Five Australian native Botanic Gardens to visit
If you're looking for a road trip adventure without heading out into the deep and diverse bushland, outback and rainforests of the country, why not head to one the many native Botanical Gardens instead.Botanic gardens in Australia normally feature exotic plants, meaning trees and shrubs from Europe and other far-flung continents. Nowadays, garden lovers are embracing Australia’s native plants be they tropical or desert-based: and you don’t have to speak Latin or have a beard like a bird’s nest to appreciate our amazing local species. We’ve already covered our top five Australian botanic gardens, including the native displays in south-western NSW and Canberra, but check out these extra five specialising in Australian plants for a real lesson in Australian flora.
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens, Victoria
This vast and sprawling combination of heath and bushland south-east of Melbourne makes a great destination for a walk, picnic or family BBQ but among the unplanned plant life lies a real treasure: the Australian Garden. Its 15 hectares includes an amazing variety of native plants but also recreates landscapes such as a river walk, a startling red arid area and a couple of hills with lookouts. There are plenty of ideas for the home gardener, educational activities for kids and there’s even a free shuttle bus from Cranbourne train station.
The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, NSW
Formerly farmland west of Sydney, from 1988 the ABG has grown to more than 400 hectares of natural bush and grassland, native plantings, a lake and some 20km of walking and cycling paths. Check out the wattle garden’s acacias, the banksias and grevilleas in their shaded gully, and the young ’uns will love the Jurassic Garden augmented reality app with simulated prehistoric wildlife. Free entry, and a great day out.
WA Botanic Garden, Perth, Western Australia
King’s Park might not be much of a drive (it’s right in the middle of Perth) but if you’re looking for the unique plant life of WA, its Botanic Garden section is the right place. There are 17 hectares with 3000 plant species gathered and cultivated from WA’s diverse regions including a full-sized boab tree trucked down from the Kimberley. The walking tracks have city and Swan River views, the mixture of garden beds and bushland settings are constantly intriguing and visitors to Perth won’t want to miss it.
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, Northern Territory
If you’re from almost anywhere else in Australia, Darwin is like a different country and much of that is due to its lush tropical plants. The George Brown Gardens showcase all the trees, shrubs and flowers that make northern Australia special in a 42 hectare park just two kilometres from Darwin’s centre. Check out the rainforest gully’s waterfall, baobab and mangrove collections, the desert rose display and maybe spot one of the garden’s population of Rufous owls.
Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, Port Augusta, South Australia
If you reach Port Augusta, about 300km north of Adelaide, you’ll feel you’re right on the edge of the Outback. The Arid Lands Botanic Garden makes the most of the wide-open landscape, with 250 hectares showcasing the rich diversity of plant and bird-life in low rainfall areas. The coastal location means there are views of the Spencer Gulf and surprisingly, even a mangrove walk. Look out for the Sturt Desert Pea that flowers after rainy periods.
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