Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan
If you’ve spent more than a few days in Sydney, chances are you’ve visited the Royal Botanic Gardens in the city’s centre. But what you may not know is that these gardens have a very large sister garden, a little out of town in Mount Annan, about an hour’s drive from the CBD.*
Opened in 1988 The Australian Botanic Garden is the largest botanical garden in Australia. It was developed specifically to showcase and conserve Australian native flora and you’ll see plenty of home-grown beauties on show.
The garden is located between Campbelltown and Camden and is less than an hour’s drive from the CBD. There is plenty here to attract locals and out-of-towners alike.
Garden information
The Garden is open from 8am – 5pm from 1 March to 30 November and from 8am – 7pm from 1 December to 28 February each year.
The easiest way to get to the Garden is by car. Or you can travel by train and bus to and from Campbelltown Station.
Entry and parking are free (donations welcome).
No pets
THINGS TO SEE & DO
1. See the plants
If you are expecting to see neatly laid out garden beds, hedgerows and exotic floral displays, then you’ll be disappointed. This is not the kind of garden.
Rather, The Australian Botanic Garden is a 416-hectare parkland, scattered with woodlands, wetlands and wide open spaces.
That’s not to say they don’t have great plants on display. The Connections Garden, Wattle, Bottlebrush and Banksia Gardens showcase a variety of beautiful plants from across the country year round. The wildflower display in spring is spectacular.
Unlike the Sydney Gardens which displays trees and plants from around the world, The Mount Annan Garden is all about native plants and there is a huge variety.
The 4000 odd species here include a number of rare and endangered specimens. Plants are displayed in themed gardens and natural woodland areas and open plains.
2. Check out the wildlife
According to eBird, around 190 different bird species have been identified here. The sheer size of the Garden and the varied habitats create an important refuge for birds and other animals.
In and around the lakes you’ll can see a variety of ducks, grebes, swamp hens, cormorants, spoonbills, and more. On the edge, look out for water dragons and lizards.
The woodlands, shrubbery and open plains attract birds of all kinds from tiny finches and fairy-wrens to birds of prey like kites and eagles. Kingfishers and cockatoos are commonly seen here as are cuckoos and a variety of colourful parrots.
In the grasslands and woodlands you might also see, if you’re lucky, one of the wallaroos or swamp wallabies that live in the area.
3.Take a walk
The Garden has over 20 kilometres of walking tracks.
A great place to start, to get an idea of the size and scope of the garden is to take the short but scenic Central Valley Loop Walk. The trail goes through the Connections Garden, around the lakes and up onto the ridge where you can see much of Sydney laid out before you.
The slightly longer, Woodlands Walk explores parts of the Cumberland Plain, a critically endangered ecological community.
And of course, you can just wander, taking one of the many walking paths that snake through the Garden.
If you’d prefer a guided walk, the Garden offers Nature Therapy Walks and volunteer led walks through the Connections Garden at various times of the Year. See here for more details.
4. Take a drive or bike ride
If you’ve got a set of wheels you can obviously cover more ground and stop in some the byways to explore areas further.
With over 20 kms of paths and roadways the area is popular with cyclists.
The Garden also hosts a popular mountain bike track. For more information on the trail see the Mountain Bike Trail's dedicated Facebook page here.
If you’re visiting the garden as part of a group, you can book a guide who will hop on your bus or coach and provide your group with an informative commentary on the history and life of the Garden.
5. Have a picnic
This is a great place for a picnic and big enough that there is space for everyone. There are picnic tables and barbeque areas scattered throughout the Garden.
You don’t have to book in to hold a picnic here but it is recommended if you hope to grab a favourite spot or are planning a large gathering. Some shelters can be booked ahead so if you just turn up, check that your preferred area hasn’t been reserved.
6. Visit the Stolen Generations Memorial
The Stolen Generations Memorial leads visitors along a shade-dappled path to a memorial statue and reflection point.
The walk, through native bush and marshland, is a peaceful one, the silence of the bush broken only by the chimes of bellbirds.
The sculptural centrepiece at the path’s end, was carved from local sandstone by renowned sculptor and Barkandji elder, Badger Bates.
Visitors are invited to sit in contemplation in this place of healing.
Each year on Sorry Day (May 26), local school and community groups lay floral wreaths at the site as a sign of respect to the Stolen Generation and to show their commitment to reconciliation.
7. Pick up a living gift
For yourself or a friend.
At the Visitors Centre you’ll find a range of native plants propagated by volunteers from the garden's living collection. Here you’ll find a list of the plants sold at the nursery throughout the year. (Availability is subject to the season and not all plants will be in stock.)
The Centre’s gift shop has other gifts including Australian bush food, skincare and stationery.
All profits from sales benefit the Garden.
8. Play and learn
The Garden Playground is conveniently located near the coffee cart (adjacent cafe currently closed). The playground has a sandpit, flying fox, slides, swings and climbing walls for kids, and seating areas for their parents and carers.
The Garden hosts a variety of programs catering to children of all ages.
The Seedling Nature School is designed for little ones and runs during term time and the Garden’s school holiday program caters to primary school kids.
For teachers, the Garden offers a number of programs and excursions (primary and secondary) as well as professional development.
For bird lovers and keen photographers, Nature Photography Workshops take place throughout the year.
9. Take a Tour
The Australian Botanic Garden is home to the Australian Plant Bank, a centre for plant research and conservation of native flora.
Tours of the Plant Bank take place from Friday to Sunday and you can book in here. (Tickets by donation).
A number of specialised nature tours run throughout the year looking at the Garden's bird and animal life. See the Garden’s What's On page for times and booking details.
If you’re in a group and would like to take a tour, this can be arranged also. Group tours go for one hour and fees apply.
10. Get some gardening ideas
There’s nothing like visiting a public garden to inspire work in your own and wandering around the many themed gardens will certainly get the creative juices going. And what’s more, here you’ll find friendly gardeners and volunteers who can give you a few tips.
If you’re after a specific plant and want to see it in situ, check out the Garden Explorer which has a map showing the location of individual plants.
And the Garden’s website has loads of helpful information for gardeners including seasonal gardening tips and advice on growing native plants in Sydney.
The Mount Annan Garden is part of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust which also manages The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, The Domain and The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah.