Booderee Botanic Gardens
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Opening hours
Public reference herbarium
Volunteer
Venue hire
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Botanic Gardens virtual tours
Booderee Botanic Gardens are the only Aboriginal owned botanic gardens in Australia. The Gardens cover 80 hectares of Booderee National Park and include a unique setting of cultivated areas surrounded by natural bushland.
Visitors can learn about bush tucker and medicinal uses of plants, the long association that Koori people have had with the area and the plants of south eastern Australia.
Explore the gardens
Exploring the gardens
Learn about the fascinating plants of the region and how
they have been and continue to be used by local Koori
people. Follow the well formed paths through the rainforest,
heath, forest and other cultivated areas. Many of the paths
through the cultivated areas are suitable for assisted
wheelchair use and prams.
Experience some of the natural coastal vegetation communities of the area by walking along one or more of the nature trails. You can combine the nature trails and other paths to do a loop walk around the Gardens of 3.7 kms. Allow from one hour to a whole day for your visit.
Enjoying the peace and quiet
Enjoy the peaceful setting of the Gardens by relaxing on
the grass lawns, or using the picnic tables provided. At the
Scribbly Lawn, electric BBQs and a sheltered picnic area are
ideal for large groups or wet weather use. There are a number of beautiful walking trails through the Botanic Gardens and National Park and it is an excellent place to observe birds and other fauna.
Education and guided tours
Koori led tours and other tours are available during the
school holidays, and also on request (depending on staff
availability). Guided school sessions are also available.
Bookings are essential for all guided activities. Check the
website for further information on educational tours or
phone the Booderee Visitor Centre.
Public reference herbarium
A public reference herbarium is available for those wishing
to identify their own plant specimens or for detailed study
of the regional flora. Contact the Collections Officer to
arrange a visit.
- See also our Collection Policy
Opening hours
The Gardens are open every day including public holidays. Admission to the Gardens is included in the Park use fee or Booderee National Park. Please pay at the park entrance station.
1 October - 30 April
Open 9.00 am - 5.00 pm Monday to Friday
Open 8.00 am - 6.00 pm Weekends and Public Holidays (Daylight Saving)
Open 9.00 am - 5.00 pm Weekends and Public Holidays (EST)
1 May - 30 September: Open 9.00 am - 4.00 pm daily
December/January School Holidays: Open 8.00 am - 6.00 pm daily
Past, present and future
As well as Aboriginal people having a long association with the area, the non-Aboriginal involvement in the area of the Gardens has been varied and interesting. In the early 1900 the site was part of a farm of the Australian piano manufacturer Octavius Beale. The farm, known as "Bherwerre", was used by Beale in an attempt to grow timber for his piano frames. The timber plantations failed and the farm then focussed on grazing and dairy. A rock commemorating the homestead site is located in the lawn area below the rainforest.
Management and development of the Gardens has been and continues to be an evolving process. Development of the site as a botanic gardens started in 1951 when the area was selected as the frost free annex of the Australian National Botanic Garden (ANBG) and was called the Jervis Bay Botanic Gardens.
Since the early days of the gardens, local Koori people from the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community have worked on the site, a tradition which is now into its third generation. Many of the paths, rock walls, garden beds and plantings were developed by these earlier generations of staff.
The local Koori community at Wreck Bay successfully acquired the ownership of the gardens, and the park, in 1995, and with the Director of National Parks, now jointly manage the Gardens for the enjoyment of everyone. To reflect the Aboriginal ownership of the gardens the name was changed to Booderee Botanic Gardens in 1997. In 2000 the Gardens ceased to be an annex of the ANBG, however strong ties and a close working relationship with the ANBG staff continue. The collections policy now focusses on the Aboriginal use of plants, as well as the flora of south eastern Australia's coastal environments.
New areas and facilities are being developed to further provide opportunities for visitors to learn more about the local flora and the Koori use of local plants. The Koori Garden and the education shelter are two such new developments. Other new initiatives include adopting water conservation measures and policies, such as using more local plants and installing new irrigation systems and water saving regimes. Such issues make the management of the gardens both dynamic and challenging.
Volunteering
Learn more about Booderee by joining the volunteer Park Care Group. The Group helps with propagation and revegetation projects in both the Gardens and the surrounding Park. To find out more information and to join the volunteer Park Care Group email: booderee.mail@environment.gov.au
Venue hire
The Gardens are available for special events such as weddings and other public gatherings. Permits and special conditions apply. To find out more email: booderee.mail@environment.gov.au
