A GREAT GUIDE TO THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS IN CANBERRA

Imagine wandering through the outback, exploring the rainforest or even hiking to the top of a mountain, all in the space of a couple of hours? Well, these are just some of the fun things you can see and do at the Australian National Botanical Gardens in Canberra, the nation’s capital. Just a 10-minute drive from the city center, you’ll be transported to different parts of this wonderful land through its various gardens on display. I’ve visited many different parks throughout the world, and the diversity here in particular really stood out for me, making it an interesting place to visit.

Just a few minutes drive from the city centre makes visiting here a no-brainer when planning your trip to Canberra. I’ve spent a lot of time in Australia’s Capital, as I live just a couple of hours’ drive away, so I know what a wonderful city it is. It is full of world-class attractions for all ages and has a great food scene, it’s also the home of the National Parliament (read all about my visit to Parliament House right here). Though it’s no surprise it’s often overlooked for the more glamourous cities, such as Sydney and Melbourne, Canberra is now shaking off its old ‘boring’ image as people slowly start to see it as a great city break destination.

Before we dive into my family’s adventures here, it’s important to know that if you’re planning a trip to Australia, you will probably need a visa. You can find out through iVisa as to what the current entry requirements are and apply for your visa online today. Click here.  

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A Rainforest in The City

When my family and I first arrived at the Australian National Botanical Gardens in Canberra, despite being a pretty overcast day, it was very hot and humid as it was the middle of summer. We had a few different walking tracks to choose from to start exploring, but when we saw the ‘Rainforest Gully’ path right by the entrance, we knew this would make an excellent starting point.

Being from England, I didn’t have anything resembling rainforests back home, so I am always completely fascinated by them. The trees can stretch up so high that they often block out the sun’s rays, making them perfect for exploring, especially on a hot day like today. But rainy days can be just as fun, too, as the leaves can offer an awesome canopy from getting wet! In fact, these would probably work better than a cheap plastic umbrella in Manchester! (Now there’s a thought! $$$$)

Don’t be surprised when you visit an Australian rainforest if you come across some fig trees. Believe it or not, these amazing specimens actually have roots that grow downwards and wrap themselves around other plants. You’ll get to see plenty of them here.

At the start of our walk, as we descended the steps into the gully, I remember thinking how hot and humid it was that morning. It felt more like we were deep in the jungle hunting anacondas, than enjoying a relaxing day out in Australia’s capital city. When we arrived onto the lower Boardwalk and glanced upwards, the imposing nature of the surrounding trees, really makes you appreciate the importance of protecting our planets natural beauty. Scattered wildflowers added little pops of colour, which only made everything look more beautiful. Some in particular that caught my eye, were in bunches of light pink fauna at the path’s edge. They were gorgeous. All we heard from Aria for the next 10-minutes was, ‘Can I pick some flowers, mummy???’ Typical Aria!

Native Fauna

Eventually, we made our way back to the main path and followed the steps until we came to The Rock Garden. It’s worth noting that from this point on, many of the trails within the park will start to incline as they also form part of the Black Summit Mountain trail, at the top of which is the Telstra Tower, where you can see some cracking views across Canberra. We had initially planned to do this, but with nightmares coming back to haunt us from the walk up to Parliament House two days earlier, it was soon evident that this might be something to do with Aria when she’s older, as walking up hills is not her forte!

So, back to exploring the relatively flat and easy-to-navigate Rock Garden. We were admiring a small but pretty waterfall in this area when I noticed a huge lizard just chilling out on the rocks — what a little cutie. Just like the Rainforest Gully, this section was bursting with wildflowers in every colour, much to Aria’s delight. As I said, she just adores flowers – and picking them! We had to keep a close eye on her, or she would have picked them all!

