This Queensland bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) is the remaining survivor of three trees planted in the mid nineteenth century. It has a bulbous trunk that stores water in times of drought. To ensure a continued presence of this iconic tree in the Gardens, young plants were included in the Bicentenary Garden in 2016.
The Main Pond is located in the Royal Botanic Gardens close to the harbour wall. The pond is a home for a variety of bird species who you can observe from the paths that surround the pond. The cafe, restaurant and shop are all located near to the pond. Signage about the residents birds and their behaviour is offered as helpful information for visitors.
On the ground under your feet you will find artwork by Brenda Croft which commemorates the Gadigal and Dharawal people of the region now known as Sydney. The artwork was commissioned as part of the Sydney Sculpture Walk for the 2000 Olympics. Terrazzo and stained concrete have been used to create figures from Aboriginal rock carvings found across Sydney.
The original Wishing Tree was a Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla) planted from a seedling around 1816 when Lachlan Macquarie was the Governor of NSW. That tree died in 1945 and was replaced by the one you see now. It is a popular attraction with signage to explain the ritual of walking around the tree forwards and backwards to make your dreams come true.
In 1994 unusual trees were found in the rugged Wollemi National Park, northwest of Sydney. Named the Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis) it is a conifer whose location in the wild remains a secret to ensure its survival. This tree, from the time of the dinosaurs, is one of the world's rarest plants with only three stands of adult trees known to be growing in New South Wales. This one was planted in the Gardens in 1996.
Just a 50 minute drive from Melbourne's city centre, discover the astonishing beauty and diversity of more than 100,000 native plants at the Cranbourne Gardens. You will find them displayed in settings that capture the essence of Australia's diverse landscape from the Red Centre to the coastal fringes.
The award-winning Australian Garden comprises 11 precincts and facilities , boardwalks and viewing platforms on Howson and Gibson Hills.
Tours, activities and programs in the Australian Garden provide a range of informative and exciting experiences for visitors of all ages. Take a Free Guided Walk or ride on The Explorer Bus to discover this amazing 15 hectare garden.
From the Australian Garden, head into the bushland and picnic areas or visit the Gardens Shop and Boon Wurrung Café. The bushland has a state-of-the-art nature playground, hiking and biking trails.
Visitors can also discover inspiration and information about how to use Australian plants in your garden. The Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne host a plant sale, where you can choose from a range of plants including grasses, climbers, border-plants, ground-cover, bushes, trees and more, many of which you will find in the Australian Garden. Please check their website for further details.
Attracting over two million visitors annually, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in Melbourne is a treasured part of cultural life and a valuable asset to the city. With stunning vistas, tranquil lakes and diverse plant collections, the gardens are a place of continual discovery and delight.
Enjoy a First Peoples led Aboriginal Heritage Walk, a ride on The Explorer bus or Punting on The Lake, all set against a beautiful backdrop and just moments from the city.
These beautiful gardens are home to amazing and diverse plant collections such as camellias, rainforest flora, succulents and cacti, roses, Californian species, herbs, perennials, cycads and plants from Southern China. Guilfoyle's Volcano offers fabulous city skyline views, a precinct to explore, and a natural sanctuary for native wildlife.
The children's garden has everything that children could want to help them discover the natural world, with plant tunnels that they can crawl through, rocks that they can climb and a bamboo forest in which they can hide.
Visitors can unwind at the Terrace café, The Observatory all day dining venue or find botanical-inspired souvenirs and gifts at the Gardens Shop. The Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne hold seasonal plant sales twice a year, see their website for further details.
During summer, the lawns come alive with outdoor cinema, live music, theatre performances and exhibitions.
Step inside a nineteenth-century inn built by an ex-convict and discover one of Toowoomba's most fascinating heritage sites. The Royal Bull's Head Inn, acquired by the National Trust of Australia (Queensland) over forty years ago, offers an authentic glimpse into early settlement life on the Darling Downs.
Explore rooms filled with original artefacts and furniture once used by the Lynch family, peek into the old kitchen that has changed little in 150 years, and wander the award-winng gardens that surrounds the Inn.
Open Days
The Inn is open to the public on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.
Entry fees apply (free entry for National Trust members).
Special Experiences
Paranormal events
School excursions tailored for students to experience life in the 1800s.
Elopements and micro weddings in a unique historic setting.
Participation in Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers annually
Other special events.
Visiting the Royal Bull's Head Inn is like stepping through a doorway into the past—an experience not to be missed when in Toowoomba.
