Recent Events

You are here

See all current events

Event title Date Details
Plants Through Time Monday, 17 July 2023 - 11:00am to Sunday, 23 July 2023 - 2:00pm

Come and see some examples of the earliest types of plants and trace the development of plants on this free guided walk.  See the kinds of plants that were around at the same time as the dinosaurs and how much they had changed by the time the megafauna arrived.  These one-hour walks are at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm every day from the 17th to the 23rd July.  Meet at the clock near the 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 Peter Caley ‘Identifying drivers of decline of the bogong moth (Agrotis infusa) – a call out to Caughley’ Thursday, 13 July 2023 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Dr Peter Caley, of CSIRO, will explore which of the numerous putative drivers are consistent with the observations of the decline of the famous Bogong moth. Bookings can be made from the Friday before the talk until Wednesday night 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/CGTIH

Black Mountain bird observation walk Saturday, 8 July 2023 - 9:00am to 11:00am

Come and join a small group of Friends with varying levels of bird identification expertise to observe some of the bird life on Black Mountain. Will we see some of the regular winter migrants such as scarlet robins and golden whistlers that are moving around at present, along with many of the species that reside in the area year round?

The walk will cover part of the north-western section of the reserve. If you are interested in the birds of Black Mountain, please contact Julie. Please feel free to let your other friends and networks know, too.

Dr Liz Reed ‘Australia’s fossil caves: underground archives of past biodiversity’ Thursday, 6 July 2023 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Liz, from the University of Adelaide, will talk about refining the age and palaeoenvironmental context of key deposits from caves in the Naracoorte area of the Limestone Coast region of South Australia. Bookings can be made from the Friday before the talk until Wednesday night 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/CGTIG

Weeding Work Party Saturday, 1 July 2023 - 9:00am to 12:00pm

Our next weeding work party  we are planning to continue to remove more of the sollya weeds along the lower side of  Black Mountain Drive. Meet:  at the electricity sub-station, Frith Road ACTON. Look for banners.
Bring:  More of your friends if you wish, as everyone is welcome. 
Wear:   Hat, sunscreen, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves, stout shoes.
Please book: If you are planning to come, please email your name and phone number to friendsofblackmountain@gmail.com or phone 0437 298 711.  This helps us to let you know if arrangements need to change at the last minute (for example, adverse weather conditions).

MEGAfauna: a walk through time! Saturday, 1 July 2023 - 8:30am to Sunday, 30 July 2023 - 5:00pm

Alerting all explorers! We need your help to discover our long-lost creatures at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Travel back in time with us for a family-friendly outdoor discovery trail combining nature, science, art, culture, history and fun! Throughout July, adventurers are encouraged to take a walk through the Gardens to see some unique plants and animals that existed in prehistoric Australia!

This year some new ancient creatures will visit; three diprotodons have found their way to the Gardens. Created by visual theatre masterminds Dead Puppet Society , they provoke a reflection on how humans have changed this island and its creatures, and the importance of the Gardens for plant and animal conservation. These life-sized diprotodons roam the Gardens for the first week of the school holidays from 1 – 7 July. Enjoy both day and night activities inspired by our natural world, with around 18 megafauna sculptures and plants to discover during this month-long event.

Dr Suzi Bond ‘An amazing array of butterflies’ Thursday, 29 June 2023 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Suzi, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, will explain why the ACT’s park reserves and the gardens are so important for our common species of butterfly, as well as some of our lesser-known gems. She will then outline the threats facing butterflies and recommended conservation measures, including why citizen scientists have such a critical role to play. Bookings can be made from the Friday before the talk until Wednesday night 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/CGTID

Talk by Dr Dianne Firth 'Black Mountain as Inspiration' Tuesday, 27 June 2023 - 11:00am to 12:00pm

Join us to hear Dianne Firth OAM talk about her involvement with Black Mountain being an enduring source of inspiration for her. She will reflect on Black Mountain in the context of the Federal Capital site, its role in the Griffin's design for the Federal City, T. C.G. Weston's revegetation process, the NCDC expansion of suburbs into the foothills of Black Mountain, Black Mountain and its tower, and conclude with how Black Mountain offers inspiration for contemporary artists. It will be held in the ANBG Theatrette. To book, please email your name and phone number to friendsofblackmountain@gmail.com, or phone Linda (0437 298 711) or Julie (6251 6972).

Associate Professor Caitlin Byrt ‘Botanically inspired systems for sustainable resource management’ Thursday, 22 June 2023 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Caitlin, from Australian National University, will talk about how plants inspire improvement in sustainable management of food energy and water resources. Harvesting resources from industrial and urban wastewater and developing resource-use-efficient crops are key steps towards transitioning to a circular green economy and building a sustainable future.  Bookings can be made from the Friday before the talk until Wednesday night 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/CGTIC

Doug Laing ‘Australia and Chile – A shared heritage’ Thursday, 15 June 2023 - 12:30pm to 1:30pm

In this talk Doug will recollect this journey, discussing some of these affinities and concluding that we are much closer than we might think to our far-flung neighbour on the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean.  Bookings can be made from the Friday before the talk until Wednesday night 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/CGTIB

Pages