Birrarung Marr, Urban park near Yarra River in Melbourne, Australia.
Birrarung Marr is a riverside park with three distinct terraced levels that feature walking paths, picnic areas, and open spaces for gathering. The different levels create varied views and ways to move through the space while staying close to the river.
In 1856 the colonial government reserved the marshy site for park or ornamental purposes, but a morgue and other institutions were already there, and the first rail line crossed it in 1859. Railways later occupied most of the land, and the Yarra was straightened, widened and deepened at the end of the 19th century. After 1992 the Jolimont railyards were cleared and Batman Avenue diverted, and the park opened on 26 January 2002.
The name Birrarung Marr comes from the Woiwurrung language of the Wurundjeri: Birrarung is their word for the Yarra River, and Marr means beside, so the name translates as "beside the river". It was applied to the park after the design was adopted. The park also holds Speakers' Corner, established on the site in 1889 and added to the Victorian Heritage Register on 23 October 1997.
The park is easy to reach on foot, especially through the William Barak Bridge which connects directly to nearby sporting venues and the city center. The different levels are accessible throughout the day, and there is plenty of space to stop and rest along the way.
The walkway linking the park to Federation Square, designed by Swaney-Draper, leads to the Federation Bells, an installation of 39 upturned bronze bells. The German description calls them upright, which is the opposite of their inverted form. The bells sound three times daily with changing pieces.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,538 contributors worldwide.