Bill Waterhouse – ‘Wombat rescue at Major’s Creek’
2025-10-09 12:30 - 13:30 (Australia/Sydney) | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Bill and his wife rescue injured wombats, especially pouch pinkies, in facilities that they developed at Major’s Creek especially for growing and rewilding them.
Biography
Bill is a retired Deputy Principal and bush band musician who continues to teaches music to primary school students. He is also Queanbeyan/Palerang Councillor.
Bookings open on 5 September at https://www.trybooking.com/DDEFO
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Tasha James – ‘Endemics on the Edge: The Challenges of Conserving Mt Imlay Species’ (Don Beer Memorial Talk)
2025-10-16 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Tasha, a PhD student at University of Canberra and a holder of a Friends ANBG scholarship, is asking will Hibbertia circinata, Boronia imlayensis, and Eucalyptus imlayensis provide different insights into threatened species conservation on Mt Imlay and more broadly for threatened-species conservation?
Abstract
Mt Imlay (NSW) is home to several endangered endemic species which are limited to a small area on the summit and are subject to a combination of threatening processes including climate change, fire, and Phytophthora dieback.
This project has focused on three species: Hibbertia circinata, Boronia imlayensis, and Eucalyptus imlayensis. Tasha is researching each species to establish whether it would persist in situ, or require and/or rely upon ex situ efforts and populations to continue.
We used multiple data sources and methods to understand the species dynamics. Almost all the data for this project has been collected, and results are beginning to come together. However, as is often the case with ecological work, they are leading to more questions!
Biography
Tasha James is the holder of the Don Beer Memorial scholarship from the Friends of the ANBG and a PhD student at the University of Canberra. She researches endangered plant ecology and genetics with a focus on rare and endangered species. She collects data and samples from field surveys, drone surveying, Herbarium records and living collections to incorporate into a variety of analyses across population genetics, disease dynamics, and the influence of biophysical factors. Tasha collaborates with the Australian National Botanic Gardens and several Herbaria, with the aim to provide more insight into the unique dynamics of isolated endemic plants to increase the ability for conserving these often-fragile communities.
Bookings open on 12 September at https://www.trybooking.com/DDEFP
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Shelley Rowntree – ‘Unpicking the complexity of Chrysocephalum (Gnaphalieae, Asteraceae)’
2025-10-23 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Shelley, PhD candidate at the UNE and a holder of a Friends ANBG scholarship, will discuss the species limits and the dominant processes affecting the breeding and conservation of the Chrysocephalum genus.
Abstract
Shelley will look at questions about the Chrysocephalum genus, the limits of its species, and dominant processes affecting the breeding and conservation of Chrysocephalum.
The Gnaphalieae (paper daisy tribe, Asteraceae) are the largest tribe of Asteraceae in Australia, with c. 500 species. Relationships within clades remain unresolved, and generic concepts are often based on few morphological characters rather than demonstrated relatedness and inference of synapomorphies.
Chrysocephalum Walp is a medium-sized genus in the Australian Gnaphalieae occurring across all states of Australia. The project aims to answer the questions: (1) Does Chrysocephalum represent a cohesive genus? What is its relationship with other genera? (2) What are the limits of species within Chrysocephalum? What evolutionary processes explain the morphological complexity of the genus in eastern Australia? (3) What are the dominant processes affecting the breeding and conservation of Chrysocephalum?
Biography
Shelley Rowntree is a holder of a Friends ANBG scholarship and is now doing a PhD at the University of New England, Armidale, in collaboration with Centre of Australian National Botanic Research (CANBR).
Shelley left behind a career in IT to pursue her passion for plants. Her interests include the systematics and evolution of flowering plants, especially Asteraceae (daisy family) and Cyperaceae (sedges). She is passionate about documenting biodiversity and uses DNA sequence data and morphology to help make sense of diverse plant groups and evolutionary processes.
Bookings open on 19 September at https://www.trybooking.com/DDEFQ
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Dr Gemma Hoyle and Tom North – ‘National Seed Bank 2.0: Evolution of seed collection, banking and research for world class conservation’
2025-10-30 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Tom and Gemma, from the National Seed Bank here, will provide a ‘behind the scenes’ look at why the upgrade was necessary and how the new facility has been designed to ensure improved plant germplasm conservation and research.
