Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney launches immersive rainforest exhibition

The Botanic Gardens of Sydney is inviting visitors to The Calyx to explore its immersive horticultural exhibition showcasing the lifecycle of rainforests ‘Alchemy of Rainforest - Explore a Vibrant Tapestry of Life’.

The sensory exhibition delving deep into the rainforest features a cocoon canopy, enormous walk-through sculptures, and rare rainforest flora – some visible to the public for the first time – all set against the largest green wall in the southern hemisphere.

Designed by the horticultural team at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, the display showcases over 20,000 plants and intertwines art, nature, and innovation.

Chief Executive of Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Simon Duffy, welcomed the launch of the new exhibit and its emphasis on sustainability.

Duffy shared "Rainforests are the oldest ecosystems on earth, and this exhibition highlights their incredible biodiversity.

"Featuring both towering outdoor trees and rare greenhouse tropical plants, people can experience the wonder of rainforests in Sydney's CBD.

"Botanic Gardens of Sydney want to show the importance of conservation, something our curators have championed this throughout the exhibition; from using sustainable materials for the artwork to presenting threatened plant species to the public."

Visitors can begin their adventure by walking through the Garden's Rainforest Walk, featuring towering rainforest trees planted from conservation project seeds.

As visitors enter The Calyx, they'll be captivated by an enormous canopy strung above them, constructed with recycled materials including rakes, theatre curtains and coat hangers designed by renowned theatre artists ERTH.

Environmental artist Jane Gillings brings many other larger-than-life sculptures to the display, all crafted from upcycled materials. Bracket fungi are made from old vinyl records, macadamia nuts are reborn from tennis balls and iridescent butterflies are built from plastic cutlery.

Families can walk through a gigantic Satin Bowerbird's bower, made from recycled air mattresses and natural materials, while listening to a soothing rainforest soundscape orchestrated by Crash Symphony.

Many precious plants from the Garden's Living Collections, usually stored away for safety, are on display for the public. These include rainforest species like the gigantic cabbage-tree palm (Livistona Australis) and the carpet-like Selaginella that thrives on the rainforest floors.

The Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, working with the Australian PlantBank and horticulture teams, has helped guide the recovery of some species in the exhibition through ongoing conservation research.

For visiting dates and times