Sydney’s best hidden gardens include Wendy’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay, Paddington Reservoir Gardens, and Lisgar Gardens in Hornsby. Most are free, open daily, and only a short walk or train ride from the CBD — making them easy additions to any Sydney itinerary for travellers wanting quiet, green spaces away from the crowds.
Sydney’s beaches and harbour lookouts get all the attention, but a handful of quiet, leafy corners sit just minutes away — free to enter, rarely crowded, and easy to miss unless you know where to look. This guide covers seven of the city’s best hidden gardens, what makes each one worth the detour, and exactly how to get there.
Wendy’s Secret Garden, Lavender Bay
The best-known of Sydney’s hidden gardens started as an act of grief. After artist Brett Whiteley died in 1992, his widow Wendy began clearing an abandoned stretch of disused railway land beside their home in Lavender Bay, planting it out almost single-handedly over the following years. What was once weed-choked government land is now a tiered, jungle-like garden of winding paths, native plantings and harbour glimpses through the trees, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge visible from several points along the way.
- Where: Lavender Street, Lavender Bay
- Getting there: short walk from Milsons Point train station
- Cost: free, no bookings needed
Paddington Reservoir Gardens
Few passersby on Oxford Street realise what’s sitting just below street level. This site held one of Sydney’s original water reservoirs in the 1800s before falling into disuse, and it’s since been reimagined as a sunken garden built around the surviving brick arches and iron columns. Walkways loop around a reflection pond at the lower level, and there’s a lawned upper garden for sitting or picnicking.
- Where: Oxford Street, Paddington
- Getting there: bus along Oxford Street, or a 15-minute walk from Kings Cross station
- Cost: free, open daily
Lisgar Gardens, Hornsby
For a garden most inner-city visitors have never heard of, head to Hornsby on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. Lisgar Gardens has been growing since the 1960s and is best known for its camellia collection — several hundred plants across many varieties — alongside fern-lined paths, small waterfalls and fish ponds. Because it sits outside the usual tourist loop, you’ll often have long stretches of it to yourself.
- Where: Hornsby, Upper North Shore
- Getting there: short drive or bus from Hornsby station
- Cost: free
Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens, Cremorne Point
This small harbourside garden has one of the more charming origin stories in the city: it began when a resident planted a single bulb found washed up near the water, and it grew from there into a garden maintained with real devotion. Set on Cremorne Point with water views across to the city, it makes a natural stop on the Cremorne Point to Mosman Bay ferry walk — one of Sydney’s most underrated harbourside strolls.
- Where: Cremorne Point
- Getting there: ferry to Cremorne Point wharf from Circular Quay
- Cost: free
Chinese Garden of Friendship, Darling Harbour
Unlike most entries on this list, the Chinese Garden of Friendship isn’t free — but it’s often overlooked given its location right beside Darling Harbour’s crowds. Built to mark Sydney’s sister-city relationship with Guangdong, the garden follows classical Chinese design principles, with pavilions, a waterfall, a lake and rockeries designed to be viewed from set points along the path.
- Where: Darling Harbour
- Getting there: light rail to Exhibition Centre or a short walk from Town Hall station
- Cost: small entry fee applies
Quiet Corners of the Royal Botanic Garden
The Royal Botanic Garden itself isn’t hidden, but most visitors stick to the main harbourside lawns and miss the quieter sections further in. The rainforest gully, the succulent garden and the paths around Farm Cove’s eastern edge see a fraction of the foot traffic of the main lookout points, despite being only a short walk away.
- Where: Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney CBD
- Getting there: walk from Circular Quay or St James station
- Cost: free
Tips for Visiting Sydney’s Hidden Gardens
Most of these gardens are free, open daily, and best visited early morning or late afternoon when the light is softer and the paths are quieter. None have an on-site cafe, so bring a picnic if you’re planning to stay a while — most have benches, lawns or tables suited to exactly that. Public transport gets you close to nearly all of them; only Lisgar Gardens in Hornsby really benefits from a car.
Key Takeaways
- Wendy’s Secret Garden and most other entries on this list are free to visit, with no bookings required.
- The Chinese Garden of Friendship is the one exception — a small entry fee applies.
- Early morning or late afternoon visits mean fewer people and better light.
- Nearly every garden on this list is walkable from a train station or ferry wharf.
- None have on-site food, so bring your own picnic if you plan to stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Sydney’s hidden gardens free to visit?
Most are, including Wendy’s Secret Garden, Paddington Reservoir Gardens, Lisgar Gardens, Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens, and the quieter corners of the Royal Botanic Garden. The Chinese Garden of Friendship is the main exception, charging a small entry fee.
What is the most famous hidden garden in Sydney?
Wendy’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay is the best known, thanks to its story: artist Wendy Whiteley created it by hand on disused railway land next to her home after her husband Brett’s death in 1992.
How do I get to Wendy’s Secret Garden?
It’s a short walk from Milsons Point train station, via Lavender Street and Clark Park. There’s no signposted entrance, which is part of why it stays quiet.
Are these gardens dog-friendly?
Rules vary by garden and by council, so it’s worth checking signage on arrival. Cremorne Point’s foreshore paths are generally dog-friendly on leash; the Royal Botanic Garden is not.
What’s the best time of day to visit?
Early morning or late afternoon, both for softer light and smaller crowds. Weekday visits are quieter than weekends across all seven gardens.
Can I have a picnic in these gardens?
Yes, at every garden on this list except the Chinese Garden of Friendship, which restricts food to its own cafe area. Paddington Reservoir Gardens and Lisgar Gardens both have lawns well suited to a picnic.
Explore More of Sydney’s Hidden Side
These gardens are proof that some of Sydney’s best moments aren’t on the harbour at all, but just behind it. For more spots like this, browse the rest of Sydney Hidden Gems’ guides to the city’s quieter beaches, laneways and neighbourhood finds.