I came for the view and stayed for the day. The Royal Botanic Gardens was not on my itinerary for Sydney until a friend who lives there told me it offered the supreme vantage of the city — skyline, opera house and harbour bridge, all unobstructed and oh so close. Then I began researching this green space, which covers 27 hectares on the shores of Sydney harbour, and made a series of pleasant discoveries.
This is not just a beautiful park, or a fine lookout point, or as the name suggests a botanic gardens. It is also a key historical site, a hub of science education, a venue for varied events, and a kind of nature theme park with rides, tours and shows inspired by the Australian environment.
What I intended to be a brief visit to savour the views became a full-day excursion as I recognised this may just be Sydney’s most diverse tourist site. One that manages to achieve something rare among such attractions — offering something to every type of visitor.
