North Sydney locals know and love Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden – but it isn’t the only enchanting garden hidden beside our harbour.
On the eastern side of Cremorne Point, a maze of narrow paths and leafy terraces tumbles towards the water. This is Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens, a magical pocket of public land created through decades of devotion by two local residents.
It is beautiful in its own right. But once you know the story behind it – a chance discovery, a shared labour of love and a garden that grew alongside a relationship – it becomes even more special.
A Secret Garden Born from the Harbour
The story began in 1959, when Lex Graham reportedly found a bulb from an elephant-ear plant washed up in a rock pool at Cremorne Point.
He retrieved it and planted it on the nearby foreshore. That single bulb took root – and so did an idea.
At the time, this section of public land was far removed from the lush garden visitors see today. It was overgrown with lantana and littered with rubbish. As Lex and Ruby cleared the site, they uncovered old bottles, washing machines and other discarded objects beneath the weeds.
Working together, they gradually transformed the neglected slope. They removed rubbish, built a network of paths and terraces, and planted a mixture of native and exotic species suited to the harbourside setting.
There was no quick makeover and no grand landscape plan. The garden was created patiently, piece by piece, over many years.
Remarkably, North Sydney Council’s records say the original elephant-ear plant is still there.
Image Credit: @hat_explores
A Garden that Grew with a Love Story
What makes Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens so captivating is that its history is inseparable from the couple who created it.
Lex and Ruby began their relationship around the same time the first bulb was planted. Together they continued caring for the garden, turning an overlooked piece of foreshore into a place filled with winding paths, dense foliage and unexpected glimpses of the harbour.
It became both a public gift and a living record of their life together.
Lex died in 1988, but Ruby continued tending the garden for many years afterwards. By the time she died in 2009, the couple’s work had given generations of locals and visitors a wonderfully secluded place to explore.
The garden is now recognised by the National Trust and North Sydney Council describes it as an outstanding example of local residents beautifying publicly owned land. It remains one of the most distinctive and much-loved features of Cremorne Reserve.
What You’ll Find Today
Unlike a formal garden with broad lawns and symmetrical beds, Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens feels intimate, layered and slightly wild.
Paths weave through thick vegetation and descend between terraces towards the harbour. Native and exotic plants grow together, while sandstone walls and narrow turns create the feeling that there may be another hidden section just ahead.
It is a garden best explored slowly. Look for the original elephant-ear plant, enjoy the changing harbour views and take time to appreciate just how much work must have gone into shaping this steep piece of land by hand.
The garden is free to visit and can easily be incorporated into the Cremorne Point Foreshore Walk.
Image credit: @caterinacavallaro3
How to Find Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens
Part of its charm is that the garden is not immediately obvious from the street.
One entrance is reached through the public walkway between 31 and 33 Cremorne Road. Visitors arriving by ferry can walk from Cremorne Point Wharf, following the eastern side of the foreshore towards Mosman Bay until they reach the garden.
The surrounding reserve contains narrow paths, terraces and changes in level, so wear comfortable shoes and take care after wet weather.
Visitor information
- Where: Eastern side of Cremorne Point Reserve, Cremorne Point
- Cost: Free
- Getting there: Walk from Cremorne Point Wharf or enter via the public walkway between 31 and 33 Cremorne Road
- Best combined with: Cremorne Point Foreshore Walk, Robertsons Point Lighthouse and the view over Maccallum Pool
- Allow: Around 20–30 minutes for the garden, or longer as part of the foreshore walk
- Good to know: The garden contains narrow paths and terraces; explore carefully and stay on established paths
Credit: Corner
Make a Day of it at Cremorne Point
The garden may be small, but it sits within one of North Sydney’s loveliest harbour outings.
Begin at Cremorne Point Wharf and follow the foreshore past sweeping views of Sydney Harbour. Explore Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens, continue towards Robertsons Point Lighthouse and then follow the western side of the point for views over Maccallum Pool towards the city skyline and Harbour Bridge.
The full Cremorne Point Foreshore Walk is approximately three kilometres and is almost a loop, with interpretive signs sharing stories about the area’s history, architecture, Aboriginal heritage and natural environment.
Pack water and a picnic, or simply take a slow wander and enjoy one of the most beautiful stretches of public foreshore in the North Sydney Council area.
Image credit: @caterinacavallaro3
The Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens
📍 Cremorne Point Reserve (east side of Cremorne Point peninsula, off, Cremorne Rd
📸 Main image credit: @__hannahtd
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