Kings Domain

King's Domain draws its name from the celebration of Melbourne's centenary in 1935, when 17 hectares of land within the grounds of Government House were transferred to public parklands of the Domain.

The King's Domain is situated off St Kilda Road (south of Hamer Hall and Arts Centre) and shares a common border with the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Observatory and Government House Reserves.

It comprises mature trees set in extensive lawns. Situated within the parklands is La Trobe Cottage, the Pioneer Women's Memorial Garden and the Stapley Pavillion. Also within the King's Domain is the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, an amphitheatre that is the venue for popular and classical musical events.

In the autumn and winter months, it is sometimes converted into a public ice-skating rink. A nice feature of King's Domain is a fern gully with steps leading down to a small pool. The fernery was originally a quarry, with the ferns planted last century.