Extended opening hours for botanic gardens

Friday 15 January 2021
Extended opening hours for botanic gardens

MEDIA RELEASE

Visitors to Adelaide Botanic Garden will have more time to enjoy the garden’s beautiful landscapes and exciting, world-class curated events through an extension of its opening hours now available.

Throughout the summer months, the iconic city oasis will remain open until 7pm from Monday to Wednesday and 9pm on Thursday to Sunday, with hours scaling back during the autumn and winter months to align with daylight hours.

These changes compliment the recent extension of opening hours at Wittunga Botanic Garden in Blackwood, which now opens at 8.30am every day of the year and closes at 7pm during daylight savings and 5pm in non-daylight savings.

Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said the decision to extend opening times followed mounting public interest for increased hours.

“We are so lucky to have magnificent botanic gardens on our doorstep and I am delighted that the people of South Australia, and visitors to our state, will have more time to reap the wellbeing benefits they offer,” Minister Speirs said.

“Opening earlier and closing later will give visitors more opportunity to enjoy the amenity that the gardens have to offer and provide opportunities for extra events.

“As part of the 2020-21 State Budget, the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium has secured more than $9 million over the next three years to deliver infrastructure projects at Adelaide Botanic Garden and Botanic Park.

“With our investment in lighting infrastructure, and the extension of hours into the evening I am also looking forward to seeing more night-time activation of Adelaide Botanic Garden – which we expect will flow on to reinvigorating Adelaide’s East End.”

Presiding member of the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, Judy Potter, said the extended hours will have far-reaching benefits to the community.

“Spending time in nature is a wonderful way to reduce stress levels, improve concentration and help us to feel better – particularly in these complex times,” Ms Potter said.

“Creating more opportunities for increased access to nature is invaluable and something we can all use to help maintain our wellbeing.”

The extended opening hours are being trialled over a two-year period, at which time the Board will evaluate success and consider implementation on an ongoing basis.

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden visitors will enjoy longer opening hours from October in a two-year trial. The popular Adelaide Hills garden will open at 8.30am every day and close at 5pm on weekdays.

On weekends it will close at 6.30pm from October - May, and 5pm from June - September to align with daylight hours.

Summary of opening hours:

Adelaide Botanic Garden (from 14 January 2021)

Opening times

Closing times

Monday to Friday

· Everyday - 7.15am

Weekends and public holidays

· December to March – 7.15am

· April to November – 9.00am

Thursday to Sunday

· December to March - 9:00pm

· April - 6:30pm

· May to August - 5:30pm

· September to November 6:30pm

Monday to Wednesday

· December to March - 7:00pm

· April - 6:30pm

· May to August - 5:30pm

· September to November - 6:30pm

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden (from 2 October 2021)

Opening times

Closing times

Everyday – 8.30am

Weekdays

· October to May 5:00pm

· June to September 5:00pm

Weekends and public holidays

· October to May 6:30pm

· June to September 5:00pm

Wittunga Botanic Garden (commenced October 2020)

Opening times

Closing times

Everyday – 8.30am

During daylight savings – 7.00pm

Non-daylight savings – 5.00pm