Abstract
The ANBG is set to unveil a fully refurbished National Seed Bank (NSB) later this year, coined NSB2.0. Tom and Gemma will provide a ‘behind the scenes’ look at why the upgrade was necessary and how the new facility has been designed to ensure improved plant germplasm conservation and research.
Biographies
Tom North
Tom is the Curator at the National Seed Bank at the ANBG and leads the collecting program.
Dr Gemma Hoyle
Gemma is a Research Scientist at the National Seed Bank focusing on seed germination, dormancy and longevity to improve the conservation and management of Australia’s native flora.
Bookings open on 26 September at https://www.trybooking.com/DDEFR
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Jay Nicholson – ‘Why do some plants die while others survive? Exploring the impacts of extreme drought in the Red Centre’
2025-11-06 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Jay, a PhD candidate at ANU and has a Friends ANBG scholarship, works with Anangu, the Traditional Owners at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, to work out why certain culturally important species are dying, and what the future might be for Australia’s arid landscapes.
Abstract
After a record-breaking drought and heatwave in 2019, many desert plant species experienced a mass mortality event. He will discuss the interesting spatial patterns in mortality he observed, and how that links with plant measurements and environmental data. Come along to discover more about what the future looks like for Australia’s arid landscapes, and maybe even learn some Pitjantjatjara (Aboriginal language spoken at Uluru).
Biography
Jay Nicholson, a PhD candidate at ANU and a holder of a Friends ANBG scholarship, works with Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people (Anangu) at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
Jay is passionate about hot and dry plants, especially desert plants. After working as a botanist in Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land, he moved to Canberra to chase his scientific curiosities.
Bookings open on 3 October at https://www.trybooking.com/DDEFT
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Josh Coates – ‘Australian alpine pollinators in a changing world’
2025-11-13 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Josh, a PhD Student at the ANU, will present his research in pollination ecology in Kosciuszko National Park, from the community level down to a few case studies of charismatic species such as the Bogong moth.
Abstract
Pollinators in Australia’s alpine ecosystems display unique adaptations that allow them to persist in a cold climate. Despite being buried under snow for half of the year, these harsh environments support a diverse array of flowering plants and insect pollinators. Unfortunately, these environments will also see some of the earliest and most severe effects of warming under climate change.
Biography
Josh is a final-year PhD Student at the Fenner School of Environment and Society ANU. His research focuses on alpine pollination ecology. He also works at CSIRO’s National Insect Collection and in the ACT Snake Removal service.
Bookings open on 10 October at https://www.trybooking.com/DDEFV
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Robert Macklin – ‘The man who planted Canberra: Charles Weston and his 3 million trees’
2025-11-20 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Robert’s recent book explores Weston’s life in the UK and his vital contribution to Canberra’s dramatic foundation and its arboreal and botanic creation.
Abstract
The design of the Capital by Walter Burley Griffin – and its brilliant illustration by Marion Mahony Griffin – has overwhelmed its remarkable arboreal and botanical creation by Charles Weston from 1913. When Griffin departed in 1920 at the behest of the Hughes Government, Weston became responsible for the city’s entire landscape in time for the Opening of Parliament in 1927. With the support of the thesis by Dr John Gray, Robert’s book explores Weston’s life in the UK and his vital contribution to Canberra’s dramatic foundation.
Biography
Robert Macklin is the award winning author of 31 books, mostly non-fiction, of Australian history in peace and war.
Bookings open on 17 October at https://www.trybooking.com/DDEFW
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Associate Professor Duanne White – ‘Antarctic ice shelves?’
2025-11-27 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
What lies beneath Antarctic ice shelves? Duanne, from University of Canberra, will show field studies of how warm ocean currents, past and present, are melting the weak underbelly of the ice sheet in the Denman Glacier region.
Associate Professor Duanne White is a quantitative geomorphologist and geochemist, at the University of Canberra, interested in catchment and Earth Systems. This involves understanding the links between landscape, climate and critters, and how these have changed during the Quaternary period – i.e. the last couple of million years. This interest has taken him across Australia and on several trips to Antarctica, the Arctic and Sub-Antarctic Islands and beyond.
