Places to Propose in Melbourne

Proposing can be a scary thing, regardless of how confident you are your partner will say those perfect three letters — yes. A proposal, in our opinion, should always aim to reflect your relationship and what matters to you, just as a wedding band and engagement ring can. If you’re in Melbourne, though, we’ve pulled together a few places that might either have special meaning to you already or may fit just right with what you’re trying to do on that special day when you ask that big question.

To ease a bit of that stress, you can always get a temporary engagement ring, rather than feeling like you need to get the engagement ring of your partner’s dreams before they even say yes. Of course, choosing and designing the ring with them is always an option as well.

Carlton Gardens

If you can’t tell by our list, we’re particularly fond of the idea of proposing outdoors, particularly with some of the stunning landscapes and architecture that Melbourne has. With Hotchgurtel Fountain, the Exhibition Building and its row of elms, we feel Carlton Gardens is more intimate and scenic than the Botanic Gardens. Don’t get us wrong, the Royal Botanic Gardens are lovely, with lots of quiet and darling spots (gondolas, anyone?), we simply have a special place in our hearts for Carlton Gardens.

Rippon Lea House

With 14 acres of garden and a Victorian mansion in St Kilda East, about a half-hour drive from the CBD, what’s not to love? If you and your partner share a love of all things historical (and maybe a Jane Austen book or two), this estate would be a lovely way to spend a day that has a proposal in and amongst it.

Grampians National Park

While getting to the Grampians from Melbourne may be a bit of a hike, at nearly a 4-hour drive, if you make a weekend of it, this is a stunning location…even if you prefer to check out the wineries rather than the hikes or lookouts. But if you do make the trek, the Pinnacle Lookout is iconic for a reason (and it has a bunch of different distance and grade trails to get there, so you can choose your adventure). There are also a number of lookouts and loops that are easy walks from car parks or easily accessible locations, like the Venus Baths Loop and The Balconies. Of course, you can always hike for Boronia Peak.

Vue de Monde

If a well-made cocktail over a stunning city view is more your speed, and you like the unique vibe, there’s nothing better than Vue de Monde, at level 55 of the Rialto in Melbourne proper. Reservations are recommended, and if you want to splash out, they do have a tasting menu from the chef. Hopefully, this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, so if you want to splash out, we’re entirely on your side.

Brighton Bathing Boxes

Whether or not you’ve been to Brighton, you know these boxes, and they absolutely make a statement. If walking on the beach surrounded by memories of summers past of generations of families with you and your partner adding to the patina, it might just be a fit. Walking along a quiet beach, hand-in-hand with the person you love…it’s the ability to share those quiet moments that we tend to treasure later. So why not take a quiet moment like this to make it official?

Mt Dandenong

If you want some scenic lookouts a bit closer than the Grampians, you may want to consider Mt. Dandenong, which, depending on where you are, is about an hour’s drive from Melbourne. There’s a lot to see and do here, with options for all different types of proposals. There’s SkyHigh, which has a bistro, as well as a maze, a garden walk, and a secret garden.

The William Ricketts Sanctuary nearby closed in 2021 due to severe storm damage and isn’t expected to re-open until 2024.

Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens

On the Mornington Peninsula, just over an hour out of Melbourne, you have an idyllic landscape where flowers bloom and abound (in the right seasons, of course). Roses and lavender in particular, with 3,000 square metres of gardens — and all different types of lavender, so something is blooming year-round. There is an admission fee, and it’s worth checking if the maze and cafe are open (if you feel it’s something you and your partner would enjoy). Who wouldn’t want to wander through the flowers and find themselves presented with the promise of a lifetime?

Whether or not any of these locations end up being the spot for you and your partner and that perfect proposal in Melbourne and the surrounds, we hope this has inspired you to find a place that fits both of you and is unique in the way you’d hoped and dreamed. What are your favourite places in and around Melbourne for proposals?