A cartoonist who has covered COP climate conferences and drawn for The Guardian will lead a free two-hour workshop on Saturday 25 July 2026, turning a guided walk through the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney into handmade nature zines.
Jess Harwood, one of two inaugural Writers in Residence at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, designed the session for absolute beginners. There are no drawing prerequisites, just bring your curiosity and a willingness to script a short comic from what the gardens reveal on the morning walk.
The workshop runs from 10am to midday at Maiden Theatre and is open to adults and children aged 10 and over accompanied by an adult. All materials are supplied, but places are strictly limited. Registration via Humanitix is compulsory.
Step-free access to the theatre can be arranged by emailing [email protected] in advance. The nearest accessible bathrooms are at Farm Cove Eatery, roughly 250 metres away.
Harwood’s style is light-hearted yet purposeful. She has explained biodiversity loss, conservation and climate change through comics that appeared in major outlets, and she has provided live illustration at international climate summits. “Educational visual storytelling” is how she describes her work, using humour to invite people into conversations they might otherwise avoid.
The residency that brought her to the gardens is new in 2026. It places writers, artists and storytellers inside the institution’s plant science and heritage spaces for extended periods, asking them to produce original work that helps audiences see the natural world afresh.
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Botanic Gardens of Sydney
Manages the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan and Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. Delivers public programs, conservation, education and scientific research across its three sites.
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Historic 30-hectare garden in the heart of Sydney established in 1816. Features diverse plant collections, heritage buildings including Maiden Theatre, and serves as a major cultural and recreational destination for locals and tourists.
The timing is deliberate. National Tree Day falls on Sunday 26 July, and this zine-making morning acts as a creative lead-in. While the gardens will also host a paid Tree Day celebration the next day, the Saturday workshop is designed as an accessible, low-cost entry point that combines art, science and fresh air.
If you’re looking for a free family activity that does something different, register now. Unlike the typical drop-in craft tables that appear during school holidays, this session builds from observation to publication: a deliberate walk through living plant collections, then an hour turning impressions into a personal zine. No prior art experience is needed, but the reward is a handmade object you leave with.
Public transport is the smarter way to get here. Circular Quay station, with trains, ferries and buses, is a short walk through the Domain or up Macquarie Street to the garden entrances. On-site parking is limited.
After the workshop, make a day of it. The Art Gallery of NSW and the Sydney Opera House are both within walking distance. Or stay in the gardens — twilight tours and wildlife explorers sessions are running nearby on the same weekend.
For those who miss out on the 25 July session, Harwood is documenting her residency on Instagram at @jessharwoodart, sharing botanical sketches and comic strips as she works among the collections.