Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens

Bushland Nature Walk – Catch a View!
2026-05-23 09:30 - 11:30 (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 Bushland Nature Walk meanders 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.
The walk is easy to medium on uneven ground, with a few stairs and short steep sections. There are some places to rest along the way. Distance: 3.2 km
Wear a shady hat, sunscreen, and sturdy walking shoes and bring your bottle of water.
Date: Saturday 23 May
Time: 9.30 am to 11.30 am
Location: Meet at the Gardens Visitor Centre at 9.25 am
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/DLKGL
Enquiries: email events@friendsanbg.org.au or contact Linda on 0437 298 711.
Cost: $10 (towards projects in the Gardens)

Photographic Group – Camera and Café Walk
2026-05-24 08:40 - 10:30 | ANBG Bus Stop, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, Australia
The Photographic Group invites you to join us on a CAMERA AND CAFÉ WALK in the Gardens. Bring along your camera (the camera in your phone is fine!) for a guided walk led by experienced photographers, followed by morning tea and a chat at Pollen Café.
This is part of the Friends celebration of Botanic Gardens Week which runs from 18 – 24 May 2026.
To be part of it you need to be at the bus stop at 8.40 am. Participants can choose to move around the Gardens as a group or head off with their camera and/or phone individually. We reconvene for a chat at Pollen Cafe at around 10.30 am.
Several members of the Friends of ANBG Photographic Group Committee will be there to get things started, orchestrate introductions and provide advice to anyone who needs it.
Date: Sunday 24 May 2026
Time: Meet at 8.40 am
Location: Meet at the bus stop shelter at the top of the car park.
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/DLYVV
(enquiries to: events@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.

Photographic Group May Regular Meeting
2026-05-29 10:00 - 12:00 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
The regular Photographic Group meeting takes place at 10.00 am Friday 29 May in the Theatrette.
As advised earlier, unfortunately, the speaker who had originally been scheduled to join us in May is no longer available.
Instead, Graham Gall will make a presentation titled “Flora in Focus” which will be especially relevant to our Group’s interest in capturing images of the Gardens.
For those of you who do not know Graham, he is a highly respected, exhibited and awarded Canberra photographer. He has a long association with the Friends Photographic Group.
We will also have our normal show and tell segment. Bring up to 6 images on a thumb drive to share with fellow members. You can include videos of up to ten seconds each if you choose.
See you there!

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.

Black Mountain Weeding Work Party
2026-06-06 09:00 - 12:00 | Caswell Drive entry on the mountain side, Caswell Drive, Aranda, ACT, 2614, Australia
HAPPY VOLUNTEER WEEK
We celebrate and thank very much all of our Valuable Volunteers for their contribution to the range of activities of the of the Friends of Black Mountain. Their volunteer hours, knowledge and skills are so valuable towards conservation of the biodiversity in the Black Mountain Nature Reserve; such as weeding work parties, guided walks, flora and fauna surveys, and bird observations.
We wish you all the best and are looking forward to your continued involvement.
We also look forward to seeing everyone who is available at our next weeding work party and morning tea.
At our May work party our valuable volunteers removed almost 1300 woody weeds, most of which were saplings. As we all know, one needs to revisit areas to control weeds, and this is FoBM’s sixth re-visit in our program to weed the grasslands area in the south-west corner of the Black Mountain Nature Reserve.
Date: Saturday, 6 June 2026, 9:00am to 12 noon
Meet: Caswell Drive entry on the mountain side.
Drive from Belconnen Way southwards along Caswell Drive towards Glenloch Interchange, Woden, or Tuggeranong. Note the yellow diamond shape advisory sign showing the access road on the left (mountain side) and the blue and white “P” sign for parking. Pull into the carpark carefully. Look for banners.
Wear: Hat, sunscreen, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves, stout shoes.
We shall break for delicious morning tea at about 10:30am.
Please book: if you are planning to come, please let us know by using this
booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/DIFKV
This helps us to let you know if arrangements need to change at the last minute (for example, adverse weather conditions).
Linda Beveridge
Friends of Black Mountain

