Australian National Botanic Gardens

The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) are located in Canberra and are administered by the Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Heritage.

The botanic gardens are the largest living collection of native Australian flora, the mission of the ANBG is to study and promote Australia's flora. The gardens maintains a wide variety of botanical resources for researchers and cultivates native plants threatened in the wild.

History of the Gardens

When Canberra was being planned in the 1930s the establishment of the gardens was recommended in a report in 1933 by the Advisory Council of Federal Capital Territory. In 1935 The Dickson Report set forth a framework for their development. A large site for the gardens was set aside on Black Mountain. In September 1949 the Ceremonial planting of first trees by Prime Minister Ben Chifley and Director of Kew Gardens, Sir Edward Salisbury took place. Development of the site, facilities and collection progressed and the Gardens were officially opened in October 1970 by Prime Minister John Gorton.

The Gardens has tenure over 90 hectares on Black Mountain. About 40 hectares are currently developed as the Botanic Gardens. Plans for the development of the remaining land are on hold until funds are available.

The collection

The gardens is organised in thematic sections, plants are grouped by shared taxonomy or are presented in ecological groupings that exist in nature. More than 5500 species are cultivated. Displays include:

  • Rainforest Gully, featuring plants for the rainforests of Eastern Australia.
  • Rock Garden, a display of plants which occur in habitats from the desert to alpine areas.
  • Sydney Region Flora, a display of the divers flora endemic to the sandstone formations of the Sydney basin.
  • Mallee Plants, the mallees is the name given to multi-stemmed eucalypts and the shrubs and grasses associated with them.
  • Banksias, waratahs and grevilleas (family Proteaceae)
  • Callistemon, Leptospermum and Melaleuca (family Myrtaceae)
  • The Eucalypt Lawn, features about one fifth of Australian eucalypt species.
  • Wattles (Genus Acacia)

Research at the Gardens

The Australian National Herbarium is held on site at the National Botanic Gardens. The Herbarium houses the largest collection of pressed, dried plant specimens in Australia. The Herbarium is operated jointly with the CSIRO as part of a joint research facility, the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research. It is not open to the public. The Australian National Herbarium is participating in the creation of Australia's Virtual Herbarium (AVH), a web based record of botanical information, including six million specimen records displaying geographic distribution, images, descriptive text and identification tools.

The Gardens manages several large plant databases, including What's its Name? is a simple point of access to the more complex 'Australian Plant Name Index' APNI listing all the scientific names ever used for Australia's plants. A large collection of photographs is also available.

The Gardens' library has significant collections of botanical books, journals, CD-ROMs and maps. The library is open to students and the public by appointment.

Its principle research scientist is Lyndley Craven.

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Helen Mchugh
6 July 2011
The upper part of the Gardens is closed on days of strong wind or high fire danger. The cafe, bookshop, Tasmanian rainforest and sensory garden stay open so there is still heaps to see.
Australian National Botanic Gardens
It is currently peak flowering time at the Gardens - no matter where you look, you'll see flowers!
Victoria Mifsud
13 December 2014
Cafe is nice, great walking tracks and they have a guided tour
Helen Mchugh
3 July 2011
Great display of flowering banksia in winter. Always good for photography.
Leonie Bourke
25 March 2012
Don't take a shortcut through the back of the uni colleges if you're trying to walk here - they're fenced off
JH H-D
1 March 2016
Lovely grounds, very stroller friendly
Load more comments
foursquare.com
5.9/10
Nadya Popova and 919 more people have been here
Map
0.2km from Black Mountain Drive, Canberra ACT, Australia Get directions
Mon-Sun 8:30 AM–5:00 PM

Australian National Botanic Gardens on Foursquare

Australian National Botanic Gardens on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
QT Canberra

starting $224

Breakfree Capital Tower Hotel

starting $347

Accommodate Canberra - The ApARTments

starting $280

Canberra City YHA

starting $28

Accommodate Canberra - Metropolitan

starting $247

Accommodate Canberra - New Acton

starting $0

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Black Mountain Tower

Black Mountain Tower (previously known as Telstra Tower and Telecom

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
National Museum of Australia

The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Canberra Museum and Gallery

Canberra Museum and Gallery is an art gallery and museum in Canberra,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
ACT Memorial

The ACT Memorial is an Australian war memorial honouring men and women

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Captain James Cook Memorial

The Captain James Cook Memorial was built by the Commonwealth

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
National Library of Australia

The National Library of Australia is the country's largest reference

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Commonwealth Park

Commonwealth Park is in Canberra, Australia, on the north side of Lake

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Royal Victoria Park, Bath

Royal Victoria Park is located in Bath, England. It was opened in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne are internationally renowned

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia, are the most central

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Adelaide Botanic Garden

The Adelaide Botanic Garden is a 125-acre (51 ha) public garden at

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Japanese Gargen (Monaco)

Jardin Japonais de Monaco is as Japanese garden in Monaco.

See all similar places