Discovering the Gardens

Discovery Walks and Activities with our Volunteer Guides are not currently available

Welcome to Discovering the Geelong Botanic Gardens with our Volunteer Guides.  Our regular visitors enjoy the striking Silver Border, delight in the scent of the Heritage Roses in Spring, watch the dramatic display of the Perennial Border through Summer, and return for the Ginkgo as it turns butter yellow in late Autumn.  But there is so much more to explore:

• Free Discovery Walks are offered on Wednesdays at 11.00 am, Sundays at 2.00 pm, weather permitting. Meet your Volunteer Guide on the front steps of the Botanic Gardens. 

• On some summer Sundays, the Discovery Table engages visitors with the selected plants, flowers and fruits that are on display and the opportunity to talk with a Guide. 
  
  
• An annual program of monthly Themed Walks promotes more in-depth and innovative stories of the Gardens.
  For these, a gold coin donation is requested. The 2019 Themed Walk Program is available for your calendar.
  
  
• Booked Group Walks are available and tailored to meet the walk theme requested.   Alternatively for ideas, see the list of themed walks, which may be available on request. 
  Group Bookings must be made well in advance and attract a small fee request form - walk
  Pre-Visit Information
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• Self Guided Walks – can also be enjoyed if you prefer to wander the Gardens in your own time:
  
  • The Heritage Tree Walk describes some of the very rare trees at the Geelong Gardens including some listed on the National Trust (Victoria) Significant Tree Register. This Heritage Tree Walk is also available for your Smart Phone.  
  • The Geelong Botanic Gardens were established in 1851 on 81 hectares; the Gardens and surrounding Eastern Park are heritage listed. This Introductory Walk takes you through the historic and contemporary parts of the Gardens. Available in the box at the front gate. 
  • The 21 Century Garden self-guided walk.
  • The Last Dragon is a picture trail of 11 images for families to enjoy. Counting the objects shown in each picture will give you the numbers 1 to 10, but one image is missing. Turn over to find out why we have a Dragon's Blood Tree, but no dragon.
  • Keep Your Eyes Peeled is an art-themed picture trail for children.

 All of these activities are provided by our members, the Volunteer Guides

Some additional information is available for Children and Families visiting the Gardens

October 2020

Monthly Features: Garden Highlights and Plants in Focus

A monthly 'Garden Highlights' bulletin, featuring plants of particular interest, is available in the Gardens.  The current issue and issues from the past four years are available in our Archives pages; Garden Highlights providing a comprehensive monthly overview of highlights for visitors.

Volunteer Guides regularly study plants in detail.  At each Guide meeting, one Guide presents research about a Geelong Botanic Gardens plant, for the benefit of other Guides.  These studies are also available in our Archives pages Plants in Focus

Our monthly bulletin is available: What's On

The Coordinator of the Victorian Salvia Study Group, Lyndi Garnet, visited the Geelong Botanic Gardens late in 2019.  Lyndi met with staff members and some Friends and a report of her visit is in the Summer 2019/2020 Newsletter

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