The Royal Botanic Gardens were first established in 1816 and they are now one of Sydney's finest natural assets. The gardens also offer some of the best views of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge possible. The 30 hectares of gardens are home to over a million specimens, some of which were planted by the newly arrived European colonists almost 200 years ago. The gardens were also home to Australia's first vegetable patch and you can visit the site where Governor Phillip planted the first European vegetables more than two centuries ago.