Professor Rick McRae ‘Fire on Black Mountain: Fire in the ACT in the 1990s'
2026-06-11 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
The 1990s saw a lot of fire on Canberra’s hills and ridges. Things have changed a lot since then – for better or worse. Rick McRae was tasked with recording events while working as a Planning Officer or Arson Investigator, giving him a unique perspective on events.
Biography
Professor Rick McRae trained as a plant ecologist and mapped vegetation in many key reserves of the south-east. He served as a headquarters technical specialist in what evolved to become the ACT Emergency Services Agency in Canberra from 1989 until his recent retirement. He worked in business planning, arson investigation, multi-hazard risk assessment, as planning officer for major incidents, weather specialist, and as a research scientist focusing on extreme wildfires. He is now an Adjunct Professor with the Bushfire Research Group at UNSW Canberra.
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.

Up Close and Personal Themed Walks
2026-06-15 11:00 - 2026-06-21 14:00 | Clock near the bridge, ANBG, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
Join a free guided walk to get up close and personal to our wonderful Australian flora. Are they roots on the outside of that trunk? The young of that tree has very different leaves to its parents. Where are the petals on that bottlebrush flower? This walk will focus on the interesting details of Australian plants that we might not notice at first glance.
These one-hour guided walks are held at 11am and 2pm each day, from Monday 15th June to Sunday 21st June.
Meet at the clock near the cafe bridge.
No booking required for individuals, but groups of more than six people should contact walks@friendsanbg.org.au a week before the planned walk.

Plant Recognition Group Workshop 'Getting to know Banksias'
2026-06-15 13:30 - 15:30 | Daniel Solander Room, Banksia Centre, ANBG, Clunies Ross Street, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
The next Plant Recognition Group workshop will focus on Banksia (family Proteaceae). Many species are planted in the Botanic Gardens, especially the garden outside the Banksia Centre that features species from WA. Dr Rosemary Purdie (Honorary Associate, Australian National Herbarium) will explain key identification features and terminology commonly used in flora keys, and depending on what’s in flower at the time in ANBG, will have selected samples available for participants to work with. Binocular microscopes, hand lenses and other aids for identification will be available for the workshop.
When: 1:30 – 3.30 pm on Monday 15 June 2026, with extra time for personal practice if you wish.
Where: Daniel Solander Room, Banksia Centre, ANBG
Booking ESSENTIAL: Please send your name and phone number to plantname@friendsanbg.org.au Seats are limited for this session, so booking ahead is mandatory.
Please advise at least a day in advance if you need to cancel your booking, so that a member on the waiting list can be offered the place.

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.

Cameras and Cafe Walk
2026-06-20 08:40 - 10:30 | ANBG Bus Stop, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, Australia
The next Cameras and Café Walk will be held on Saturday 20 June 2026.
It is a chance to get to know members of the Photographic Group and welcome the new members who often come along.
To participate meet at the bus stop at 8.40 am. You can choose to move around the Gardens as part of a group or head off with your camera individually. We get back together for a chat at Pollen Cafe at around 10.30 am.
At least one person from the Friends of ANBG Photographic Group Committee will be there to get things started, conduct introductions and provide support to anyone who needs it, especially new members, or members with new cameras or lenses.

Dr Fiona Fraser ‘Threatened Species Action Plan: progress and partnerships’
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 progress with implementation of the Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 and the importance of partnerships to achieving threatened species recovery success.
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.

