What's new

Plant of the Month and 'Must See' for May

Plant of the Month for all three Gardens
Volunteer Guides' 'Must See' for May 2013 for the Royal Botanic Garden

Proposed changes to Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Regulations

The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Regulation 2008, made under the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Act 1980, is due for staged repeal on 1 September 2013. In remaking the Regulation, the Trust is proposing a number of changes (see Regulation 2013) to ensure the ongoing safety and enjoyment of all visitors to Trust lands, as well as the continual protection of these valuable assets. Read more and provide feedback here.

Restoration of Woolloomooloo Gates

Specialist heritage conservation contractors will start work on the restoration of the Woolloomooloo Gates on Tuesday 14 May 2013. Work will include sandstone replacement/repairs, metal work, painting, stone cleaning and re-pointing. Site works will include a shed and half container in the adjacent access road and fencing around the immediate work area. Limited works involving crane operations are programmed for two Saturdays in June. Pedestrian access will be maintained whilst the restoration works are undertaken and the restoration is expected to be complete by 30 June 2013.

Botanic Gardens in Modern Society

Botanic gardens are beautiful and peaceful places. But they are far more than simply places to relax. Professor David Mabberley, Executive Director of the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, explains what makes botanic gardens such special places and how it is they continue to be so important for the world today in this thoroughly entertaining Radio National podcast.

Strategic Plan

New Strategic Plan 2012-2015 'LIVING' for the Royal Botanic Garden & Domain Trust. (pdf)

New Year's Eve 2013

at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and Domain

Tickets to the Trust's 2013 New Year's Eve events - Midnight at the Oasis, Harbourlights and Lawn with The View - go on sale Tuesday 1 October 2013.

Click here to register your interest for an exclusive pre-sale opportunity.

PlantBank target reached

Thank you for your generous support of our PlantBank fundraising campaign. We are delighted to announce that we have reached our target. Please click here for more information.

New charges for buses and coaches at Mrs Macquaries Point

Metered parking for all bus and coach operators at Mrs Macquaries Point will apply from 1 July 2012. Following an extensive review of the parking arrangements for buses and coaches at Mrs Macquaries Point, effective from 1 July 2012, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust
will require all bus and coach operators to pay metered parking (approximately $4 per visit).

Click here for more information.

International Peer Review

The team of international experts advising the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust on the future direction of its Gardens as it approaches its bicentenary were surprised that many Australians don�t realise that Sydney�s city oasis is also one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Click here for more information.

Artist in Residence

The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Artist in Residence Program provides practising artists the opportunity to work at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney from February to December in the year it is offered.

Phillippa Carnemolla is the current Artist in Residence for 2012 at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney.

Click here for information about Helen Earl's work as the Artist in Residence for 2011.

Click here for more information about the Artist in Residence program. Note that due to the infrastructure redevelopment scheduled over the next 18 months and the resulting lack of exhibition spaces, the Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust has suspended the Artist in Residence program for 2013. The program will recommence in 2014.

Sydney Opera House forecourt works - entry to the Royal Botanic Garden

Sydney Opera House is currently undertaking the Vehicle Access and Pedestrian Safety Project (VAPS) , the largest construction project on site since the building opened in 1973.

VAPS will enhance tourist and visitor safety by removing heavy vehicle movements from the Forecourt to a new underground loading dock. This will allow pedestrians to have safe and exclusive access to all the Sydney Opera House facilities at Forecourt level.

The project involves

Diversion of the Bennelong Drain, a stormwater drain servicing parts of the Sydney CBD, that runs across the Sydney Opera House site (COMPLETE)
Excavation of a new access road and loading dock under the Forecourt & Vehicle Concourse
Remediation of the existing road to remove the curbs

Visitors will be able to enter and exit the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, throughout the works, via both QEII and Opera House gates. Please follow signage to reach the gates around the construction walls. The work will continue until mid 2013. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Click here for further information, visit the SOH website or see SOH Factsheet.

Bicentenary Book appeal

In 2016 the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, turns 200! If you have personal anecdotes, stories, letters, postcards, memorabilia or photos of the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, that you�d like to donate for our bicentenary celebrations, there are three ways to contact us:

use on-line form
email us, or
write with details of materials to: Bicentenary Book Appeal, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney NSW 2000