Herring Island

Once an unloved dumping ground for silt, Herring Island is now a prelapsarian garden that seeks to preserve the original trees, shrubs and grasses of the Yarra and provide a home for indigenous animals such as parrots, possums and lizards. Hidden within is an impressive collection of environmental sculpture including work by Brit Andy Goldsworthy and locals Julie Collins, Robert Jacks, Robert Bridgewater and architectural photographer John Gollings. Designated picnic areas, with barbecues, make for a rare retreat just 3km from the city centre. The island is theoretically open to visitors all year round but can only be reached by boat. A Parks Victoria punt operates from Como Landing on Alexandra Ave in South Yarra.