TORTOLA HAS
5
NATIONAL PARKS
J.R. O'Neal Botanic Gardens
At the site of the century old Agricultural Experiment Station, the Botanic Gardens are a beautiful oasis in the center of Road Town. They are named after the National Parks Trust’s first Chairman, Joseph Reynold O’Neal who was a leading figure in the formation of the National Parks Trust and the establishment of the BVI’s first national park, Sage Mountain National Park.
Mount Healthy National Park
This 18th century windmill was once used for grinding the sugarcane, farmed from the steep slopes on the north shore of Tortola.
It was part of a thriving 250-acre plantation where enslaved Africans cultivated the sugarcane on the terraced slopes and processed it into sugar, which was then shipped to Britain for sale. Across the road from the windmill lie the ruins of the mill round, which was powered by animals, the factory with boiling house, the distiller, hospital and living quarters.
Queen Elizabeth II
National Park
This park has evolved from a small seaside garden to two distinct multi-use areas, with recreational facilities for children and adults. The Children’s playground on the western end was developed in 1993 in collaboration with the Lions Club and other volunteers.
Sage Mountain National Park
​As the first National Park in the BVI, Sage Mountain represents the beginning of conservation in the territory. Through a generous donation from Laurance Rockefeller, the land at Sage Mountain was purchased from farmers and given to the BVI Government as a national park.
Shark Bay National Park
Nestled on the northern shore of Tortola between Brewers Bay on the west and Rough Point on the east. This Park extends from the ridge of Anderson Point to the bay at the base of the Mount Healthy ghut.