Photographic Group June Regular Meeting
2026-06-26 10:00 - 12:00 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
The next regular Photographic Group meeting takes place at 10.00 am Friday 26 June in the Theatrette.
The feature of this meeting will be a session conducted by Cristy Froehlich to constructively critique images brought to the meeting by members specifically for this purpose.
Cristy is a highly respected Canberra photographer and an experienced photography judge. She is skilled at giving constructive feedback on photographic images, as several Group members can attest. If you wish to participate, bring up to three images on a thumb drive for Cristy to review.
In addition, we will also have our regular show and tell session. Bring up to six images (including video clips of up to ten seconds), again on a thumb drive.
See you there!

Dr Gina Newton ‘River Murray—Darling to Sea: listing Australia’s first river system as threatened’
2026-07-02 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Gina will discuss the first ever listing of an Australian river system, the River Murray—Darling to Sea, as a threatened ecosystem under national environmental law, including: what it is, why it’s threatened, how it was assessed, the challenges involved, the benefits of listing, and priority recovery actions. (Photo: Ben Good)
Abstract

The River Murray, downstream of the Darling River, and associated aquatic and floodplain systems (known as the River Murray—Darling to Sea) was listed nationally as a Critically Endangered ecological community (aka ecosystem) in January this year.
This listing represents a first for Australia, although its journey was challenging—scientifically, socially, and policy-wise. A similar attempt in 2013 saw it being the first disallowed entity in the history of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The decades long decline of the River Murray—Darling to Sea is due to many compounding threats, with water extraction, invasive species, and climate change impacts, prominent. The listing, along with efforts under the Basin Plan, represents a positive and hopeful way forward for the Mighty Murray and its dependent biodiversity.
Biography
Gina is a marine biologist, zoologist and science communicator. She has worked for several decades at the science-policy interface with the Australian Government, in a range of environmental areas, including fisheries, state of the environment reporting, climate change science, and Murray-Darling Basin ecology. A career highlight has been undertaking assessments for listing several world-first, landscape-scale aquatic threatened ecosystems under Australian environmental law.
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.

Black Mountain Weeding Work Party
2026-07-04 09:00 - 12:00 | Caswell Drive entry on the mountain side, Caswell Drive, Aranda, ACT, 2614, Australia
We look forward to seeing you at our next weeding work party and morning tea:
Date: Saturday, 4 July 2026, 9:00am to 12 noon
Meet: Caswell Drive entry on the mountain side.
Drive from Belconnen Way southwards along Caswell Drive towards Glenloch Interchange, Woden, or Tuggeranong. Note the yellow diamond shape advisory sign showing the access road on the left (mountain side) and the blue and white “P” sign for parking. Pull into the carpark carefully. Look for banners.
Wear: Hat, sunscreen, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves, stout shoes.
We shall break for delicious morning tea at about 10:30am.
Please book: if you are planning to come, please let us know by using this
booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/DIFKW
This helps us to let you know if arrangements need to change at the last minute (for example, adverse weather conditions).
Linda Beveridge
Friends of Black Mountain

Professor Rod Peakall ‘The magic of chemistry in the pollination and evolution of Australian terrestrial orchids’
2026-07-09 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Rod, from ANU, will discuss how orchids use specific floral volatiles to attract pollinators, highlight new insights on the evolution of Australia terrestrial orchids and outline his ongoing project on the pollination of the mysterious NSW underground orchids.
Abstract
As ideal subjects for exploring a range of interesting scientific questions, orchids and their pollination have featured strongly across his research career. His research on sexually deceptive orchids, in particular, has captured the imagination of the public, educators and scientists around the world. Drawing on his research that spans across fields, he will describe how orchids use specific floral volatiles to secure pollinator attraction and highlight new insights on the evolution Australia terrestrial orchids. He will conclude the talk with a brief outline on his exciting, but challenging, ongoing project on the pollination of the mysterious underground orchids of NSW. The talk will be illustrated by beautiful photographs and fascinating video clips.
Biography
Professor Rod Peakall is Head of Ecology and Evolution Division, ANU
His parents passed on their love of nature. They chose to bring up their five children on the outskirts of Perth, Western Australia, with nearby forest as a playground. They spent their holidays camping at remote and wonderful locations, with hiking, canoeing, birdwatching and orchid hunting all part of the adventure.
He completed his BSc (Hons) in 1984 and PhD in 1987, both at the University of Western Australia (UWA), then took up an ARC funded 5-year postdoctoral position at Macquarie University in Sydney in 1988.
He joined The Australian National University (ANU) in 1993. He has also held visiting fellowships at Rutgers University, USA (1992) and at ETH (2003), Zurich, Switzerland.
Orchids have featured strongly in his research as ideal subjects for exploring a range of interesting ecological, chemical, molecular and evolutionary questions. His research on sexually deceptive orchids, in particular, has captured the imagination of the public, educators and scientists around the world.
He is the first author of the widely used population genetics software package, GenAlEx: Genetic Analysis in Excel (Peakall and Smouse 2006; Peakall and Smouse 2012).
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGF
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.

