The Australian Botanic Garden

What The Australian Botanic Garden does

The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is one of three botanic gardens operated by the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, an NSW Government statutory authority established under the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Act 1980. Founded in 1816, the parent institution is among the world's oldest scientific institutions and operates the Australian PlantBank, the National Herbarium of New South Wales (holding over 1 million preserved plant specimens), the Daniel Solander Library (250,000+ items), and the PlantClinic diagnostic service. The gardens serve a broad stakeholder base including general public visitors, schools, universities, federal and state government agencies, event organizers, and the film and photography industry, with approximately 12 million annual visits across the three sites.

Public access is free, with revenue generated through venue hire for weddings and corporate events, ticketed programs, filming and photography permits, memberships via the Foundation & Friends, donations, and scientific services including plant diagnostics and biosecurity work for government partners such as NSW DPIRD and the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. The business model is hybrid: government appropriations underwrite the custodial and scientific mission, while commercial activities on the gardens' real estate and brand generate discretionary revenue. Distribution relies on the organization's prime metropolitan locations, public-sector brand, and a supporter/membership ecosystem rather than paid marketing channels.

The operating model is distinctive in combining custodial scientific authority (herbarium, seed bank, taxonomy), regulatory-adjacent biosecurity services, and consumer-facing hospitality and events on shared physical assets. Recent strategic activity signals a pivot toward more commercial revenue lines (drone shows, filming permits, Botanic House with chef Luke Nguyen) and a more active role in cross-jurisdictional government partnerships, while remaining anchored to its statutory public-good mandate.

Name

The Australian Botanic Garden

Legal name

Botanic Gardens of Sydney

Website

https://botanicgardens.org.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1816

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is a NSW Government statutory botanic garden, part of the 1816-founded Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust. It serves the general public, researchers, and government agencies with free garden access, supported by venue hire, events, scientific services, and biosecurity work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Botanic Gardens

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nursery and Tree Production (111421), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forest Nurseries & Tree Seedling Production (IMAMAAAC), Tree Care & Arborist Services (BPABADAD), Forest Nurseries, Seed Orchards & Genetic Improvement (AFAMAAAD)

Keywords

• Public botanic gardens
• Venue hire services
• Plant conservation research
• Botanical education programs
• Commercial filming permits

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Venue and Lawn Hire: The Botanic Gardens of Sydney generates revenue through hiring out venues and lawns for weddings, ceremonies, corporate events, picnics, and private functions across three garden locations. Venues include the Calyx (indoor with exclusive caterer), Lion Gate Lodge, Palm House, Victoria Lodge, Maiden Theatre, and various outdoor lawns. Booking opens 18 months in advance with tiered pricing by venue type and group size.
2. Event Tickets and Tours: Revenue from ticketed experiences including guided tours (Bush Tucker tours, Connections Garden tours, Australian PlantBank tours, Public Walking Tours), workshops (Natural Dyeing, Urban Forest Walk, Artisans Opening Night), and special events (Astronomy at Mount Tomah, NAIDOC Week). Event pricing varies by experience type with discounts for Foundation & Friends members.
3. Filming and Photography Permits: Commercial filming and photography permits are a significant revenue stream. Fees range from $200 (student/low-budget) to $5,400+ (high-impact commercial filming) per day at Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, with separate rate structures for Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan and Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. Wedding photography 2-hour permits are priced at $315-$380.
4. Membership - Foundation & Friends: Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens is a not-for-profit organization that supports horticulture, conservation, scientific research and education programs. Membership provides access to exclusive events, discounts, and special programs. Revenue from membership fees supports the broader mission of the Botanic Gardens.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Donations support ongoing action for plant conservation. The organization accepts donations through the website and also receives support through workplace giving, wills and bequests, and bench dedications. The not-for-profit structure enables tax-deductible donations.
6. Scientific Services and Plant Diagnostics: PlantClinic provides plant disease diagnostics, pathogen detection and plant DNA identification services to the public, industry and government agencies on a not-for-profit basis. Revenue goes towards service development and plant disease research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan operates as part of Botanic Gardens of Sydney, providing free public access to Australia's largest botanic garden alongside the Australian PlantBank seed conservation facility, National Herbarium of New South Wales (over 1 million plant specimens), and the Daniel Solander Library (Australia's oldest botanical research library). The organization offers venue hire for weddings and corporate events, commercial filming and photography permits, ticketed guided tours and workshops, school excursions, and PlantClinic plant disease diagnostic services. Revenue is generated through venue hire fees, event tickets, permits, memberships via Foundation & Friends, and donations, with free public access to the gardens driving approximately 12 million annual visits.

