Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens

Bushland Nature Walk
2026-10-24 09:30 - 12:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Visitor Centre, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, Australia
A special guided walk to explore the Gardens’ Bushland Precinct, across the Black Mountain road from the main part of the Gardens. The walk celebrates the official opening of the Walk ten years ago, in December 2016. We also celebrate the official opening of the Gardens in the month of October 1970.
The Bushland Nature Walk meanders through the Bushland Precinct of the ANBG, which is one of the few botanic gardens that has a section of original natural flora. The walk takes you through open forest and features expansive views to Canberra City and Parliament House. Some of the plants are labelled and you will find interpretive signs about the biodiversity, fire ecology and soil of the area. The walk culminates at a viewing platform offering spectacular views across Lake Burley Griffin. Return is via the same path.
Easy to medium on uneven ground, a few stairs and short steep sections. There are some places to rest along the way. Distance: 3.2 km
When: Saturday 24 October, 9.30 am
Where: Meet outside the Gardens Visitor Centre
Cost: $10 (All proceeds go towards projects in the Gardens)
Bookings essential: https://www.trybooking.com/DNRGK
Enquiries: events@friendsanbg.org.au

Jay Nicholson ‘Understanding the impacts of climate change on plants at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park – a summary of my PhD working with Anangu’
2026-10-29 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Jay will summarise his work on the interesting strategies desert plants use to overcome the complex and extreme environment that is the Australian desert.
Abstract
After widespread plant mortality at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in 2019 associated with a record-breaking drought and heatwave, Anangu (Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara People) were concerned and wanted to know why plants were being impacted. Over the last three years of my PhD, I have been working with Anangu researching why ecologically and culturally significant plants are dying during extreme heatwaves and drought. We conducted a range of field-based studies and glasshouse experiments to untangle the physiological drivers of plant death. Some of the plants we’ve worked on include the iconic mulga (Acacia aneura), desert oak (Allocasuarina decaisneana), and spinifex (Triodia pungens).
Biography
After working as a botanist in Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land, Jay wanted more of a scientific challenge, so he decided to take on a PhD based at ANU working with Anangu and Parks Australia on desert plants. With the kind support of a Friends of ANBG Student Research Scholarship, he has thrown himself into the project. He will share both the scientific and personal journeys he has been on in the last 3.5 years and give a summary of his work.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DNXHD
One-hour talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations to support Gardens’ programs and development and thank all those who have donated.
Please note: unless otherwise indicated, talks are in the ANBG Theatrette.
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.
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. Some 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

Growing Friends Spring 2026 Native Plant Sale
2026-10-31 09:00 - 11:30 | Banksia Centre Car Park, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Saturday 31 October
9:00-11:30 (unless sold out earlier)
off the Banksia Centre Carpark
Hundreds of groundcovers, small and large shrubs and trees will be available for the discerning native plant lover.
All plants are propagated from cuttings or seeds sourced from within the Gardens. A full list of plants will be available on the Friends website closer to the sale.
Sales are by card only. All proceeds go to the Friends so that we can help support the Gardens.
Be early as plants sell out fast!

Shelley Rowntree ‘From the herbarium to the genome: new discoveries in Australia's everlasting daisies’
2026-11-05 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Shelley revealed surprising relationships in the complex tangle of Chrysocephalum species in her research.
Abstract
Australia’s everlasting daisies are even more diverse than we thought. Using genetic data from herbarium specimens and freshly collected plants, we are rewriting the family tree of Chrysocephalum, revealing surprising relationships and bringing order to a complex tangle of subspecies. Combined with careful study of morphology, this work aims to show the path forward to clear species boundaries and shed light on how closely related species interact where their ranges overlap.
Biography
PhD Candidate, University of New England supported by FANBG
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DNXHE
One-hour talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations to support Gardens’ programs and development and thank all those who have donated.
Please note: unless otherwise indicated, talks are in the ANBG Theatrette.
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.
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. Some 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

