Located 55km southeast of the city centre, this outpost of the Royal Botanic Gardens celebrates Australian flora through an impressive expanse of themed gardens and habitats. It's beautifully landscaped, wrapped around a striking red-dirt garden and punctuated with lakes and streams. There are plenty of places for picnics (mind the snakes) and a cafe within the award-winning visitor centre.
There's a hop-on, hop-off open-air explorer bus for those who want to dive into native Australian flora and history with an expert guide. The tours last 25 minutes and cost $10 per adult and $8 per child.