Correction (11 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources between 9 October 2026 and 11 October 2026.
This guide covers six parks and gardens in and around Elsternwick: Hopetoun Gardens and Rippon Lea Estate in Elsternwick, Princes Park and Aileen Avenue Park in Caulfield South, Gardenvale Park in Gardenvale, and Greenmeadows Gardens in St Kilda East.
Each place was checked against OpenStreetMap and an official page, either a council page or the place’s own site. The features below are the ones those pages list. This page prints no route distances or entry prices, so check the official page before you go.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Playground and rotunda | Hopetoun Gardens | Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick |
| An estate with listed daily hours | Rippon Lea Estate | 192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick |
| Playground, rotunda, picnic area | Princes Park | 277 Bambra Road, Caulfield South |
| Grass, playground and BBQ | Gardenvale Park | Gardenia Road, Gardenvale |
| Large playground, picnic tables | Greenmeadows Gardens | Green Street, St Kilda East |
| A council park listing | Aileen Avenue Park | Aileen Avenue, Caulfield South |
Hopetoun Gardens — Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick VIC 3185
The council page lists a playground, rotunda, picnic facilities and extensive green space. It places the gardens on Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick, and OpenStreetMap names them. This page prints no hours for them.
Start at: the council lists Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick; choose your stop in the PTV journey planner.
Rippon Lea Estate — 192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick VIC 3185
OpenStreetMap and the estate’s own site agree on 192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick. The site lists open daily, 10am – 5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm. This page prints no entry price, and the estate is not a council park, so check the estate’s site for admission before you go.
Weather call: read the Bureau of Meteorology forecast first, and allow for the last entry time the site lists.
Princes Park — 277 Bambra Road, Caulfield South VIC 3162
The council page describes an on-leash part of the park that includes the playground, rotunda, picnic area, car parks and open space along Hawthorn Road. Its page prints the address as 277 Bambra Road, Caulfield South. OpenStreetMap names the park.
Water and toilets: this page prints nothing on either, so check the council page before you go.
Gardenvale Park — Gardenia Road, Gardenvale VIC 3185
The council says the park provides a large grass area, playground, BBQ facilities and rotunda. It lists the location as Gardenia Road, Gardenvale, and OpenStreetMap names the park.
Turn-around point: the council describes a park, not a route, so this page gives no turn-around.
Greenmeadows Gardens — Green Street, St Kilda East VIC 3183
This one is in St Kilda East, not Elsternwick. The council page describes a large playground, open space and plenty of picnic tables, and lists the location as Green Street, St Kilda East. OpenStreetMap names the gardens.
Distance / grade / surface: this page prints none of the three, because the council page describes a park, not a trail.
Aileen Avenue Park — Aileen Avenue, Caulfield South VIC 3162
The council page lists Aileen Avenue, Caulfield South, and OpenStreetMap names the park. This page copies no facilities for it.
Start at: Aileen Avenue, Caulfield South, as the council page lists it; confirm the details there.
Quick answers
Which parks near Elsternwick have a playground?
The council text quoted on this page names a playground at Hopetoun Gardens, Princes Park, Gardenvale Park and Greenmeadows Gardens. Greenmeadows Gardens is in St Kilda East. This page copies no facilities for Aileen Avenue Park, so check its council page.
What are the Rippon Lea Estate opening hours?
The estate’s site lists open daily, 10am – 5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm. Check the site before you go, since hours can change.
Which parks near Elsternwick have a rotunda?
The council text quoted on this page names a rotunda at Hopetoun Gardens, Princes Park and Gardenvale Park. Check the council pages for Greenmeadows Gardens and Aileen Avenue Park.
Which part of Princes Park is on-leash?
The council page describes an on-leash part of Princes Park, 277 Bambra Road, Caulfield South, that includes the playground, rotunda, picnic area, car parks and open space along Hawthorn Road. This page copies no rules for the rest of the park, so check the council page before you go.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources between 9 October 2026 and 11 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, council pages and the places’ own websites. Facilities and opening hours change, so check the official page before you go. The photos are illustrative, from Unsplash: they show the kind of place, not the places on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Hopetoun Gardens: openstreetmap.org/179550137, gleneira.vic.gov.au/hopetoun-gardens
- Rippon Lea Estate: openstreetmap.org/27858621, ripponleaestate.com.au, ripponleaestate.com.au/visit-and-contact
- Princes Park: openstreetmap.org/28918073, gleneira.vic.gov.au/princes-park
- Gardenvale Park: openstreetmap.org/32455920, gleneira.vic.gov.au/gardenvale-park
- Greenmeadows Gardens: openstreetmap.org/32920620, gleneira.vic.gov.au/greenmeadows-gardens
- Aileen Avenue Park: openstreetmap.org/1085778677, gleneira.vic.gov.au/aileen-avenue-park
