19 Dinosaur Activities and Places in Melbourne
Dinosaurs are often a fascination for kids and we've put together a list of all the places where you can see dinosaurs in Melbourne. They range from playgrounds to dinosaur themed attractions.
Dinosaur Playground, Yarraville
The first port of call should be the huge interactive dinosaur 'Muttaburrasaurus' at the McNish Reserve in Yarraville.
Kids can climb up into the cavernous belly using a rope net and look out through the rib cage. Some play activities are integrated into the character such as a tunnel slide in the tail and climbing grips. There are also drums and a voice tube from inside the neck which comes out through the mouth to enhance the imaginative experience. Scattered around the dinosaur are some broken egg shells and intact eggs.
Megasaurus Playground, Cranbourne East
The Megasaurus Playground in Cranbourne East is Melbourne's version of Jurassic Park. It includes a flying fox with a huge 25m long 'brontosaurus' dinosaur frame, a 20m long dinosaur climbing frame incorporating climbing nets and a slide, a "pterodactyl" basket swing with lovely steel feathers which form a cubby house and climbing plates of a stegosaurus which have climbing holds that make a variety of noises.
Dinosaur Park Playground, Truganina
The Dinosaur Park Playground in Truganina has a climbable dinosaur head, slides with dinosaur claw landing pads, pit to search for fossils, green dinosaur springer, dinosaur eggs with baby dinosaurs bursting out and a dinosaur skeleton for budding palaeontologists.
Dinosaur Playground, Donnybrook
Dinosaur fossils lead up to a huge dinosaur climbing frame at Willaroy Boulevard Playground in Donnybrook.
Crystal World & Prehistoric Journeys Exhibitions, Devon Meadows
Crystal World & Prehistoric Journeys Exhibitions in Devon Meadows has a stunning, huge display of crystals, gems, fossils, jewellery, meteorites ... and also a big exhibit of dinosaur models outside.
Dinosaur World, Somerville
Experience animatronic dinosaurs up close and personal at Dinosaur World in Somerville. There is also a "Dig and Discover" area, where children can experience digging for and finding a buried fossil and then sit and "chisel" away to find what awaits inside.
Dinosaur World is only open at certain times of the year (typically during school holidays). Admission price for a family is $50 and the Dig and Discover experience is $8 (children take their fossil home with them)
St Kilda Adventure Playground, St Kilda
Last time we visited, St Kilda Adventure Playground in St Kilda had a big fun dinosaur springer. A number of playgrounds have a big purple two person dinosaur springer which the kids can ride. I wonder how the scientists determined that dinosaurs were purple? Go to the home page of the Melbourne Playgrounds website and search for "dinosaur springer" to find the location of these purple beasts.
Melbourne Museum, Carlton
The Dinosaur Walk exhibition at Melbourne Museum brings dinosaurs and other ancient animals to life. Duck beneath the belly of a massive Mamenchisaurus and contemplate the speed of the small and agile Hypsilophodon. Walk up high to where the flying reptiles soar and imagine Quetzalcoatlus swooping for prey. I'll let you into a little secret. There are 17 skeletons of prehistoric animals in Dinosaur Walk, but not all of them are dinosaurs. Do you know which ones? In the outdoor play area of the Melbourne Museum Children's Gallery you can dig for fossils/dinosaur bones. Admission Prices are Adult: $14, Child (to 16 years): Free, Concession: Free.
Gardenworld Dinosaurs, Braeside
Gardenworld at 810-834 Springvale Road, Braeside has some big dinosaurs at the entrance to the car park plus plenty more dinosaurs and cool stuff inside.
Dinosaur Murals, Central Melbourne
To celebrate the opening of Jurassic World Dominion in cinemas, some great new dinosaur street art was created along Caledonian Lane in the city.
Garden City Reserve Garden City Reserve, Port Melbourne
Meet Garden City Reserve - a huge dinosaur wall you can climb all over with minimal risk you'll get eaten. It is part of a nice playground at Garden City Reserve in Port Melbourne.
SuperZu Playcentre, Dingley Village
The SuperZu Playcentre & Cafe in Dingley Village has a massive volcano to climb but you need to get past the dinosaurs at the entrance in order to climb it.
Bulla Hill Miniature Railway, Bulla
Ride the Bulla Hill Railway in Bulla and search for dinosaurs beside the track.
Jurassic Lab Escape Room, Brunswick
If you are older head off to the Jurassic Lab Escape Room at Xcape Melbourne in Brunswick. You have received a ticket to see real life dinosaurs at the new Jurassic Park. The ticket includes a tour to the dinosaur experimental laboratory. Michael, Professor X's assistant, leads your group through the lab but halfway through the tour, you fall unconscious. Upon awaking, you discovered the hideous truth behind Professor X's experimental lab. Professor X had been performing human experiments on tour participants by transplanting dinosaur DNA. You can only depend on yourselves and there is only one hour for you to escape the lab, otherwise...
IMAX Dinosaur Films, Carlton
Keep your eyes open for showings of the "Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet 3D" film at the IMAX Melbourne in Carlton. Dinosaurs are at least three times as scary in 3D.Dinosaur Internet Activities
If you feel like a bit of dinosaur exploration on the Internet, check out DinoDictionary which is a great resource for hunting dinosaurs, with profiles of over 300 known dinosaurs.Tune into the KIDZMIX YouTube Channel to hear super cute songs and video clips about dinosaurs. Between the songs there is a semi-educational explanation about the dinosaur featured in the next song.
Strike Deck Dinos Game
Gather your strongest dinosaur team and send them into battle against your rivals in the Strike Deck Dinos game.Dinosaur Themed Birthday Parties
If you are organizing a birthday party Dinosaur Diggers bring museum quality exhibits to your home or venue and run an amazing show. Your kids will have loads of fun interacting with dinosaurs. The cost is approximately $400 for up to 15 children.Gold Rush Mini Golf, Ballarat
If you head further out of Melbourne to Gold Rush Mini Golf in Ballarat, you'll be confronted with a huge animatronic dinosaur before you even finish the second hole.
Murchison Street Play Space, Marysville
Dig for dinosaur bones in the sandpit at the Murchison Street Play Space in Marysville.
Parents may remember Dinosaur World which was also known as The World of Dinosaurs in Creswick. It had 20 life size dinosaur models but closed in 2002. I have it on good authority the cause of the closure wasn't because a dinosaur ran amok and caused massive damage but for more mundane reasons of high insurance and Work Cover costs.
