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The second-largest inland city in NSW, Wagga Wagga is 471 km south-west of Sydney which is about halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. It has a population of about 57,000 and is located on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. The Wiradjuri/Wiradyuri are the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters of the area.

The Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens are located on 22 acres with a wide assortment of spaces to explore. This includes gardens featuring native plants, protea, a rainforest gully and water-wise plants. The photo above is the entrance to the Shakespearian garden, which has been designed with Elizabethan gardens in mind.

One of the most striking entrances is to the Camellia Garden. It was created to acknowledge the sister city relationship with Kunming in China. The garden and pavilion were built by skilled artisans from Kunming as a gift to Wagga Wagga during the Bicentenary in 1988.

There are over 300 camellias in the garden, providing one of the largest displays in Australia. Camellias are one of my favourite plants.

The gardens include a café and play area, and the Willans Hill Miniature Railway. There are three railway routes, and it operates on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. There is also a free flight aviary and zoo.

The aviary is a particular delight, and is home to a wide variety of birds, including parrots, budgerigars, and cockatiels. There is always something different to discover on a trip to the botanic garden.

Have you had a walk through a botanic garden lately?

Photo: Chinese gate in the Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens