Royal Park Native Garden Preview

Welcome! Here a few how-to hints to help you use this tour.

Map

The map provides you with a bird's eye view of the tour, including the location of the next Stop.

Press the Map icon to display the map, and navigate around the map by swiping and pinching. Each Stop has a designated number.

If your device has GPS signal you can locate yourself via the GPS symbol on the map.

Images

Each Stop is accompanied by photographs and images which will help to familiarise you with key features at each location. Swipe the images to see more.

List

Press the List icon to display a full list of Stops for this tour.

WALKING SAFELY

Please prepare for this tour by wearing appropriate clothing for variable weather conditions, as well as comfortable walking shoes.

Take care when crossing roads, and keep an eye out for cyclists.

Public toilets are available at the Gatehouse Street car park.

Walmsley House entrance

Enter the park on foot from 161 Gatehouse Street, the Walmsley House entrance

Take a moment to read the Walmsley House information sign.

The Native Garden you are about to enter was designed in 1977 by Grace Fraser to showcase Australian native plants. It is a no dog area.

Rainforest walk entrance

Rather than go straight ahead let’s take the first left into the thicket for the rainforest walk

Rainforest walk

Here we can experience the lushness of ferns, palms and warrigal greens among many others. Austral bracken does well in dappled shade. Look for correas, manna gums and tree violets plus many others.

Car park entrance

The path leads to the open garden area on the right, but instead continue on to the left. This brings us to the toilets and second entrance to the Native Garden.Follow the gravel path to the north.

Keep an eye out for native flowers. Regardless of the season there is always something in bloom.

Take a moment to read the information sign.

Edge of the Grass Circle

At the first fork in the path take the left path to the edge of the Grass Circle.

This is a wonderful place to explore later. For now we will return back to the fork to the Native Garden.

Pond walk

Turn left back at the fork, and follow the path as it loops around the pond.

To our right is the lawn area and the pond. We are walking anticlockwise around the garden. As we continue there are many seats where you can sit and enjoy the view across the garden

The bridge

The bridge takes us past the end of the pond.

Growing at the edge of the bridge are nardoo, sedges, rushes and knot weed plus many others.

This area is designed to take street run off and filter it using water purifying plants which also host many insects and bees. Details of this project are on the sign.

Take a moment to read the information sign

The Avenue entrance

Walking on we pass the entrance from The Avenue. Coming in from there gives you this first glimpse of the garden.

In warmer months butterflies and bees abound.

The lawn

Heading south, we can now look across the garden lawn.

A great place for a picnic or just to relax. The redgum is believed to be over 200 years old. The beds around the trees have been planted with wildflowers and grasses.

The pond

Walk across the lawn to visit the pond.

Lots of birds are regular visitors. You may even see a wood duck with her babies.

The callistemons offer food and shelter and are part of the original planting.

We hope you enjoyed this short tour of the Australian Native Gardens at Royal Park.

You may enjoy the other Royal Park walks curated by Royal Park Protection Group in this app.