Free things to do · Melbourne · Australia
12 free things to do in Melbourne
Melbourne without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Shkuru Afshar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 4 days in Melbourne without paying an entry fee: Federation Square and Flinders Street Station, Hosier Lane and the CBD laneways, National Gallery of Victoria and Queen Victoria Market are all free. Ride the free trams within the CBD and Docklands; you only need a fare once you leave the zone.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 12
- Low-cost extras
- 1
- Cost level
- Expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- May–August
Free sights and experiences
Landmark · Melbourne CBD
1.Federation Square and Flinders Street Station
Meet 'under the clocks' at Flinders Street Station like locals do, then cross to the Ian Potter Centre for the free Australian art collection.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
Street · Melbourne CBD
2.Hosier Lane and the CBD laneways
Go beyond Hosier Lane: Croft Alley off Little Bourke Street and the lanes around Flinders Lane have equally good art and far fewer people.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Food
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Gallery · Southbank
3.National Gallery of Victoria
Lie on the carpet in the Great Hall, as locals do, to take in Leonard French's huge stained-glass ceiling.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
- Architecture
Market · Melbourne CBD
4.Queen Victoria Market
Go in the morning for the best produce, and check the market calendar first: it does not trade every day, and night markets run on selected evenings.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Free
- History
Garden · South Yarra
5.Royal Botanic Gardens
Walk part of the Tan, the 3.8 km running track around the edge of the gardens, or join locals picnicking by the Ornamental Lake.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
- Couples
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Historic site · Kings Domain
6.Shrine of Remembrance
Climb to the upper balconies for the view straight up St Kilda Road and Swanston Street to the CBD skyline.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
- Architecture
Waterfront · St Kilda
7.St Kilda foreshore and pier
Arrive around dusk to see the little penguins return to the breakwater; keep your voice down and never use a camera flash.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- After dark
- Couples
- Nature
Museum · Federation Square
8.ACMI
Pick up a free Lens at the entrance to bookmark exhibits as you go, then look them up online later.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Art
Architecture · Melbourne CBD
9.State Library Victoria
Take the lift to the top gallery level for the classic view down into the domed reading room.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Fitzroy
10.Brunswick Street and Fitzroy
Walk from Gertrude Street up Brunswick Street, then cut across to Smith Street in Collingwood for dinner.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Art
- Food
- After dark
Street · Melbourne CBD
11.Chinatown
Come hungry in the evening, when the lanes off Little Bourke Street fill with diners and neon.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- History
- After dark
- Free
Historic site · Abbotsford
12.Abbotsford Convent
Combine it with the Collingwood Children's Farm next door, where children can meet farm animals beside the river.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Free
- Art
- Kids
- Outdoors
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne CBD | Federation Square and Flinders Street Station, Hosier Lane and the CBD laneways, Queen Victoria Market, State Library Victoria and Chinatown | 1–2 hours + 2–3 hours + 1–2 hours + 1 hour + 1–2 hours |
| Southbank | National Gallery of Victoria | 2–3 hours |
| South Yarra | Royal Botanic Gardens | 1–3 hours |
| Kings Domain | Shrine of Remembrance | 1 hour |
| St Kilda | St Kilda foreshore and pier | 2–3 hours |
| Federation Square | ACMI | 1.5–2 hours |
| Fitzroy | Brunswick Street and Fitzroy | Half a day |
| Abbotsford | Abbotsford Convent | 2 hours |
Worth a small ticket
Museum · Carlton
Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition Building
Check the museum's site for guided tours of the Royal Exhibition Building's interior, which is otherwise mainly used for events.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Architecture
- Nature
More ways to save
- Ride the free trams within the CBD and Docklands; you only need a fare once you leave the zone.
- The NGV collections, ACMI, the State Library, the Shrine and the Royal Botanic Gardens are all free.
- Daily myki fares are capped, with a lower cap at weekends, so pack your longer tram rides into one day.
- Chinatown, Victoria Street in Richmond and Sydney Road in Brunswick serve filling meals at modest prices.
- Hotel prices jump during the Australian Open, the Grand Prix, the AFL Grand Final and Melbourne Cup week; book early or avoid those dates.
- Weekday lunch specials and pub parma nights are good-value ways to eat well.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Melbourne expensive to visit?
Melbourne is expensive for most visitors, but 12 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Melbourne?
Federation Square and Flinders Street Station: Meet 'under the clocks' at Flinders Street Station like locals do, then cross to the Ian Potter Centre for the free Australian art collection.