Cameras and Cafe Walk
2026-07-11 07:00 - 09:00 | ANBG Bus Stop, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, Australia
The next Cameras and Café Walk will be held on Saturday 11 July 2026.
This walk will be a special one. The Gardens are very kindly allowing us to commence at 7 am, which is just before dawn. This will maximize the chances of capturing fog and/or frost in the early hours of light.
To be part of it you need to be at the bus stop at 7 am.
At least one person from the Friends of ANBG Photographic Group Committee will be there to get things started, orchestrate introductions and provide advice to anyone who needs it, especially new members, or members with new cameras or lenses who would like extra help and support.

Dr Phillip Kodela ‘Wattle in Your Pocket, the Bank-notable Wattles – science behind the Next Generation Banknotes of Australia’
2026-07-16 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Philip, from the Australian Biological Resources Study, advised on the design and five species of Acacia to be used in the Next Generation Banknotes. He will tell us why there was a need for the new banknotes, why these wattle species, and some of the technical issues and challenges with the project.
Abstract
Acacia is the largest genus of vascular plants in Australia with over 1000 species. They are a prominent part of the Australian flora, growing in a wide range of plant communities and habitats, from coastal to subalpine and tropical to arid. Wattles are readily recognised in the landscape by their array of mostly yellow-hued flowers, and they feature through much of our culture. Acacia is represented in the national floral emblem (Golden Wattle Acacia pycnantha), the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, Order of Australia medals, currency, stamps, literature, the arts, crafts and design. Over tens of thousands of years, indigenous cultures developed a detailed knowledge about acacias and their wide range of uses, from wooden implements to food and medicine. In more recent times, acacias have been used for their wood, tannin and oil; as stock fodder, cut flowers and a source of food; and in horticulture (countless ornaments in parks, gardens and landscaping), land rehabilitation and soil stabilisation. It is appropriate therefore that the iconic wattle features on our latest Australian banknotes. As a subject matter expert Phillip advised the Reserve Bank of Australia on the five species and designs used in the Next Generation Banknotes program which began c.2015. Phillip will talk about the species and their morphological features represented on each of the banknotes. He will also address why there was a need for the new banknotes, why these wattle species, and some of the technical issues and challenges with the project.
Biography
Dr Phillip Kodela is Botanist and Executive Editor of the Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Parks Australia Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
For over 40 years he has worked in the fields of botany, biogeography, ecology, palynology, science communication and education. His areas of research and interest include wetlands, rainforest, rare plants, weeds, environmental assessment, management and conservation, forensics, horticultural botany, plant taxonomy, plant identification and botanical information resources including floras, bioinformatics and the curation of herbarium specimen and living collections.
He started researching Acacia, including taxonomic studies, in 1990 when he began a long association with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney where he was based till 2017. He has been involved with a number of major Acacia projects, including flora treatments for the Flora of New South Wales, WattleWeb, PlantNET New South Wales FloraOnline, Flora of Australia and the various incarnations of WATTLE, as well as assessing rare plant taxa and vegetation communities, curating collections, teaching, maintaining databases, and producing numerous reports and papers, including the publication of new species.
Phillip has worked on the Australasian Virtual Herbarium, Australian Plant Census, Australian Plant Name Index, Global Plants Type Digitisation Project, Weeds in Australia, Blue Mountains World Heritage Assessment, Next Generation Australian Banknotes, counter-terrorism and other forensic projects, N.S.W. Vegetation Classification and Assessment projects and numerous vegetation surveys. From late 2017, Phillip has been with ABRS involved with the eFlora of Australia, taxonomy project grants, research, science communication, botanical inquiries and advising government and other stakeholders.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGG
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.

