Education for schools
We are excited to welcome school groups and other groups into our beautiful botanic gardens!
Are you planning a school excursion to Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens?
The botanic gardens team welcomes schools and other groups to visit throughout the year.
The Botanic Gardens Living Collection of plants and associated features provide students with many learning experiences appropriate to the school curriculum.
The focus of your visit to the gardens offers endless opportunities but can include a range of Science and HASS subjects, such as plant adaptations, living things, classification, water cycle, sustainability, ethnobotany, math sessions and more.
Booking your visit
When planning a visit, please contact Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens and complete the school excursion application form. The botanic gardens team need to be aware of your visit. Scheduled maintenance such as pruning, mowing, watering and spraying could impact upon your plans, or an area may be inaccessible. It also enables us to make sure your group is kept safe and your visit is as enjoyable as it can be.
The best time to visit the botanic gardens is during daylight hours, from 9am to 3pm.
There is a bus bay located on Lagoon Street for buses to park for pick up and drop off. An alternative location is at Meadowlands Amphitheatre car park, off Crowleys Road.
Please contact botanic@mackay.qld.gov.au or phone 4952 7300 to discuss your visit to the gardens.
When completing the application form, you will need to provide the following information:
- Name of school contact person.
- Proposed dates and times to visit the botanic gardens.
- Number of students and supervising teachers attending.
- Proposed location/s to access in the botanic gardens.
- Excursion overview/ curriculum area interest.
- Approximate time of arrival and departure.
Please return the completed application form to the Visitor Experience team in person at the botanic gardens' Visitor Information Centre or by email to botanic@mackay.qld.gov.au
Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens have a limited number of resources that may be suitable for your group visit.
Planning your visit
We highly recommend that you read the following information to assist in planning your visit to the gardens to ensure the best possible experience.
Class groups and supervision
The botanic gardens are a community facility that is open to all visitors. It is important to ensure that there is enough adult supervision to adequately supervise your students to ensure that students are kept safe and are respectful and considerate towards other visitors and our Living Collection of plants.
Map
Plan your visit with our botanic garden's visitor guide and map.
Keeping safe in the gardens
Help keep your group safe by chatting with your group prior to your visit to the gardens about some key safety points which can be found here.
Learning experiences
Did you know the botanic gardens has a reference library that may assist teachers in preparing resources? The library is available for use (by appointment only), Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm (closed weekends and public holidays). References must remain on site, information can be scanned or photocopied. Photocopying limits do apply. To make an appointment, please call (07) 4952 7300.
The botanic gardens provide self-guided trails, self-guided kids activities and fact sheets that may be suitable to add value to your visit. Access to these can be found in the left-hand side menu.
We also have several self-guided education resources that may be suitable for primary school levels linked to the school curriculum subjects, HASS and Science. Please contact the gardens for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions