Flecker Botanic Gardens
The Flecker Botanical Gardens are the only Wet Tropical Botanic Gardens in Australia. The gardens aim to display tropical plant species of ornamental, economic cultural and conservation value for educational, recreational and scientific purposes with emphasis on endangered species. Many tropical countries however are underdeveloped and resource-poor which places Flecker Botanic Gardens in an important position on a national and global scale in representing flora of the Wet Tropics and Equatorial regions.
Address:
Collins Avenue, Edge Hill, Cairns, QLD
Tel:
0740443398
Hours:
Monday - Friday 7.30am-5.30pm, Weekends and Public holidays 8.30am - 5.30pm.
Email:
Admission:
Nil
Facilities:
Information centre, bookshop, guided walks, group bookings, school groups, tapes/booklets, information/identification, BBQ, picnic areas.
Collection:
There are three main areas, each representing a sample of the diverse ecosystem surrounding the gardens. The main botanic gardens mimic tropical rainforest with an informal style displaying tall trees and palms supporting lianas and tropical climbers, orchids, bromeliads and ferns. This garden includes an Aboriginal food plant section and a Gondwanan heritage section. The Centenary Lakes, another of the three areas, consist of the Freshwater lake which highlights freshwater aquatic life - birds, turtles, waterlilies and other plants and a saltwater mangrove lake. The third area is the Mt. Whitfield Conservation park, the vegetation is rainforest with patches of eucalyptus and grasslands. There is only limited recruitment of plants and animals and this makes the Park a very valuable and delicate resource.