The Royal Circus is associated with the establishment and operation of Robe as one of the earliest major seaports in South Australia.
The township was first surveyed from here in 1846 by the colony's deputy surveyor-general, Thomas Burr. The Royal Circus then served as a roundabout, guiding the flow of wagons as they delivered wool to the port and collected supplies for pastoral stations from Ormerod's store, which stood on the site of the current council chambers.
In modern times, the Royal Circus is a major attraction for visitors, maritime history enthusiasts and even art lovers. Taking pride of place is the bronze sculptures of maritime explorers Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin, cast by the late Robe artist, Pat Moseley. They stand alongside a cannon, believed to have come from the Dutch ship Koning Willem II, which came to grief during a storm in the bay in 1857, resulting in the tragic loss of 16 crew members.
The panoramic views from the Royal Circus include the breathtaking waters of Guichen Bay, Customs House to the Robe Marina, the Chinese Monument Pai Fang and also straight down to Front Beach.
If you walk up the stone steps to the top, you can read the plaques dedicated to the names of the vessels that were lost at sea in the treacherous waters along our coastline.
The Hankinson Memorial Fountain is a ceramic fountain created by Royal Doulton. It is located in Narrandera within the Memorial Gardens at the junction of East Street and Victoria Avenue. There are only two of these fountains known to be in existence, the other one being in Pakistan.
The ceramic Royal Doulton fountain was presented to the people of Narrandera by Alderman RH and Mrs Hankinson in 1922 in honour of all those in Narrandera and District who served in the Great War 1914-1918. The fountain remains a fitting tribute to Mr Hankinson, who stands in local history as one of the area's most civic-minded citizens.
An icon of Melbourne’s history opens its doors to a unique view unseen for 100 years.
With its origins steeped in history, the Royal Exhibition Building was built for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition. As a key attraction of the 1880 and 1888 international exhibitions, the Dome Promenade provided visitors a unique opportunity to overlook the gardens and view the Melbourne skyline.
This guided experience allows visitors to once again be able to experience these spectacular views along with an exhibition that explores the building’s significant history and varied uses over time.
The Royal Exhibition Building is beautiful inside and out—and a true landmark of Melbourne.
Discover what it takes to save lives in the outback at the Royal Flying Doctor Outback Heritage Experience. Located at the RFDS Base next to Broken Hill airport – this new and innovative visitor experience offers endless opportunities to take in the heroic history and current-day operations of a service that has been coming to the aid of remote-living Australians since 1928.
Discover stories from the service's past and present-day service delivery through its interactive exhibition showcasing how the Flying Doctor delivers urgent care across this vast continent and the positive impact RFDS has on people living and visiting regional and remote areas of NSW and beyond. The Broken Hill base alone covers 640,000 square kilometres of the outback.
Today there are 23 Royal Flying Doctor bases across Australia. Here at the Broken Hill base, doctors, nurses, engineers and pilots work with a fleet of Beechcraft King aircraft and are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Broken Hill Outback Experience also houses an expansive gift shop, perfect to find that perfect memento of your visit.
See, experience and learn through the wonder of technology as history is brought to life. Enjoy heroic tales of the birth and growth of the RFDS.
Visit the original Alice Springs working base that commenced operating in 1939. Discover the importance of the RFDS to outback Australians and the medical care required to service isolated regions.
The new John Flynn the hologram is an amazing experience. The pioneering holographic show forms the centrepiece of the facility, as Flynn tells the story of his vision and its realisation into the RFDS of today.
Experience our Virtual Reality and connect to the emotions of the RFDS. Relive the true experience of patient Gene Hildebrand and see what its like to fly with an RFDS pilot.
Step inside a replica RFDS aircraft and feel what it’s like to be a patient at 15,000 feet.
Walk through the museum and meet Alfred Traeger and Nurse Kathy through interactive technology.
Purchase official merchandise along with our latest co-branded range from RM Williams from the Doc Shop and help keep the RFDS flying.
See, experience and learn through the wonder of technology as this facility brings history to life.
Life size hologram of Rev John Flynn the founder of the RFDS tells his story. Interactive story telling ghosts, meet Nurse Kathy and Alfred Traeger. Two virtual reality stories of the RFDS. Relive a patient's true experience of medical care and experience flying with an RFDS Pilot. A decommissioned RFDS Pilatus PC-12 aircraft to view a fully aero medically equipped fit out.
Relive the drama of the Bombing of Darwin Harbour that rocked Australia in 1942. Life size hologram of Rear Admiral Etheridge Grant, the Commanding Officer of the USS William B Preston. Interactive story telling ghosts. Meet Prime Minister John Curtin and Japanese Pilot Hajime Toyoshima.
