Wollongong Botanic Garden
Located at the foot of Mount Kiera, the Wollongong Botanic Garden is a great place to spend time to relax and unwind. Entry is free and the gardens are open every day except Christmas Day. We parked in one of the dedicated car parks, then spent an hour walking through the different themed area.
Our first stop was the beautiful pond and rotunda. Surrounded by flowering plants and palms, it was a nice place to stop and watch the waterbirds. One was even building a nest in the lilies, dragging nesting material across the pond from its edge.
A small stream flows through the gardens, feeding into the pond. By following it upstream, we came across the Japanese themed red bridge. Built as a gift of friendship it symbolises the connection with Wollongong’s sister city in Japan, Kawasaki.
From the bridge, we followed the path through the Australian rain forest section. This is the largest section in the gardens, showcasing a range of rainforest plants as well as those from the Illawarra region.
One of the highlights of the gardens is the succulent section, because of its amazing variety of plants. This garden is positioned on a built-up mound with sandy soil, because the succulents and cacti require good drainage. Large boulders have also been added to form rocky outcrops and slopes.
While walking, look out for interesting sculptures, like the insect hotel and Mercury Fountain.
Overall, a great place to visit and relax.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
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