recommend doing the bus tour around the gardens - great for all ages and the commentary provided a wonderful insight in to the various gardens. Very picturesque to see the flowers in Summer and very comfortable way to get around for all age groups

Stop and smell the Flora!

It was some time since we came last time. This time it was spectacular. It is great to see Australian Botanicals in fantastic settings. The first thing to do is take a ride on the Explorer. This gives visitors an insight to the layout and the different varieties of flora. When we retraced our steps and found the Peppermint Garden, our Grandson(9 yrs) went into absolute joyous rapture. He and we could not believe the range of different aromas and smells! Yes, we did smell the Boronias! They were glorious with a very distinctive aroma. It was an exciting day with surprises at every turn. The Cafe served great toasties and coffees. No wonder it was very busy! All in all, it was a fantastic day out!

A Day at the Royal Botanical Gardens - Cranbourne

Enjoyed the time at the RBGC, the trip on the Explorer was informative and diverse, just as the flora in the gardens is. Lots of photo's taken.

Lovely snd intetesting place to spend some time

Took the bus tour around. Guide was informative and friendly as were all the staff I encountered. Really interesting place and some fascinating looking plants. Australia has many unique landscapes. Worth a trip

Experience the Explorer

A great overview of the expansive gardens was provided by guide and driver, Peter. The Explorer travels through diverse landscapes, the features of which are clearly explained by Peter. From the Explorer, you see close-up examples of rare and unusual plant specimens and the wildlife living in the gardens. The view from the Explorer makes it an easy, all-abilities and all-weather way in which to enjoy the Cranbourne RBG.

A great Australian experience

Fantastic space, well supported for all mobilities and ages. My 3rd time there and it is really maturing

Amazing

Amazing! Engaging tour leader and beautiful view. The place is a bit too far from the city, so better take your own car than public transport like I did.

Cranbourne - late spring

A delightful tour for our group of 8, though a bit cramped. A lovely way to see the garden, particularly as our driver/guide Sue provided us with lots of information about the garden, individual plants and amusing anecdotes. Glorious display of kangaroo paws while we were there.

Mobility scooter opens up the gardens

Spring is a beautiful time of year, with blossoms and many different birds. The electric mobility scooter made it possible for us to visit and see the gardens. A fantastic service in a wonderful place.

A really nice tour

We went on the exporer tour on cup day. Our tour guide was Eliseo who made our time very enjoyable. He provided lots of information and made it really interesting. We highly recommended.

An amazing visit to Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens

The whole visit was amazing. The explorer ride around the gardens was brilliant and the driver was so knowledgeable and answered all the answers that the people asked about the gardens and plants Will certainly visit again

Botanical Gardens Cranbourne

We had a wonderful experience. Our bus driver Peter was so welcoming and informative. We can’t wait to visit again. Beautiful and family friendly.

Loved the Explorer Bus

What a lovely morning we enjoyed at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. Peter from the Explorer Bus was very interesting and informative and lunch at the Cafe was of an extremely high standard in both food, presentation and service, as usual. A beautiful Gift Shop and excellent ammenities too.

Beautiful year round

Absolutely beautiful place any time of year. Mostly fairly flat for walking but this time took the explorer tour which was hosted by the extremely knowledgeable and friendly Sue, really a lovely way to see the gardens and learn a bit along the way. Highly recommend.

Something different every season

I've been to these gardens a few times and they are always lovely, and I always find something new. This time I was delighted to see a couple of real bandicoots as well as the giant sculpture, and also discovered some colours of waratah and common heath I had never seen before. The birds are always amazing. On this occasion I brought a young relative who had never been before, so we went on the Explorer bus for a bit of information and an overview of the gardens, and the guide was very informative and pointed out interesting things along the way.

A relaxing afternoon in the garden

On a warm day the Explorer was a good way of gaining a general viewing of the gardens with some information about the layout of the gardens. The garden themselves are well layed out and you are never far from the visitor centre/ car park. There was plenty of space for picnic blankets and deck chairs in the shade for a quick relax or doze.

Great day of fun and learning at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne!

The tour of the gardens in the Explorer bus was enjoyable. It was great to learn about native Australian species of plants and birds. The gardens were well maintained. My son loved playing in the rockpool! We will definitely visit again! :)

Scooting around the Gardens

It was easy to book the electric scooter I needed to explore the Gardens. The staff were very helpful and the scooter worked very well. It's been years since I have been able to enjoy the Cranbourne Botanic Gardens on foot. I was very pleased to be able to be there again.

Cranbourne Botanic Gardens

Grandma with 4 & 7 year old grand daughters, loved the electric bus trip around the gardens, the 7 yo was back identifying Bottle Tree, Waratahs, Grevilleas, Banksias and other plants when we got off and started walking around on our own and was excited when she was able to hear and then spot two Bell Miners that our driver said were really hard to find. Both love wading in the rock stream. Thanks Garden people, well done!