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Regulations

Making sure the Royal Botanic Garden is safe and enjoyable for all of our visitors is our priority, we're also committed to protecting the Garden's plants and animals. As a result, Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust has some rules and regulations in place to make sure everyone has a good time while they're here.

The Garden's Rangers enforce these rules under NSW State law, if you ignore or break them, you could be fined.

The Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust may occasionally reserve any part of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and the Domain for one or more of the following:

  • Organised sporting activities

  • Organised entertainment

  • Organised ceremonies

  • ​Any other organised activity.

Entry to Trust lands - in general

The Trust may give any one or more of the following directions:

 

  • A direction limiting the number of persons who may enter any part of the Trust lands

  • A direction closing to the public any part of the Trust lands (including any reserved land and any road, path or building)

  • A direction charging admission to any part of the Trust lands​

  • ​A direction imposing conditions (such as conditions prohibiting the possession or consumption of alcohol) subject to which the public may enter any part of the Trust lands.

A direction under this clause may be given:

  • In any case - by means of a sign displayed on or adjacent to the part of the Trust lands concerned, or

  • In the case of a direction referred to above - by means of an instruction given orally by an authorised person

  • ​​A person must not fail to comply with a direction given under this clause.

Filming and Photography

General visitors - If you are a visitor to the gardens seeking to document your visit for personal use with photos and filming, no permit is required.

Please note that the use of drones is strictly prohibited at the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain and permission for these activities will not be granted for non-commercial filming.

If you plan to undertake any commercial filming or photography at the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain you will need to apply for a permit. Please visit our Filming and Photography page for further information.

The Garden is open to the public daily at times specified by the Trust and indicated on signs displayed adjacent to the entrances to the Garden.

You must not:

  • Without the consent of the Trust, enter or remain in the Garden at any time when they are not open to the public, or

  • Enter or leave the Royal Botanic Garden by means of the sea wall

  • Bring into the Garden any animal or permit any animal under the person’s control to remain in the Garden (except for an assistance animal that is in harness, or a dog or horse that is being used in connection with police duty)

  • Address a public function, public meeting, public demonstration or public gathering in the Garden

  • Fish in the ponds of the Garden

  • Fish in the waters of Sydney Harbour from the Royal Botanic Garden

  • Moor a boat to the sea wall

  • Ride a bicycle or tricycle

  • Jog or run in the Garden otherwise than on a road, path or specially designated circuit

  • Throw, kick or hit any object in the Garden.

You must not:

  • Bring into the Domain any animal or permit any animal under the person’s control to remain in the Garden, except for a dog on a leash, an assistance animal that is in harness, or a dog or horse that is being used in connection with police duty

  • Address a public function, public meeting, public demonstration or public gathering in the Domain after sunset or before sunrise on any day

  • Throw, kick or hit any object in the Domain, otherwise than in the course of, and as a normal incident of, an organised activity on reserved land. This does not prohibit a person from throwing or kicking a ball or other object in the Domain in the course of an informal game or sporting activity that is not likely to endanger the safety of other persons

  • Fish in the waters of Sydney Harbour from any part of the Domain in or adjacent to which there is erected a sign indicating that fishing from that area is prohibited.

The Trust may from time to time determine the fees and charges payable for the use of any reserved land or (subject to the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Regulation 1999) for the parking of vehicles on any part of the Trust lands.

Fees and charges may differ according to such factors as the Trust may determine.

The Trust may exempt any person from paying any fee or charge.

A person must not do any of the following:

  • Bring any waste onto the Trust lands

  • Abandon a vehicle on the Trust lands

  • Leave any litter otherwise than in a receptacle provided and designated for the receipt of litter of that kind, on the Trust lands

  • Deposit any oil or similar product, or any hot liquid, or allow such a product or liquid to escape, on the Trust lands

  • Deposit any ice on the Trust lands

  • Empty any coals or embers from any cooking apparatus onto the Trust land. In this clause litter includes bottles, broken glass, china, pottery, plastic, foam, paper and cardboard, waste includes refuse, rubbish and industrial waste.

A person must not do any of the following on the Trust lands:

  • Operate any mechanically-propelled model aircraft, boat or similar thing

  • Launch or land any aircraft, hang-glider, hot air balloon or parachute

  • Ride on or use any skateboard, roller skates, inline skates or similar apparatus

  • Fly any kite, model plane, helicopter and drone

  • Operate any radio, cassette player, record player, compact disc player or any instrument at a volume likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to any person

  • Operate or use a loudspeaker or public address system or apparatus

  • Play or practise golf

  • Practise or demonstrate (using a fishing rod or line) the casting of a fishing line

  • Bathe, wade, wash or swim in any lake, pond, stream or ornamental water

  • Use any drinking fountain otherwise than for drinking

  • Light any fire otherwise than in fixed cooking apparatus provided by the Trust

  • Discharge any fireworks

  • Conduct, cause or assist in the operation of amusement, entertainment, instruction or performance.

A person must not do any of the following on the Trust lands:

  • Damage any lawn, playing field or green otherwise than in the course of, and as a normal incident of, an organised recreational or sporting activity on reserved land

  • Remove, uproot or cause damage to, or remove any part from, any tree or other vegetation

  • Remove any dead timber, log or stump, whether standing or fallen

  • Climb any tree

  • Deface any rock or dig up any soil, sand, stone or similar substance

  • Damage, deface or interfere with: (i) any part of the Trust lands (including any road, path, fence, barrier, gate, fence post, railing, step, stair, wall or building), or (ii) any thing situated on any part of the Trust lands (including any seat, furniture, play equipment, fountain, statue, ornament, vase, monument, sign, notice, descriptive plate, label, machinery or equipment)

  • Destroy, capture, injure or interfere with any animal (a person does not commit an offence merely because the person fishes in the waters of Sydney Harbour from any part of the Domain where fishing is permitted)

  • Destroy or interfere with the habitat of any animal (a person does not commit an offence merely because the person fishes in the waters of Sydney Harbour from any part of the Domain where fishing is permitted).

A person must not do any of the following on the Trust lands:

  • Collect or attempt to collect money

  • Sell or attempt to sell or hire, expose for sale or hire or solicit for sale or hire papers, printed matter, food, or other goods or services

  • Sell or attempt to sell (or purchase or attempt to purchase) any tickets to any activity or ceremony or other event

  • Conduct, or cause or assist the operation of, an amusement, entertainment, instruction or performance for money or other consideration

  • Establish or operate a business

  • Use television, video, cinematographic or photographic equipment for commercial purposes

  • Display or distribute any advertising matter, sign, bill, poster or other printed matter.

A person must not do any of the following on the Trust lands:

  • Camp or reside

  • Erect or use, or cause to be erected or used, a building, tent, screen, awning, enclosure or other structure or thing.

A person must not drive or ride any vehicle on the Trust lands:

  • Otherwise than on a road laid out for the purpose, or

  • Contrary to a sign erected by or on behalf of the Trust.

A person must not do any of the following on the Trust lands:

  • Obstruct another person in the performance of the person’s work or duties

  • Fail to comply with any reasonable direction given for the purpose of securing good order and management and enjoyment of the Trust lands by an authorised person or a member of staff of the Trust.

A person must not cause or permit any vehicle to stand or be parked on the Trust lands:

  • On any lawn, grass, parkland, garden or path, or

  • Contrary to a sign erected by or on behalf of the Trust.

A person must not do any of the following on the Trust lands:

  • Use insulting or offensive language

  • Behave in an offensive or indecent manner.