Lunch on the Lawns and Garden Tours at Government House are back for the 2026-2027 season.

On the first Friday of each month from October 2026 to May 2027, the public is invited to come to the Government House Gardens on North Terrace, Adelaide, to take part in garden tours from 10.45 am to 11.45 am (bookings required) or to bring a picnic, chair, or rug and enjoy the front lawns from 12 noon to 2 pm (no bookings required).

The sessions on Friday 2 October will include two special events.

To mark the conclusion of the Governor’s term, Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC and her husband, Mr Rod Bunten, Patron of the Rose Society of South Australia, during the Garden Tour, will add her own rose to the 35 which already stand in the Government House Rose Garden commemorating her predecessors.

The yellow hybrid tea rose has been bred especially for the occasion and, after a public competition, named Southern Horizon.

Later, at 1:15 pm during Lunch on the Lawns, the Governor will plant a Wollemi Pine on the front lawns, which stands for resilience. Once thought extinct, it was rediscovered in the Blue Mountains in 1994 and is one of the world’s oldest and rarest trees.

“Rod and I have been delighted to open the grounds of Government House to the public during our term and have enjoyed meeting the many people from all walks of life who have enjoyed the garden tours and relaxing on the lawns,” Her Excellency said.

“Since the initiative began in 2022, more than 9,000 people have come through the gates to experience the grounds and feel that Government House is a place for all South Australians.

“Rod and I thank the Botanic Gardens volunteers who have run the tours, and the community groups that have provided music or activities for everyone to enjoy.”

The Garden Tours and Lunch on the Lawns will continue beyond Her Excellency’s term. Upcoming dates are 2 October, 6 November, 4 December, 8 January, 5 February, 5 March, 2 April, 7 May.

The free garden tours are hosted by the Friends of the Botanic Gardens and run from 10.45 am to 11.45 am. Registrations, required due to limited numbers, can be made through the Government House website www.governor.sa.gov.au.

To take part in Lunch on the Lawns, just come through the main gates of Government House on the corner of North Terrace and King William Road, Adelaide between 12 noon and 2 pm. BYO lunch.