Free and cheap · Free galleries, gardens, a free tram zone and penguins by ticket · Checked against operators’ own pages
Free and Cheap Things to Do in Melbourne, and When Paying Is Worth It
Live check just now: Yarra River cruise, one-hour public sailing from A$35.00
Find your Melbourne experience
A free day, in order
Every stop below costs nothing to enter. Only the penguin session needs a ticket in advance, and Parliament’s tour runs on weekdays, so shift the order to suit your day. Tram trips beyond the Free Tram Zone need a myki.
- Start in the Royal Botanic Gardens, open from 7:30am, then visit the Shrine of Remembrance, which opens at 10am.
- Spend midday at NGV International, open 10am to 5pm with free general entry.
- Take a tram into the Free Tram Zone for ACMI’s free exhibition at Federation Square, then go up Swanston Street to the State Library.
- On a weekday, join the free Parliament House tour on Spring Street; places are given out on arrival, and photo ID is needed.
- Finish the afternoon in Fitzroy Gardens and its Conservatory, a walk east along Flinders Street from Flinders Street Station.
- After dark, watch the little penguins from the free viewing platform at St Kilda Pier, with a ticket booked in advance.
Free gardens, and one free guided walk
Two gardens anchor a free day: the Royal Botanic Gardens and Fitzroy Gardens. Neither charges admission, and each has one paid extra you can skip.
See or book the Royal Botanic Gardens Explorer
Good to know
- Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne: open every day of the year from 7:30am, with free admission.
- Its free 90-minute guided walk starts at 10:30am Tuesday to Sunday, plus 1:30pm on weekends, all year. Bookings are essential.
- Fitzroy Gardens: the Conservatory, opened in 1930, shows five floral displays a year, and the Fairies’ Tree dates from 1934.
- From Flinders Street Station, walk along Flinders Street or take tram 48 or 75 east.
Riverbank and bay: Southbank and St Kilda
The free water views are the Yarra at Southbank and the little penguins at St Kilda Pier. The penguins cost nothing, but you need a ticket.
Good to know
- Southbank: the City of Melbourne lists watching the buskers along the Yarra as a free thing to do.
- St Kilda Pier: two viewing sessions a night, about 30 and 90 minutes after sunset, each limited to 150 people and lasting about 45 minutes.
- Tickets are free and released every Tuesday morning for the following week. They book out quickly.
- Arrive at least 10 minutes early; extreme weather can cancel a session.
Museums and libraries with free hours
Five indoor stops charge nothing on ordinary days. Special exhibitions and some events are the extras.
Good to know
- The State Library’s exhibitions, such as Ned Kelly’s armour, are free with no booking.
- Stand under the Dome in the La Trobe Reading Room, reached by stairs or lift from the Swanston Street entrance.
| Free window | The catch | |
|---|---|---|
| NGV International and Ian Potter Centre | Daily 10am to 5pm | Special exhibitions can charge; closed Christmas Day |
| ACMI | Daily 10am to 5pm | Some events are ticketed |
| State Library Victoria | Daily 10am to 6pm | Closed on four holidays; the upper Dome levels can be shut |
| Shrine of Remembrance | Daily 10am to 5pm, last entry 4:30pm | Closed Good Friday, Christmas Day and some maintenance days |
| Parliament House tour | Weekdays when Parliament is not sitting | No booking; photo ID needed; places fill quickly |
Nearly free, and worth it
The Free Tram Zone covers the centre, so the stops there cost nothing to reach. Beyond it, a myki trip costs money, but a daily cap limits the day.
Good to know
- Trams inside the zone need no myki and no tap; trains and buses inside it still need a valid ticket.
- The City Circle, route 35, is a free tram loop around the centre.
Free versus paid: our verdicts
Four free-or-paid calls come up on every Melbourne budget. The free version comes first, and the paid one earns its place only for a specific reason.
See or book an NGV guided tour
| Option | Our verdict |
|---|---|
| The Royal Botanic Gardens on foot, versus the Explorer minibus | Walk it, or join the free guided walk. Pay for the minibus only if time or tired legs limit you. |
| NGV’s free galleries, versus a guided NGV tour | The collection is free to see; pay only for a guide’s context. That tour needs four guests to run. |
| Southbank’s riverbank, versus a Yarra cruise | The bank gives you the river for nothing; pay only if you want to see the city from the water. |
| A free St Kilda penguin session, versus a Phillip Island day trip | St Kilda is free but the tickets go fast. If none are left, a Phillip Island day trip is the paid fallback. |
When paying is worth it
Pay when a boat, a bus or a guide gives you something the free version cannot: the water-level view, rest for tired legs, or the story behind the paintings. Each option below is free to cancel up to 24 hours ahead.
See or book a Yarra River cruise
Good to know
- Yarra cruise: a one-hour public sailing, from A$35.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Explorer: a 30-minute commentary ride in the gardens, from A$18.
