PLACES OF INTEREST

A showcase pond in the heart of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden offers visitors a sanctuary in one of the world's leading gardens - just minutes from the busy city district.
Picture: © Sydney.com.au → More pictures below

Royal Botanic Garden celebrates
200 years beside Sydney Harbour

The Royal Botanic Garden, which is just a short walk around the water's edge from the Sydney Opera House, is situated in one of the most picturesque settings of gardens anywhere in the world.

The garden is on the shores of Farm Cove, on the eastern side of the Sydney central business district, and laid out on undulating harbourside land. From the top of the garden there are panoramic views of Sydney Harbour.

At the foot of the gardens a harbourside walking path skirts around Farm Cove, from the Sydney Opera House to Mrs Macquaries Chair, a sandstone bench carved by convicts in 1811 for the then-governor's wife. The "chair" is situated on a point that offers some of the best views of Sydney Harbour.

The area set aside for the garden is roughly a third the size of the CBD. It comprises large, sweeping lawn areas with large trees providing shade in summer months. Sydneysiders working in city office buildings make use of the garden during their lunch breaks.

The Royal Botanic Garden has more than one million specimens and there is even a small hop-on hop-off red "train" to get around on for the less energetic. The garden is a sanctuary away from the noise of the city and situated close to Hyde Park and some of the major city hotels.

Entry to the Royal Botanic Garden is free.

How to get there

Take a train to Circular Quay railway station and walk around the forshore to the Sydney Opera House. Continue past the Opera House, keeping to the foreshore, and you soon enter the gardens.

Alternatively, take a train to St James railway staion, walk east along Prince Albert Road, turn left into Art Gallery Road and walk one block to Hospital Road.

The Sydney Explorer Buses also stop near the gardens.

Royal Botanic Garden information
Location:	Eastern edge of the CBD & bounded by Macquarie Street, the Cahill Expressway & Mrs Macquarie Road
Telephone:	Monday-Friday 02 9231 8111 (Int) +61 2 9231 8111 Saturday, Sunday 02 9231 8125 (Int) +61 2 9231 8125
Opening Hours:	Oct 7am to 7.30pm Nov - Feb 7am to 8pm Mar 7am to 6.30pm Apr & Sep 7am to 6pm May & Aug 7am to 5.30pm Jun & Jul 7am to 5pm
Amenities:	Toilets, shop, Visitor Information Centre, restaurant and cafe
Services:	Free Guided Walks, Education Service, Friends of the Gardens, Trackless Train Tour & Wheelchair Hire
Special Features:	Sydney Tropical Centre Cadi Jam Ora Sydney Fernery Herb Garden Rose Garden Hongkong Bank Oriental Garden Palm Grove Palm House Government House Grounds Rare & Threatened Plants Gardens The Wollemi Pine

Exhibitions in the Calyx

GARDEN PICTURES

The Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens turned 200 years old in 2016

Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden celebrated its bicentenary in June 2016.
Picture: © Sydney.com.au

Statues on a fountain in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Statues on a fountain at the top of the gardens rise up against the CBD background. Picture: © Sydney.com.au

City workers enjoy their lunctime break in the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens

City workers duck into the gardens during lunch breaks. Picture: © Sydney.com.au

An old Morton Bay fig tree in the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens

A huge and old Morton Bay fig tree is a feature of the gardens.
Picture: © Sydney.com.au

The Calyx at the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens

Part of the circular structure of the Royal Botanic Garden new horticultural display space, the Calyx, which opened in June 2016.
Picture: © Sydney.com.au