Villa Botanica

A Private Estate Built For Love.

Botanica was designed and created by Ralph Hogan, a man who for nearly all his 60 years has been obsessed by the beauty of nature. When Ralph was very young, about 6, his parents divorced and his mother who couldn’t cope with raising two boys on her own, sent Ralph and his brother from their tropical French home town of Noumea in New Caledonia to boarding school in the cold, dank highlands of Southern NSW. Such was the emotional impact created by this move and the ensuing years removed from the family home, Ralph vowed when he grew up, his life would be different. He would find a princess, marry her and build her a palace, somewhere warm, where they would live happily ever after. 25 years later, Ralph found his princess, Janet, and 25 years after that he built her his palace, Villa Botanica.

Over the years, Botanica grew, the gardens multiplied and in 2007 Ralph and Janet decided that Botanica was too beautiful and grand to keep just for themselves. They wanted to share this special haven with others, so they came up with the idea of creating a wedding venue that would only be available for select groups, preserving its sense of peace and privacy. And so Botanica today serves as Australia’s most beautiful and exclusive boutique wedding venue, a place where other couples can now experience the special magic of this temple dedicated to love, passion and nature’s beauty. Imported marble floors, hand-carved antique furniture, beautifully ornate teak and merbau wood detailing are just some of the features that make Villa Botanica a truly unique estate.