Bookings open on 24 October at https://www.trybooking.com/DDEFX
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

'Frost and drought in a native garden' - CHANGE OF SPEAKER
2026-02-12 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Dr Ben Walcott will speak in the place of the scheduled speaker, Dr Roger Farrow. His topic is ‘Frost and drought in a native garden’ – increasingly relevant to everyone with an interest in how our unstable weather patterns will affect us and our plantings.
Biography
The Walcotts moved from the USA to Canberra in 2003 and soon became friends of the ANBG. They have developed their own large native garden in Red Hill, drawing on garden experiences both locally and overseas.
Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/DHLQC

Craig Moritz – Discovering diversity across Australia’s tropics
2026-02-19 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Craig Moritz, from the ANU, will talk about the true species diversity of vertebrates in the monsoonal tropics, and how this matters for science, conservation, and ecological management.
You might think that we know all about Australia’s vertebrate species – what they are and where they occur. However, ongoing surveys and genetic analyses tell a different story – we have massively underestimated true species diversity across the vast monsoonal tropics. This matters for science, conservation, and informing ecological management, especially in areas owned and managed by our First Peoples.
Craig Moritz is an evolutionary biologist who likes nothing more than traveling to remote areas to survey animal diversity and interact with landholders. He is a Professor at ANU and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; several talks are booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made about 30 days in advance until Wednesday night before the talk.

Chris Mobbs – Bragg Street Park, Hackett: Increasing biodiversity through water harvesting
2026-02-26 08:00 - 17:00 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Chris Mobbs, Convenor Bragg Street Park Volunteers, describes solving a drainage problem and creating an urban oasis with a great increase in the diversity of native plants.
Residents near a neighbourhood park in Hackett came together to solve a drainage problem. They ended up creating an urban oasis. Their project was funded with a Nature in the City grant in 2021.
It is now 4 years since the swales were built, and they have been very successful in preventing minor flooding in gardens downhill from the park. There have also been great results in increasing the diversity of native plants in the park – many have been planted by the park volunteers, but many self-seeding eucalypts have grown up in the swales.
Our volunteer group was very pleased when the ACT Government used our park as a case study in the recently released Stormwater Management for Community Groups guidelines: https://www.act.gov.au/open/stormwater-management-for-community-groups.
I am pleased that the photo on the cover of these guidelines is one of the swales in our park, and there are more details on page 25. As well as the swales successfully capturing water and the great growth of native plants, we had 5 species of frogs move into the park in the spring of 2023 and 2024. And in spring 2023, a lovely bearded dragon moved into the park. And last spring, we counted 4 smaller ones – we think these may have been offspring from the first dragon.
Chris Mobbs has a Bachelor’s in Applied Science (1976) from the then Canberra College of Advanced Education (now Uni of Canberra). My first job was an interpretation ranger (1976-84) with the then Conservation and Agriculture department (later renamed the ACT Parks and Conservation Service). My activities included taking people on day and night-time walks through Canberra’s nature reserves like Tidbinbilla, Black Mt, Mt Taylor, Mt Ainslie, and Majura, and preparing brochures about Canberra’s wildlife. In 1983-84, I co-hosted, with Mike Braysher, the Wildlife Biologist, a 30-minute segment called Canberra Bush and Fauna once every 3 weeks on ABC local radio morning program (then known as ABC 2CN but today is ABC 666). From 1984-96, I worked in the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service Education Section and then helped manage programs including Save the Bush, One Billion Trees, and the Waterwatch program. From 2000-07, I worked in the Chemical management program of the Federal Environment department before moving to energy efficiency programs until I retired in early 2017.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; several talks are booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made about 30 days in advance until Wednesday night before the talk.

Bernadette Duncan ‘Indigenous plant names and tea tasting’
2026-03-05 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Kamilaroi woman Bernadette Duncan works with her community bringing people to language and knowledge through local teas. Taste the teas as Bernadette leads a talk about using native plants for teas and bush medicine.