- NGV guided tour: about 30 Western paintings over 3.5 hours, from A$130.
| Item | A$ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Yarra River cruise, one-hour public sailing | A$35 | ≈ US$24 |
| Royal Botanic Gardens Explorer, 30 minutes | A$18 | ≈ US$12 |
| NGV guided tour, about 3.5 hours | A$125 | ≈ US$86 |
Melbourne tours and activities on Mubboo
Paying is worth it for a Yarra cruise from A$35, a gardens minibus from A$18, or an NGV guide from A$130; the rest of this page stays free.
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
What it costs, and where to book
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation. Amounts over 20 are rounded up. Ticket prices are per person for the first reviewed ticket and change by date.
Where paying is worth it, and where it is not
Spend where free stops: a river cruise, a gardens minibus or a guide at the NGV. The gardens, galleries, library, Parliament tour and penguin platform stay free.
Mubboo compares flights and tours and may earn a commission when a traveller uses a partner link. Booking and payment happen with the provider.
Questions people ask
Is the Free Tram Zone really free, and do I need a myki?
Trams inside the central zone need no myki and no tap. Trains and buses in it still need a ticket, and a tram trip that starts or ends outside it does too.
Are the St Kilda penguins free to watch?
Yes, but by ticket. The two nightly sessions are free, tickets are released every Tuesday for the following week, and extreme weather can cancel a session.
Is the National Gallery of Victoria free?
General entry to NGV International and the Ian Potter Centre is free every day from 10am to 5pm. Special exhibitions can charge.
Can I see the State Library’s Dome for free?
Yes, from the floor of the La Trobe Reading Room whenever the library is open. The upper Dome levels are closed at times.
Is Parliament House free to visit?
Yes. Public tours are free on weekdays when Parliament is not sitting, need photo ID and cannot be booked; places are given out on arrival and fill quickly.
Are the Royal Botanic Gardens free?
Yes, every day of the year, from 7:30am. The guided walk is free too but needs a booking, and the Explorer minibus is a paid extra.
Plan deeper in Melbourne
Sources (18)
Every figure above was checked on the dates shown.
- Mubboo reviewed ticket options for Melbourne (the booking platform destination 384); per-person prices read when the page is built — mubboo.flights/melbourne/tours (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours search, Melbourne (the booking platform destination 384) — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=384&mode=keyword&term=phillip%20island%20penguin&language=en¤cy=USD&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)
- City of Melbourne: What’s On, Getting around by public transport (Free Tram Zone boundaries, myki rules) — whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/visitor-info/getting-around/public-transport (checked 2026-09-19)
- City of Melbourne: Public transport (Free Tram Zone, City Circle Tram) — www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/public-transport (checked 2026-09-19)
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Melbourne Gardens (hours, free admission) — www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Free Guided Walk (times, bookings) — www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/whats-on-melbourne/free-guided-walk/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Gardens Explorer (duration, paid ride) — www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/whats-on-melbourne/gardens-explorer/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- City of Melbourne: Fitzroy Gardens (Conservatory, Fairies’ Tree, how to get there) — www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/fitzroy-gardens (checked 2026-09-19)
- City of Melbourne: Free things to do in Melbourne every day (Conservatory, Southbank buskers; last updated 4 May 2026) — whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/article/free-things-to-do-in-melbourne-every-day (checked 2026-09-19)
- National Gallery of Victoria: Plan your visit (hours, free entry, special exhibitions) — www.ngv.vic.gov.au/plan-your-visit/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- ACMI: Plan your visit (hours, free entry, Free Tram Zone) — www.acmi.net.au/plan-your-visit/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- State Library Victoria: Opening hours (hours, closed days, temporary Dome closures) — www.slv.vic.gov.au/visit/opening-hours (checked 2026-09-19)
- State Library Victoria: La Trobe Reading Room (access to the Dome) — www.slv.vic.gov.au/visit/our-magnificent-spaces/la-trobe-reading-room (checked 2026-09-19)
- State Library Victoria: Ned Kelly’s armour (free, no bookings) — www.slv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/ned-kellys-armour (checked 2026-09-19)
- Shrine of Remembrance: Plan your visit (free admission, hours, closed days) — www.shrine.org.au/plan-your-visit (checked 2026-09-19)
- Parliament of Victoria: Free public tour of Parliament House — www.parliament.vic.gov.au/visit/public-tour/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Phillip Island Nature Parks: St Kilda Penguin Viewing Experience (free tickets, sessions, release day) — www.penguins.org.au/attractions/st-kilda/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Parks Victoria: Little Penguins, St Kilda Pier and Breakwater (viewing platform, session limit) — www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/st-kilda-pier-and-breakwater/attractions/little-penguins (checked 2026-09-19)