The Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney is modeled on any garden that you would have found in China during the Ming Dynasty. It offers fabulous insight into the heritage and culture of China.
It was designed by Guangzhou, the sister city of Sydney in China. They were opened officially in 1988 as a part of the bicentennial celebrations in Sydney. They were also named the Garden of Friendship to symbolize the bond been China & Australia.
There is no single area in the garden from where the entire thing is visible. There are a number of amazing features in the garden as well including the Dragon Wall which symbolizes the bond between Guangzhou and New South Wales, the Twin Pavilion, the Tea House and the Lotus Fragrance Water Pavilion. The garden is quite a popular location for weddings as well.
A view at the garden, image source:darlingharbour.com
This walled garden is far more than a regular garden. It recreates the harmony and philosophy of traditional Chinese gardens with exotic plants, hidden pathways, pavilions, lakes and waterfalls. Koi Carp can be seen in the lakes and willows weep with the breeze. There is even a tea house where you can enjoy Chinese tea & dim sums.
If you really want to take in all the sights & sounds of this amazing garden then you can consider signing up for a guided tour. This will allow you to experience all the secrets & unique highlights the garden has to offer like never before. Some of the unique structures you will be introduced to include the Dragon Wall, the Dragon Rock, the Penjing collection and the Twin Pavilion. If you don’t want to be part of a tour then you can get yourself a map and do the tour on your own. Self-guided tours are a great way for you to feed your curiosity about the place.
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is located at 1, Exhibition Place, Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia. It is open 7 days a week from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. It only closes for a couple of days in the year, Christmas and Good Friday.
Admission costs for $6 for adults and $3 for children up to the age of 12 years. A family of 4 can enter the park for $15. Students & pensioners can enter the park for just $3. Senior citizens can enter for $4.50. An annual pass for the park is available for $50. An annual pass for a family of four is available for $125.
Don’t worry about accessbility either. The pathways & pavilions on the lower parts of the garden can be accessed by prams and wheelchairs. But the rocky pathways and steps make it difficult to access the upper sections of the garden. Harbour street is the closest drop off point for passengers visiting the garden. You will not have to worry about baby change facilities and accessible toilets while at the garden.