Here you will find a calendar of Friends’ activities in the Gardens including lunchtime talks, social events, exhibitions and the ever-popular spring and autumn plant sales. In addition to events arranged by the Friends, we include some events arranged by the Gardens and by other organisations. A full list of events arranged by the Gardens is in their What's On webpage.
Calendar
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See all lunchtime talks | See all recent events
| Event title | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Plant Stories: Woven Tapestry Narratives exhibition at the Visitor Centre | Wednesday, 20 September 2023 - 9:00am to Sunday, 29 October 2023 - 4:30pm |
Australian tapestry artists tell personal, community, historical and mythical stories associated with Australian plants. In the materiality, colour and woven images they reflect our lives, contemporary issues and the plant world around us now. |
| Secrets of the Australian Bush - a family adventure | Monday, 25 September 2023 - 10:30am to Thursday, 5 October 2023 - 11:30am |
Discover the amazing secrets of the plants that live in the Australian bush on this family-friendly tour at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. We will travel on our magical Flora bus, walk through the Rainforest Gully, visit the Red Centre Garden and finish at the Paperbark Treehouse. This one-hour tour is designed for children 4-10 years who must be accompanied by an adult. The tour runs at 10:30am 25, 27 and 29 September and 3 and 5 October. Bookings essential. Book HERE. (Tickets priced from $6.61 to $9.78 per person.) |
| Dr Toner Stevenson ‘Eclipse Chasers: astronomical observations in Australia and the Pacific’ | Thursday, 28 September 2023 - 12:00pm |
Toner, from University of Sydney, will explain the science of a total solar eclipse, how the temperature, plants and animals are impacted. Some exciting challenges from eclipses, including recent eclipse in Western Australia, will highlight the involvement of women and First Nations Peoples experiences and contributions. Toner is happy to sign copies of her book after the talk. Bookings can be made until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached. (Tickets are Free but a donation on entry is appreciated.) This talk will be held in the ANBG Theatrette. Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/CJTYN |
| Glenn Cocking. ‘Moths in the ACT: what might the Scott Sisters have found if they were here?’ | Thursday, 5 October 2023 - 12:30pm |
Glenn will give an overview of moths that live in the ACT, drawing attention to some that are very widespread, and particularly some that were studied by the Scott sisters. He will also give some guidance on how to go about identifying the myriad of moth species present in the ACT. Bookings can be made until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached. (Tickets are Free but a donation on entry is appreciated.) This talk will be held in the ANBG Theatrette. Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/CJTYR |
| Wake up with the Birds | Saturday, 7 October 2023 - 7:45am to Sunday, 8 October 2023 - 9:15am |
A wonderful opportunity to observe some of Canberra's amazing birdlife in the beautiful surrounds of the Australian National Botanic Gardens. In a small group, experience the Gardens early on a spring morning when the birds are nesting and at their most active. The 90-minute walk starts at 7.45 am. Bring your own binoculars if you have them. Fully booked. |
| Walcott Gardens Visit | Saturday, 7 October 2023 - 10:00am to 12:00pm, Sunday, 8 October 2023 - 1:30pm to 3:30pm |
Friends of ANBG are invited to visit the Walcott Gardens in Red Hill. Roz and Ben Walcott have been long-term Friends of ANBG and producers of the weekly “Flowers Fruit and Foliage”. Originally built in 1923, the Walcotts purchased their Red Hill property in 2001 and subsequently transformed the standard garden of earlier times into a garden of mostly Australian natives. The Walcotts are generously opening their garden to Friends of ANBG on Saturday, October 7 from 10.00 – 12.00 pm, and on Sunday, October 8 from 1.30 – 3.30pm. Tea and coffee will be available. Fully booked. |
| Orchid Walk on Black Mountain | Sunday, 8 October 2023 - 9:30am to 4:00pm |
Choose your time to discover some spring flowering native terrestrial orchids and learn something more of this fascinating group of plants with Jean Egan, Matt Mullaney, Shoko Okado, and Tobias Hayashi. Two walks: 9:30am–12 noon repeated at 1:30pm–4pm. Meet at the car park on the mountain side of Caswell Drive; look for FOBM banners. Limited numbers, so please book: for the morning walk at https://www.trybooking.com/CLJHA and for the afternoon walk at https://www.trybooking.com/CLJHR. |
| Walcott Gardens Visit | Saturday, 7 October 2023 - 10:00am to 12:00pm, Sunday, 8 October 2023 - 1:30pm to 3:30pm |
Friends of ANBG are invited to visit the Walcott Gardens in Red Hill. Roz and Ben Walcott have been long-term Friends of ANBG and producers of the weekly “Flowers Fruit and Foliage”. Originally built in 1923, the Walcotts purchased their Red Hill property in 2001 and subsequently transformed the standard garden of earlier times into a garden of mostly Australian natives. The Walcotts are generously opening their garden to Friends of ANBG on Saturday, October 7 from 10.00 – 12.00 pm, and on Sunday, October 8 from 1.30 – 3.30pm. Tea and coffee will be available. Fully booked. |
| Helen Kennedy ‘Melichrus urceolatus on Black Mountain is a different species to Melichrus urceolatus on Mount Ainslie!’ | Thursday, 12 October 2023 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm |
Helen, a local botanist, will present updated taxonomy for Melichrus, especially on the locally relevant results which show that Nancy Burbidge was right when she thought there were actually two species in the ACT. Bookings can be made until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached. (Tickets are Free but a donation on entry is appreciated.) This talk will be held in the ANBG Theatrette. Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/CJTYT |
| 52nd Black Mountain spring wildflower ramble | Saturday, 14 October 2023 - 9:30am |
Celebrate the spring flowering on beautiful Black Mountain with a social ramble for wildflower lovers, in the tradition established by Nancy Burbidge. Discover the surprising diversity of tiny orchids, bush peas, wattles and billy buttons on easy bush tracks with experienced guides and good company. After the rain we have had this year we are anticipating a special display of flowers. Friends of Black Mountain welcomes everyone: there will be several guides, who will take different directions. Bookings are essential - see full details |
| Don Beer Memorial Lecture 2023 - Jo White, ‘From little things big things grow’ | Thursday, 19 October 2023 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm |
Jo, Director of Questacon, will give insights about her journey; her time leading Science Education and Conservation at the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust including the National Herbarium of NSW, Australian PlantBank, and establishing the Education and Engagement Centre; plus Questacon’s journey and reconciliation actions. Bookings can be made until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached. (Tickets are free but a donation on entry is appreciated.) This talk will be held in the ANBG Theatrette. Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/CJTYV |
| 35th Annual General Meeting of the Friends | Thursday, 19 October 2023 - 3:00pm to 5:00pm |
Please arrive at 2.45 pm for a 3.00 pm start. Drinks and nibbles will follow in the Foyer and Dickson Room. The agenda and meeting papers (including the draft minutes from the previous AGM, audited financial statements to 30 June 2023, and information on Council nominees) will be published as they come to hand. Please check these documents, as we will not be providing hard copies to everyone at the meeting to minimise our environmental footprint. |
