Punt Tours Melbourne offer the opportunity to see the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne by punt, a flat bottomed boat similar to those used in Oxford and Cambridge. It’s been on my to-do list for a while and so I made a date with Lauren from Me and My Girl.
Each beautiful hand-crafted punt seats 8 people and is very stable. The lake is very shallow but children under 12 still need to wear life jackets and adult jackets are available too.
The punt rides are 30 minutes and your personal guide will tell you about the gardens and the wildlife as you gently glide through the water.
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It’s a great experience with kids as the ride is long enough to be interesting but short enough that they don’t lose focus. You’ll spot ducks, swans and birds and if you’re lucky, eels and turtles. You’ll get close up to the islands of the lake where the birdlife nests.
There are lots of ‘look mum’ moments and photogenic scenes.
The plush velvet seats of the punt, cushions and blankets also make it the perfect place to have a nap, as demonstrated by Baby 2.0. And parasols and umbrellas are provided if needed!
The punt costs $25 per adult (minimum 2 adults) and the best deal is if you go with children 4 years and under as they are free.
I loved our boat ride with Punt Tours Melbourne. It has to be one of the most unique and relaxing ways to appreciate the Garden’s ornamental lake, the wildlife and discover hidden parts of the gardens that are otherwise hard to access.
Combine your punt ride with a visit to the Children’s Garden, a delightful space with plants, water, structures and pathways in a gated area. It’s a great spot for some unstructured exploration and a picnic and on hot days the water play is particularly popular.
HOT Tips:
- prebook your punt tour as it can get busy over summer, especially weekends;
- all kids wear life jackets and they are available for adults if you want;
- punts seat max 8 people;
- meet at the Ornamental Lake, near the Terrace Cafe inside Gate A (cnr Alexandra Ave and Anderson St);
- you can leave prams and other belongings on shore if you like as someone is there to man the stall;
- visit the Children’s Garden and/or Jardin Tan cafe as part of your trip;
- parking is limited around the gardens so best to travel by tram going down St Kilda Road, though the punt tour starts at the other end of the gardens.