Plants Through Time Themed Walks
2026-07-20 11:00 - 2026-07-26 14:00 | Clock near the bridge, ANBG, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
Come on a free guided walk through the Australian National Botanic Gardens and look at the life story of plants on earth, the main evolutionary changes that have occurred in plants over 3 billion years and how plants have changed our planet. To keep a grasp on that time scale we will condense that 3 billion year period into a calendar year.
These one-hour guided walks are held at 11am and 2pm each day, from Monday 20 July to Sunday 26 July.
Meet at the clock near the café bridge.
No booking required for individuals, but groups of more than six people should contact walks@friendsanbg.org.au a week before the planned walk.

Dr John Turnbull ‘Trees, woods and man’
2026-07-23 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
John, formerly with CSIRO, will trace the importance of trees from earliest times to the present day.
Biography
Dr John Turnbull has a BSc Forestry degree from the University of Wales and a PhD in eucalypt genecology from ANU. He is a former Senior Forestry Research Scientist at CSIRO and Chief Scientist at the International Forest Research Centre in Indonesia. He has managed collaborative forest research projects and provided consultancy services to many countries on the use of Australia trees in plantations. He was consultant to China’s one-million-hectare multi-species plantation project. Since retiring in 1999 he has been a Volunteer Guide at ANBG.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGH
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.

Black Mountain Summit Ramble
2026-07-25 09:30 - 11:30 | Black Mountain Summit Terrace, Black Mountain Summit Trail, Black Mountain Drive, Canberra, ACT, Australia
The Summit Walk between the Summit of Black Mountain Nature Reserve to the Visitor Centre at the ANBG is a joint initiative between the ACT Government, the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) and Telstra and was officially opened in July 2000.
Dr Michael Doherty, a local plant ecologist, and ANBG Guide, will talk about winter colour among the plants down the north-eastern slope from the Summit of Black Mountain to the ANBG Visitor Centre. Michael will talk about the interesting variety of mechanisms through which the local flora copes with fire and drought and he will also be pointing out the characteristics of the different eucalypts found along the way, including some very old veteran scribbly gums with lumpy bumpy ‘elephants feet’!
** As we are walking down the track, it may be a good idea to arrange with a friend to take you back to your car at the top after the walk.
The Summit Walk has steep sections, so it is suitable for fit walkers (including children over the age of 12).
Meet: At the Summit Terrace, slightly uphill from the Tower on Black Mountain.
Bring: Friends, water, and snacks, if you wish.
Wear: Sturdy shoes, hat, and sun cream …and remember to dress for a walk in winter weather if it is cold.
Bookings essential: Places are limited on these very popular rambles, so please use the booking link to register for the walk.
Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/DNNTX
It helps so that you can be contacted in case arrangements need to change (e.g. adverse weather).
Tickets are limited, so please notify us if you have booked but find you are unable to come, by email to friendsofblackmountain@gmail.com or phone 0437 298 711

