Welcome!

Discover one of Australia's newest Botanic Gardens, located at beautiful Mackay on the Central Queensland Coast.

These new gardens opened to the public in May 2003 and are being constructed over a 15 year, 10 phase period focussing on flora from the Central Queensland Coast bioregion that surrounds the city, along with other beautiful Australian Natives and exotics from similar climates around the world.

The Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens provides many resources to visitors and the community - from a pleasant recreational facility with over 3 kilometres of walking and cycling trails, to a unique cafe and gallery perched high above our wildlife filled lagoons, to a place that remembers the past and Mackay's cultural identity today with 5 feature ''cultural themed' gardens and of course - a garden filled with  life and colour - home to animals and plants - some threatened in the wild.

Find out more via the many links to the right of this page.

The Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens was made possible by a seeding grant from the Queensland State Governement and is funded and operated by the Mackay Regional Council.

Open Hours

• Recommended visiting is from 5am to 11pm. All major arterial pathways and facilities are accessible and lit within these hours.
• Administration is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
• The Lagoons Cafe and Gallery is open Wednesday to Friday 10am to 3pm, weekends from 9am to 4pm. Closed public holidays.
• The Tropical Shade Garden and The Fernery is open weekdays and weekends when our volunteer Gardens Friends and Staff are at the Administration office. Closed public holidays.

Toilets

Toilets are located at the main entrance on Lagoon Street at the Visitors Centre (beside Administration) and are open 6:00am to 8:00pm. Toilets are also located at the Mackay Tourist Information Centre, opposite the Ram Chandra Place southern entrance to the Gardens. Temporary toilt facilities are located at the Hume Stret end of the Gardens, adjacent to the "Under the Banyan" PlayGarden and Tamarind carpark.

Drinking fountains

Drinking fountains are located at the Visitors Centre, the Japan Garden ''circle'', beside the PlayGarden and under the giant X forms of the Forest Arbor Garden..

Dogs in the Gardens

We welcome dogs and their owners to the Botanic Gardens. Dogs must be on a leash at all times and there are no ''off-lead'' areas. "Doggy-doo" bags are located at all main entrances to the Gardens and dogs owners are encouranged to use these free facilities. Please do not alow your dogs to swim in the Lagoons, as these are important habitat and breeding areas for local and migration birds and other local wildlife.

What's not permitted

• Collecting or procuring plant material, living or dead - without the express permission of the Curator
• Horseriding and riding unauthorised vehicles through the Gardens
• Riding bicycles within areas where the 'no bicycles' symbol appears - please walk your bicycle through these area. Riding bicycles at excessive speed, through garden beds and along gravel pathways or in an unsafe manner is also not permitted for the safety and enjoyment of all visitors
• Weddings and events without permission of the Curator
• Any activities that may damage the living collection and site infrastructure

To find at more - ask us a question via our Contact Us page.