Biography
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; several talks are booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made about 30 days in advance until Wednesday night before the talk.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DHLQI

Professor Eric Warrant 'The art of coming far with a tiny brain: The remarkable navigational abilities of the Australian Bogong moth'
2026-03-12 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Some migratory insects can travel thousands of kilometres to a very specific place they have never been to before. But how do they know the direction to fly and how do they know when they have arrived?
In his talk, Eric will reveal how the nocturnal Bogong Moth, Agrotis infusa – uses the Earth’s magnetic field, the starry night sky and highly specific odours to fly 1000 kilometres to remote caves in the Australian Alps where they spend the summer.
Biography
Professor Eric Warrant is an Australian scientist who is Professor of Zoology at the University of Lund in Sweden. He is a Visiting Fellow at the Research School of Biology at the ANU, an Adjunct Professor at Adelaide University and is a Corresponding Member of the Australian Academy of Science. Eric studies vision and visual navigation in nocturnal and deep-sea animals, with his most recent work centred on the sensory basis of long- distance migration in the Bogong Moth.
Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/DJKKG
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/DJKKG
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Don Fletcher 'Goannas in the Canberra region and what is needed to conserve and restore them'
2026-03-19 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Don will provide an introduction to goannas, particularly the local species. He’ll look at what local research is underway and what we need to do to conserve goannas for the future.
Biography
Don Fletcher is a retired ecologist leading the ‘National Parks Association Goanna Project’ which is a citizen science investigation of local goanna species, mainly Rosenberg’s Goanna (Varanus rosenbergi), which is sometimes called the Heath Monitor.
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/DJUMO
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Lori Gould ‘Movement and behaviour of Latham’s Snipe at Jerrabomberra Wetlands: the results are in’
2026-03-26 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Lori, will present the findings of the tracking research she has carried out over the past 3 years at Jerrabomberra Wetlands as part of the Lathams Snipe Project. They provide an exciting insight into the behaviour of Snipe during their non-breeding season in Canberra.
Biography
Lori runs an environmental planning and restoration business–Environmental Restoration Design and Planning (ERDP)–which specialises in natural resource management, particularly landscape rehabilitation, assessment, planning, monitoring and community engagement. Lori is a riparian restoration specialist and over the past 25+ years has managed dozens of large-scale projects (both riparian and terrestrial). Prior to ERDP, Lori ran consulting company GrassRoots Environmental from which ERDP evolved. Lori also developed community programs at the Jerrabomberra Wetlands for 5 years, was a Senior Project Manager for 16 years with Greening Australia, specialising in riparian and catchment management programs to improve water quality and biodiversity in rural Australia and before this a Park Ranger with ACT Parks and Conservation Service for 6 years.
Lori is a PhD candidate studying migratory birds, holds a Master’s Degree in Integrated Water Management, a Post Graduate Certificate in River Restoration and Management, an Environmental Science Degree and Associate Diploma in Animal Science. Lori is also a Fellow of the Peter Cullen Trust.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DHLQS
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Linda Swift ‘Australian plants as bonsai’
2026-04-02 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Linda, of Canberra Bonsai Society, will give tips and techniques that bonsai artists use to create mature, aged-looking trees.
Abstract
The theme for the Australian Plants as Bonsai Exhibition at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in February 2026 is ‘The secret to looking old’. A bonsai tree grows slowly in a small pot. There are tips and techniques that bonsai artists use to create mature, aged looking tree. Linda Swift will share these tips, illustrated with images of bonsai trees from the exhibition.
Biography
Linda is the manager of Canberra Bonsai Society’s Australia Plants as Bonsai exhibition. She has led the team managing the bonsai exhibition for the Canberra Bonsai Society for the last four years. Linda joined the Canberra Bonsai Society in 2012. Her collection of bonsai has expanded since then, with the majority of trees being Australian plants.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DHLQV
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Pat Wright 'Who's the Smartest, Plants or Animals?'
2026-04-09 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Pat will look at the complex relationship between plants and animals.
Pat is a trained adult educator, and recently retired as a botanical guide and “Ambassador” for the ANBG.
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/DHLQY
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

The National Seed Bank 'Taking our science and practice to the global and regional stage'
2026-04-16 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
This talk will cover some of the projects at the National Seed Bank, including testing the viability of seed in storage, the exchange of plant knowledge with the Mala women rangers at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, and the germination of Leionema and Phebalium species.
