In 1986, landscape architects from Sydney’s sister city, Guangzhou, designed the Chinese Garden of Friendship to be a place of serene beauty in the middle of one of the world’s most exciting cities - Sydney. Years later, Darling Harbour’s Chinese garden of Friendship still has the shimmering koi ponds and glittering waterfalls. It’s still the best place to go for a peaceful stroll in the middle of a busy day, but today, there’s so much more to do here than just walking. Check out our guide to the best things to do in Sydney’s Chinese Garden of Friendship that aren’t walking - from yum cha feasts, to art exhibitions and even weddings!
This winter the gardens are transforming into a luminescent wonderland thanks to an exciting new experience - Nature Illuminated: Life of the Seasons. Theatrical lighting will glow over the entire garden with different lighting in four sections to represent each of the seasons. Interactive forest sprites will be flit throughout the scene, while an augmented reality treasure hunt will give visitors a reason to explore every inch of fluorescent flora and fauna. Find all the special plants and animals and win! Themed cocktails will be served at the bar and 90-minute dining experiences are available for booking - while a string quartet serenades guests playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. If you’d like to experience this winter wonderland join the waitlist to make sure you don’t miss out!
If you want to delve deeper into the intriguing stories behind the Chinese Garden of Friendship, there’s no better way than one of three guided tours, free with the price of entry to the gardens. Take your pick from a selection of three different daily tours and uncover the secrets of the garden with your expert guide:
Enquire with the front desk on arrival to attend a tour or fill out the group booking form.
Wandering what’s on in Sydney today? Every day at 11:30am, the Chinese Garden’s magnificent koi fish are fed from the Lenient Jade Pavillion. Help attract these colourful living jewels by clapping loudly then watch as dozens of koi break the glassy surface of the pond to gulp in their daily feed. While you’re here, look out for the other locals who often make an appearance, including adorable ducklings and giant water dragons.
For lovers of art and history, there are few better Sydney events than the regular exhibits inside the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbour. The garden hosts a wide range of exhibits with a stunning backdrop of water, sculpture and lush plant life. Check the Chinese Garden of Friendship home page at darlingharbour.com to see what’s on at Sydney’s favourite garden.
A visit to the Chinese Gardens of Friendship is guaranteed fun for the little ones, with a rotating calendar of activities and adventures to enjoy. For example, over Chinese Lunar New Year, the gardens are challenging little ones to find the 12 animals of the lunar calendar hidden around the garden.
If you work up an appetite enjoying all the serenity, you won’t have to go far to try Sydney’s tastiest Chinese cuisine. The Gardens By Lotus is tucked away inside the Chinese Garden of Friendship in an open heritage-style Chinese building with picturesque views over the garden. During the day, it’s a traditional Chinese teahouse with a modern twist - but at night they serve fiery Sichuan cuisine and yum cha.
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is available to hire for unique, elegant functions - from weddings and birthdays to cultural events. The sheltered pavilions, reflective pools and lush gardens make for a romantic and beautiful venue, whatever your event may be. They also make an intriguing location for filming or photography projects - find out more about hosting a function or filming at the gardens.
When you’re having a busy, hard day, enjoying a little peace and beauty is the perfect way to press the reset button and restore a feeling of calm. There’s no better place to do that than the Chinese Gardens of Friendship where you’ll find countless hideaways under covered pavilions and near bends in the ponds. Here, hidden from the noise of the city, you can relax and enjoy the sights of rushing waterfalls, graceful bridges and serene gardens.
*The availability of tours will be assessed on a daily basis and be limited to a maximum of 5 visitors. They may run at a reduced frequency while COVID-19 restrictions are in place. There are always plenty of things to do in Sydney, but sometimes as locals, we forget about some of the tourist attractions that make this city so unique. So today, when I woke up to another stunning Sydney winter's day, I thought I'd take myself down to Darling Harbour and visit the Sydney Chinese Garden of Friendship. I'm a huge admirer of gardens and nature, and knowing that there is this beautiful Oasis in the city is a good place to go when I need to escape my inner city living. Click pics to enlgarge As I sat in the sun, sipping my tea and eating my pork buns I soaked up the atmosphere and loved the peace and charm of this place, and I was very much looking forward to exploring what the gardens had to offer. Please note there are a lot of steps in the Garden so could be a little difficult for those with a disability, however there is much to see on the flat areas. The gardens have lots of places to explore, with beautiful ponds full of fish, willow trees and plenty of places to sit and contemplate the beauty. In the background you can see the tall city buildings, and strangely enough, they don't look out of place. Click to pics enlarge The Chinese Garden of Friendship was built as a beautiful symbol of friendship between Sydney in the State of New South Wales and Guangzhou in the province of Guangdong, China (sister cities of sister states), to mark Australia’s bicentenary in 1988. It was built by following the Taoist principles of "Yin_Yang" and the five elements; earth, fire, water, metal and wood by Chinese landscape architects. These principles also stress the importance of Qi, the central force of life and energy. Every item has been handpicked and placed precisely to capture the Qi energy and five elements. You won't find manicured gardens here but you will discover an abundance of water, waterfalls, rocks and cascading trees. I noticed some people dressed in beautiful Chinese garments and soon discovered a little store where you can hire costumes for photos. I also discovered a family of ducks! I had already spotted one lonely duck earlier in my walk (see below) but as it turned out there was actually more than one duck! These little ducklings are actually right on the edge of a waterfall and how they didn't slip down the fast cascading water I'll never know! And if you look closely at another angle I took, where I captured the cascading water further down the track I also captured the same sleeping duck - look closely up the top of the photo. There is something about sitting still and listening to running water in a beautiful garden and to have such a delightful area so close to the CBD really is special. As you would expect in a Chinese garden, there are beautiful Magnolia trees and Camellias. My visit at the end of July, on a very unseasonal and warm winter, meant the flowers on the trees were just budding and about to boost into bloom. Speaking of plants, of course there is a bamboo garden. On my way out I admired the beautiful Bonsai. I'm looking forward to coming back to the Sydney Chinese Garden of Friendship in Spring. Adult: $6 Annual pass (available at the Chinese Garden ticket office, conditions apply) #ThingstodoinSydney #Tourism |
Which one of the following items is something you would expect to see in a Chinese garden
Pos Terkait
Copyright © 2024 ketajaman Inc.
