An Introduction to the
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Location: Clunies Ross Street, Black Mountain, Canberra. [MAP ] GPO Box 1777, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia |
© Copyright and Public
Access – Basic facts
and figures – Mission
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The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) are administered by the Australian Government - Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, through the Director of National Parks.
The mission of the ANBG is:
to grow, study and promote Australia's flora.
The ANBG Management Plan outlines the vision and direction of the Gardens for the seven year period from 2002 to 2008. The annual report for the Gardens is included in the much larger Director of National Parks Annual Report each year - the latest, extracted from this larger document, is ANBG Annual Report 2006-07. (PDF)
The Australian National Botanic Gardens maintains a scientific collection of native plants from all parts of Australia. The plants are displayed for the enjoyment and education of visitors and are used for research into plant classification and biology. A herbarium of preserved plant specimens is closely associated with the living collection.
The Gardens also cultivates plants threatened in the wild. This helps protect them against extinction and provides information which might assist re-introduction to their natural habitat.
Gardens area: 90 hectares (40 hectares developed)
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The history of the Gardens began in 1933, and in 1935 the Dickson Report established a framework for their development. The first trees at the Gardens were planted in 1945. After a period of rapid development in the 1960's, the Gardens was opened to the public in 1967 and officially opened in 1970.
The Gardens has tenure over 90 ha on Black Mountain. About 40 ha are currently developed as the Botanic Gardens. Plans for the development of the remaining land on the steeper slopes on the south of Black Mountain Drive have been put on hold until funds are available.
From the early 1950s until December 1995 there was an Annexe to the ANBG, later known as the Jervis Bay Botanic Gardens, it has now been handed back to the tradional Aboriginal community at Wreck Bay to be managed jointly with the Director of National Parks as the Booderee Botanic Gardens.
About 78,000 plants representing more than 6,340 species are cultivated.
Up-to-date scientific names are used on all plant labels. If the common names of plants are widey accepted they are included on the label of mature plant specimens.
The Gardens are open from 8.30 am every day (except Christmas Day, 25 December).
Closing time is 5 pm, except for January when they open till 8pm on weekends and 6pm weekdays.
The gates are locked when the Gardens are closed.
Layout
of the GardensIn addition to decorative plantings, the Gardens' plant displays are organised into taxonomic or ecological groups. Taxonomic displays feature related plants, such as wattles (Acacia species); ecological displays contain plants which grow in similar environments, such as rainforests.
There is a theme for each section of the Gardens, set out in a Thematic Plan.
Information on finding particular plant species in the Gardens is available from the web or staff in the Visitor Centre.
The environmental conditions of the Gardens' site on Black Mountain are not ideal for horticulture because the natural soils are rocky and feature clay loams and heavy clays. The altitude ranges from 580 to 670m. The average rainfall of 655 mm falls evenly throughout the year. An average of 100 frosts occur each year.
Latitude: 35 deg 17' S, Longitude: 149 deg 6' E.
Visitor
Centre Information about the Gardens and native plants is available from the Visitor Centre, close to the car-park. Exhibitions featuring Australian plants are held in the Centre. The Botanical Bookshop is also located in the Visitor Centre
(Open daily from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm)
Bookshop
A wide range of botanical and horticultural books are on sale at the Botanical Bookshop located in the Visitor Information Centre. A list of publications and prices is available from their web site.
(Open daily from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, telephone 02-62573302)
Cafe
(Hudsons in the Gardens) Refreshments and lunches are available from Hudsons Cafe located near the Rainforest Gully. Evening functions can be booked at Hudsons.
(Open daily from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, telephone 02-62489680)
Use
of Gardens facilities for private functionsSome Gardens facilites are available for use by private groups, provided the activities are compatible with the aims of the Gardens. These facilities are available during and outside normal Gardens opening hours, and charges are incurred to cover rental of the facilities. Locations and booking forms and charges available from the Visitor Centre. The Gardens are very popular for weddings.
