Tasmania · Attraction
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Fourteen hectares of living heritage
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Established in 1818, the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens are among the oldest botanical gardens in the Southern Hemisphere. Spread across 14 hectares on the Queens Domain beside the Derwent River, the gardens showcase Tasmania's rich native flora alongside international plant collections, heritage trees, and a remarkable Subantarctic Plant House found nowhere else in Australia.
The gardens are divided into themed sections covering ferns, conifers, roses, Japanese-inspired plantings, and a kitchen garden. The unique Subantarctic Plant House replicates the conditions of Macquarie Island and the southern ocean territories, displaying plant life rarely seen outside specialist research institutions. Heritage specimens, some well over a century old, anchor the formal garden beds and lawns.
Volunteer-guided tours are available and offer in-depth knowledge of the plant collections and the site's colonial history. The on-site restaurant offers a relaxed setting with garden views, and a botanical gift shop is also open daily.
The gardens are open 365 days a year with no entry charge, making them one of Hobart's most visited free attractions. Two free car parks are located off Lower Domain Road. The site is family-friendly, with wide paved paths, open lawns, and plenty of shaded seating throughout.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.
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