Bentleigh East, Melbourne: What are the best attractions and things to do?
The best things to do in Bentleigh East, Melbourne are sliding down waterslides at GESAC and playing a round at the Yarra Yarra Golf Club.
Bentleigh East is not one of the Melbourne suburbs that many visitors make their way to. It’s on the Warrigal Road, about halfway between the Chadstone shopping centre and Mentone Beach. It’s inland, east of Brighton Beach, and is a primarily residential neighbourhood.
14 fantastic experiences that make the most of your free time in Melbourne
- Get the very best views – on a hot air balloon flight over the city.
- See the changing colours of the river – on a sunset kayaking tour – with dinner. (Highly recommended ✅)
- Feast and see the sights at the same time – on a four course dinner cruise along the Yarra River.
- A genuinely excellent street art tour, led by prominent street artists. (Highly recommended ✅)
- The also superb Aboriginal heritage, plants and bush food tour in the Botanic Gardens. (💲 Great value 💲)
- Best of Melbourne bike tour – you can see more on two wheels than walking.
- Hidden laneways bar crawl OR foodie discovery tour OR chocolate and dessert tour.
- Combo ticket for Australian Sports Museum and MCG tour.
- Hassle-dodging advance tickets for the Melbourne Skydeck, Melbourne Zoo, the Ice Bar (with cocktails) and Sea Life Aquarium.
Things to do in Bentleigh East: GESAC
The main things to do in Bentleigh East are aimed at residents rather than visitors. The Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre is one of the top leisure centres in Melbourne, and a good place for a swim. There’s a 25 metre indoor pool, and a 50 metre outdoor pool. The outdoor pool is heated, which comes as merciful relief during the winter months.
The main reason why the Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre (or GESAC as it is often known) might be worth a visit is the waterslides. There are two slides, one of which you can go down in a two person raft, plus a leisure pool with lots of interactive features. If you’re at a loose end for keeping children occupied, GESAC’s leisure pool has its uses.
👇 7 great day trips while you’re in Melbourne 👇
- Great Ocean Road tour – with koalas 🐨.
- Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island tour – with penguins 🐧.
- Yarra Valley wine tour – with gin, cider and cheese 🍷.
- Grampians National Park tour – with bushwalks and LOADS of kangaroos 🦘.
- Mornington Peninsula tour – with hot springs bathing 🛀.
- Wilsons Promontory tour – with all manner of native wildlife 🦘🐨.
- Dandenong Ranges steam train ride – plus wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary and chocolate-tasting in the Yarra Valley.
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Bentleigh East parks & Yarra Yarra Golf Club
Otherwise, Bentleigh East offers a couple of parks, largely taken up by cricket fields. The King George Memorial Reserve has tennis courts, too, while Centenary Park has a children’s playground. For getting closer to nature, Karkarook Park to the south-east is probably a better bet.
The top attraction in Bentleigh East, though, is the Yarra Yarra Golf Club. This private golf course is one of several in Melbourne’s sandbelt, and one of its most prestigious. It has hosted the Victorian Open and Women’s Australian Open several times.
Guests of members are allowed play there, and there are certain tee times reserved for international and interstate visitors. All must be members of a golf club, and must present a letter of introduction and handicap confirmation from their home club.
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