The Carlton Gardens are among Australia’s most significant heritage gardens. Together with the Royal Exhibition Building, they were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 1 July 2004.

The gardens were originally laid out in the 1850s, with the southern part redesigned to provide the setting for the Royal Exhibition Building during the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition and remaining largely intact since. The northern part was built over in 1880 and again in 1888 during a second Exhibition. The present North Gardens were laid out following demolition of the buildings erected for this exhibition.

The Carlton Gardens of today are much loved by Melburnians and visitors alike and form a key component of our capital city and inner-urban regional open space network. They provide a valuable recreational space for Melbourne residents, workers and visitors.

In 2022-23, we will be investing $190,000 for the Carton Gardens Master Plan Implementation and submit the Master Plan to Heritage Victoria as part of the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens World Heritage Master Plan review.

As part of the review of the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens World Heritage Management Plan, led by Heritage Victoria, the Carlton Gardens Master Plan is being reviewed.

The plan was endorsed by Council on 7 June 2022.

Read the endorsed plan

News

Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Community consultation on the World Heritage Management Plan (Heritage Victoria)

    1 June to 27 July 2020

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    Future Melbourne Committee approves draft for consultation

    5 October 2021

  • Timeline item 3 - complete

    Consultation commences

    6 October 2021

  • Timeline item 4 - complete

    Exhibition Reserve Master Plan consultation opens (Museums Victoria)

    15 October 2021

  • Timeline item 5 - complete

    Online focus group

    8 November 2021

  • Timeline item 6 - complete

    Pop-up kiosk in Carlton South (format subject to change)

    13 November 2021

  • Timeline item 7 - complete

    Pop-up kiosk in Carlton North (format subject to change)

    17 November 2021

  • Timeline item 8 - complete

    Consultation closes

    21 November 2021

  • Timeline item 9 - complete

    Final Master Plan goes to Future Melbourne Committee for approval

    7 June 2022

  • Timeline item 10 - active

    Consultation and review of World Heritage Management Plan (Heritage Victoria)

    2022

Project overview

Find out more about the proposed works in the draft Carlton Gardens Master Plan.

Community consultation

Feedback we heard on the draft Carlton Gardens Master Plan.

Contact us

Have questions or want to learn more about the project?