Report from the 2019 Annual General Meeting

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The 31st Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the ANBG was held on Thursday 17 October in the ANBG Theatrette.

The Minutes of the 2018 AGM were approved. The 2019 President's and Treasurer's reports, with the audited 2018-2019 Financial Reports of the Friends and the Public Fund, were presented. The reports and Minutes are now available from the Friends website on the 'About Us' page (https://friendsanbg.org.au/aboutus – see the documents list in the right-hand column). The reports include an outline of the many projects supported by the Friends, as well as the wide variety of other activities undertaken by our volunteers on behalf of the Gardens and to raise funds for future project support.

Sufficient nominations were received for the vacant positions of Vice President, Secretary and two ordinary members of Council, and an election was not required. The elected Council members for 2019–2020 are:

President: Max Bourke
Vice President: Linda Beveridge
Secretary: Jann Ollerenshaw
Treasurer: Helen Elliot
Non-executive members: Wendy Antoniak, Lynden Ayliffe, Peter Heaume, Alan Henderson, David More.

The report by the Executive Director of the Gardens, Dr. Judy West, outlined the major projects now in preparation and underway including the new Banksia Garden, the exciting Ian Potter National Conservatory project, and the long-awaited new Seed Bank. 2020 will be the Gardens' 50th anniversary year and will mark a significant phase of development under the Gardens Master Plan.

This year's recipient of the Life Membership for distinguished achievement and service to the Friends is Anne Campbell, citing her valuable contributions as a Volunteer Guide, as Convenor of the Plant Science Group, and in many other roles and activities. Anne, who now lives in Adelaide, will receive the award on her next visit to Canberra later this year.

After the formal business of the AGM, members held a discussion about plans for next year's 30th anniversary celebrations. The planning committee described its work and ideas to date, and several suggestions from the meeting were noted for further development.