Alexandra Gardens

Located on the southern bank of the Yarra River, opposite Federation Square and the Melbourne Central Business District in Victoria, Australia, the Alexandra Gardens is a stunning and well-maintained park.

Spanning acres of land, the Gardens are part of the Domain Parklands, a large group of parklands south-east of the city, which includes the popular Royal Botanic Gardens, Kings Domain, Alexandra Gardens, and Queen Victoria Gardens.

The Alexandra Gardens were first laid out in 1901, under the direction of Carlo Catani, the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department. The Gardens were named in honor of Alexandra of Denmark, in the year her reign as Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, and the British Dominions and Empress consort of India began. The Gardens had been previously used for grazing cattle, timber cutting, and as a brickmakers' field. Regular flooding occurred until a new channel for the Yarra River was dug between 1896 to 1900, which straightened and widened the river.

The Gardens offer various sports and recreational activities for visitors. Pedestrian and cycle access to the gardens is via steps or a ramp from Princes Bridge or along the promenade from Southbank under Princes Bridge. There is vehicular access provided by Boathouse Drive from Alexandra Avenue. Bicycle hire is available next to Princes Bridge, providing access to Capital City Trail along the river, and other scenic cycling routes. The Alexandra Gardens skate park also opened in 2001, with a first aid station and café close to some spectacular Canary Island Palms, which were planted in 1911.

Alexandra Gardens is also known for its affiliation with various rowing clubs. Amongst the boathouses that nestle beside