First pick
Terrain des loisirs
Park or garden · 380 m outside town
3.3 ha
12 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: busand2003 · CC BY 3.02%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Melbourne · parks, protected land & trails
The Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Kingsbruy runs by Melbourne
13 km from town is Mont-Orford National Park (Québec), the nearest provincial park. CPCAD lists 9 protected areas within 10 km. There is no national park within 100 km of the town.
Protected land
2%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
9
within 10 km, 1 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
13 km
Mont-Orford National Park (Québec)
Walking routes
4
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Melbourne apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
On a national routeThe Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Kingsbruy passes within 2 kmWalking routes4 named routes within 2 km
Out of doors, Melbourne leads with the Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Kingsbruy, with its choice of walking routes close behind.
Against other towns
Melbourne against other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. There is no Outdoors grade for Canadian towns; the figures stand beside the country’s towns of 2,500+ without a letter.
Protected within 10 km2%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town2.6%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas1Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes4Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches1Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Melbourne comes 18th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (1,128 to 2,587 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Melbourne2%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Melbourne1
Towns its size3
Towns in Quebec10
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Melbourne4
Towns its size0
Towns in Quebec0
Typical Canadian town0
Melbourne beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; 17 of 39 do better. For public protected areas, though, 28 of 39 are ahead.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anmore BC | 22% | 47% | 16 | 5 | 98 |
| 2 | Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska QC | 19% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Gracefield QC | 19% | 19% | 34 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | East Preston NS | 16% | 6.3% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Clearwater BC | 7.7% | 4.1% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Roberval QC | 6.1% | 1.2% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague QC | 5.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | North Frontenac ON | 5.7% | 5.2% | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| 9 | Cap-Chat QC | 5.3% | 0.4% | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| 10 | Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards ON | 4.4% | 1.5% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Saint-Polycarpe QC | 4.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Macassa ON | 4.1% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | Saint-Damien QC | 4% | 3.2% | 22 | 1 | 9 |
| 14 | Unity SK | 3.4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Sherwood ON | 3.4% | 0% | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | McNab SK | 2.6% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Mandeville QC | 2.5% | 1.8% | 19 | 4 | 7 |
| 18 | Melbourne QC | 2% | 2.6% | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| 19 | Esterhazy SK | 1.8% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | City Commercial Core ON | 1.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Caswell Hill SK | 1.4% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Fossambault-sur-le-Lac QC | 1.3% | 7.8% | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| 23 | Pembina MB | 1.1% | 1.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Burrows-Keewatin MB | 1% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Elmwood AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Hatley QC | 0.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| 27 | Munroe West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Brooke-Alvinston ON | 0.3% | 0.2% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rosedale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | Minchau AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Lunenburg NS | 0.1% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| 32 | Salisbury NB | 0.1% | 2.1% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Dufferin MB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Ekota AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 35 | Satoo AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Magrath AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Nanton AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Rimbey AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Sexsmith AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Melbourne
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the town; tap a number for its park or wood.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
4 named parks and woods to walk in near Melbourne
Terrain des loisirs is the largest, at 3.3 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
4 named parks and woods, 5 ha in all
Parks & gardens 4.9 ha
Terrain des loisirs and Parc Coburn together hold 84% of it.
Source: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
Few people in Melbourne live near a park
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (0%)Further (100%)
Melbourne0%
Towns in Quebec52%
Typical Canadian town83%
About 1,100 residents live further than 400 m from one. The usual figure for a Canadian town is 83%, above this.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Melbourne, 2% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Melbourne2.6%
Within 10 km2%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of those 9, 1 are public and the remainder private. 8 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Land set aside Rivière-au-SaumonProtected area · 1,366 ha · reaches Melbourne
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Mont-Orford National Park (Québec), 13 km off
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Québec national park (provincial)
Mont-Orford National Park (Québec)
13 km south59 km²since 1979
For a national park, people in Melbourne travel more than 100 km. Sépaq runs Québec’s parcs nationaux, which are provincial parks under another name.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Melbourne has 43 km of footpaths in and around it
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
43 km
in and around the town (250.2 km²)
Woodland
68%
about 170.1 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
MelbourneTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.2
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
MelbourneTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Woodland68%
0%50%100%
For path density, 79% of Canadian towns do better. Woods cover more of it than in 91% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
Trails around Melbourne
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegional
Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Kingsbruy22.6 km
Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Richmond13.6 km
Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Richmond, Accès1.3 km
Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Kingsbruy, Accès4.7 km
The Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Kingsbruy (23 km) keeps within 2 km of town for 15.4 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Melbourne is best on foot in May, June, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Drummondville (37 km), and daylight at the town’s latitude. Good months: 12½+ hours of daylight, highs of 15–30 °C, little rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°C) | -5 | -3 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 13 | 6 | -1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 90 | 66 | 66 | 79 | 91 | 102 | 109 | 99 | 94 | 100 | 80 | 95 |
January brings highs of -5 °C, July highs of 26 °C. Summer brings the most rain: 109 mm in July; February gets 66 mm. About 229 cm of snow falls in a year. The climate in Melbourne →
Beaches
A beach within 5 km of Melbourne
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
This page can’t show water quality: no open, Canada-wide record of beach testing exists. Check local advisories first.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Melbourne has 13 viewpoints within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Colline Gallup tops the hills nearby, 360 m. Viewpoints lead the count with 13.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 13
Pv Cascadein town
DirectionsPv grands pinsin town
DirectionsPv Petite cascadein town
DirectionsPv Pointein town
DirectionsPv Rivièrein town
DirectionsPv Rivière 2in town
DirectionsPv Rivière au Saumonin town
DirectionsPv vallée rivière au Saumonin town
DirectionsPlus 5 viewpoints more.
Hills and peaks 3
Colline Gallup360 m · in town
DirectionsColline Melbourne250 m · in town
DirectionsMontagne du Cinq327 m · in town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 9
Plus 9 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
Camping Melbournein town
DirectionsKingsbury ~ Camping aménagé ~ A ~ Camping des Sentiers0.1 km from town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Melbourne
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
RichmondClevelandDurham-SudWindsorSaint-François-Xavier-de-BromptonSaint-Félix-de-KingseyMelbourne
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | 2% | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| Richmond 2.7 km | 0.7% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Cleveland 5.3 km | 0.6% | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Durham-Sud 12 km | 0.1% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Windsor 14 km | 1% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Saint-François-Xavier-de-Brompton 14 km | 2.8% | 16 | 1 | 1 |
| Saint-Félix-de-Kingsey 17 km | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
For protected land, no neighbour of Melbourne doubles its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- Protected land. The share is of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s outline, from CPCAD’s mapped areas; marine areas count, so a coastal town can score high on water.
Questions about the outdoors in Melbourne
Are there protected areas near Melbourne?
Within 10 km, 2% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the nearest national park to Melbourne?
No national park lies within 100 km of Melbourne.
Where can you walk near Melbourne?
The Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Kingsbruy, Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Richmond and Sentier de l'Estrie, Zone Richmond, Accès, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Where can you swim near Melbourne?
There is an unnamed beach within 5 km.
Which is the biggest protected area near Melbourne?
Land set aside Rivière-au-Saumon: 1,366 ha, a protected area.
When should you visit Melbourne for the outdoors?
On the normals, May, June, August and September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Is there a provincial park near Melbourne?
The closest is Mont-Orford National Park (Québec), at 13 km.
Sources
Sources for this page on Melbourne
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).