Us Sydneysiders love our city's Royal Botanic Garden, situated right by our dreamy Sydney Harbour and nearby our iconic Opera House. But did you know Australia’s biggest botanic garden – also in Sydney – is just under an hour’s drive from the CBD? The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan is located just 60 kilometres south-west of the middle of the city (which means you can drive there in under an hour). And you should, because with a whopping 416 hectares of space (that’s bigger than Central Park in New York City), there’s plenty to explore.
The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan is one of the most important conservation sites in NSW, and it’s free to visit. So if you haven’t been yet, where the bloody hell are you?
Where is the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan?
Mount Annan is in the Macarthur region – it’s part of Camden Council and Campbelltown City Council. It’s on Dharawal Country.
What can I see at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan?
These gardens are home to native flora from across Australia. The huge space is made up of lawns, landscaped gardens, lakes, and there are even plenty of native animals to spot.
There’s a lot to see, but some of our favourite sections include: the Connections Garden, which is mind-blowingly beautiful, especially in spring, when the gardens host an annual wildflower display.
There are barbecue and picnic areas, including in the beautiful Bottlebrush Garden. The Fruit Loop Garden is full of plants used in traditional medicine and as food. From Sundial Hill, you get a fab look back over Sydney and across to the Blue Mountains. And then there’s the Stolen Generations Memorial, designed by sculptor Uncle Badger Bates to pay tribute to the many First Nations peoples taken from their families.
What animals can I see at the Botanic Garden Mount Annan?
Keep an eye out for wildlife throughout the garden. If you’re lucky, you could spot swamp wallabies, eagles, falcons, lizards – and snakes (don’t worry, though; just don’t walk through long grass!).
What activities can I take part in at the Botanic Garden Mount Annan?
You can take part in nature photography sessions; they often hold bushcraft lessons during the school holidays; you can buy plants to take home; and there’s also a mountain bike trail for those who like action sports.
How to get to Botanic Garden Mount Annan
You can drive to the gardens and easily park – being just 60km from Sydney’s CBD, it should take you under an hour to get there.
You can also get to the gardens by public transport – take the T8 train line towards Campbelltown, get off at Campbelltown Station, jump on a bus from there towards Mount Annan, then there’s a 2-kilometre walk (from the bus stop to the garden’s visitor centre).
How much does it cost to go to the Botanic Garden Mount Annan?
It’s free to go to Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan! So pack a picnic or barbecue stuff for a great, affordable day out.
Is there a café at Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan?
Yes, The Garden’s Cafe is open from 8.30am to 4pm every day, serving up breakfast, lunch, some burgers and also kid’s meals. But there are also nice picnic and barbecue spots if you want to BYO food and drink.
How do you get around the Botanic Garden Mount Annan when you’re there? Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the gardens are designed to be wheelchair accessible. You can walk around the gardens, of course, but cycling is also a great option that allows you to see more of the gardens. And you can even tour the gardens by car, if that’s more your vibe. Otherwise, just drive to the gardens and then park the car.
What are the other big botanic gardens near Sydney?
The Australian Botanic Garden is a sister garden to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. The third garden in that family is the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden in Mount Tomah (being in the mountains, that one is the highest botanic garden in all of Australia).
Want to know more about Botanic Garden Mount Annan?
Head over here.
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