Guten tag Anna. (no umlaut sorry)
I'm afraid I can't be of much help, but it might be a good idea to also post this question on the "Gardening in Oz" and "Tropical Gardening" forums.
Good luck with your trip to Australia (your English is excellent!)

If you are in Canberra, they have an extensive National Botannic Garden, which is well worth a visit. It is exclusively Australian Native. Another good one is just outside Sydney called Mt Annan Botannic Garden - another native garden. They might not be looking their very best at the moment due to the long drought we are experiencing, but still very stunning.

Hi Anna,

We also have a great collection of natives here in Rocky (central QLD, 7 hours from Brisbane) - the old rubbish tip (!) was converted into a parkland called 'Kershaw Gardens' by some very forward thinking people several years ago, and its a real treat. Our Botanic gardens are also very good - look forward to seeing you in the Beef Capital !

Cheers,

Artie

Hi,
One idea I have for you is to try Wwoofing! You work four hours a day on a farm and you get free board and meals. If you plan on making your way down to Melbourne then you could try Kingbilli estate in the Yarra Valley. The Kingbilli website has links to the Wwoofing website where they have opportunities all over Australia.

Best of luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kingbilli Estate (Wwoofing page)

Danili, I think this was mentioned above!

Hi Anna,
If you are staying in Melbourne at all, it would be well worth a visit to the Healesville Sanctuary. Not only will you be able to see some of our wonderful wildlife, but they also have a lot of native vegetation to complete the picture.
Excuse my ignorance, but what on earth is wwoofing?!! I'm thinking perhaps it is something to do with working one's way around the country. Can someone put me out of my misery and get me into this century?
Cheers,
Dee.

I've never heard of it either Dee. I thought it was a spelling error. Click on the link in Danili's post - it's short for something.

Folks,

WWOOF stands for (I think !) Willing Workers On Organic Farms. It is a scheme whereby overseas visitors with an interest in organic gardening/farming can come to Australia and undertake work experience on organic farms. Something like this, anyway. A very worthwhile scheme.

Ian

Ian

Thanks Amelie and Ian. I am now informed!! lol.
Doesn't it just sound like a wonderful idea! Hope you enjoy your wwoofing Anna. Let the forum know when you hit our shores...you never know, there might just be a cup of coffee waiting for you somewhere!...well at least down my way!
Dee.

Anna

If you're in Perth, WA, you should visit Kings Park Botanical Gardens. Absolutely lovely gardens with native plants.

Our national parks are also worth a visit - beautiful karri and tingle forests down south. Not to mention the parks in Tasmania ...

Sounds like a wonderful trip.

Aggie

Dear Anna,
I don't know if you know anything about Australian history, but one of the reasons we have so many European style gardens is because for 200 years, Europeans, (my family included), have been coming here as immigrants. Once here many of them try to make Australia look and feel like the country the've left behind. Here in the Blue Mountains, NSW, we have a strong German/Austrian/Swiss community. We have a "winterfest" and "Christmas in July" celebrations. People even hope it will snow, (stupid, I know), but at least if you visit the mountains you'll understand why you're seeing so many familiar trees and plants.
Some of us do have native gardens.

Hi Anna,

I was wondering which part of Australia you are planning to start out in, it might be worthwhile posting this so that people in that area could give you some ideas about places to check out.

Other than the botanic gardens in canberra, the other botanic gardens I have visited here have dissappointed me with their limited displays of natives. I prefer to just get out in the bush, that way you can see things unique to the area you are in, and get the opportunity to see birds, animals, butterflies and insects as well.

Good Luck wwoofing too. I had a great time wwoofing in Denmark. BTW, for others interested in experiencing wwoofing, you don't need to be an overseas visitor to go wwoofing, anyone can do it, pretty much anywhere.

cheers, mudlark

Well known gardens near Melbourne include Maranoa Gardens (Balwyn), Katandra Gardens (Wandin) and Karwarra Gardens (Kalorama). Two of these have their own websites and these addresses and further information can be found on the SGAPVic website. Katandra Gardens is especially noted for its Correas, while Karwarra has many Waratahs.
A less well known garden can be found at Darley park in Bacchus Marsh. It features grafted grevilleas, hakeas and eremophilas, including many rare species. The garden is just inside the Fitzroy street gate, at the northern end of the football ground.

Here is a link that might be useful: SGAPVic

In Victoria, the Geelong Botanic gardens are well worth a visit, ie the new area.
At Coleraine in Western Victoria, the Peter Francis Points Arboretum is well worth visiting, but allow at least a day for walking around the arboretum. It has a very large Eucalypt collection as well as many Hakeas, Banksias, and other Australian species.
The associated Eucalyptus Discovery Centre is found in the town of Coleraine and is open on weekday mornings.

If you intend to see native gardens in sydney try
Kurringai Wildflower Garden it is more like a bush park but has a vast array of plants
Next you should stop at the grevillea park in Bulli
south of sydney I got to have a sneak peek and found it very wonderous place having a rainforest as well as grevilleas
and then head to Mt Annan in campbelltown as it is the royal botanical gardens Native garden.
Lastly head to the blue mountains west of sydney and visit Mt tomah for the vista and cold weather gardens
I think you will find what you want form these gardens