Running
Australia’s running capital: Where to run in Melbourne
If you can handle the weather, Melbourne feels like a city made for running - from the beach to the many parks and gardens, and the post-run refueling opportunities, there’s something for everyone.
If you’re headed to Melbourne for a long weekend, or even if you’re a local just getting into running, I’ve got you covered for the best places to run. Before we get into the specifics, it’s worth noting that inner Melbourne is pretty much laid out like a grid, without a heap of bridges or tunnels - meaning you can usually link a few different runs together if you’re going long, but we’ll get to that later.
If you’re staying in the heart of the city, you’ve got some great running right where you are. I won’t cover that here but you can head off in almost any direction and you’ll see something stunning. If in doubt - head to the ‘top’ of the city and the Fitzroy Gardens (not in Fitzroy!), which are a special place, you’ll love it.
Let's get into it!
01
Albert Park Lake
Albert Park Lake Run Melbourne
© Riley Wolff
Distance: 5km
Surface: Gravel path
Elevation: Nil
Albert Park Lake is quintessentially Melbourne. It has become globally recognised thanks to Formula 1, but it holds an equally special place in the hearts of Melbourne’s running community. What makes it so good? Well for starters, it’s almost exactly 5km for a lap of the lake (~4.9km on the gravel path on the waters edge, or ~5.1km on the road circuit), it’s perfectly flat, and offers stunning views of the Melbourne skyline.
The gravel track has a number of drink taps, public bathrooms, and places to take a break, and hosts one of the country's biggest Parkruns every Saturday morning. Albert Park is also a famous training location for the Melbourne Track Club - the leading professional running group in Australia, so if you’re out jogging on a Thursday or Friday and someone zooms past you, they might be an Olympian.
The lake is also home to a thriving population of ducks and swans, and it’s not uncommon for road traffic to come to a complete standstill for wandering swans and their baby cygnets.
Post-run, you’re close to a number of great places to recharge. You’re less than 2 kilometers to the beach if you’re looking for a dip, and also close to cultural treasures like South Melbourne Market. My personal pick would be St. Ali for a classic Melbourne quality breakfast or lunch - just head straight up Clarendon Street from the park.
Albert Park Run Melbourne
© Natural Earth Data, Mapbox, OpenStreetMap
Check it out on Strava here.
02
Princes Park
Princes Park Run Melbourne
© Riley Wolff
Distance: 3.1km
Surface: Gravel path
Elevation: Nil
Princes Park is located a couple of kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD, and is a great place to check out if you’re exploring Melbourne’s cultural centres around Collingwood, Fitzroy, or Carlton.
Princes Park was established way back in 1837, and hosts a number of sports fields, a tennis club, and is home to the Carlton Football Club in the AFL. The park has a gravel track around the outside that is perfect for running - a loop is just over 3 kilometres, with bathrooms and drink taps throughout.
You will see runners using Princes Park for different type of runs - it’s basically flat which makes it a great place for doing faster runs and it’s reasonably sheltered from the wind. The 3km loop also makes it ideal for those social jogs - you know the ones where you get chatting and all of a sudden 1 lap becomes 2 and before you know it you’ve smashed out 10km together.
You can hit Sydney Road afterward if you need to refuel or head over to Park St if you’re going east.
Princes Park Run Melbourne
© Natural Earth Data, MapBox, OpenStreetMap
Check it out on Strava here.
03
The Tan
The Tan Run Melbourne
© Riley Wolff
Distance: 3.8km
Surface: Gravel path
Elevation: There’s this hill…
You knew this was coming, didn’t you? You can’t talk about Melbourne running and not mention The Tan. It’s a lap around the outside of Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens, and first timers will quickly see why we love it so much. The gardens not only give great tree cover in summer, but the greenery provides a nice escape from the city - even though The Tan is less than 1 kilometre from Melbourne’s CBD.
There is one big hill, the infamous Anderson Street hill. It’s around 500m long and stings a bit, but don’t let it deter you from ticking The Tan off your list.
There’s a couple of pro tips here - after your run, make sure you head into the Botanic Gardens. Most runners will jog a lap (or more!) and leave without ever entering the gardens, which are stunning. You’ll also run right by the Shrine of Remembrance, which is worth checking out. The Shrine also offers the most perfect view of the city.
The best refuel? Gilson on Domain Road has a good vibe and it’s also excellent for people watching.
Something longer….
