The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is a unique environment – Australia’s first botanic garden and oldest scientific institution. Your fees contribute to its upkeep and horticultural, scientific and educational programs. We ask for your care and consideration while conducting your event.
Please note the following important information and booking conditions:
Booking Times
Your booking times must include set-up and pack-up. All bookings must finish 30 minutes prior to the Garden closing times so you and your guests/suppliers are able to exit before the gates are locked.
The Royal Botanic Garden opening times vary seasonally. Visit the website for details.
If you are booking your ceremony with the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, you are permitted to take wedding photos in any other areas of The Royal Botanic Garden or The Domain during your booking times if they are available. If you are holding your ceremony elsewhere or wish to take wedding photos on a different day or time, you are able to request a permit for wedding photography only.
We will reserve your chosen location for your exclusive use during your booked times. Should you encounter any problems on the day including occupation of your reserved site, please contact our rangers on 0419 270 279.
Decoration, equipment and furniture
You may bring up to two tables and seating for up to 60 people to avoid unnecessary damage to the turf. Freestanding decorative items such as bridal arches, red carpet (with no rubber backing), flower compositions, columns are also welcome. However you are not authorised to attach decorations, balloons, signage, banners or other items to trees, buildings, heritage features or other fixed structures. No pegs or spikes are allowed in the lawns and all items must be weighted. To keep our lawns green and clean, the throwing of confetti and rice is not permitted. Flower petals are welcome but must be removed before leaving the area.
We are unable to offer equipment for hire but can provide a list of suppliers who use our venues on a regular basis. All equipment must be carried or wheeled to the ceremony location unless a ranger escort has been pre-arranged for your decorator/wedding supplier – see Vehicle access outline below.
Other items prohibited are shade structures and marquees, balloons, bat and ball games, party streamers, sparklers, fireworks (any form), fires (including kerosene lamps) and bamboo torches. You will be requested to remove any unauthorised equipment by rangers.
Proposals for any other equipment you are requesting to bring onsite must be approved in writing by the Venue Services Office.
Catering & alcohol
You can provide your own catering or use one of the restaurants on site – the Botanic Gardens Restaurant or The Pavilion Restaurant. A surcharge will apply to external caterers (please refer to the rate card for details). All caterers must comply with statutory health and WH&S (Work, Health and Safety) requirements. Food must be cooked off-site, barbecues are not permitted and the caterer’s equipment is included in the furniture allowance. No food or drink can be sold.
The Trust operates under an On Premises Licence which permits the supply of alcohol at functions on Trust Land. As the Hirer you must assist with the responsible service of alcohol (RSA) to your guests by:
- Not serving alcohol to minors
- Not serving intoxicated persons
- The provision of food and water at your event
- Ensuring the quiet and good order of your Party
- If using an external catering company to cater your event, provision of alcohol must be overseen by an RSA qualified person.
The Trust Rangers will ensure RSA requirements are adhered to and will remove any intoxicated persons.
Cleaning and Care
Wedding ceremonies can generate significant amounts of rubbish and while minimal general and recycling waste bins are provided throughout the Garden, please ensure you leave the area clean and tidy with all rubbish removed from the site when you leave.
This not only reduces the potential danger waste poses to wildlife, it enables us to keep waste disposal costs to a minimum and instead invest precious funds into tree conservation, planting and other essential maintenance of heritage features, amenities and other garden facilities.
Please do not stand or walk in garden beds or climb trees or structures. Your booking indicates that you accept liability for any damage to property caused by your event and the cost of rectification. Discharge of waste matter, fluid, oil, fat, ice or dry ice is also prohibited.
General Public and Other Events
The Trust will reserve your chosen location and no other bookings will be taken for that location during your booked time. As a venue hirer, you should be aware that other non-related activities may be occurring throughout the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney during your period of use. This includes concerts and large events held throughout the year. Should you encounter any problems on the day including occupation of your site by non bookers, please contact the Rangers on 0419 270 279.
