Venue hire at Royal Botanic Garden FAQs

If you wish to engage a supplier to service your event, use an area exclusively, or guarantee a venue location, a booking will be required.

All groups larger than 20 must make a booking. By booking a venue you are guaranteed your preferred location, and you’re able to bring additional infrasatructure into the Garden in line with our terms and conditions. In line with our terms and conditions. 

All weddings require a booking.

Your booking time needs to include your set up and pack down.

We have venues available for almost all types of bookings! 

• Picnics 
• Birthday party 
• Corporate party 
• Product launches
• Christmas party 
• Indoor functions
• Wedding ceremony 
• Wedding reception
• Wedding photography  

INTERIM 

Complete the booking request form on the venue page. A team member will action your request and send through an invoice for payment within 72 hours. 

FUTURE 

BOOK NOW

Where our venues have a ‘BOOK NOW’ option, you can book your event for immediate confirmation. You will need to complete the event details, create an account, and submit your credit card details for payment. 

ENQUIRE

Where our venues have an ‘ENQUIRE’ option, please complete the booking request form with as much information as possible. A team member will be in touch within 72 hours to discuss your event needs. 

Payment options include credit card and EFT transfer. We take Mastercard, Visa and AMEX.  

Bookings open 18 months in advance. 

We have a venue available to suit every event type! Here is an overview to get you started.

The closing times vary seasonally in line with sunset.   

All bookings must finish at least 30 minutes prior to closing times so you and your guests are able to leave before gates are locked. 
Want to book outside of opening hours?

Consider booking one of our indoor venues which allows for bookings up to midnight. All bookings outside of Garden open time requires security (additional fees apply).

Venues at the Gardens are a bare site hire, other than the Calyx. The venue hire includes exclusive use of your location, including set-up and pack-down time.

As a venue hirer, you should be aware that other non-related activities may be occurring throughout the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney during your period of use. This includes concerts and large events held throughout the year.  

Please call our reception on 02 9231 8111 for assistance, or email us at [email protected]. 

All requests for cancellation must be done in writing to [email protected].

If you have booked one of our picnic and garden party venues, wedding ceremony or wedding photography and wish to cancel your event, you must do so by providing us with written notice. The following cancellation applies:

Cancellations due to wet weather:

• If you wish to cancel your booking on the day of the event due to wet weather, please provide written notice before 12pm midday on the day of your booking. In this instance your booking will be refunded 50% of the fees paid. 

Cancellations unrelated to wet weather:

• Cancellations received more than one month prior to your booking will be given a 50% refund of the fees paid.
• Cancellations less than one month prior to your booking date are non-refundable.

For all other events, the following cancellation applies:

• More than six (6) calendar months before the Occupation Date, the Trust will be entitled to 50% of the Venue Hire Fee;
• One (1) to six (6) calendar months before the Occupation Date, the Trust will be entitled to 70% of the Venue Hire Fee;
• Less than thirty (30) working days before the Occupation Date, the Trust will be entitled to 100% of the Venue Hire Fee; and
• A cancellation fee of $500.00 (inc. GST) to cover the Trust’s administrative costs up to the time of notification will be payable by the Licensee.

Please email [email protected] with your changes required. We will endeavour to accommodate your request subject to availability, however additional fees may occur.

Minimal furniture is permitted at many lawn locations to minimise damage to our venues. 

• Up to two tables
• Seating for up to 60 people 
• Picnic blankets, carpets, runners, cushions 
• Freestanding decorative items such as bridal arches
• Red carpet (with no rubber backing)
• Columns
• Cut flowers (no soil can be brought into the Gardens)

Please do not attach decorations to trees, buildings or other structures. No pegs or spikes are allowed in the lawns and all items must be weighted. To keep our lawns green and clean, the throwing of confetti and rice is not permitted. Flower petals are welcome but must be removed before leaving the area.

All equipment must be carried or wheeled into the Garden unless a supplier escort (vehicle access) has been pre-arranged for your suppliers. 

Other items prohibited are shade structures and marquees, balloons, candles, bat and ball games, party streamers, sparklers, fireworks (any form), fires (including kerosene lamps) and bamboo torches. You will be requested to remove any unauthorised equipment by Rangers.

Other items prohibited are shade structures and marquees, balloons, party streamers, sparklers, fireworks (any form), fires (including kerosene lamps) and bamboo torches.

No bat and ball games are permitted.

If your event requires more furniture or infrastructure, consider booking one of our indoor venues, or premium venues.

For your event, you will need to organise your own catering, or use one of the restaurants on-site. The Calyx is the only venue within the Gardens that has an exclusive caterer that can offer catering packages.

Self-Catering

You can provide your own catering.

External Catering Supplier

You can engage your own external caterer to provide for your event. All caterers must comply with statutory health and WH&S (Work, Health and Safety) requirements. Food must be cooked off-site; barbeques are not permitted. The caterer’s equipment is included in the furniture allowance.

