Journey Beyond, the South Australian Tourism Commission and Tourism Western Australia have partnered to bring an Australian garden to the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London in May 2026. The bid to present a small show garden was accepted by the Royal Horticultural Society and award winning gardener Max Parker-Smith is working to bring his design to life.
Celebrating the Indian Pacific, one of the world’s epic rail journeys, and the nature cities of Adelaide and Perth; the garden will convey the diversity of Australian landscapes along the route. The ‘Journey Beyond the Tracks: From Adelaide to Perth’ garden will be a rich storytelling vehicle that blends travel, horticulture, and Australian innovation; promoting tourism, sustainability and regional identity through the design.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show attracts over 140,000 visitors over five days and the BBC coverage of the show reaches an average audience of over 22million people. 88% of the visitors to the show earn above the national average household income in the UK and the number one interest by market segment for RHS members is Travel, providing Chelsea Flower Show Garden sponsors in the tourism sector a unique opportunity. Latest tourism data for the year-ending June 2025, shows visitors from the UK contribute $141 million to South Australia’s visitor economy and $381 million to Western Australia’s visitor economy.
Max Parker-Smith says:
“I see ‘Journey Beyond the Tracks: From Adelaide to Perth’ garden as a compelling platform to celebrate the diverse landscapes of South Australia and Western Australia. By incorporating distinctive materials and the warm, earthy hues of the outback, alongside a thoughtfully curated selection of native inspired planting, the garden aims to evoke the spirit and identity of both states.
Inspired by the iconic rail journey that links Adelaide and Perth over two nights, this design reflects the ever-changing scenery — from world-renowned wine regions to vast arid plains. It’s a moving tapestry of contrasts, and I feel privileged to bring this unique journey to life through landscape.”
At the heart of the garden sits a striking central structure, echoing the form and interior of an Indian Pacific train carriage. One side captures the expansive shrub plains of the Western Australian outback, featuring tiered sand beds and resilient native plantings. In contrast, the opposite side reflects Adelaide’s identity as a National Park City, showcasing its green urban vision with trees, natural water corridors, and layered vegetation.
Sustainable materials are used throughout, including reclaimed timber, ochre-toned eco-concrete, natural stone, aggregate, and low-carbon metals — grounding the garden in both environmental responsibility and regional character.
Chris Tallent, Journey Beyond CEO says:
“We’re delighted to be collaborating with Max Parker-Smith who has a proven track record of creating emotionally rich landscapes that connect people to places through his garden designs. We look forward to seeing Max’s design come to life, especially as he draws inspiration from his journey on board the Indian Pacific in November. This remarkable 4,352 Kilometre transcontinental crossing is one of the world’s greatest rail journeys, and is hugely popular with international travellers, including those from the United Kingdom.
Max is sure to find inspiration as there is no better way to experience the spectacular landscapes of Australia. Highlights of the journey include the unique Off-Train Experiences in the charming outback town of Cook and a signature dinner under the stars at Rawlinna located on the fringe of one of Australia’s largest sheep stations, both of which promise an unforgettable experience.
Our garden of all Australian flora at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2026 provides a very special opportunity to share the Indian Pacific’s 55 years of transcontinental journeys on an international stage and to celebrate the romance of train travel.”
Minister for Tourism in South Australia, Zoe Bettison, says:
“The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a global brand and presents an excellent opportunity for us to partner with Journey Beyond and Tourism Western Australia to share the story of the Indian Pacific, inspiring UK travellers to book this exceptional rail adventure. The garden we’re presenting will shine a light on the National Park City of Adelaide and how our parklands, wineries, river systems, bushland and beaches all offer up rich tourism experiences which connect people with place.”
Emma Terry, CEO, South Australian Tourism Commission says:
“British holidaymakers visit, on average, at least two states or territories when they visit Australia and those travelling here are always looking at exciting ways to connect different parts of the country. The Indian Pacific offers a wonderful way to combine the National Park City of Adelaide with the nature city of Perth, and our garden at the Chelsea Flower Show will share that story – inspiring people to book this epic trip.
“Our involvement in the project also allows us to share the wider story of Adelaide and South Australia – our commitment to sustainable and regenerative principles, the city’s proximity to world class wineries and national parks teeming with native wildlife and our welcoming locals who value living well instead of living large.”
Western Australia Tourism Minister, the Hon. Reece Whitby MLA, said:
“Western Australia’s beauty will be showcased on the world stage at the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
“Through our partnership with Journey Beyond and the South Australian Tourism Commission, we hope to give the UK a taste of WA and inspire travellers to visit and explore our unique state.
“Perth is Australia’s closest city to the UK and the only Australian city offering direct flights – we hope to see you here soon.”
Once the RHS Chelsea Flower Show concludes The Journey Beyond the Tracks garden will be re-homed sustainably. All the plants will be replanted by The Royal Parks in Kensington Gardens London, part of the most famous collection of urban parks in the world. This partnership shines a light on the changing climate and the horticultural opportunities around effective urban planting in a warming planet.
The hard structural elements of the garden will be used by the horticultural team at Longleat in Wiltshire, an organisation dedicated to reversing biodiversity decline. They will create an Australian garden space to complement their existing Koala Creek experience, which is home to koalas from South Australia as part of ongoing work to protect the species and support research.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from 19-23 May 2026.
