Planning your activities at the Gardens 

Booking: Bookings are essential at the earliest possible date by contacting the Botanic Garden administration office on (02) 4225 2636, or by emailing botanicgarden@wollongong.nsw.gov.au

Cost: Please see list of fees and charges outlined in PDF document attached.

When making a booking: Select the activity you would like from those listed under each of the categories that suits your group’s age and needs.

• Have on hand a few suitable dates for your excursion, number of students, number of classes, school address, phone and fax numbers and email address.
• Phone Botanic Garden Administration Office (02) 4225 2636, Monday to Friday between 9am-5pm.
• After completing yout booking we will send you a completed ‘Confirmation of Booking Form’ and important information regarding the day. Please send back the booking confirmation, or bring this page with you on the day the excursion. This will ensure that we have the correct number of participants to invoice.
• Please also look closely at the consent to take photos during the activities and bring this consent with you on the day. The Discovery Centre staff will advise you if photos will be taken and obtain permission prior to the day's activities.
• The Discovery Centre has a minimal waste policy and ask that during the visit the students and parents make sure that all food items for lunch and recess that are brought on the day be with the minimal amount of packaging. We also have a great opportunity for groups to win some great prizes with our Waste Wise Challenge during the day. (hyperlink to waste wise challenge information)

Structure of the day: Lessons and activities will run as follows:

• Early Childhood: 1 1/2hours
• Years K-4: Full day workshops 10am-2pm

• Years 5-6: 2 hour sessions
• Years 7-10: 2 hour sessions
• TAFE and University: Tailored to suit
• International Students: 2 hour sessions

Class Size: Class sizes will be limited for certain activities due to safety considerations and staffing resources.

• Years 5-6: Will be max of 120 student from multiple schools on each day of program
• Years 7-10: max of 30 students
• TAFE and University: Max of 100 students
• International Students: Max of 30 students

Payments: The Wollongong Botanic Gardens will invoice the educational facility to the contact details provided when making a booking. Alternatively, on the day, you can pay with cash or cheque. You'll be required to give the staff at the Discovery Centre the confirmation slip received with your booking email on the excursion day to verify the total number of students.

The day of your excursion: Please meet at the Discovery Centre, located at the North eastern corner of the Wollongong Botanic Garden. Buses can drop off at the bus bay at the University of Wollongong on Northbound Ave directly across the road from the garden and enter at the gate on the northern side. Alternatively, buses can be parked at the southern end of the garden and enter off Murphy’s Ave, Keiraville. Click here for a map of the garden.

If your activity is being held at one of the Garden Annexes, such as Mt Keira or Puckery’s Estate, please meet at the designated located specified on your booking confirmation.

Bad Weather: If on the day before, or the day of, your excursion it has been very wet, some areas of the gardens can get waterlogged, and some of the activities will not be available to go ahead. Please phone ahead to discuss whether the excursion should go ahead, or if another date will need to be scheduled.

Most activities can still be undertaken if light rain persists. In this case please make sure students, teachers and accompanying parents wear appropriate wet weather clothes and shoes.