Botany is located 11 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Bayside Council.

Botany Bay, to the south, is where Captain James Cook first landed on 29 April 1770, when navigating his way around Australia on his ship, the Endeavour.

In 1809, Mr E Redmond was one of the first to settle here and Simeon Lord (1771–1840) was an important developer in the area who built a fulling mill in 1815.

The racing track was restored and an annual event called the Botany Bay Gift attracted international athletes again.

[5] The other historic landmark in the area is St Matthew's Church of England, on the corner of Botany Road and Lord Street.

From Botany, a single-track line crossed the Botany Goods railway at Beauchamp Road, then passed along Perry Street and Bunnerong Road, past the former Bunnerong Power Station to join the La Perouse line at Yarra Junction.

Botany also has a large chemical production facility owned by several companies including Huntsman and Orica (previously ICI).

[9] The plant once manufactured paints, plastics and industrial chemicals such as solvents, and is responsible for a large groundwater plume of pollution in the area.

The Reserve features walking tracks through sand dunes to protected wetlands, formed around a network of ponds.

The Pleasure Gardens reflect the history of the area with a zoo playground featuring life size animal statues, a mosaic depicting Banks's journey, decorative flag terrace, Banksia garden and the central oval running track.