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All Australia Sydney Wendy's Secret Garden

Wendy's Secret Garden

Built over an abandoned train yard, this hidden gem is full of winding paths and offers gorgeous views of Sydney Harbour.

Sydney, Australia

Added By
Laura Miller
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Wendy’s Secret Garden.   laurosaurus / Atlas Obscura User
Wendy’s Secret Garden.   laurosaurus / Atlas Obscura User
Wendy’s Secret Garden.   laurosaurus / Atlas Obscura User
  mocchiatto / Atlas Obscura User
View of Sydney Harbor… Wendy’s Secret Garden March 2019   Kara Davis / Atlas Obscura User
Wendy’s Secret Garden.   laurosaurus / Atlas Obscura User
Wendy’s Secret Garden.   laurosaurus / Atlas Obscura User
Wendy’s Secret Garden.   laurosaurus / Atlas Obscura User
Wendy’s Secret Garden.   laurosaurus / Atlas Obscura User
Wendy’s Secret Garden.   laurosaurus / Atlas Obscura User
  Mark Loftin / Atlas Obscura User
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About

After Wendy Whiteley’s husband died in 1992, she realized she needed an outlet for her grief. To distract herself from the pain, she began clearing garbage and weeds from a patch of land overlooking a railway yard. She’s spent the past 25 years transforming the patch of land into something incredibly beautiful: a secret, hidden garden.

No one ever told her to stop. Fueled even further by the later grief of the loss of her only daughter, Wendy kept transforming the forgotten lot into what it is today. She doesn't actually own the land, but in 2015, the New South Wales Government gave a 30-year lease to North Sydney Council that will allow the garden to continue evolving and thriving.

The garden is a quiet alternative to the bustling, more touristy parts of Sydney Harbour. It’s a lush, green landscape, full of vivid greenery and a handful of whimsical sculptures. Pathways wind through the maze of flora, leading to various nooks and crannies.

With dozens of secluded benches scattered throughout, and several small tables in strategically private places, this is a great place to come to write, eat, or meet with friends while feeling like you're the only ones there. Not only is the garden itself gorgeous, it also offers several stunning plant-framed views of Sydney Harbour and the iconic Harbour Bridge.

If you're looking for a unique, beautiful, and peaceful spot to visit in North Sydney, this is your place. Just a few minutes past Luna Park, you'll want to keep a close eye out for the entrance under the train tracks, as the garden entrance itself isn't well marked (it is, after all, a secret garden!).

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Gardens Urban Planning Nature Plants Flora

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laurosaurus

Edited By

Robert Thomson, Mark Loftin, Kara Davis, mocchiatto

  • Robert Thomson
  • Mark Loftin
  • Kara Davis
  • mocchiatto

Published

September 26, 2017

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Wendy's Secret Garden
Harbourview Crescent
Lavender Bay
Sydney
Australia
-33.843771, 151.208083
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sydney

Sydney

Australia

Places 34
Stories 11

Nearby Places

Aboriginal Carving of a Whale

Sydney, Australia

miles away

Sirius Building

Sydney, Australia

miles away

Midden

Sydney, Australia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sydney

Sydney

Australia

Places 34
Stories 11

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