  Alcohol

You can serve alcohol at your event. The Trust operates under an On Premises Licence which means alcohol is permitted at your event. We do ask you assist with the responsible service of alcohol (RSA) to your guests by:

• Not serving alcohol to minors
• Not serving intoxicated persons
• Ensuring food and water is available 
• Ensuring the quiet and good order of your Party
• If using an external catering company to cater your event, they must operate under a separate liquor licence, and provision of alcohol must be overseen by an RSA qualified person.

The Rangers will ensure RSA requirements are adhered to and will remove any intoxicated persons (so behave!).

We request you use environmentally friendly packaging and serving containers which can be reused or recycled.  

If your suppliers require vehicle access to your event site, you can book a Supplier Escort into the Garden.  

You can make this booking at the time of booking your site. Access cannot be granted on the day. 

There is a maximum of two Supplier Escorts per booking.

Each Supplier Escort allows access for 1 vehicle in and out of the garden for set up and pack down (total 4 trips).   

Vehicles, including wedding vehicles, are not permitted to enter the Royal Botanic Garden or the Domain. Please advise all drivers of this condition.

All equipment must be carried or wheeled to the event location. Alternatively, up to two Supplier Escorts can be pre-arranged for your supplier at an extra fee. Only one vehicle is permitted per escort.   

Power is not available at our lawns, and generators are not permitted.

If you are holding your event at the Gardens, you are permitted to take photos at any outdoor site within the Gardens that is not exclusively booked. 

This does not include access to our indoor venues; The Calyx, Lion Gate Lodge and Palm House.

All commercial filming and photography requires a separate permit.   

Yes, you can use a low-volume, battery-powered portable speaker or amplifier. Please position speakers towards your area to minimise impact on other visitors. 

You may have a live acoustic ensemble of up to four people or low-volume pre-recorded music. Bagpipes, drums, pianos or other amplification systems (such as electric guitars or keyboards) are not permitted. 

Please note sound must be contained within the boundary line of your site.  

The following items are prohibited to ensure the peaceful enjoyment of all guests and minimise damage to the venue.  Prohibited items:

• Shade structures and marquees
• Balloons
• Candles
• Bat and ball games
• Party streamers
• Sparklers
• Fireworks (any form)
• Fires (including kerosene lamps) 
• Bamboo torches
• Drones (unless permit issued for commercial operations)

You will be requested to remove any unauthorised equipment by Rangers.  

Flying of drones is only available for commercial activity (no private bookings, such as weddings) and must be approved prior to the activity. An application to fly a drone must be submitted, with all necessary documentation provided before permission can be granted. Use of a drone will only be permitted if its use is compliant with the law and CASA regulations and operated by qualified and CASA certified persons in a controlled environment.

No animals, including dogs, are permitted inside the Garden except for an assistance animal that is in harness.

The use of a BBQ on site is only available at our indoor venues, however it does require approval. BBQs are otherwise not permitted within the Gardens. 

If approved, BBQ residues must be collected in drip trays and portable BBQ’s are to be elevated and be positioned on the paved area only. If gas bottles are used, ensure that LPG containers are certified safe and properly connected.

Adequate fire extinguishing equipment must be accessible at all times.  

If rain is a concern, consider booking a lawn with a pavilion shelter or one of our heritage indoor venues. Shade structures and marquees are not permitted to be erected on the day of your event.

Please note; if you proceed with booking two venues and there is no rain on the day of your booking, you would not be eligible for a refund for your undercover venue and have paid for two venues.  

Marquees and shade structures are not permitted within the Gardens. The Maiden Pavilion and Vista Pavilion are great options if you’re looking for something with cover.

Some venues have been identified as suitable for marquees, so consider booking one of these instead:

• Lion Gate Lodge
• Rose Garden and Pavilion
• Bennelong Lawn 
• Parade Grounds  

No, your booking time includes your set up and pack down. If you need additional time, you can add extra hours to your booking for an additional fee. 

1. Metered parking is available along Mrs Macquaries Road, Art Gallery Road and Macquarie Street. Secure undercover parking is available at The Domain Car Park. 
2. Vehicle access to the event site is only available for suppliers and must be under escort. 
3. We do not offer escorts for bridal vehicles.

Please take your rubbish with you and dispose of it responsibly. As a sustainably focused, self-funded public asset we ask for your help to reduce waste within the Gardens. Picnics can generate significant amounts of rubbish and whilst general and recycling waste bins are provided throughout the Gardens, we ask that you please take your rubbish with you when you leave.

This not only reduces the potential danger waste poses to Gardens wildlife, it also enables us to keep waste disposal costs to a minimum and instead invest precious funds into tree conservation and planting and other essential maintenance of heritage features, amenities and other Gardens facilities.

Discharge of waste matter, fluid, oil, fat, ice or dry ice is prohibited.  

The Garden is a public space and other events may occur at the same time. However, your chosen event location will be reserved for your exclusive use. Should you encounter any problems on the day including occupation of your reserved site, please contact the Rangers on 0419 270 279.

If you need to cancel because of inclement weather, we will offer a 50% refund of the venue hire fee. Please email the team at [email protected] on the day of your event, prior to the start of your booking time.  We require all cancellations to be in writing to process the refund.