Abstract
This talk will capture some of the exciting projects underway at the National Seed Bank that were presented at the International and Australasian Seed Science conferences held in Perth and Horsham in September last year. These include a progress report on the NSB’s six year long project to re-test collections to determine germination requirements and assess ‘real time’ seed longevity in storage and, about the NSB’s ongoing relationship with the Mala women rangers at Uluru-Kata Tjuṯa National Park to exchange plant knowledge, collect seeds and develop a seed bank that represents important plants to Aṉangu and the central desert. The NSB will also introduce an exciting new project to improve knowledge about the dormancy and germination of Leionema and Phebalium (Rutaceae) species. The project will explore what drives germination in situ and to achieve reliable germination ex situ, providing insights to enhance the conservation and management of these and other ‘difficult to germinate’ Rutaceae species in seed banks around Australia.
Biography
Speakers: National Seed Bank team members: Dr Pip Alvarez, Millie Stevens, James Perkins, ANBG
Dr Pip Alvaraez
Technical Officer
Pip has recently finished her PhD with the University of Technology Sydney and Australian Botanic Garden. Her work focussed on understanding how heat stress impacts different stages in a plant’s life cycle, from seeds up to adults. Pip is involved in conducting germination tests and assists in running the biology laboratory to support research students, scientists, data collection and analysis at the NSB.
Millie Stevens
Seed Testing Manager
Millie leads the testing and retesting programs, investigating the viability and germination requirements of the NSB’s seed collections. Millie’s work also involves managing the biology laboratory to support research students, scientists and volunteers, and data collection and management to inform the use and curation of our seed collections.
Dr James Perkins
Research Officer
James has recently finished his PhD at the Australian National University. His research explored the chemical ecology and pollination of orchids, particularly underground orchids (Rhizanthella spp.). focused on the volatile compounds that attract pollinators to these unique plants. James has recently joined the NSB to lead the new research to uncover germination strategies of Leionema and Phebalium (Rutaceae) species.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DHLRC
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Leo Joseph '12 Birds, 3 Books, 5 Cities, and 3 Continents: An Ornithological Life Not Yet Finished’
2026-04-23 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Leo, recently retired from CSIRO, appreciates how pivotal it was for him to see certain species of bird in the wild in Australia and South America and the happy pursuit of a career studying evolution of birds, especially in these countries.
Abstract
Triggered by glimpses in childhood of Adelaide Rosellas and further ignited by experiences of almost inhaling books on Australian birds, seeing with awe museum collections of birds and not to mention a lifetime of camaraderie with like-minded friends and colleagues, I will look back (and ahead) on a life studying the evolution of Australian birds (with a little more yet to come). Having recently retired from CSIRO where I was Director of the Australian National Wildlife Collection from 2005-2025, I can look back and appreciate how pivotal it was for me to see certain species of birds in the wild, and to travel across Australian and South American landscapes, while all the while avidly absorbing the literature of ornithology and working with many colleagues. The result was perhaps dogged yet always happy pursuit of a career studying evolution of birds especially across Australia and South America.
Biography
Leo joined CSIRO as Director of the Australian National Wildlife Collection in November 2005. Originally from Adelaide, he developed an early but lifelong interest in the evolution of birds and especially in a museum collections environment, one that has always guided his work. He did undergraduate and Honours degrees at the University of Adelaide in 1977-79 and 1981, respectively. Then he worked in Australia and travelled in South America until doing a PhD at the University of Queensland from 1989-1994. For his thesis, he investigated the history of habitat diversity in eastern Australian rainforest birds. Then, from 1994-97, he held a Visiting Professorship in the Laboratorio De Evolución, Faculdad De Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay where he worked on shorebird evolution and the evolution of bird migration. His interest in integrating ecological diversity and evolution was by then well-established. In 1997 he took up a position in the Department of Ornithology at the then Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, in the USA. From 2003, he was Chair of the Department but returned to Australia in 2005. At CSIRO, he developed an extensive network of collaborators including fellow researchers in Australia, Europe and North America, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students and Honours students. He has amassed a body of work on the phylogeography and more recent evolutionary history of Australo-Papuan birds. He was awarded the D. L. Serventy medal for publication in Australian ornithology in 2018. In 2020 he was elected as a Fellow of the American Ornithological Societies. Despite all that, he remains a birdwatcher at heart and plans to do a lot more birdwatching in the coming years.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DHLRE
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Photographic Group April Meeting
2026-04-24 10:00 - 12:00 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
The next regular meeting takes place on Friday 24 April at 10.00am in the Theatrette.