Across from the waterfall is the Eucalyptus Lawn, which also happens to be home to the cutest thing ever – a bee Hotel! How adorable! It’s a little wooden building about two metres tall, with logs for the carpenter bees to burrow themselves into (true story – they even have their own tool belts!). I didn’t stick around for too long, though, as I didn’t fancy getting stung!

Are We in The Outback?

Our next destination was the Red Centre Garden. I loved it here. It reminded me of when I lived in the Pilbara region of North-Western Australia. It’s such a vast and remote area, and I finally got to see the famous red dirt, which I’d only ever seen in travel books. Wandering around here was a little taste of the beauty you might encounter if you are ever lucky enough to explore the North of the country.

The garden is a big space of dry red dirt, dotted throughout with native plants straight from the outback. Making things even more authentic was a sign warning visitors that a snake had been spotted in the area that day! I didn’t see one, but it certainly made me think twice about venturing any further with the little one in tow. Still, I think you’ll agree that this part of the botanical gardens is actually very beautiful despite being very baron. Be sure to check out the big thorny devil statue, which Aria loved. I can’t quite believe these gorgeous little creatures actually exist. I would love to see them in the wild.

A Secret Treehouse!

Our final adventure in the park was exploring the Children’s Trail with Aria. The friendly ladies in the visitor centre had shown us a ‘hidden’ trail on the map, which supposedly led to a secret treehouse! She loved it here. The whole experience was very magical, as it’s mostly hidden away from the main paths by tall trees. The track down is peppered with rocks and statues that the little ones will love. The Treehouse itself has two levels so that you can see some great views from the top. It reminded me of a pirate ship, and I could see that all the kids who found this mysterious place thought it was really exciting.

Know Before You Go:

Are the gardens free?

Yes, Australian National Botanical Gardens in Canberra are completely free to enter.

How to get here?

If you’re walking or arriving by bicycle, you can easily find your way using Google Maps as it’s only a 2.5k walk from central Canberra. Head to Clunies Ross Street and make a right turn into the gardens at the entrance. You can park your bike at the bicycle racks near the visitor centre and carpark. When travelling by bus to the gardens, catch the Number 2, 3, or 4 bus from Legislative Assembly London Circuit to Barry Drive, then walk down Clunies Ross Street to the gardens. Driving is by far the easiest way to get here. Take either Clunies Ross Street from the South or Barry Drive from the North.

Is there parking at the gardens?

There’s plenty of parking in the gardens, but it isn’t free. It’s $3.60 for the first hour and a maximum of $15.00 per day.

Are the gardens kid-friendly?

The Australian National Botanical Gardens in Canberra are very kid-friendly with easily accessible paths. Education centres and friendly staff are also around to give you extra information. Regular events are also held at the gardens to offer further education. There’s also a secret hidden treehouse in the park, so see if you can find it.

What facilities are there in the gardens?

There is the amazing award-winning Pollen café and restaurant serving modern, delicious, healthy food surrounded by the world’s most diverse collection of Australian plants. The excellent Visitor Center on site sells lots of gifts and souvenirs. Throughout the park, there are plenty of toilets, benches and refillable water stations. You can even also hire wheelchairs and scooters, if needed.

What are the opening hours?

The gardens are open daily from 8.30 AM to 5.00 PM, except for Christmas Day.

Thanks for today’s post on the Australian National Botanical Gardens in Canberra. It’s one of the best places to visit while you’re here in the city. You’ll get to learn all about Australia’s natural habitats across this great land, such as the outback or wandering through the rainforest, all in one park. I loved walking around the Rainforest Gully, as I truly felt like I could be in Far North Queensland, as opposed to Australia’s capital. I’d love to go back one day and tackle the Black Mountain Summit Walk, so get some awesome views of the city, as well as check out the food at Pollen café. If you love nature and want to escape the hustle and bustle for a few hours, then this is a great place to spend an afternoon.

Have you visited the Australian National Botanical Gardens in Canberra before? Are you planning a trip here on your next visit to the capital? Let me know in the comments section below.

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