Situated at the foot of Mount Coot-tha, Brisbane Botanic Gardens cover an expansive 52 hectares of landscaped native and exotic plant collections. Brisbane council initially decided to create these gardens in an effort to complement and enhance the original City Botanic Gardens with a more spacious site that would lend itself to expansion in the future.

Spend the day in this subtropical, botanical paradise and you might be surprised by how much you learn. With free guided walks by informed volunteers and free gardening workshops on-site, you will soon become a horticultural expert. Photography workshops and classes enable you to capture the timeless beauty of these stunning plants and flowers. Get the kids involved by exploring the Hide 'n' Seek Children's trail kids are given a map which helps them to discover and learn some surprisingly fun facts about plants and wildlife.

There are many attractions at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, whether it's the 100-year-old Bamboo Grove, the Japanese Garden with its twisting walkways, rock and water features, or the Bonsai House, home to figs, conifers, maples and azaleas, some of which are over 80 years old.

Visit the Fern House and learn how different cultures have used this 200 million-year-old plant in some very unusual ways. Drop by the Fragrant Plants and Herb Garden and give your senses a pleasurable treat in this aromatic wonderland. Discover the cultural meaning of various herbs throughout the centuries, before taking a trip over to the Arid Zone and Cactus House to see these unusually fascinating dry-region plants of Central America and Africa.

Throughout the gardens you will find picnic tables and seating areas as well as drinking fountains and toilets, so why not pack up a picnic and make a day of it? There is also a café and function centre complete with a large open-air deck should you wish to indulge.

The conveniently located Information Centre is the place to pick up a map of the gardens. Use the map to follow any of the three self-guided walks or you can join in on the free guided tours which run twice daily from Monday to Saturday. Check the website for up-to-date information.

Situated in the suburb of Toowong near Mount Coot-tha, the Brisbane Botanic Gardens are approximately 7.2 kilometres from the city centre. Admission to the gardens is free and it is open daily, however the Bonsai House has limited opening hours.