Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens

Seeds of Wonder Themed Walks
2026-08-17 11:00 - 2026-08-23 14:00 (Australia/Sydney) | 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.

Jo Harding ‘Bush Blitz Driving New Approaches to Working with Traditional Owners’
2026-08-27 12:30 - 13:30 | ANBG Theatrette, Clunies Ross Street Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
Jo, from Bush Blitz, will share how Bush Blitz is improving the way they work with Traditional Owners and the practical approaches that have made these partnerships successful.
Abstract
Bush Blitz is Australia’s leading species discovery program, uncovering more than 2,000 species new to western science since 2010. Working closely with Traditional Owners and indigenous rangers, recent expeditions—from Nitmiluk in the NT to the Pilliga region of NSW—have revealed species not previously recorded and strengthened scientific understanding of culturally significant landscapes.
This presentation will share how Bush Blitz is improving the way they work with Traditional Owners and the practical approaches that have made these partnerships successful.
Biography
Jo Harding is the Manager of Bush Blitz, leading national biodiversity expeditions that bring together scientists and Traditional Owners to uncover species new to western science. She champions collaboration across communities and disciplines, emphasising the value of shared knowledge in revealing and protecting Australia’s unique natural heritage.
Booking Link – https://www.trybooking.com/DKZGN
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.