The Tan Run Melbourne
© Natural Earth Data, MapBox, OpenStreetMap
Check it out on Strava here.
04
Capital City Loop
Capital City Loop
© Riley Wolff
Distance: 29km
Surface: Bike path, road
Elevation: Some small hills
A Melbourne institution for anyone into long runs. ‘Cap City’ as we know it, is a 29 kilometre loop of Melbourne, predominantly on bike and pedestrian paths - with minimal road crossings and plenty of drink taps. One of the things I love about it is the constantly changing scenery - you’ll spend time along the Yarra and in the city, but at times you will also feel like you’re miles and miles out of Melbourne.
You can hop on and off anywhere, but it’s common to start from the banks of the Yarra River near The Tan, and head west. You’ll get to run along Southbank, then head right along the Docklands area past Marvel Stadium. You’ll wind along out to the north and then go past the Melbourne Zoo and through Princes Park.
Eventually, you’ll hit Dights Falls and the Collingwood Children’s Farm, where you might get to see farm animals such as goats, horses, and more. While the full loop is 29km, there are plenty of places to get a drink or hop off the loop and shortcut it back to the city. But if you are training for something like a marathon, the full loop is simply sublime.
Capital City Trail Run Melbourne
© Natural Earth Data, MapBox, OpenStreetMap
Check it out on Strava here.
05
Port Melbourne Beach
Port Melbourne Beach Run
© Riley Wolff
Distance: 10km+
Surface: Path
Elevation: Flat
Melbourne might not be able to claim beaches as good as Sydney’s, but what we lack in postcard perfect views, we make up for with ‘runnability’. There’s no steep cliffs or staircases to run up, just a perfectly flat and wide beach path overlooking the glassy waters of Port Phillip Bay.
Here’s how we like to do it. Starting at the end of Bay St, Port Melbourne, head south along the path. You can take this as far as you like - St Kilda Pier is about 4 kilometres away, Elwood Life Saving Club is around 7km, or you can head down to Brighton and beyond.
The beach is typically run as an out-and-back course - it's ideal for group runs or social catch ups, where you’re focused on the conversation but can still enjoy the views. I’ll be honest - you want to pick your days for this run as Melbourne can deliver some wild weather, but if you get a morning without a lot of wind there are few better spots in Melbourne for a run.
The other option would be to start at Bay St and head towards the West Gate Bridge and West Gate Park for a shorter run, but it’s not as scenic as staying along the beach.
Depending on where you finish, you’ll find somewhere good to post up. If you finish in St Kilda you’re right near the famous Ackland Street, one of Melbourne’s most vibrant areas. If you finish near Bay St in Port Melbourne you’ll also have nearly unlimited options.
Port Melbourne Beach Run
© Natural Earth Data, MapBox, OpenStreetMap
Check it out on Strava here.
06
Yarra Boulevard
Yarra Boulevard Run Melbourne
© Riley Wolff
Distance: 13km
Surface: path/road
Elevation: all of it
If you’re looking for some hills on your visit to Melbourne, I have the perfect place for you. Yarra Boulevard is a 6.3km stretch of little used road in Melbourne’s inner east, and probably sees more cyclist traffic each day than motor vehicles. It’s best described as undulating - there are few stretches of flat road on the loop, but it does offer some of the most stunning views of Melbourne as a reward for getting up the hills.
It also offers access to places like Studley Park Boathouse and numerous mtb and walking trails along the riverbank.
The best way to run it is to start at the Walmer Street entrance in Kew, and run all the way to Chandler Hwy, before returning and coming back. You’ll get around 12.5km of running and will be working hard.
If you know where to look, you can also observe a huge population of bats sleeping upside down in the trees on one section of the boulevard.
Yarra Boulevard Run Melbourne
© Natural Earth Data, MapBox, OpenStreetMap
Check it out on Strava here.
So there you have it, six great Melbourne runs that'll take you across the city and sights, from flat park runs to more challenging ascents, take in as much flora and fauna as your heart's content while exploring one of the country's greatest cities.
Why do we care about running? There are of course the mental and physical benefits of putting on a pair of trainers and stretching your legs but the big one is our annual charity run Wings For Life which looks to raise funds to support spinal cord research. Every year millions run globally for those that can't.
3 min
Best moments from the Wings for Life World Run 2023
Hundreds of thousands people worldwide raced to support cutting-edge spinal cord research. See the highlights.