Description of the attraction
Brisbane City Botanical Gardens are located on the banks of the Brisbane River near the city's downtown. The Gardens are bounded by the Brisbane River on one side, the Houses of Parliament on the other, and the Queensland University of Technology campus on the third. The place for them was determined by Charles Fraser in 1828, and the gardens themselves, spread over an area of 20 hectares, appeared in 1855. The Botanical Gardens were once called "Royal Park", and in the caretaker's cottage, built in 1905, there is a cafe. Some of the oldest trees planted in the Gardens were also the first trees of their kind to be planted in Australia: the first caretaker of the Gardens, Walter Hill, was fascinated by experiments in the acclimatization of plants. A local fountain was named in his honor.
The proximity to the river did a disservice to the Gardens - from 1870 to 2011, their territory suffered 9 times from floods. A part of the collection of plants by the decision of the Brisbane City Council was transported to the new botanical garden on Mount Cootta.
Today in the Botanical Gardens you can see many rare and unusual plants - collections of sago, palms, fig trees and bamboo. There are mangroves along the river. You can walk around the Gardens, or rent a bike. The workers of the nearby business center love to relax here during their lunch break, and on weekends they often celebrate weddings. There is a special stage in the Gardens, where local bands perform and a variety of events are held, such as the annual Christmas carols. Visitors can enjoy guided walks, picnic areas and restaurants.
