Everglades Gardens
Everglades Gardens is a heritage-listed 5.2-hectare garden at 37 Everglades Avenue, Leura, with stepped stone terraces, a grotto pool and a lookout over the Jamison Valley. The garden was designed by Paul Sorensen and is on the NSW State Heritage Register. Visitors can also stop at the tea rooms and picnic on the lawns.
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About Everglades Gardens
Stepped Terraces and Lookout at Everglades Gardens
Everglades Gardens has ironstone walls that form terraces stepping down the slope to a lookout over the Jamison Valley. Its soil was hand-dug to 600 to 900 millimetres, and a timber bridge spans the watercourse above the falls. From the lookout, visitors see across the Jamison Valley to Mount Solitary. The gardens also include dry-stone walls, a natural amphitheatre and scenic walks through the terraces.
Van de Velde House and Studio at Everglades Gardens
The 1930s house at Everglades Gardens has three floors including a basement, terracotta tile roofing and Mediterranean-style stucco. Art Deco ceiling details appear in the living rooms and bedrooms, and the bathrooms are highly intact. A sweeping staircase rises through the house. Beside the house, a 1930s studio has a squash court. The house and gardens are open to visitors, and the house can be booked for weddings and functions.
Seasonal Plantings at Everglades Gardens
Everglades Gardens has rhododendrons, azaleas and weeping Japanese flowering cherries planted through its grounds. Cherry blossoms bloom in September, tulips appear in spring and autumn colour is a seasonal highlight across the garden. Bhutan cypress hedges give the garden its structure, and banksias and eucalyptus are kept as native species. Plantings include rare trees, and the garden's plant stock was drawn from New Zealand, Victoria and Holland when it was first laid out.
Facilities at Everglades Gardens
Visitor tips for Everglades Gardens
- ✓Allow at least an hour for the visit, more if you plan to stop for tea, and bring warm clothing and a waterproof jacket.
- ✓Tickets can be bought at the door or booked in advance, though booking fees apply to advance bookings.
Getting to Everglades Gardens
37 Everglades Avenue, Leura NSW 2780. A car park sits next to the entrance, with more parking on Everglades Avenue and nearby streets. Leura station is a short taxi ride away, or about a 2 km walk through the village; the walk is quite hilly.
Open in Google Maps →Nearby Leura
- 📍Norman Lindsay Gallery
- 📍Woodford Academy
- 📍Gordon Falls
Frequently asked questions about Everglades Gardens
Are dogs allowed at Everglades Gardens?
No. Pets are not accommodated at Everglades Gardens, except assistance animals.
Is there a cafe at Everglades Gardens?
Yes. The tea rooms serve a Devonshire tea and are open Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 3pm.
Is there parking at Everglades Gardens?
Yes. A car park sits next to the entrance, with more parking on Everglades Avenue and the streets nearby.
Can you have a picnic at Everglades Gardens?
Yes. Visitors can bring a picnic onto the lawns when it is sunny, and the site has picnic tables.
Is Everglades Gardens wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair access to the Everglades Gallery and Studio Terrace can be arranged in advance.