One of Sydney's jewels, overlooking the famous harbour and the Opera House. Originally the site of the colony's first farm, the Royal Botanic Gardens date back to 1817, making them the oldest scientific institution in Australia. Today, the gardens cover 34 hectares and include a succulent garden, a native rockery and national herbarium with more than one million plant samples, including those collected by Joseph Banks in 1770. The adjoining grassed area, the Domain, is used for recreating, picnics and outdoor concerts. http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/

The city's central open green space was named after the Hyde Park in London, however, its origins are somewhat different. Originally the Park was a racecourse and sporting ground playing host to all manners of competition. Today the only reminder of its early 19th century competitive heritage is the huge playable chess set that features on the western side of the Park. The tranquil setting is popular among office workers who want some fresh air, a quick siesta or some time out from the concrete jungle. The central pathway through the park is an impressive, tiled, fig lined road linking two of the parks other features, the Archibald Fountain and the ANZAC War Memorial. http://www.anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au/

Since the Park was created in 1888 to commemorate 100 years of British settlement it has been transformed from a bleak and sandy area into a mixture of manicured lawns, rolling open spaces, native and exotic trees, lakes and sporting fields. Its 220 hectares of open space provides the perfect setting for just about all types of outdoor activities. http://www.centennialparklands.com.au/

Cook & Phillip Park was opened in 1999. The Park provides almost 4 hectares of public space on the corner of William & College Streets. The Park was built in response to the growing demand by workers and residents for inner city recreation space. The Park has a modern oriental feel about it with water features and grassed terraces throughout. It is a perfect vantage point to admire St Mary’s Cathedral new spires. http://www.cookandphillip.org.au/