The Kings Domain is a urban parkland and an iconic part of the city centre of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia. The Domain surrounds Government House Reserve, the home of the governors of Victoria, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and the Shrine of Remembrance. The Domain is important to the people of the Eastern Kulin nation and also has historical importance for its association with the early settlement of Melbourne and the foundation of British colonial administration in Victoria.
Established in 1854 and initially cleared of trees, the Kings Domain gradually grew and extended further north-west. The area comprises lawns and pathways set among non-native and native Australian mature trees, a mixture of deciduous and evergreens. In the 19th century the Kings Domain was managed by the Director of the Botanic Gardens, so many of the trees were planted by Baron Ferdinand von Mueller and later by William Guilfoyle.
There are many memorial statues and sculptures spread throughout the Kings Domain.
Kings Domain is part of a larger area of parklands directly south-east of the city, bounded by the Yarra River, Anderson Street, Domain Road and St Kilda Road, collectively known as the Domain Parklands. In addition to the Kings Domain and Kings Doman South, these parklands also include Alexandra Gardens, Alexandra Park, Queen Victoria Gardens, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Gardens (Royal Botanic Gardens), Melbourne Observatory, the Shrine of Remembrance Reserve and Government House Reserve.
Heritage listings
The Domain Parkland and Memorial Precinct