The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden sits north of town on the Stuart Highway, with dry-country plants spread across red soil and low ridges above the upper Spencer Gulf. It is not a lush garden in the usual sense, which is exactly why it works.
Walk the trails slowly and read the signs. The garden shows how much life there is in the arid zone: flowering shrubs, saltbush, desert trees, birds, and views toward the Flinders Ranges. It is one of the best reasons to stop in Port Augusta instead of driving straight through.