Mount Annan

 Australian Botanic Garden

On Wednesday 22 March, Nick drove a little group of us in the Village bus to the Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan.  

We drove along the Northern Road to the turn-off at Narellan, passing through rural countryside.  It is comforting to see there are still many farms in this area, despite the obvious signs of urban sprawl and the building of the new Western Sydney Airport.  

We arrived at the Visitor's Information Centre about 10 am and decided to explore the Connections Garden opposite the Information Centre.   This is a four hectare garden planted with many varieties of Australian native flora.  There is a delightful waterfall  here with a little bridge over it and a rainforest backdrop of ferns, cycads and tall palms.  After leaving this magical spot we followed the pathway that led to a small Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis).  Fossil records indicate that this species has been in existence for over 200 million years.  In this section was also a towering Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii) which produces the largest cone of any Australian conifer, up to 10 kgs. in weight.  There are three Bunya Pine trees growing in Winmalee, near the Tavern and shopping village so I am very familiar with this huge tree.  There was a sign warning visitors to watch out for falling cones.  We certainly did not want a 10 kg. cone falling on our heads!  There were other native Pine trees in this area including a Hoop Pine.  I also saw some Sago Palms.

We then climbed a steepish hill and then walked down the other side till we came back to the path opposite the Information Centre.

Nick then drove us around the whole area in the bus.  The Garden is  huge and covers 416 hectares of land and is home to many varieties of Australian native flora.   We drove past many picnic areas which would be ideal for family get-togethers, birthday parties etc.  He stopped at one or two places to allow us to get out and take photographs.  I particularly liked all the Grevilleas in the Grevillea area.  The Wattle area would also be great when the Wattles are blooming.  We stopped to take a photo looking back at Sedgwick Lake, one of the Lakes in the garden.

After our ride around the site, we returned to the Visitor Information Centre to have lunch in the newly opened Gardens Cafe.  The cafe was doing a roaring trade and was obviously very popular.  Ken and I each had a seafood platter which was delicious and served very promptly.

After lunch we wanted to look through the shop at the Visitor Information Centre, but unfortunately it was closed for a lunch break and we did not have the time to wait for it to open.  However, I'm sure we will be back again.  

This colourful tree sculpture was on display in the Connections Garden.

One of the Grass trees in the Connections Garden.  Grass trees have long thin leaves that grow at the top of a thick black trunk (originally known as Black boys)  Xanthorrhoea is distantly related to lilies.

A beautiful Grevillea, just one of the many Grevillea bushes growing in the Grevillea section.

A Rainbow Lorikeet feeding on a blossom in a Queensland Firewheel tree.  This tree was growing in the Grevillea section.

Looking back over Sedgwick Lake with a garden bed in the foreground.

A section of the garden bed beside the Lake.

This small Australian native shrub looked very pretty.  Ptilotus exaltatus otherwise known as pink mulla mulla - joey.  It is a herbaceous perennial and was growing in the garden bed overlooking the Lake. 

There is a small plant nursery attached to the Visitor Information shop.  We would have liked to look at these plants.

We enjoyed our visit to Mount Annan and are hoping we get back to this garden later in the year as there is a lot we would still like to see.  

Acknowledgments

1.  Wikipedia (for nomenclatural of native plants)

2.  Various brochures collected at Visitor Information Centre