Hunter Region Botanic Gardens — Attraction in Newcastle-Maitland

I organized a Christmas function at this venue - I was looking for something special but within my budget. Well oh my did I find the biggest hidden jewel of this region.

From the first phone to actually meeting the Event Co-ordinator Monique everything was friendly and professional at the same time .

This function was undercover with an outlook of the flora and fauna wow - Now lets talk about the gem - The whole of these gardens are run by 98% volunteers and straight away when getting out of your vehicle you appreciate the love and care of these gardens. The peace the tranquillity hits you like a bomb (good one)

As I said it was a Christmas function - A volunteer made a Christmas tree from wood to that unnamed volunteer thank you for the lovely thought and gift for future functions. The table was Themes "Christmas in the Bush" - so fitting for where we were.

Now the Food - remember these people are volunteers and everything was totally home made and I believe they would have worked so long hours to make this so special - Brings back memories of eating sandwich's which your mum would have made plus other homemade delights.

There was no Hussle Bussle with staff and or waiters hanging around the food was self served - coffee was a never ending cup if you wanted.

So for any type of group looking for peace where you can just be you, then consider this Jewel I personally booking this function room again.

From my heart to all the Volunteers - Clarissa and Monique thank you for making my Christmas function so special.

I have not been asked nor have I been paid to write this review I just want this precious jewel to be more...

Horrible place with non-existent gardens. As others have mentioned on arrival be prepared to be trapped by the carpark. You cannot turn around and it directs you through a boom gate into a dust bowl, with mud - the works (hope you didn't just wash your car!). Don't even think about changing your mind after seeing the poor condition of the place because YOU CAN'T. Arrival into the main CAFE you will now be forced to pay up for parking (absolute joke). Be prepared to be greeted by an authoritarian psychopath with glasses as thick as pancakes. Terrible old lady who clearly gets off on treating the café workers horribly. How this lady has a job is absolutely beyond belief. Should have made a note of her name tag. Moving on... Proceeding out into the gardens which are non-existent. Be prepared to be attacked by hundreds of mosquitos. I must have counted at least 50 on my friends back at one point. The plants on display are all common and unimpressive to say the least. Most of the plants are all dumped in one location still in their pots. I've visited gardens all over Australia and this would have to be the worst. Not just the gardens but the...

Horrible experience. Called in there with group of disability clients. Pulled up in my work car to drop a gentleman off to meet up with his peers to eat lunch (Easter traffic was epic, so could not pull into any other local park area). Just called in to use the outside table eatery area so our clients could eat their fish n chips... Was greeted by an older women who aggressively pointed to the “no parking” sign while I was unloading my client (note: parking is NOT free, turn your engine off, it will cost you), and demanded I parked in the car park. Clients ate their lunch without entering the gardens, then the older women demanded entrance/parking fee to let them out. Explained that we’re a not for profit organisation, and that the group don’t have money, but she insisted that they all paid entrance fee to leave. I ended up paying out of my own pocket (by the way, they don’t accept companion passes) just to get out of the presence of this horribly rude women. Mozzies are horrible. No way to park without paying. Staff lack empathy and compassion. Will forever speak poorly of this...