Fitzroy Gardens - Melbourne
Few cities can boast a garden as magnificent as Fitzroy Gardens so close to the city centre. Valued for its historic, aesthetic, architectural, and horticultural significance, the garden is classified by the National Trust and is definitely worth exploring. Originally set aside as a reserve in 1848, the garden is home to the historic Cook's Cottage, presented to the people of Victoria as a gift for the state's centenary in 1934. The cottage was transported from the Yorkshire village of Great Ayton, UK, where Captain James Cook, one of the first Europeans to chart Australia's coast, lived from 1736-45. The cottage's furnishings and garden have been faithfully recreated from the period. Other features of the gardens include the conservatory (1930) that houses magnificent floral displays, a fairy tree carved by writer Ola Cohn, a model Tudor village, as well as an array of statues and fountains.