Wollongong Botanic Gardens
Encyclopedia
Wollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
suburb of Keiraville at the foot of Mount Keira in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is the local botanical gardens of the Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
and was opened in September 1970. http://www.hoskins.id.au/nextgen/showphoto.php?personID=2293I&tree=hoskinsfamily&ordernum=1
The garden is co-located with the historic Gleniffer Brae house, used for functions and the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music
Wollongong Conservatorium of Music
Wollongong Conservatorium of Music is a centre for music education and performance serving the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the English Tudor style Gleniffer Brae Manor House and grounds, part of the Wollongong Botanic Gardens in the suburb of Keiraville. Andrew...
.
A number of annexes are managed by the Garden - Puckeys Estate Reserve in Fairy Meadow
Fairy Meadow, New South Wales
Fairy Meadow is a suburb in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Located in the Illawarra, it is a mainly low density residential area, except for a strip on the Princes Highway....
, the Korrongulla Wetlands in Primbee
Primbee, New South Wales
Primbee is a small suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the northern spit separating Lake Illawarra and the Pacific Ocean. Primbee is close to Windang and Warrawong in the Illawarra.-History:...
and the Mount Keira Summit Park
Mount Keira
Mount Keira is a 464 metre high mountain lying 4 kilometres northwest of the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Its distinctive shape and proximity to Wollongong make it a major local landmark. It is noted for the views of the city from the popular summit lookout and its history of...
.
Garden features
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
garden, herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
garden, woodland garden, azalea
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
bank, succulent plant
Succulent plant
Succulent plants, also known as succulents or fat plants, are water-retaining plants adapted to arid climates or soil conditions. Succulent plants store water in their leaves, stems, and also in roots...
s and several rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
areas divided into Illawarra Rainforest, Subtropical Rainforest, Dry Rainforst and Exotic Rainforest. A creek runs through the garden and into a small lake. This creek joins Para Creek and runs into Puckeys Estate Reserve
Puckeys Estate Reserve
Puckey's Estate Reserve is a coastal nature reserve in Wollongong, Australia. It is mainly she-oak forest, but also has sand dune and wetland areas, including areas along Para Creek...
.
The azalea garden and succulent garden are both local attractions, and many tourists are seen taking pictures of the flowers. Local university students study plants here.
One of the better known attractions is the Japanese-style wooden bridge over the creek. It was built as a gift of friendship to symbolise the connection with Wollongong's sister city in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Kawasaki
Kawasaki, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area....
and restored in the early 2000s. Another is the BHP fountain at the northern entrance facing the university. Its distinctive shape has put it on the local art tour.
The lake is a local attraction and features a boardwalk to a rotunda in the centre. It is inhabited by ducks and geese and seagulls frequent.