2016 Volunteer Guides in training: new faces in the Gardens

Sixteen trainee Volunteer Guides recently completed an intensive 5 week training program and are now in the process of practising their new skillls.  You may see them studying plants in the Gardens or accompanied on practice walks by mentors from among the Volunteer Guides, and on completion of the assessment process they will be ready to share their new skills with visitors leading walks or driving Flora Explorer, the electric bus provided by the Friends.

There is much for a new guide to learn - about Australian plants and their ecosystems (there are about 74,000 individual plants and over 6,200 species in the ANBG), about special collections such as the rare and endangered plants, about how our plants adapt to Australia's harsh environment and how they respond to fire, about plant pollination and the important role plants play in biodiversity, and so much more - as well as learning the skills important to good guiding.

Free guided walks leave the Visitor Centre at 11am and 2pm each day. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer guide, or if you would like to learn more about guided walks including how to book a walk for a group,  see under Guided walks under Get involved on the Friends Webpage.