Product overview

The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is one of three gardens operated by Botanic Gardens of Sydney, offering a combination of horticultural displays, conservation facilities, and visitor experiences. The core offerings include the Australian PlantBank (seed conservation facility), National Herbarium of New South Wales (plant specimen collection), Daniel Solander Library (research library), and PlantClinic (disease diagnostics). Visitor services encompass venue hire for events and weddings, photography permits, guided tours, and school education programs. The garden also provides scientific services including botanical identification and the PlantNET online flora database.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PlantClinic: Plant disease diagnostic services for the public, industry and government agencies offering pathogen detection and plant DNA identification
• National Herbarium of New South Wales
• Daniel Solander Library
• Australian PlantBank
• Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens
• The Calyx
• Lion Gate Lodge

Products and services

• Australian PlantBank Australia's premier seed conservation and plant research facility at Mount Annan, dedicated to plant conservation, seed banking, and botanical research. Focuses on rainforest seed conservation, persoonia conservation, and terrestrial orchid conservation.
• National Herbarium of New South Wales A repository of more than 1 million plant specimens at Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, housing historically significant botanical collections and providing specimen loans and exchange programs with registered scientific institutions worldwide.
• Daniel Solander Library Australia's oldest botanical research library, containing over 250,000 items including rare books, journals, botanical illustrations, historic photographs, manuscripts, maps, archives, archaeological artefacts and memorabilia.
• PlantClinic Plant Disease Diagnostics Plant disease diagnostic service offering pathogen detection and plant DNA identification for the public, industry, and government agencies. Houses the Plant Pathology and Mycology research program and Plant Disease Diagnostic Unit.
• Venue Hire Indoor and outdoor venue and lawn hire for weddings, picnics, corporate events, and celebrations across Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, and Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. Indoor venues include The Calyx, Lion Gate Lodge, Palm House, Victoria Lodge, and Maiden Theatre.
• Commercial Filming and Photography Permits Permits for commercial filming and photography activities including low-impact and high-impact categories, aerial/drone filming, and education/not-for-profit filming across the three garden locations.
• Wedding and Engagement Photography Permits Photography permits allowing couples to capture wedding and engagement photos at garden locations with two-hour time slots at $315-$380 per permit.
• Guided Tours and Experiences Various ticketed guided tours including Bush Tucker tours, Connections Garden tours, Australian PlantBank tours, Public Walking Tours, astronomy events at Mount Tomah, cultural heritage experiences (NAIDOC Week, Aboriginal tours), and hands-on workshops (Natural Dyeing, Urban Forest Walk).
• School Excursions and Education Programs Curriculum-aligned excursions and teacher resources for early years learning, primary, and secondary students covering science, horticulture, and environmental education, including Sydney Science Trail and vacation care programs.
• Botanical Identification Service Plant identification service allowing specimens to be posted or brought to the Herbarium at Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan for expert botanical identification.
• NSW Flora Online (PlantNET) Online flora information service providing access to NSW plant species data and botanical identification resources.
• Foundation & Friends Membership Membership program providing exclusive events, discounts on tours and workshops, plant sales, and special programs supporting horticulture, conservation, scientific research, and education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 12 million visits annually to Botanic Gardens of Sydney sites
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (Western Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Scientists from Botanic Gardens of Sydney collaborated with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions in Western Australia to discover and name three new bloodroot species (Haemodorum collevatum, H. brevistylum, H. celsum) from NSW. Research published in the Western Australian Herbarium journal Nuytsia.
• Luke Nguyen / Botanic HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBotanic House is a restaurant nestled in the heart of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, operated in partnership with Chef Luke Nguyen. The partnership delivers the Taste of Country Experience combining Aboriginal Bush Tucker tours with an exclusive Vietnamese shared tasting menu inspired by Indigenous flavours at Botanic House.
• Corporate PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBotanic Gardens of Sydney maintains a family of corporate partners who support horticulture, conservation, scientific research and education programs. The corporate partnership program offers brand alignment opportunities with sustainability and plant conservation values, employee engagement through corporate volunteering, and community impact initiatives.
• Foundation & Friends of the Botanic GardenscoreOthersFoundation & Friends is the not-for-profit organization that supports horticulture, conservation, scientific research and education programs within Botanic Gardens of Sydney. It runs the membership program, Growing Friends plant sales, major exhibitions, and exclusive member events. The not-for-profit organization generates funds through memberships, donations, and event revenue.
• Northern Sydney Astronomical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteers from the Northern Sydney Astronomical Society participate in the Astronomy at Mount Tomah events at Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, providing telescope viewing equipment and expertise for stargazing activities as part of the event experience.
