Cairns Flecker Botanical Gardens, Cairns

The Cairns Flecker Botanical Gardens, nestled along Collins Avenue in Edge Hill, Cairns, is a verdant oasis steeped in history and botanical significance. Its roots date back to the mid-1880s when Eugene Fitzalan, a caretaker botanist, established his private Edge Hill Nursery on the area's southern side. This land, once home to Chinese market gardens, became a hub for Fitzalan's botanical endeavors. He had a keen interest in Queensland's wet tropic plants and became renowned for his collections, with nine plant species named in his honor. Fitzalan's passion particularly shone in his cultivation of orchids, roses, hibiscus, and a variety of local species.

After Fitzalan's retirement in 1897, the garden's management passed to other hands until 1906, when it relocated across Collins Avenue. In the early 1930s, the North Queensland Naturalist Club, led by its founder and radiographer Hugh Flecker, who was notable for his research on marine stingers and identification of the deadly box jellyfish Chironex Fleckeri, spearheaded the establishment of the Botanic Gardens. This was partly to house their herbarium collection.

Today, the Flecker Botanical Gardens stand as a testament to the region's rich botanical heritage. The gardens offer a stunning showcase of tropical plantings, enchanting walks, and recreational spaces for both residents and tourists. In May 2015, the gardens began constructing the Chinese Friendship Garden on the lakes. This project acknowledges the sister city relationship between Cairns and Zhanjiang in China's Guangdong Province, a nod to the historical roots of North Queensland's Chinese community. The Flecker Botanical Gardens, thus, not only provide a tranquil retreat but also serve as a living museum of botanical history and cultural connection.