The Royal Botanic Gardens started out as farmland and it's where Governor Phillip planted 9 acres of corn in 1788 and named the area "Farm Cove." Although the farm failed due to being planted out of season and poor soil, the land has been in constant cultivation since that time as now hostsover a million specimens, some of which were planted by the colonists at the time of settlement.
The Aboriginals called this tract of land "Woccanmagully" It was their initiation grounds where boys became men and where frequent corroborries were performed including "The Dance of the Kangaroo" as witnessed by the Europeans in 1788.
The land was the site of the Government Stables (now where the Conservatorium of Music now stands) and the Royal Botanic Gardens were founded on this site by Governor Macquarie in 1816 as part of the Governor's Domain.
The gardens also offer some of the best views of Sydney Harbour, the Opera Houseand the Harbour Bridge.
The gardens offer sealed walking paths and scattered throughout the gardens are contemporary sculptured artworks.
The gardens are also home to the Sydney Tropical Centre that is enclosed in an impressive glass pyramid. Strolling through the gardens you'll find The Herb Garden, The Fernery, a formal Rose Garden, The Succulent Garden, The Oriental Garden and a section dedicated to rare and threatened plant species of the world which includes one of the rarest plants in the world, the Wollemi Pine.
Roosting in the trees throughout the Botanical Gardens are Grey Headed Flying Foxes that at sunset awake and fill the sky. A very impressive sight for any local or tourist.
In 1862 Sydney's first zoo was opened within the Botanic Gardens and remained there until 1883, when most of it was transferred to Moore Park. During these years much of the natural vegetation of the surrounding Domain was removed and transferred into parkland. The Moreton Bay Figs dominate the gardens.
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