Anna Howe ‘36 Views of a mountain, a tower and gardens’
2026-11-12 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
In this talk Anna compares photographs of Black Mountain and its tower to Hokusai’s 36 views of Mt Fuji and discusses how they might guide us to look at local scenes in different ways.
Abstract
The Great Wave of Kanagawa is one of the most famous posters in the world. It is one of Hokusai’s thirty-six views of Mt Fuji. Less well known are Riviere’s thirty six views of the Eiffel Tower, and even less known, the thirty six views of the 17th century gardens of the Chinese emperor Kangshi. Here in Canberra, we have a mountain, a tower and gardens located together, captured by many artists and photographers. How does looking at these three sets of historical views from Japan, Paris and beyond the Great Wall near Beijing, alongside comparable views of local scenes guide us to look at our mountain, tower and gardens in different ways, now and in the future?
Biography
Anna Howe brings her background in urban geography (BA Hons, MA, and PhD), her travels and her interests in gardening to bear on familiar scenes in Canberra. Retiring in 2011 and returning to Canberra revived her interest in the unique urban character of the national capital. She has explored this interest as an active member of the ACT National Trust, the Australian Garden History Society and the Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens. She is not a botanist or a horticulturalist; she is an aspiring photographer.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DNXHF
One-hour talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations to support Gardens’ programs and development and thank all those who have donated.
Please note: unless otherwise indicated, talks are in the ANBG Theatrette.
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.
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. Some 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 Karen Marsh ‘A koala’s guide to fine dining’
2026-11-19 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Karen will talk about Koalas’ dietary habits and how they influence where they live.
Abstract
Koalas are famous for being fussy eaters, but what makes one Eucalyptus leaf more appealing than another? In this talk, Dr Karen Marsh will explore the hidden world of koala nutrition and food choice. Drawing on research into the feeding ecology of koalas, she will explain how the nutritional quality of eucalypt leaves influences where koalas live, what they eat, and how they cope with landscape disturbance, such as fire. The talk will reveal how understanding food quality can help scientists identify high-quality habitat and improve conservation strategies for one of Australia’s most iconic marsupials.
Biography
Dr Karen Marsh is head of the Animal-Plant Interactions and Nutritional Ecology group at the Research School of Biology, ANU. Her research predominantly focuses on the feeding ecology and nutritional physiology of possums, gliders and koalas. This includes why captive koalas are picky eaters, what defines high quality habitat, and how hot weather affects food quality and diet selection. She is particularly interested in how nutritional knowledge can be used to inform the conservation of marsupials that eat eucalypt leaves and the management of their forest habitats.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DNXHH
One-hour talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations to support Gardens’ programs and development and thank all those who have donated.
Please note: unless otherwise indicated, talks are in the ANBG Theatrette.
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.
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. Some 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

Maurice Hermann ‘Success in propagating and growing Australian native plants’
2026-11-26 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Maurice will coach us to success on propagating and caring for Australian native plants.
Abstract
Maurice will describe how the home gardener can successfully propagate Australian native plants, without the need for a glasshouse or a ‘green thumb’. He will also give some tips on how to plant and care for native plants.
Biography
Maurice has been a keen gardener since he and his wife moved into their home in Kambah over 50 years ago. Battling droughts, frosts, some wet years and heavy clay soil, Maurice now has a hardy garden of mainly native plants. Being naturally parsimonious, many of the plants grown in his garden have been propagated by himself or bought as young tube stock from local propagators such as the Friends of the ANBG Growing Friends group. After retiring, Maurice wanted to get more involved in gardening or environmental groups and was attracted to the Growing Friends group, where he ended up being the group’s Convenor for eight years.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DNXHJ
One-hour talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations to support Gardens’ programs and development and thank all those who have donated.
Please note: unless otherwise indicated, talks are in the ANBG Theatrette.
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.
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. Some 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