Bruno Ferronato ‘TurtleWatch ACT: citizen-science, monitoring and conservation of turtles in Canberra’
2026-07-30 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Bruno will talk about the biology of the Eastern long-necked turtles, their adaptations to flood-dry cycles in Australia, their active life in suburban areas, and recent findings in the turtle monitoring program in Canberra.
Biography
Bruno Ferronato (PhD) is an ecologist and turtle specialist, who works at the Ginninderra Catchment Group. He runs TurtleWatch ACT, which monitors turtles in Canberra with the help of volunteers. Bruno is originally from Brazil and has been involved in turtle research since 2004, working in Brazil, Peru, USA and Australia.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKXYN
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 July Regular Meeting
2026-07-31 10:00 - 12:00 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
The next Photographic Group regular meeting is at 10.00am Friday 31 July.
It will feature a presentation by four members of the Photographic Group about a recent visit to Tasmania.
Phil Green, Simone Slater, Debbie Howard and Karin Neufeld were participants in a Nature Art Lab tour in May 2026 to capture images of the spectacular fungi for which Tasmania is well known.
They will present highlights of their photography from that trip as well as give an account of their journey.
The regular show and tell session is also 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.

Getting to know wattles
2026-08-03 13:30 - 15:30 | Solander Studio, Banksia Centre, ANBG, ANBG Clunies Ross St, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
The next Plant Recognition Group workshop will focus on native wattle trees and shrubs (Acacia, family Mimosaceae) that flower during winter. Dr Suzette Searle (President Wattle Day Association Inc.) will host a presentation on the main identification features and will have selected samples on display. Binocular microscopes, hand lenses and other aids for identification will be available for the workshop.
When: 1:30 – 3.30 pm on Monday 3 August 2026, with extra time for personal practice if you wish.
Where: Solander Room, Banksia Centre, ANBG
Booking ESSENTIAL: Please send your name and phone number to plantname@friendsanbg.org.au Seats are limited for this session, so booking ahead is mandatory.
Please advise at least a day in advance if you need to cancel your booking, so that a member on the waiting list can be offered the place.

Emeritus Professor Patrick De Deckker ‘On the extraordinary expedition of Dumont d’Urville that discovered Antarctica in 1840’
2026-08-06 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Patrick, from the ANU, will present many of the Dumont d’Urville’s expedition’s findings between 1837 and 1840, from 6740 pages of text, 481 plates of illustrations and 77 maps of Antarctica. He will also show slides of the surroundings of the French Antarctic station called Dumont d’Urville.
Biography
Emeritus Professor Patrick De Deckker is at the Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University. Patrick is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.
Originally from Belgium, Patrick arrived in Australia about 50 years ago where he continued his university education in geology, micro-palaeontology and zoology at several institutions. He has been at ANU since 1981 except for 2 years at Monash and has worked on salt lakes, their biota and geological history, plus on the evolution of the oceans in our region related to climate changes. He has recently published a book “The Belgica expedition 1897-1899”.
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGI
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 Veronica Briceno Rodrigez ‘From lab coats, hiking boots, and hot desks to plant conservation at the ANBG’
2026-08-13 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Join Vero, Conservation Horticulture Manager at the ANBG, as she shares her journey from plant ecophysiology research to conservation policy, and ultimately bringing it all together with hands-on plant conservation at the ANBG.
Biography
Dr Veronica Briceno Rodriguez is a plant ecologist, with experience spanning Chile’s temperate rainforests, the Southern Andes, and Australia’s alpine, desert, and rainforest ecosystems. After completing her PhD at the Australian National University and holding postdoctoral roles in both Chile and Australia, she shifted into conservation policy with the ACT Government to help bridge the gap between science and on ground action.
Vero is now the Conservation Horticulture Manager at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, where she leads the development of the ANBG Threatened Species Conservation Framework and oversees the Living Collection Strategy. Her work brings together research, policy, and practical conservation to deliver meaningful outcomes for Australia’s unique flora.
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGL
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.

