Wollongong Botanic Gardens

Post

Subscribe

Established in 1964 and spanning 30 hectares, Wollongong Botanic Garden is home to a large variety of gardens. It is a perfect outdoor day out for everyone to explore and includes a playground for the little ones to enjoy.



Located in the Wollongong suburb of Keiraville and on the foot of the stunning Mount Keira, this hidden gem is certainly worth a visit.

The Garden is a natural beauty wonderland filled with many exhibits to explore, experience and enjoy. There are many activities to enjoy, from guided walks and community workshops that focus on environmental sustainable practices through to band recitals, theatrical entertainment, and sunset cinema screenings.



There are many themed areas from a lake which features a boardwalk to a rotunda in the centre, to gazing lawns and an array of picnic areas, making Wollongong Botanic Garden a must visit!



The Exhibits and Collections that can be found at the impressive includes an All Abilities Playground, Australian Open Forest and Grasslands, Azalea Bank & Middle Creek Collection, Discovery Kitchen Garden, Dryland Garden, Edible Herb Garden, Flowering Trees and Shrubs Garden, Herb Garden, Palm Collection, Rainforest Collection, Rose Garden, Sandstone Garden, Sir Joseph Banks Glasshouse, Succulent Collection, Temple Garden, Temperate Garden, Towri Bush Tucker Garden, and Woodland Garden.



The All Abilities Playground is suitable for children aged 2-12 years and it features swings, sandpit, slippery dip, climbing net, viewing platform, and a maze.



Australian Open Forest and Grasslands showcases dry and wet Sclerophyll forest plants from the east coast of Australia. The exhibit is also home to the stunning eucalyptus trees that form an impressive canopy which attracts a numerous of native birds, possums and sugar gliders. You will also find understory plants such as Banksia, Doryanthes, grasses and ferns.



The Azalea Bank and Middle Creek Collection feature hundreds of Azaleas as well as Rhododendrons, Camellias, Dogwoods, Maples and the stunning Dawn Redwoods. Along the creek banks, Iris, Daylillies, Flax, Arums and Swamp Cypress trees can be found.



This exhibit also features the much-admired Japanese Bridge and the Japanese Tree House with a row of white flowering cherry trees. The Bridge has been incorporated thanks to the city's Sister City Relationship with Kawasaki.



The Discovery Kitchen is a sustainable homegrown produce garden and is complete with food plants, herbs and lively flowers.

Arid inland Australian plant species that grow naturally in regions experiencing low average rainfall can be found at the Dryland Garden. This impressive garden showcases plants that have developed quite a different adaptation to their exotic succulent neighbours allowing them to survive extended periods of drought, extreme summer temperatures, saline and fire.



Salt Bush, Bottle Trees, and Ephemeral Wild Flowers create this impressive display and are best seen in autumn, spring and summer.

Edible Herb Garden fills the air with splendid herb aromas from rosemary, chives, basil, mint and seasonal vegetables. Produce from this garden may be used for your picnic or BBQ feast!

Whilst the Herb Garden contains a formal raised garden filled with a selection of herbs including lemongrass, mint, chives, rosemary and thyme.



The Flowering Trees and Shrubs Garden is filled with vibrant colour and consists of 13-plant families that all showcase beautiful exotic floral displays. Camellias, Salvias, Buddlejas, Hibiscus and Crepe Myrtles are just some of the species found at this display. The best time to explore this exhibit is during spring, however, colourful flowering can be seen all year round.



With more than 800 rare, endangered and uncommon palm species, the Palm Collection offers a wonderful leisurely walk amongst palms from all around the world. Palms from Madagascar, Hawaii and the Oceanic regions, as well as a smaller representation from Australia, South America, North America and China, are also seen here.



The enchanting Rainforest Collection is home to both native and exotic rainforest. It features dense plantings of tree species including Turpentine and Melaleuca that form a part of the closed canopy. Mixed plantings of shrubs, ferns, epiphytes and ground covers all make up the natural composition of the rainforest and allow viewings of these majestic specimens in their natural settings.



Rainforest species from Illawarra, New Caledonia and New Zealand can also be found here.



Stop to smell the roses at the Rose Garden! This lovely garden is home to the pretty gazebo. The exhibit portrays a sunken European garden popularised in the early 20th century. The high brick wall, covered by Creeping Fig, shields the area from strong winds and the many pathways create excitement to explore the collections.



Sandstone Garden displays grass trees, native Conifers and Banksias that are found in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra sandstone regions. It is incredible to see these plants and how they have adapted to low nutrient and shallower sandstone soils with structures that can handle strong winds or high temperatures as well as their ability to absorb/store water and nutrients for use over a prolonged time.



A visit to the Sir Joseph Banks Glasshouse is one not to miss when visiting the Gardens. The Glasshouse was first opened in 1970 to mark the bicentenary of Captain Cook's landing in Australia. The Glasshouse displays stunning tropical and dry-tropical plant species from the wet tropics, as well as a range of succulent plant species from arid regions around the world.



The Succulent Collection contains diverse species primarily from dry regions of Americas and Africa and it includes Aloe, Agave, Euphorbia, Mesembryanthemum, Crassula, Yucca, Sedum, Kalanchoe and Echeveria species as well as the spectacular Dragon Blood Trees which exude red resin from their bark when wounded.



Temple Garden is filled with a sense of intimacy and revolving array of colour with flowering plants. This garden was donated by Wollongong Garden Club and it includes a formal water feature.



The Temperate Garden is home to a warm and protected microclimate that allows sub-tropical and temperate species to thrive. Ferns, Begonias, Acalypha, Frangipani, Bromeliads, and sub-tropical fruit trees like Paw-Paw, Pineapple, Tea and Avocado can be found in this garden.



Towri Bush Tucker Garden means "place of learning bounded by flowers" and has been designed as a learning garden where you can look and pick plants within so you can learn about their use in Aboriginal culture for food, medicine and shelter.



The last exhibit: Woodland Garden features a tiered design of cool climate trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennials that replicate the forests in the northern hemisphere. Pre-existed native Turpentines and Paperbarks were planted up with a range of exotic trees like Magnolias, Maples and Dogwoods to form the mostly deciduous canopy.



The garden peaks during late winter to spring with a multitude of blue bells, clivias, forget-me-nots and bulbs.



A visit to these Gardens is a wonderful way to escape the bustling city and with its multitude of paths and hidden treasures to discover there is something for everyone to enjoy, making this attraction the perfect city escape and a must visit!



#free
#gardens
#day_trips
#family_attractions
#child_friendly
#attractions
#natural_attractions
#nature
#near_wollongong
#nsw
#outdoor
#things_to_see
#tourist_attractions
#tourist_sites
%wnwollongong