Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens to Host Concerts Under ‘Live At The Gardens’ Series

Melbourne’s botanic gardens will be transformed into Australia’s freshest live music space for Live At The Gardens.

A creation of the team behind A Day On The Green, the new summer concert series will convert the lawns of the Royal Botanic Gardens into a new outdoor concerts area, launching November 2024 over two weekends.

Then, in March 2025, another run of gigs, with Live At The Gardens expected to become an ongoing event.

Live At The Gardens is presented at a challenging time for music festival operators everywhere, under stress from the rising cost of logistics and securing talent, punters’ shrinking wallets, and more, a situation that has forced several well-known brands to take a break, or call time.  

The new project is a “one-of-a-kind music festival” creating an “experience that celebrates music, nature and community,” comments Michael Newton, director of Roundhouse Entertainment, producers of Live At The Gardens and A Day On The Green.

The patch at the Observatory Precinct will host live music under the stars, with an “eclectic mix of performers” to be announced in the weeks ahead, Newton explains.

Roundhouse Entertainment is a joint venture with Mushroom Group. “Mushroom Group is focused on bringing unforgettable live music experiences to music fans and there is no better place to do that than in one of Melbourne’s most iconic locations, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne,” comments Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski. “We look forward to delivering an amazing series of shows with some very special talent in this stunning location.”

The greenfields concerts space will max-out at 5,000, reads a statement.

The collaboration, comments Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria acting director and CEO Chris Russell, blends the “stunning natural beauty of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne with world-class entertainment, to create an unforgettable concert experience that celebrates music, nature, and the vibrant culture of Melbourne.”

A Day On The Green, the popular winery concerts brand, celebrated its 500th show in 2022 with a concert by Crowded House (that number has since surpassed 530).

In the two-decades-plus since day one in 2001, more than four million have passed through its gates. Take That and Roxette are booked for the 2024-25 run, the 24th season of ADOTG.