Roll out the green carpet – it's party thyme at Wollongong Botanic Garden!
The annual Botanic Gardens Week activities are back on from 18 to 24 May, to celebrate the significant role plants play in our lives and to recognise the important work botanic gardens undertake to conserve them for future generations.
At Wollongong Botanic Garden, there will be a range of free activities and workshops to align with this year's theme "When Your Health Grows", recognising the undeniable truth that nature is medicine. The program includes garden tours (walking or buggy), Tai Chi, putty printing, and a bonsai exhibition.
Sunday 24 May will host majority of the events, including the unique Step Back in Time tours. These tours are led by theatrical portrayals of Mrs Madge Hoskins and her delightfully eccentric Scandinavian Garden designer, Mr Paul Sorensen, with this immersive experience being a dramatic retelling of Gleniffer Brae Manor's history.
Alongside the full program , visitors are also encouraged to explore the free, self-guided nature wellness trail at the Garden, Nature Fix , with seven short sensory exercises scattered throughout the Garden designed to help people to slow down and connect with nature.
"We're excited to be joining more than 100 botanic gardens across Australia and New Zealand for this special week," Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said.
"Each day, people visit our Botanic Garden to enjoy some time out in nature. You may see kids running around, family and friends catching up or people joining in on our regular free tours or story times sessions.
"This much-loved green space is also here for people when life is a bit too much and they need the space to catch their breath. It highlights that the power of nature on our health and wellbeing should never be underestimated."
"Our garden staff are a big part of making the Botanic Garden an accessible and welcoming space for everyone. They take great care in our conservation efforts as well as educating residents about their greening efforts at the Nursery."
"They're looking forward to seeing lots of people coming to the much-loved space during Botanic Garden Week – whether it's your first time or your hundredth. I encourage you to get a dose of the Botanic Garden and immerse yourself in the great program offering."
Botanic Gardens Week has deep roots to Wollongong. In 2015, our garden staff initiated the plan for a national event at the Botanic Garden Australia & New Zealand (BGANZ) National Congress. This led to the first event in May 2016 as a one-day celebration and eventually branched out to a week in 2025.
Visit the Botanic Garden's website for the full program and details.
There will be weekly webinars on Monday nights leading up to the week, hosted by the Ambassador, Costa Georgiadis. For more details, visit the Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand website .
