Hunter Valley Gardens, Botanical garden in Hunter Valley, Australia

Hunter Valley Gardens is a botanical garden in the Hunter Valley region that spans a large area and connects ten distinct sections together. Long pathways guide visitors through a wide range of native and international plants.

The gardens were founded in 2003 by Bill and Imelda Roche as a result of collaboration between landscape architects and engineers. The creation of this large-scale project involved several years of intensive planning and construction.

The garden names come from the styles they imitate: a Chinese Garden entered through a moon gate flanked by bronze temple guardians, an Indian Garden behind 160-year-old antique gates with bronze elephants, and an Italian Grotto with a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi. The Rose Garden is shaped like a corkscrew in reference to the surrounding vineyards, and its centre holds thirteen bronze statues of Imelda Roche and her twelve grandchildren.

The gardens are located two hours north of Sydney and are open daily with generous hours, making it accessible for most visitors. On-site dining and shopping options mean you can spend a full day here without needing to leave.

The Christmas Lights Spectacular has run every year since 2007 and holds over 2 million lights, the largest display in the Southern Hemisphere. It opens at the start of November and closes at the end of January, so the lights are on well beyond December. The gardens also host Snow Time in winter, with an ice skating rink and snow toboggan slides.