Things to do in Chinese Garden of Friendship Reviews (Sydney, Australia)

Serenity in the Garden

New York, New York

April 1, 2011

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The Chinese Garden of Friendship is a must do when visiting Sydney. The Garden is located in the Darling Harbour area by the Entertainment Center. I first visited this Garden with my wife in 2007 and we have been back twice; it’s that good. The ...Read more

Chinese Garden

by LenR

Townsville, Queensland, Australia

April 22, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo This attraction was initiated by the Sydney Chinese community as a way to share their rich cultural heritage and celebrate Australia's 1988 Bicentenary. The Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond of friendship and cooperation between the ...Read more This attraction was initiated by the Sydney Chinese community as a way to share their rich cultural heritage and celebrate Australia's 1988 Bicentenary. The Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond of friendship and cooperation between the sister cities of Sydney and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, China.

The garden was designed and built by Chinese landscape architects and gardeners. Similar to every classical Chinese garden, traditional principles govern the use of four key elements of water, plants, stone and architecture. Together, these four elements are supposed to combine to create perfect balance. It is said that this has been obtained in this garden. Certainly, from my point of view, everything seemed to fit together well.

The art of Chinese garden design began in imperial parks during the Zhang dynasty 3000 years ago. Later they flourished on a smaller scale in the private gardens of China's rich and powerful. The Sydney Chinese Garden is a scaled-down version of a typical private garden from this era. Chinese gardens differ from western-style gardens in that there are no planted flowerbeds or manicured lawns. Instead, wild aspects of nature are recreated in artfully designed landscapes that feature waterfalls, mountains, lakes and forests.

Exploring the Chinese Garden is a journey of discovery: there are many details to be observed and only a part of the garden is visible at a time. You follow the serpentine walkways as they lead you through private courtyards and traditional pagoda-style pavilions. On the way you will discover some of the garden's unique highlights including the Dragon Wall, Twin Pavilion and Dragon Rock. It is a great place to wander at your own pace. The tranquillity seems to slow you down so it took longer than I originally suspected.

A 45 minute audio tour provides detailed information about the design philosophy and history of the Garden. The tour, available in English and Mandarin, can be hired for $4. I didn’t do this but found the garden very interesting without this detail.
Admission prices are Adults $6, Children (under 15 yrs) $3, and Family (2 adults & 2 children) $15.
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm excluding Good Friday and Christmas Day.
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From journal Sydney’s Darling Harbour

Chinese Garden of Friendship

by Tallulah_B

Brooklyn, New York

September 13, 2005

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This is a small Chinese garden in the Darling Harbour area. It can be reached via the monorail (Entertainment Centre Station), ferry (Darling Harbour), bus or train (Town Hall Station) or light rail (Haymarket Station). Since the Guangdong area of ...Read more

From journal A Taste of Sydney, Australia

Chinese Friendship Garden

by dawn

Chicago, Illinois

February 3, 2002

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Best of IgoUgo In 1988, this garden was given as a gift to the people of Sydney from the people of China. This is a very special gift, indeed! A virtual place of peace and tranquility in the very middle of the city! I am an avid gardener, and was very impressed ...Read more

From journal On the Rocks with a Splash

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