100 km west of Sydney, the Blue Mountains in the Botanical Gardens "Mount Tom", opened in 1972 and occupies an area of ​​28 hectares. The garden area is located at an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level, which defines its specialization - are cultivated plants of temperate climate, which could not survive in warmer climates Sydney. 128 hectares of the surrounding area are also reserved under protection and will soon become part of the garden.

The name of the Botanical Garden "Mount Tom," was named after the hill on which is situated. True "owners" of the land were the natives of the tribe Daruga, and the word "volume" they allegedly called the tree fern.

In 1804, naturalist and explorer George Cayley became the first European to visit the Fern Hill, now known as Mount Tom. And in 1823 Archibald Bell, accompanied by guides, Aborigines, found the road running through the Blue Mountains. A year later, this route followed botanist Allan Cunningham, director of the Botanic Gardens in Sydney in 1837-1838 years.

In 1830, some Suzanne Bowen bought a plot of land on Mount Tom, who used to lead dairy farming and grazing. There were built three mills, engaged in harvesting kochvuda, sassafras and eucalyptus. These trees and now dominate the wooded part of the mountain.

Since 1934, the territory that is now the botanical garden was owned by Alfred Braneta gardener and his wife Effie. Here they grow flowers, which are then supplied florists in Sydney. In the early 1960s, the family decided to donate his Branetov plot of land on Mount Tom Royal Botanic Gardens, but to implement this idea it was only in 1972. But to the public the new Botanical Garden was opened 15 years later - November 1, 1987 in celebration of the bicentennial of Australia.

Today the Botanical Garden "Mount Tom" - a paradise for nature lovers, surrounded by national parks included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Here you can walk along quiet footpaths under trees, where polyphony is heard more than 100 species of birds. Among the local fauna - marsupials, lizards and insects colorful, surprising for its unusual coloring.