Flora and Fauna
The Royal Botanic Garden and Domain are important wildlife refuges. Please do not harass or feed aquatic life or birds, pick flowers, take cuttings of plants or otherwise damage animal or plant life. Fines apply for these actions.
Changes
Modifications to the details of your booking may incur a change fee to cover administrative costs (please refer to the rate card for details). You will be advised if a fee is applicable on request of changes to your booking.
Indemnity
The applicant or any of the associated persons shall indemnify the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust against:
(a) loss of or damage to any property; and
(b) claims by any person against the Trust in respect of personal injury or death, or loss of or damage to any property, arising out of or as a consequence of the applicant’s use of the venue or the venue facilities.
Music
To maintain the peace and quiet of the Garden and Domain we welcome a low-volume, battery-powered portable speaker or amplifier for the wedding celebrant. Please position speakers towards your area to minimise impact on other visitors.
You may have a live acoustic ensemble of up to four people or low-volume pre-recorded music. Bagpipes, drums, pianos or other amplification systems (such as electric guitars or keyboards) are not permitted.
Please note there is no access to power.
Public liability
All third party suppliers, where permitted, must have Public Liability Insurance to the value of $10 million. We reserve the right to request evidence of the supplier’s insurance prior to confirming your booking. Such evidence should be in the form of a Certificate of Currency issued by the insurer (not the broker).
Rangers and security
All requests by our rangers and other RBG authorised staff must be followed with regards to the set-up and pack-away of your equipment. Any equipment left unattended is at your own risk and we take no responsibility for any loss or damage to your property.
Any incidents or accidents should be reported immediately to the ranger by calling 0419 270 279.
All regulations under the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Act 1980 governing the use of the Garden and Domain must be observed.
Ticketed events and commercial activities
You are not permitted to sell tickets, conduct commercial activities or sell products, including alcohol, as part of a wedding ceremony booking.
Trading terms
We reserve the right to decline wedding ceremony booking applications and to adjust or vary these terms and conditions without explanation.
Your booking is only confirmed once we have received full payment and you have received a confirmation email. Any subsequent letter or email notifying you of approved or prohibited items will form part of your conditions of hire.
We reserve the right to make the site available to another party if we do not receive payment following a written request for immediate payment.
Fees are GST inclusive unless otherwise specified.
Vehicle access
Vehicles are not permitted to enter The Royal Botanic Garden or Domain unless a Supplier Escort has been prearranged for your decorator’s or supplier’s vehicle. Please note that Supplier Escorts must be arranged and paid for in advance by the applicant.
Bridal vehicle access is not permitted. Please advise all drivers of this condition. The bridal party and all guests will need to make their way to the site by foot so please consider this when choosing the perfect location for your ceremony.
Cancellations
You should be aware that the Royal Botanic Garden and Domain are community venues so other non-related activities may occur at the time of your booking. These may include concerts and large community events that are booked throughout the year, either at our venues or elsewhere in the city. We will endeavour to limit wedding bookings on the day of a major event. If a confirmed event booking exists, we will make the potential impacts known to you at the time of booking. For wedding bookings made well in advance, notification may not be possible at the time of booking.
We reserve the right to cancel bookings up to six months in advance of the booking date or relocate a ceremony up to three months in advance of a booking. In the case of a cancellation, we will refund all payments made up until that time in full. No further compensation will be payable.
Cancellations unrelated to wet weather:
If you wish to cancel your booking, please notify us via an email to events@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au
• Cancellations received more than one month prior to your booking will be given a 50% refund of the total fee received.
• Ceremonies cancelled less than one month prior to your booking date are non refundable.
Wet weather cancellations:
If you wish to cancel your booking on the day of the event due to wet weather, please email your cancellation to the Venue Services Team at events@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au before midday. In this instance your booking will be given a 50% refunded.
COVID-19
You can stay up to date with the evolving rules and restrictions via the NSW Government COVID-19 Rules webpage.