Many parents around Australia, including the Gold Coast are regular visitors to their local botanic gardens. These stunning locations are some of the most family friendly places in our communities and provide a stunning backdrop for picnics, engagement with local flora and fauna and a chance to interact with mother nature in all her glory.
The southwest boundary of the gardens extends down to the Nerang River, the Royal Pines Resort Golf Course runs all along the north boundary and the Benowa Waters residential area is located to the south. So there is a heap to explore!
Family friendly adventures around the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens
The Gold Coast Botanic Gardens have been developed with community engagement in mind, particularly families.
From the ‘Sensory Garden’, the ‘Mountains walk’, the ‘Butterfly Garden’ or the ‘Rose Garden’, this welcoming location provides an experience for every member of the family, open every day, year round, from 5:00am to 7:00pm. What makes the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens so family friendly?
The Gold Coast Botanic Gardens offer a variety of attractions to engage families for a day trip or for a family social function. There are barbecues, shelters, picnic areas and walking trails all open to the public to use (and the gardens can be contacted to make a booking for a specific space). It’s also a great place to host a kid’s birthday party so why not pack some chairs and a portable table and get a shady spot near the playground nice and early.
This location boasts family friendly walking tracks, boardwalks, a playground, picnic areas, educational panels and a pond with eels. If your family trip is at short notice, ‘The Friends Centre’, which is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm each day has freshly ground organic coffee, loose leaf teas and gluten-free treats for you to enjoy.
Features of the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens:
- Araucaria Forest and Blackbutt
- Birds at the Botanic Gardens
- Closed Forest Gorge
- Dry Rainforest
- Eucalyptus Open Woodland
- Freshwater Wetlands
- Friends Centre
- Gum Tree Corridor
- Horticultural Display Gardens
- Kaialgumm Games Trail
- Mangroves to Mountains Walk
- Montane Rockery
- Special Trees
Through these features, you’ll see swans, ducks, native birds, kookaburras, eels, fish, butterflies and gorgeous fragrant flowers and trees.
In addition to these attractions, there are a range of support services and information readily available for guests to access while visiting the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens.
There is a visitor’s centre which has been established as a hub for guests, open each day and providing information about the gardens and any up-and-coming events. From this centre, visitors can also enquire about the free guided walks – great for adding an educational perspective to a day trip.
There is disability access to the display garden and lake boardwalk and rest rooms are open for all guests to use.
In addition to this, bring your pup along as there is an off-leash exercise area setup at the gardens for visitors and their K9 friends to enjoy.
Easy access for families travelling to the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens
The Gold Coast Botanic Gardens are located at 230 Ashmore Road, in Benowa on the Gold Coast. To access the botanic gardens visitors can arrive by car and take advantage of the ample free parking available.
If travelling by bus, there are services departing from Broadbeach (this service drops guests at the Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre, which is then a 450m walk to the gardens) or dropped at the gardens if you are coming from Southport on route 737.
Hot Tips:
- The Gold Coast Botanic Gardens are very popular during the week and on the weekends, so if planning a social gathering it might be wise to contact the information centre, speak with them about your event and book a location.
- There are a number of projects happening at the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens that the wider community can become involved with. If travelling regularly with children, contact the information centre and speak with them about getting involved in the current events and projects in the gardens.
