Location
The Royal Botanic Gardens is the most central of the three major botanical gardens open to the public in Sydney (the others being the Mount Annan Botanic Garden and the Mount Tomah Botanic Garden). It is the nation's oldest botanic garden, established in 1816 on the site of the first farm in 1788.
The Royal Botanic Gardens are home to a colony of over 22,000 Grey-headed Flying Foxes, a large species of fruit bat. The management of the Gardens holds the bats responsible for killing dozens of trees and, in May 2010, received approval for a plan to move the colony elsewhere. Besides admiring the animal world, you can enjoy the natural beauty, relax and learn more about plants and horticulture. The surrounding parkland of the Domain is a place for sport, entertainment and recreation.
Train: the nearest station is Martin Place. Other stations close to the Royal Botanic Gardens are St James and Circular Quay.
Bus: the 441 (Balmain via QVB Building) leaves York Street, Town Hall on weekdays, stopping outside the Art Gallery of NSW. The Sydney Explorer Bus also includes the Royal Botanic Gardens on its route and the 200 (Chatswood to Bondi, stops in Macquarie Street).
The gardens are open every day of the year and access is free.