Stephen Hunter, the Photographic Group’s publicity officer, will talk about planning for overseas travel from a photographer’s perspective. He will illustrate his talk with stories and images from visits to Uzbekistan, Italy, India, Peru, Ecuador (Galapagos Islands and Amazon Basin), and the wilds of Patagonia.
Stephen will also bring along examples of the photo books he has compiled on his travels as well as the gear he uses to transport photographic equipment including in the field.
The meeting will also feature a further selection of images submitted for inclusion in the Gardens 2027 calendar
The regular show and tell session is on again. Bring up to six images on a thumb drive to share with your fellow PG members. You can include videos of up to ten seconds each if you choose.

Associate Professor Brad Tucker ‘The past, present and future of Mt Stromlo: Celebrating Mt Stromlo’s 100th anniversary’
2026-04-30 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
In its 100 years Mt Stromlo has been at the forefront of astronomical discoveries, but much of its history has remained hidden. Brad, from ANU, will talk about its past and how it is shaping the future of astronomy and Canberra, and how it is helping to combat light pollution.
Biography
Brad is an Astrophysicist/Cosmologist and Associate Professor at the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Mt. Stromlo Observatory and the National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, at the Australian National University.
Brad has Bachelor’s degrees in Physics, Philosophy, and Theology from the University of Notre Dame and a PhD in Astrophysics and Cosmology from Mt. Stromlo Observatory at the ANU. He’s involved in programs using space telescopes to find stars within the first hours of explosion, as well as surveys to measure the growth rate of the Universe. He’s developing an ultraviolet space telescope, as well as uses machine learning to combat light pollution as well as gaining insights into the public’s understanding of science.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DHLRH
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Kristy Gould ‘Conserving Canberra: Healing country through restoration’ [NEW VENUE: Crosbie Morrison Bldg]
2026-05-07 12:30 - 13:30 | Crosbie Morrison Building, ANBG, Clunies Ross Street, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
Kristy, from the ACT Office of Nature Conservation, describes a project to improve restoration through development of spatial planning tools, on-ground work at three key sites, and engaging the Ngunnawal community in Healing Country.
NEW VENUE: Crosbie Morrison Bldg
Abstract
The Office of Nature Conservation (ONC) led a project as part of the Conserving Canberra Budget Initiative (2023 2025) to improve restoration through development of spatial planning tools, deliver on-ground work at three key sites and provide opportunities for the Ngunnawal community to be engaged in Healing Country. The project partnered with four Ngunnawal Cultural Advisors to help embed cultural practices into land management, engaged specialised bush regenerators for on-ground work and a spatial ecologist to develop online tools. Volunteer groups contributed many hours to the project and ONC worked closely with Parks and Conservation Service and the Natural Resource Management Team as delivery partners. This work is continuing for another 12 months ongoing though various other initiatives.
Biography
Kristy completed her BSc (Environmental Science) at Charles Sturt University in 2004 and has had over 23 years of experience in land management working with ACT Parks and Conservation Service (PCS). Kristy has worked in most areas of PCS as a ranger and an area manager implementing programs including invasive pest and plant, visitor, asset maintenance and fire management. During this time Kristy has led several restoration projects including the Grassland Improvement Project (2006- 2008) and the ACT Woodland Restoration Project (2012-2017). Kristy is now working in the Office of Nature Conservation team as a Restoration Program Manager.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DHLQN
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
This Talk will be held in the Crosbie Morrison Building due to work at the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Kim Pullen ‘More treasures–insects in fens and bogs’ [NEW VENUE: Crosbie Morrison Bldg]
2026-05-14 12:30 - 13:30 | Crosbie Morrison Building, ANBG, Clunies Ross Street, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
Kim will discuss bogs and fens as an insect habitat, the variety of ecological niches that insects occupy and some threats to the fauna. She will give some local examples of the fauna of this habitat.
