Royal Botanic Gardens

The Gardens occupy the site of Australia's first farm which was started in 1788. Interestingly, due to poor soil and growing conditions, the farm was not a success, however the land continued to be cultivated. In 1816 Governor Macquarie founded the gardens as part of the Governor's domain, which later became the location of Government House. He appointed a botanist from the Colony to oversee research and develop the gardens.

The great majority of development that you see today took place under the direction of Charles Moore, a botanist from Scotland, between the years 1848 and 1896. During World War 1 and through the Great Depression, cut backs caused the gardens to regress some, however in 1959 after the gardens where designated as "Royal" they began once again to receive the attention and enhancements they deserved.

While you are welcome to explore the gardens on your own, there is a free guided walking tour every day at 10:30am and also on Monday to Friday from March through November at 1pm. These start from the information booth located just outside the garden shop at the Palm Grove Centre. You can also expect to see lots of colourful birds and wildlife in the gardens. The gardens are also a superb spot to just come and relax; a beautiful oasis from the surrounding city.

Nearby attractions: Government House, Sydney Opera House, Art Gallery of NSW, Customs House, Justice and Police Museum, and Museum of Sydney.

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