Buildings

1. Plant Sciences & Herbarium
2. Maiden Theatre
3. Friends Office
4. Tropical Centre
5. Rose Garden Pavilion
6. Conservatorium of Music
7. Government House
8. The Northern Depot
9. Central Depot and Nursery
10. Domain Lodge & Domain Depot
11. The Sydney Fernery
12. The Palm House
13. Lion Gate Lodge
14. Rathborne Lodge
15. Maiden Pavilion
16. Vista Pavilion
17. Botanic Gardens Restaurant
18. Pavilion on the Park
19. Palace Gate Kiosk
20. Victoria Lodge (Cottage3/Eastern Lodge)
21. Administration Buildings and Reception
22. The Gardens Shop
23. The Art Gallery of New South Wales
24. The State Library of New South Wales
25. Macquarie Wall 

  Click on map to enlarge

1. Plant Sciences & Herbarium

The Robert Brown Building (Herbarium) was opened in 1982 (during the administration of Dr L.A .S Johnson). The previous Herbarium (Maiden’s Herbarium/Anderson Building) was opened in 1901.

2. Maiden Theatre

With the opening of the Robert Brown Building (1982) the rooms of the old Herbarium were available for different use. The lower ground floor of the eastern side of the old Herbarium was set aside as a large meeting and lecture room, and called the Maiden Theatre in memory of a previous Botanic Gardens’ Director, J.H. Maiden (Director 1896–1924).

3. Friends Office

The Friends' office, just north of the Herbarium, and accessed from Mrs Macquaries Road, is in the southern of the Twin Cottages (Cottages 5 & 6). Strongly influenced by the Arts & Crafts style, these cottages were built in 1899.

4. Tropical Centre

The Sydney Tropical Centre, comprising the ‘Arc’ and the Pyramid glasshouses with a linking underground foyer, were opened in 1990. The Pyramid Glasshouse had been opened in 1972.

5. Rose Garden Pavilion

The Rose Garden Pavilion (previously called the Palace Garden/Chess pavilion) was built in 1897. A second, similar structure was built in Centennial Park in 1898.

6. Conservatorium of Music

The Conservatorium of Music, designed by Francis Greenway as stables for a proposed new Government House, was completed c. 1821. The stables became a Conservatorium in 1915. Expansive renovations, with underground soundproofed studios, were completed in 2001.

7. Government House

Government House, designed by Edward Blore in the Gothic revival style, was completed in 1845.

8. The Northern Depot

A works depot that was built in 1916 at the south-western corner of the old Government House formal garden for management of operations in the newly acquired northern end of the Botanic Gardens. Utilitarian buildings comprising sheds, storerooms and staff amenities, have since been adapted, modernised and recycled for new uses.

9. Central Depot and Nursery

Formerly the site of the Governor’s Kitchen Garden. The gardener’s house (cottage 4/Rathborne Lodge) is believed to date from 1856. It was occupied by various amenities during the International Exhibition of 1879 and brick stables were first constructed in 1878.

10. Domain Lodge & Domain Depot

Domain Lodge (St Marys Lodge) was built as a gatehouse lodge in 1835. The Domain Depot was built at the back of the Lodge, date(s) unknown, and was substantially renovated in 2001. The Domain Lodge, now part of the Depot, was one of the oldest, or possibly the oldest, continually used residence in this part of Sydney.

11. The Sydney Fernery

The Sydney Fernery was opened in 1993, and made possible as the result of a generous gift to the Gardens from the (Vincent) Fairfax Foundation. Other (earlier) ferneries had stood on this site. Architects: John P. Barbacetto, University of Technology, Peter Dorreen & Associates. Engineers: Tierney & Partners. Construction: Torresan Engineering Pty Ltd. Landscaping: staff of the Royal Botanic Gardens.

12. The Palm House

The Palm House (Orchid/Show House/Glasshouse 10) with its associated boiler room, probably designed by James Barnett, Colonial Architect, was opened in 1876.

13. Lion Gate Lodge (Cottage 2/Middle Lodge)

A house for the Head Gardener that was built in 1878. Its name was changed to Lion Gate Lodge in 1979 (after the lion and lioness guarding the gate in the Macquarie Wall) when it was used as a residence for the Trust and the Friends of The Gardens.

14. Rathborne Lodge (Cottage 4)

Rathborne Lodge is believed to have originally been built as a cottage for the Governor’s Gardener (Governor’s Kitchen Garden) in 1856. This cottage was renovated many times over the years. In 2002 it was transformed into Rathborne Lodge (to be used for Corporate events), following a bequest from the estate of Jack and Babs Rathborne.

15. Maiden Pavilion

The Maiden Pavilion was designed by R.M.S. Wells, Government Architect. Dedicated 1930, in memory of former Director, Joseph Henry Maiden.

16. Vista Pavilion

The Vista Pavilion is an octagonal shelter pavilion, designed by Walter Vernon, Government Architect, and built in 1907.

17. Botanic Gardens Restaurant

The original Kiosk (Refreshment Room) designed by James Barnett, Colonial Architect, and built in 1886 was destroyed by fire in 1976.The Gardens Restaurant, designed by Andrew Andersons and David Churches, was built in 1978.

18. Pavilion on the Park

The Pavilion on the Park was built in the 1960s and renovated in the mid 1990s.

19. Palace Gate Kiosk

The Palace Gate Kiosk was built as part of the bicentennial developments in Macquarie Street (1988).

20. Victoria Lodge (Cottage3/Eastern Lodge)

Victoria Lodge is a sandstone gatehouse, believed to be built c. 1893/5. Originally very small. Additions were made about 1870 and the western and southern wings were added in 1921.

21. Administration Buildings and Reception

The Anderson Building (Maiden’s old Herbarium of 1901) is now used for administration as is the Cunningham Building (previously the Director’s Residence) designed by James Barnett, Colonial Architect, for Charles Moore in 1874.

22. The Gardens Shop

In the Palm Grove Centre, a new information space, retail outlet, and public toilet, was opened in September 2000, just prior to the Sydney Olympic Games.

23. The Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House was designed by the Danish architect Utzon, was opened in 1973, on Bennelong Point, on the site of the old Government Tram Depot.

24. The Art Gallery of New South Wales

The Art Gallery of New South Wales was designed by Horbury Hunt, and substantially added to by Walter Vernon between 1896 and 1909. Many extensions have been made since then.

25. The State Library of New South Wales

The State Library of New South Wales, with its Mitchell and Dixon Libraries, was built between 1910 and 1942. The Mitchell Library was built between 1904 and 1910. The greater complex was completed in 1942. New extensions were completed in 1988.

26. Macquarie Wall

The Macquarie Wall in the Botanic Gardens, built 1810-1812, during Governor Macquarie’s time, is the last of the walls of the Macquarie era still existing.