NEW VENUE: Crosbie Morrison Bldg
Biography
Kim grew up in Canberra and inherited an interest in nature, and particularly insects, from his father who was a professional botanist (and a boyhood butterfly and beetle collector). On leaving school he worked first at the ANU, and later at CSIRO, assisting with research in grasshopper genetics, pheromone-based control of insect pests, and insect-based biological control of imported weeds. Kim then spent six years in Mexico collecting and evaluating weed biocontrol agents for exportation to Australia – as well as teaching English – before returning to Canberra with a family. He eventually came back to CSIRO to assist with faunal studies in South Australian mallee and subsequently on Murray River floodplains, and prepare a taxonomic inventory of Australian weevils, among other projects.
After retirement, he took up a CSIRO Honorary Fellowship, allowing access to the Australian National Insect Collection. This helped Kim carry out a long-running ambition to compile a catalogue of the insects of the ACT. He now enjoys identifying insects for the general public on citizen science platforms and on social media (when their grandchildren allow it).
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DHLQK
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
This Talk shall be held in the Crosbie Morrison Building due to work in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Andrea Wild ‘Awe and wonder in CSIRO’s collections’
2026-05-21 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Andrea, from CSIRO, will share stories from the new science book Wild Collections. Learn about sharks living in sponges, orchids flowering underground, Spotted Handfish guarding their eggs, quirky tales of worm bums, Darkling beetles undertaking a decathlon, and much more.
Abstract
There are 15 million specimens in the National Research Collections Australia, from caddisflies to daisies, to a single albatross.
They’re not part of a museum, so what do we use them for?
We wonder, we discover and we take action. We’re using the 50 000 native bee specimens in our collections to discover what native bee species exist and where they live. This will help people take action to preserve the pollination benefits they provide to native plants and make use of their pollination services for agricultural plants.
Andrea will share some of the stories from the new popular science book Wild Collections. Learn about sharks living in sponges, orchids flowering underground, Spotted Handfish guarding their eggs, weevils rolling dung just like scarabs do, Giant Kelp towering in Tasmania’s seas, quirky tales of worm bums, Darkling beetles undertaking a decathlon, the curlicues of shark’s eggs and much more.
Biography
Andrea Wild is an author and science communicator who works with the biodiversity collections at CSIRO. She has written three books: The Very Stinky Fly Hunt, Wild Collections and AmAZed, CSIRO’s A to Z of Biodiversity.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZFY
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Dr Roger Farrow ‘Back from the brink or a resilient survivor: The case of Key’s Matchstick Grasshopper, Keyacris scurra’
2026-05-28 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Roger, formerly of CSIRO, will tell a tale of mystery and suspense involving two geneticists, some cemeteries, a taxonomist, a survey, sheep, habitat loss, citizen scientists and a sceptic.
Biography
Dr Roger Farrow is an “unretired” entomologist following a career in CSIRO Entomology. Since retirement he has pursued his interest in insect natural history, publishing an ecological and behavioural guide to the insects of south-eastern Australia (CSIRO 2018) and is currently studying insect pollination. This links to his other interest, namely native plants and their ecology. This has developed through his membership of the Australian Native Plant Society and the opportunity to participate in field trips to identify plants in a range of different habitats.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZFZ
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Charlie Blumer and Jon Darvill ‘Flower power and no bad bees: Getting the big picture on pollinators in the ACT’
2026-06-04 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Charlie Blumer and Jon Darvill explore the identities and ecology of some of the 200-odd native bees and other pollinators in the ACT. They identify why they matter, the threats to them, and how we can help them.
Abstract
Charlie Blumer and Jon Darvill explore the identities and ecology of some of the 200-odd native bees and other pollinators in the ACT. They identify why they matter, the threats to them, and how we can help them. We also balance this against the presence of European honey bees, essential for the pollination of most of our food crops, and the likely impact of the Varroa mite as it spreads across the ACT.
