Date posted: 17 March 2020

UPDATED: Tuesday 17 November 2020

The safety and well-being of our visitors, volunteers and staff is our highest priority.

We are mindful of concerns surrounding COVID-19 and are following all federal and state government policy and directives. We are closely monitoring updates through SA Health and the impact of COVID-19 on our community.

We believe that coming to a botanic garden and connecting with nature can have a calming effect in times of difficulty, and we hope the gardens will provide some respite for visitors in these uncertain times.

Adelaide, Mount Lofty and Wittunga Botanic Gardens are all open.

Visitor information

If you are feeling unwell, please stay home and do not come to a botanic garden or public space.

Please follow safe practice when at a botanic garden by:

• Complying with capacity restrictions for indoor spaces
• Maintaining a safe distance (at least 1.5 metres) from other visitors.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue if you cough or sneeze, and discard used tissues in a bin.
• If you do not have tissue, please cough/sneeze into your elbow.
• Wash your hands with soap and water frequently for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Refreshments

The Simpson Kiosk at Adelaide Botanic Garden is open every day from 9am - 3pm.

Botanic Gardens Restaurant at Adelaide Botanic Garden is open for lunch from Thursday to Sunday, and dinner from Thursday to Saturday.

Café Fibonacci is open every day from 10am-2pm.

A pop up food truck by Bracegirdles is in operation every weekend from 10am-3pm at Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens.

There are no refreshments available at Wittunga.

Water fountains throughout the gardens have been temporarily turned off. Please ensure you bring plenty of water on your visit.

Shop

The Diggers shop at Adelaide Botanic Garden is open every day from 10am - 5pm.

Buildings

Our indoor botanical collection spaces are open. This includes the Bicentennial Conservatory, the Palm House, Santos Museum of Economic Botany, and the Amazon Waterlily Pavilion.

As part of our COVID-safe plan, the number of people allowed in each venue has been restricted to allow for the government social distancing requirement of 1.5 metres. For everyone's safety, please respect the capacity limits inside each building:

• Palm House: limit of 10 people at any one time
• Bicentennial Conservatory: limit of 75 people at any one time
• Amazon Waterlily Pavilion: limit of 30 people at any one time
• Santos Museum of Economic Botany: limit of 75 people at any one time, access restricted to one entrance and one exit only, and, in compliance with Directions issued pursuant to the Emergency Management Act 2004, we are keeping a record of anyone who visits the Museum.

All visitors will be asked to provide their contact details upon entry to the Museum. This information will only be used for the purpose of contact tracing in relation to COVID-19.

The Visitor Information Centre in the Schomburgk Pavilion is open, however North Lodge (by the Friends' Gate) is still closed.

The Simpson Shade House remains closed for repair until further notice.

Public programs

The Schools Education Program has been put on hold from 17-20 November, 2020. Any school with a booking for this week will be contacted directly to discuss alternative options.

The workshop 'Understanding the Language of Plants' on 19 November has been postponed. Ticket holders will be contacted directly with a new date and alternative options as soon as possible.

Other workshops and events will continue as planned at this stage, however additional changes may be required. Ticket holders will be notified and information will be posted on our website if any further changes to events are made.

A range of online resources can help you, your school or community group, and give you gardening tips and virtual tours.

Volunteer-related activities including the free guided walks will continue. Self-guided walks are available for each garden too.

Additional cleaning

We have put in place additional cleaning of public toilets and visitor facilities throughout each of the gardens.

Most toilets will remain open, with the exception of those in the Tram Barn opposite the Little Sprouts Kitchen Garden and the those in the Schomburgk Pavilion at Adelaide Botanic Garden.

Garden regulations

Botanic Gardens are different from public parks in that they're living museums, filled with valuable living collections. For this reason some activities - such as allowing dogs to roam the Garden - have the potential to damage or destroy valuable plants.

Botanic Gardens are also internationally-regarded as places for visitors to seek peace beauty and tranquillity, so activities that impede this (such as the use of drones) are also discouraged. You must not:

• Bring dogs or other pets into the garden
• Fly drones in or above the garden (under CASA guidelines. Learn more at our Filming and Photography page)
• Ride bikes / bicycles, scooters, skateboards or rollerblades
• Drive vehicles into the garden
• Damage or remove plants
• Do not pick mushrooms
• Enter garden beds
• Bring alcohol into the garden
• Play ball or throwing games
• Bring BBQs into the garden

Thank you for contributing to the safety of our community.

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More information on COVID-19

South Australia is currently leading the way with testing for COVID-19. The most recent update from SA Health can be found here.

If you would like to find out more about COVID-19, please visit sahealth.sa.gov.au/covid2019 or call the Australian Government Department of Health Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.