Get the picnic ready! The Royal Botanic Gardens are reopening

After two closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Royal Botanic Gardens are reopening!

The Melbourne gardens reopen at 7.30am Saturday, while the Cranbourne gardens will open their gates at 9am on Monday.

The weather this weekend isn’t exactly ideal for a picnic, but if you’re willing to brave the rain, and live within five kilometres of one of the gardens, you can enjoy a picnic there with one other person for up to two hours under the current rules.

From Monday, five people from two households are expected to be allowed to gather outdoors.

Royal Botanic Gardens director, Tim Entwisle, says he expects the gardens will be popular among those within the five kilometre radius.

“It’s a great place to wander through,” he said.

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