Biography
Charlie Blumer was trained in zoology and epidemiology, before working as a public servant in the health area. Now retired, he keeps bees and enjoys being present in his own little ecosystem, watching it all happen. However, he does also get out, and out of his comfort zone, to spread the word in various fora.
Jon Darvill is a natural beekeeper with 11 years’ experience of keeping honey bees in Warre and Kenyan top bar hives. These lend themselves to a bee-friendly approach to beekeeping. He is also a member of the Canberra Region Beekeepers Association, serving on the committee and teaching in the club’s beekeeping courses.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGA
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Dr Heidi Zimmer ‘Why do orchid names change?’
2026-06-11 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Heidi, from Australian National Herbarium, will give an overview of taxonomic and nomenclatural principles, provide a gentle introduction to modern methods used in orchid taxonomy and discuss some interesting orchid case studies.
Biography
Dr Heidi Zimmer is a botanical research scientist at the Australian National Herbarium.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGB
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Dr Rosemary Purdie ‘After the rain and floods: chasing the blooming flora’
2026-06-18 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
In March 2025 south-western Queensland experienced widespread heavy rainfall and floods that subsequently created ideal conditions for spectacular wildflower displays. A 17-day trip through the area in August traversed mulga, gidgee, Mitchell Grass downs, dunefields, channel country and alluvial plains. This talk will provide a glimpse of what these landscapes looked like 5 months after the deluge, and the rich variety of plants that had responded.
Biography
Rosemary trained as a botanist/plant ecologist before joining the Queensland Herbarium as part of the Western Arid Region Land Use Survey team. After moving back to Canberra she entered the Australian Public Service, initially helping edit Flora of Australia volumes at the Bureau of Flora and Fauna. She then spent 12 years with the Australian Heritage Commission before shifting to the Murray-Darling Basin Commission and later becoming the ACT’s independent Commissioner for the Environment. Since retiring and focussing on plants again, she has been an Honorary Associate at ANBG, including four years as the Honorary Living Collections Botanist, and at the Australian National Herbarium where she has become a ‘botanical sleuth’. She remains an active plant collector and will ‘go bush’ at the slightest excuse.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGC
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Dr Fiona Fraser ‘Protection of species, and bake-offs’
2026-06-25 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Fiona, Threatened Species Commissioner, will talk about recent developments with the implementation of the Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032, and awareness raising events in the community.
Biography
Dr Fiona Fraser is the current Threatened Species Commissioner and has a PhD in threatened species and fire ecology in northern Australia. She has worked for the Australian Government for over a decade playing lead roles in Indigenous caring for country and natural resource management international environment policy and the bushfire wildlife recovery response.
Before joining the public service, Fiona worked with First Nations organisations in northern Australia on caring for country programs and joint management of protected areas.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGD
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.

Dr Gina Newton ‘Darling to sea- Murray River endangered ecological community listing’
2026-07-02 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Gina will talk about the critically endangered wetlands and floodplains of the lower Murray, downstream of the Darling, her involvement in the ecological assessment, and what needs to be done.
Abstract
As of February 2026, the lower Murray River, its wetlands, and floodplains downstream of the Darling River are listed as Critically Endangered under Australian national environmental law, facing imminent ecosystem collapse within a decade.
Critically Endangered Listing: The listing applies specifically to the Lower River Murray, including the Coorong and Lake Alexandrina, because of systemic ecological decline.
Key Threats: The system is heavily impacted by climate change, excessive water allocation, flow regulation (dams, weirs), salinisation, and acidification.
Scientific Involvement: Dr. Gina Newton has previously undertaken large-scale aquatic assessments to list endangered ecosystems like the River Murray.
Ecological Impact: The river has lost significant habitat complexity, including old-growth vegetation, and faces high pressures on native flora and fauna.
The emergency status suggests that urgent, long-term restoration efforts are necessary to avoid ecological collapse of this vital waterway.
Biography
Dr Gina Newton, a specialist in ecological assessment and threatened species, has been involved in assessing the Murray River ecosystems under the EPBC Act.
Gina is passionate about nature and the environment. As a qualified a marine biologist, zoologist and science communicator, she has undertaken research and published many related articles
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGE
Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated.
Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.
It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly. Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached.
The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.