Virtual Reality of the bombing of Darwin Harbour. A production that's the pinnacle for a virtual reality movie. Full size replica Japanese Zero aircraft hangs from the ceiling. Window of 1942 and aerial view of the Bombing of Darwin Harbour that comes to life showing the bombing and aircraft fire of the first raid.
The Visitor Experience is an interactive exploration of the iconic Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Touch down into the world of heroic doctors, nurses, pilots and outback communities.
Live each moment as they deliver urgent medical care across a 7.69 million square kilometres 'waiting room' - the Australian outback.
See through the eyes of unique outback characters and communities.
Experience their stories and challenges across the vast Australian remote areas - as if you're right there.
View the Fox Moth, the Flying Doctor's first plane to service Broken Hill and the Beechcraft King Air as is used today.
This venue is perfect for Schools and interest interest groups. There is also a function area for hire which accommodates various corporate needs.
They invite you to stop in, explore, and then relax with a coffee or cool drink and tempting tasty treats.
The Royal Geelong Yacht Club is recognised as one of Australia's premier Yacht Clubs and boasts a proud history that stretches more than 150 years. The Royal Geelong Yacht Club plays host to many major yachting events, including the largest keelboat regatta in the Southern Hemisphere, the Festival of Sails annually and the biennial Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong.
The excellent facilities give members the opportunity to enjoy true absolute water frontage and enjoy the best view that any yacht club can offer. Take in the views from the Members' Lounge, The Yot cafe deck or the upstairs balcony. No other facility in Geelong can match the location.
A first-class Cadet facility provides young sailors with the opportunity to learn from some very accomplished club sailors who include State, National and World Champions. Novice sailors will be warmly welcomed and encouraged to develop new skills and new friendships.
Please call if you have any inquiries, or search the website for concise information on every aspect of The Royal Geelong Yacht Club, drop in to view the facilities or contact by phone or email.
Step into Melbourne's fascinating past at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, housed in an iconic art deco former military drill hall. As Victoria's oldest historical society (founded in 1909) and the second oldest in Australia, this is the perfect place to discover the stories that shaped Melbourne.
Just steps from the historic Flagstaff Gardens, this heritage building houses an exhibition gallery showcasing Melbourne's rich history, a specialist library, and a bookstore filled with local historical treasures. Whether you're interested in colonial Melbourne, gold rush tales, or the evolution of its neighborhoods, the free gallery exhibitions offer something for every history enthusiast.
Join their popular weekly Flagstaff Gardens heritage tour every Monday, where you'll uncover the hidden stories of one of Melbourne's most significant green spaces. There are also regular events featuring nationally-recognised historians, author talks, and book launches that bring Melbourne's past to life.
Their welcoming spaces are perfect for history lovers, students, researchers, or anyone curious about Melbourne's remarkable journey. There is also a function room for hire for corporate events in a unique heritage setting.
Play the Southernmost Royal course in the world! Located in the seaside town of Seven Mile Beach – twenty minutes from Hobart, and five minutes from Hobart airport.
Tasmania’s premier members club, presented in impeccable condition all year round since 1916. Royal Hobart offers play for both members and visitors on the best-maintained course in Tasmania providing premium playing conditions all year round.
Club, pull buggy and motorised cart hire are all available. You can also consult the expertise of the course's golf professional and relax in the Bar and restaurant overlooking the course. The facilities at Royal Hobart provide the perfect way to sharpen your game before heading out on the challenging 18 hole layout with a large putting green, chipping area and two practise fairways to choose from.
Original course designer, Vern Morcom, made the best use of the natural sand base to construct over 80 fairway and greenside bunkers. These are special feature of the course that adds an important dimension to how players of all levels approach their game.
Long-term course improvements ensure Royal Hobart continues to offer a challenging golfing experience for members and visitors alike. Subtle changes are introduced, but always conforming to the original design concept. Holes: 18., Par: 72 (Men), 73 (Ladies), Length: 6,174 m (Men), 5368 m (Ladies).
A day trip or school excursion to Royal National Park in Sydney's south, will offer plenty of opportunities for barbecues, fishing, bushwalking, birdwatching and whale watching.
Sydney’s heritage-listed Royal National Park is affectionately known to locals as the ‘Nasho’ or just ‘the Royal’. Established in 1879, it’s the world's second-oldest national park. It features unique heritage attractions, along with fascinating plants, birds and animals. Perfect for bushwalking, cycling, surfing, picnicking or whale watching, this diverse park offers everything from beaches to rainforest.
