The Mangroves to Mountains Transect is a walk featuring regional flora stretching through more than 20 Zones including the Closed Forest Gorge, Montane, Wallum Woodland, Gum Tree Corridor and Freshwater Wetlands. The Bush Foods Garden and Story of our Country landscape are part of our developing Ethno-botanic Zone. They feature plants used by Indigenous Australians, with some now in mainstream cuisine.

Take a self-guided walk along the wheelchair friendly wide pathways, or duck off into one of the side tracks and explore further. Look out for the interpretive signs or pick up maps, brochures and Fact Sheets from the Friends Centre.

Tours on the Botanic Gardens Glider

Experience the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens from the comfort of our 8-seater electric Botanic Gardens Glider.

This service allows visitors with limited mobility to enjoy the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens and can carry a maximum of 6 passengers at any time. For the safety of all passengers and volunteers, Mobility Aids cannot be taken on the Glider, however it is possible to leave them at the Sensory Garden Pavilion, where they will be safely secured until your return.

Glider Services run on Tuesday and Thursday morning at 9:30am and 10:45am and on the first and third Saturdays of each month from 10am (excluding christmas / new year period). Along the way your driver will point out some of the unique and interesting native flora and fauna to the region.

Bookings are ESSENTIAL. To make a booking click here.

This service is also available for 1-hour private tours and Wedding parties wishing to take advantage of the exceptional and historic Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens as a backdrop for photographs. For more information about private tours and Wedding transport please email friendsprojectpm@gmail.com

Guided Walks 

NOTE:  Due to Friends volunteer commitments over the Festive Season and the heat of December and January, Guided Walks in these months will not be offered or may be limited.

Discover fascinating plant stories, learn which regional plants are endangered in the wild, explore the bushfood forest and gum tree corridor, or step back in time with local history on a free guided walk at the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens. Perhaps encounter some of the many birds, native bees or butterflies at the Gardens?

You can join a guided walk with one of our volunteer guides on the 1st or 3rd Sunday or 2nd or 4th Wednesday of every month. (See ‘What’s On’ to find out more about the walks)  Meet your guide at the Friends’ Centre at 10am.  For more detailed information and speciality walks for butterflies, native bees and birds check out our Facebook events page – www.facebook.com/friendsgcrbg

Walks and talks include a basic history of the site and start at the Friends Centre/Coffee Kiosk. Generally 45 minutes to an hour. Gold coin donation appreciated. These are some of the topics –

  • Introduction to and Discovery of the Gardens – The Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens has a very interesting history.  Find out about its diverse past and the living collections of this special 31 hectares of “the green in the heart of the gold”.
  • For the Love of Trees – Why do people fall in love with trees?  This guided walk is for tree lovers.  We will walk along treed pathways, through groves of trees and tree corridors.  We will enjoy the shade of trees, and with reference to some tree families and individual trees, we will appreciate anew the precious, vital and bountiful role of trees in a biodiverse world.
  • Along the Mangroves to Mountains Transect – Destination Bush Foods Garden – Many examples of Bush Foods are available in this garden. You will be shown them in situ to appreciate them in the garden environment. Many are suitable for the home garden. Sample tastings will be available in the Friends Centre after the walk.
  • Indigenous Use of Bush Foods and Flora – Walk along the Mangroves to Mountains path past the Butterfly Garden and Fruits of the Forest to the bountiful Bush Foods Garden, discovering plants that have contributed to the survival of indigenous Australians for thousands of years, providing food, shelter, tools and medicine.
  • Stepping Back in Time – go back in time among Gondwanan trees in the Araucaria Forest and hear the intriguing 150 year history of the site from sugar cane farm to Regional Botanic Gardens
  • The World’s Most Remarkable Tree – stroll through the Gum Tree Corridor and learn why Australia’s iconic gum trees are called the world’s most remarkable tree
  • Saunter for the Senses – Stimulate all 5 senses whilst discovering the Rotary Sensory Garden.  The walk then heads up to the Closed Forest Gorge which features small collections from different Gold Coast rainforest types.
  • This Fragile World – Take a “rare walk” through the Endangered Plant Trail & find out why the Ormeau Bottle Tree and others have become endangered in the wild.
  • Be Uplifted – The Gold Coast hinterland is a wonderful place to visit, walk and feel uplifted. In the Botanic Gardens, familiarise yourself with some of the amazing vegetation that is found in the beautiful mountains behind the coast.
  • The Green Within the Gold – Visit the Commemorative Avenues and Horticultural Display Gardens before walking through the Mangroves to Mountains loop past the Freshwater Wetlands, the Open Eucalypt Woodland and the magnificent Montane grass trees before returning to the Friends Centre,
  • Birds – lakes, lagoons and acres of native plants in an urban environment create the perfect habitat for an early morning encounter with amazing birdlife. Join your guide on this early morning bird walk through the Botanic Gardens to see and hear different species of birds in a variety of habitats. What to bring: Binoculars, hat and closed-in walking shoes.
  • Butterflies – find out why butterflies matter, and learn which plants provide nectar and food for natures winged miracles. Discover Native Butterflies at the Gardens and their Host Plants.  The species that are spotted are recorded on the Climate Watch Website to help with the conservation of Butterflies.
  • Where’s the Wallum? – the disappearing heathlands of the south-east coast are represented in the Banksia Woodland
  • Yugambeh – The Story of our Country – Learn about Aboriginal Australian plant use on an interpretation of the Yugambeh journey from Beaudesert grasslands, over rain-forested Tamborine Mountain to the coastal swamps and dunes of Southport.
  • How the Mangroves to Mountains Got its Name – Take a walk around the loop from the Friends Centre Gardens past the magnificent Montane grass trees. Visit the Open Eucalypt Woodlands which has a spring understory of pea flowers, the Dry Rainforest on the hillside and the Freshwater Wetlands below. Stop at the site of the first Friends Community planting day in 2003.
  • Native Bees – An introduction to our Australian Stingless Native Bees. You will be shown the different types of beehives in the gardens – some man-made and a few hidden in the trees. Taste some of this rare “Sugarbag” honey.