Seeds of Wonder Themed Walks
2026-08-17 11:00 - 2026-08-23 14:00 | Clock near the bridge, ANBG, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
Science week in 2026 has the theme ‘Seeds of science: Nurturing knowledge for all’. Seeds of plants come in all shapes and sizes. Seeds, with their packed lunch on board, are a place where time can stand still. But seeds don’t stand still, they move around the environment. Come for a free guided walk in the Gardens and discover some of the amazing properties of seeds.
These one-hour guided walks are held at 11am and 2pm each day, from Monday 17 August to Sunday 23 August.
Meet at the flag near the café bridge.
No booking required for individuals, but groups of more than six people should contact walks@friendsanbg.org.au a week before the planned walk.

Plant Recognition Group - Would you like to know more about Eucalyptus?
2026-08-17 13:30 - 15:30 | Solander Studio, Banksia Centre, ANBG, ANBG Clunies Ross St, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
Nigel England (CSIRO – Australian Tree Seed Centre) will be facilitating a plant recognition workshop on the Eucalyptus family, focussing on practical identification tips and useful botanical features and terminology.
Nigel will demonstrate the use of EUCLID – an interactive, comprehensive identification tool and information system for Australian eucalypts (genera Eucalyptus, Corymbia, and Angophora). Developed by the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, it uses Lucid software to help identify over 900 species using whatever features are available to you
Nigel is based at the Black Mountain Laboratories in Canberra, is a Research Technician specializing in tree breeding and forest seed management. Nigel has expertise in forestry trial management, seed collection, and propagation, with a strong focus on Eucalyptus species.
When: Monday 17 August 13.30 – 3.30pm including extra time to practice if you wish.
Where: Solander Studio, Banksia Centre, ANBG.
Bookings ESSENTIAL: Please send your name and phone number to plantname@friendsanbg.org.au Seats are limited for this session, so booking ahead is mandatory.
Please advise at least a day in advance if you need to cancel your booking, so that a member on the waiting list can be offered the place.

Australian National Herbarium Tour
2026-08-19 10:00 - 12:00 | CSIRO Black Mountain
Join the Friends on a fascinating tour of the Australian National Herbarium (ANH).
Maintained by CSIRO, the ANH is one of the largest plant collections in the country, with more than one million plant specimens. Some of the specimens were collected during Captain Cook’s 1770 expedition to Australia.
The ANH also houses specimens taken from the Australian National Botanic Gardens and helps to verify the scientific names used in labelling the Gardens’ collection of living plants. Specimens are also used for ongoing taxonomic and evolutionary research, population biology and ecological studies.
This tour is exclusive to ANBG Friends. It is restricted to adults, as we will be passing through or near laboratories with various hazards and chemicals.
The building is suitable for people with mobility issues.
When: Wednesday, 19 and 26 August, at 10:00am
Where: Meet at CSIRO Black Mountain Site
RSVP: Bookings are essential, and open on 1 August. Click HERE to purchase a ticket. [https://www.trybooking.com/DNIYW ]
The cost for ANBG Friends is $10.
Any enquiries about the tour should be directed to events@friendsanbg.org.au.

Professor Marcel Cardillo 'Grevillea/Hakea: the story of a remarkable evolutionary radiation'
2026-08-20 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
The genera Grevillea and Hakea form one of Australia’s most spectacular and successful evolutionary radiations, with at least 650 species distributed almost ubiquitously across the continent. Our team at ANU have spent over a decade piecing together the story of this remarkable group: its origins and evolutionary history, its current patterns of diversity, and its prospects for the future under rapid environmental change. I will talk about the story of Grevillea/Hakea , as far we now know it, and what this group can tell us more generally about how climatic and biogeographic changes over tens of millions of years have shaped the Australian flora as we see it today.
Biography:
Marcel Cardillo is a professor with the Macroevolution and Macroecology Group, in the Research School of Biology, Australian National University. His work focuses on computational analysis of large biodiversity datasets and aims to understand the evolutionary history and present-day conservation of biodiversity.
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGM
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.