• MQ Astronomy Observatory / A/Prof. Angel R. Lopez-SanchezminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA/Prof. Angel R. Lopez-Sanchez, Director of MQ Astronomy Observatory and astrophysicist, delivers the Astronomy at Mount Tomah event. He is a recognized expert in star formation in galaxies and galaxy evolution, with science communication experience across YouTube, television and science museums worldwide.
• The Weekly FiftyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Weekly Fifty, described as one of Australia's favourite independent online quizzes, partners with Foundation & Friends for flora-themed trivia events at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. The partnership drives membership engagement and ticket sales for exclusive events.
• Dr Terry Macfarlane (WA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Terry Macfarlane from Western Australia collaborated with Dr Russell Barrett of Botanic Gardens of Sydney to identify new bloodroot species using citizen science records on iNaturalist and morphological analysis.
• Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBotanic Gardens of Sydney works proactively with DPIRD to monitor for the Polyphagous Shot-Hole Borer (PSHB) pest. DPIRD leads the national biosecurity response which has transitioned to a management phase. Joint surveillance activities include pheromone trapping and regular arborist inspections of vulnerable tree species.
• NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPIRD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSW DPIRD detected a related species (Tea Shot-Hole Borer) which was quickly identified and contained. Botanic Gardens of Sydney collaborates with NSW DPIRD on developing surveillance and management strategies for PSHB and other plant pests threatening Sydney's urban forest.
• Greater Sydney Parklands and City of SydneyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBotanic Gardens of Sydney is in discussions with Greater Sydney Parklands and City of Sydney to develop joint strategies for surveillance and management of the Polyphagous Shot-Hole Borer across Sydney's urban forest and green spaces.
• National Herbarium Specimen Loans NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe National Herbarium of New South Wales provides specimen loans and distributes exchange material to registered scientific institutions worldwide. This places the herbarium within a global network of botanical research collaboration.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Singapore Botanic Gardens: UNESCO World Heritage Site operated by Singapore's National Parks Board. Comparable as a national botanic garden combining heritage gardens, scientific research (Singapore Botanic Gardens' herbarium and seed bank), and major tourism visitation.
• Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne: Australia's second-oldest botanic garden, operating multiple sites including Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and Cranbourne Gardens. Directly comparable as an Australian state-government botanic garden authority with similar visitor, research, and venue-hire operations.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: U.S. National Historic Landmark botanic garden with major herbarium, conservation programs, and biodiversity research. Comparable for combining public garden visitation, scientific research, seed banking, and education in a single integrated institution.
• Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: Scotland's national botanic garden operating four sites with major herbarium, plant science, and conservation programs. Comparable as a multi-site national botanic garden authority combining research, education, and visitor experiences.
• New York Botanical Garden: One of the world's leading botanic gardens featuring a 250-acre site, herbarium, and research programs. Comparable in operating a major urban botanic garden with extensive herbarium collections, scientific research, education programming, and event venue operations.
• Adelaide Botanic Gardens: South Australian state botanic garden operating multiple sites including Mount Lofty Botanic Garden. Comparable as an Australian peer institution delivering public garden experiences, plant conservation, and education programs.
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: The UK's leading botanic garden and UNESCO World Heritage Site operating Kew Gardens and Wakehurst. Comparable as a national botanic garden authority combining public garden visitation, scientific research (including the Millennium Seed Bank), herbarium collections, and heritage conservation.

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Major urban botanic garden with extensive collections, education programs, and event venue operations. Comparable in offering venue hire, education programming, and community engagement within a major metropolitan setting, though smaller in scope than the Botanic Gardens of Sydney.

Regional players

• Kings Park and Botanic Garden: Western Australia's premier botanic garden operated by the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority. Comparable as an Australian state botanic garden authority managing plant conservation, scientific research, and visitor experiences—though serving a different geographic market.
• Australian National Botanic Gardens: Australia's national botanic garden located in Canberra, operated by Commonwealth Government. Comparable as an Australian botanic garden with similar plant conservation, research, and education mandates, though federally operated rather than state-operated.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BotanicGardensTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/AustralianBG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/botanicgardensofsydney
• Instagraminstagram.com/botanicsydney
• TikToktiktok.com/@botanicsydney
• Xx.com/australianbg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Australian Botanic Garden