Located near Cronulla within an hour’s drive from both the Sydney CBD and Wollongong, the 16,000 hectare Royal National Park is like a big beautiful backyard. Whether you come for a morning jog or a week-long camping holiday, you’ll discover something new each time.
For those who live for the water, The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS) is on the doorstep of beautiful Moreton Bay at Royal Esplanade, Manly and just 16 kilometres east of the CBD.
The combination of the Bay's excellent conditions and our love for on-water activities creates the perfect gateway into the various offshore activities – including windsurfing, stand-up paddle boarding and of course, many different types of boating and sailing.
Established in 1885, the RQYS has grown into a world-class facility for Members, Guests and Visitors to enjoy their boating interests, as well as providing not one but two exclusive, waterfront venues for them to enjoy when they are not on the water. You don't have to be a 'boatie' to enjoy one of the best yacht clubs in Australia or the exclusive Canaipa Point facilities on Russell Island.
Whether your interests are competitive or recreational, the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron can offer something to suit. For those who like to stay ashore, RQYS offers a range of social options across the many indoor and outdoor function spaces, in one of the most glorious settings in the world overlooking Manly Boat Harbour adjacent to the Moreton Bay Marine Park.
The Squadron often holds special celebratory events and member functions and hosts regular live music. RQYS - where a warm welcome awaits.
Royal Randwick is the jewel in the crown of Sydney racing. A compelling theatre of sport, culture, fashion and cuisine, racing's premier playground will entertain you with the extraordinary.
The venue hosts race meetings all-year round but really comes to life during The Championships in autumn and the Sydney Everest Carnival in spring.
Situated minutes from the Central Business District and in close proximity to the airport, Royal Randwick can be found in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Particularly coming to life during The Spring and Sydney Carnivals.
The venue sets a world-class standard in racing and hospitality, enriched by over 35 bars and restaurants, reserved dining establishments and cutting-edge facilities for members and racegoers alike.
As Australia's longest-standing racing venue, Royal Randwick has shaped and been a part of Australian culture for over 150 years.
Royal Randwick is now offering guests the opportunity to go behind the scenes to showcase the Sydney horse racing experience - from pre-race preparation to the excitement of the race in a premium venue with extensive food and beverage options.
The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is Australia's premier cool climate garden, offering travellers a peaceful pause only minutes from the heart of Hobart.
Established over 200 years ago, this 14-hectare site includes many unique collections that can be viewed in a relaxed stroll across 2 hours. Visitors can explore displays of Tasmanian flora, featuring rare and threatened species, and see unusual specimens of sub-Antarctic plants. A collection of mature conifer trees, planted in the 19th century, provide a majestic canopy above a Victorian-era lily pond. A traditionally-styled Japanese Garden, herbaceous perennial border, and sandstone conservatory provide year-round delight.
The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens are open daily year-round. Located at Lower Domain Rd, Queens Domain, Hobart, they are only a 5 minute drive or 25 minute walk from the city centre. Ample free parking is available.
The Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (RYCV), originally founded as the Port Phillip Yacht Club in May 1853, is one of Australia's oldest and most prestigious yacht clubs.
Located in picturesque Williamstown, the Club offers breathtaking views of the city skyline with complete waterfrontage and is rich in yachting history and tradition.
Today, RYCV boasts more than 1,000 Members and over 200 yachts on the register, making it an ideal Club for sailors with all levels of experience. Sailors can enjoy reliable and steady breezes with little or no current, making it a perfect stretch of water for club sailing or state, national and international regattas.
The Royals Training Centre offers a range of courses for all ages, while the Club's lively social program ensures a welcoming atmosphere for Members and guests alike. The Club's restaurant and bar offer an excellent seasonal menu, best enjoyed with stunning views from the deck or lawn.
RYCV is a hub for maritime enthusiasts and a beloved part of the local community.
Royale Jugiong Golf Club is a 9-hole, par 35 golf course with sand greens. Set amongst the picturesque rolling hills of Jugiong, the club offers fun challenges for players of all skill levels.
Just a one and half hour drive from Canberra, Jugiong is a charming little town with a lot to offer - boutique shopping and accommodation, wonderful eateries and wineries, and stunning scenic views. Stay a while and fill your days with good food, good company and a few rounds of golf!
The course is always open and no booking is required.
Social golf is held every first and third Sunday of the month, with hit off at nine, and visitors are most welcome.