Flecker Botanical Gardens Cairns, Australia

Only five kilometres from the heart of Cairns City, the Flecker Botanical Gardens are a tropical oasis. 38 hectares of native Australian gardens are maintained to lush standards, and many plants found here cannot be seen elsewhere.

Admission to the gardens is free. However, collection boxes are placed around the gardens for people to make donations and help the park exist into the future.

The Flecker Botanic Gardens were created in 1886, which means that many of the large plants and trees are originally from the site.

Next to the Botanical Garden is another wilderness parkland called Centenary Lakes. This area has a long boardwalk that meanders through tropical rainforest and mangroves. It ends (or starts, depending on which end you begin your walk from) at a freshwater lake surrounded by a grassy park. This is a fantastic place for a picnic lunch.

The extensive selection of tropical flora includes some rare plants seldom found elsewhere in the world. These include exotic species of palms, gingers and aroids. In addition, a tropical flower known as Amorphophallus Titanum lives at the park which weighs up to 70kgs with a single leaf almost 7 meters across. The plant is only one of two found in Australia.

Visitors to these tropical areas are advised to apply insect repellent before visiting, and keep some handy if you need to reapply during the day. Tropical insects can be a nuisance if you are not protected.

Located among the plants is a coffee shop and restaurant. It is open everyday for breakfast and lunch.
The gardens hours are from 7.30am to 5.30pm. The restaurant opens at 9.30am and closes at 4.30pm.