Documents relating to the history of the CANBR
Chronology of some significant events in the history of CANBR
The Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR) is jointly managed by CSIRO Plant Industry and Environment Australia through the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG). Over the years there has been a consolidation of several CSIRO herbaria and finally the Botanic Gardens herbarium into the Australian National Herbarium, managed as part of CPBR.
Significant events in the history of the two parent institutions, and later the CPBR, are set out below.
The Herbarium Code 'CBG' was used by the Herbarium of the Botanic Gardens, and 'CANB' was used by the Herbarium of CSIRO Plant Industry. 'CANB' is now used for the combined Australian National Herbarium.
1926 |
CSIR established. |
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1927 |
CSIR commissioned Arthur Hill, Director Kew, to visit Canberra and report on plant collections. |
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1927 |
Hill recommended establishing a `national' herbarium and Aust Botanical Liaison Officer (ABLO) |
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1928 |
CSIR decide to delay establishment of herbarium due to financial constraints. |
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1929 |
Mr J Calvert appointed, after training at Kew, to manage vouchers of weeds and poisonous plants |
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Calvert uses the name 'Herbarium Australiensis', later corrected to Herbarium Australiense. |
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1933 |
July |
Fed. Cap. Advisory Council recomends setting up Botanic Gardens to the Minister for the Interior. |
1935 |
Sept |
Dr B T Dickson, Head of CSIR Plant Industry, presents Report on establishing Bot Gdns.(4/9/35) |
| 1941 | Nov | Dr Edwin Gauba starts collecting herbarium specimens while a prisoner at Loveday Internment Camp in the SA mallee, later to form part of the CBG Herbarium. |
1944 - 1958 |
Lindsay Pryor appointed Superintendent of Parks and Gardens for Canberra. |
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1945 |
A few eucalypts planted by Pryor on site for Botanic Gardens on slopes of Black Mountain. |
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1946 - 1973 |
Nancy Burbidge appointed first professional systematic botanist to CSIR Herbarium (11/10/46) |
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1946 - 1948 |
Collecting for Herbarium Australiense undertaken by Stan Blake, who stayed in BRI. |
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1946 |
CSIR started extensive Land Use Research Surveys, later a Division. |
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1949 |
Ray Perry & Mike Lazarides establish first reference collection for Land Use Research Surveys. |
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1949 |
CSIR renamed CSIRO, Ian Clunies Ross appointed as first Chairman. |
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1949 |
Sept |
Ceremonial planting of Botanic Gardens trees by Ben Chifley and Sir Edward Salisbury, Director Kew. |
1950 -1960 |
Dr Erwin Gauba employed as botanist for Dept of Interior, starts collecting herbarium specimens. |
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1950 |
March |
Minister for the Interior approves the establishment of a Gardens (CBG) Herbarium.(9/3/50) |
1950 |
Sept |
Eviction notices sent to grazing lease holders of Botanic Gardens site on Black Mountain. |
1952 |
Ru Hoogland joined CSIRO Div Land Use Research, coordinates extensive PNG collecting. |
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| 1952 | December | Nancy Burbidge arrives at Kew Herbarium, U.K., to act as the Australian Botanical Liaison Officer |
| 1954 | July | Nancy Burbidge attends the VIII International Botanical Congress in Paris, France, as an Australian representative |
| 1954 | November | Nancy Burbidge returns to Canberra from Kew, visting several U.S. herbaria en route [report in html and pdf formats] |
1955 |
March |
CSIRO Herbarium receives donation of 1282 specimens ex Mueller's herbarium from the National Museum of Canada (28/3/55) [correspondence] |
1958 |
Lindsay Pryor appointed Professor of Botany, ANU. |
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1960 |
Erwin Gauba joins Pryor as part-time Lecturer at ANU. |
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1960 |
June |
Dr Betty Phillips appointed Botanist (for Botanic Gardens ) to replace Gauba. |
1960 |
Aug |
Answer to Senate question confirm 'indigenous' nature of Botanic Gardens collection (25/8/60). |
1962 |
Botanic Gardens Herbarium moved from wooden buildings at Acton to brick cottage at Downer. |
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1964 |
Botanic Gardens (CBG) Herbarium contained 15 000 specimens. |
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| 1965 -1966 | Mike Lazarides at Kew as ABLO | |
1966 |
CBG Herbarium, Office, Library, buildings completed in Botanic Gardens. |
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1967 |
Sept |
Gardens open to public for first time. (27/9/67) |
1970 |
Horticultural Research Laboratory and Display Room added to Herbarium/Office building. |
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1970 |
Oct |
Official opening of Gardens by Prime Minister John Gorton. (20/10/70) |
1973 |
Herbaria of CSIRO Divisions of Plant Industry and Land Use Research united, staff together. |
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1973 - 1981 |
Hj.Eichler appointed Curator of Herbarium Australiense to succeed Nancy Burbidge (- /6/73). |
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1973 |
New CSIRO (CANB) Herbarium building completed at CSIRO's Black Mountain site. |
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1973 |
June |
Foundations laid for new Botany Building and Herbarium in the Botanic Gardens. |
1973 |
June |
50,000 specimens in CBG Herbarium |
1973 |
250,000 specimens in CANB Herbarium |
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1973 |
Dec |
At CBG, Dr Betty Phillips retires due to ill health. |
1974 |
Jan |
At CBG, Arthur Court appointed to head Herbarium. |
1974 |
New Botanic Gardens CBG Herbarium and botanists' offices completed. |
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1975 |
March |
Gazettal of 'Herbarium Australiense' as an institution - to house collections of "plants of Australia and adjacent territories" (25/3/75) |
| 1975 -1976 | Andries (Andrew) Kanis at Kew as ABLO | |
1977 |
March |
Dept of Science report on biological data recommends close liaison between CANB and CBG. |
1977 |
June |
Establishment of Cryptogam collection of CBG Herbarium in the Botanic Gardens. |
1978 |
Establishment of new plant taxonomic journal 'Brunonia' by Herbarium Australiense. |
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1978 |
Oct |
CSIRO Herbarium receives 1069 specimens collected in Australia by Robert Brown from 1802–1805. These were duplicates donated by the British Museum (Natural History). (16/10/78) [correspondence] |
1978 |
Dec |
'Canberra Botanic Gardens' became `National Botanic Gardens'. (21/12/78) |
1979 |
July |
Dr Robert Boden appointed Director of Botanic Gardens. |
1980 |
Sept |
Opening of Burbidge Memorial Amphitheatre by Lady Cohen (14/9/80). |
1981 |
Hj Eichler retires as Curator of Herbarium Australiense. |
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| 1981 -1982 | Mike Crisp (CBG) at Kew as ABLO | |
1984 |
Start of computerisation of Living Collections at Botanic Gardens. |
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1984 |
May |
'National Botanic Gardens' became 'Australian National Botanic Gardens' (15/5/84) |
1984 |
June |
Name change of 'Herbarium Australiense' Gazetted to 'Australian National Herbarium'. (26/6/84) [PDF] |
1984 |
Aust National Herbarium takes over management of FRI Eucalypt collection and Atherton rainforest herbarium. |
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1985 |
Nov |
Opening of Visitor Information Centre, including Public Reference Herbarium by Prince and Princess of Wales. (7/11/85) |
1985 |
Dec |
Gov Gen approved transfer of Gardens from Dept Territories to Dept Art Her & Env.(12/12/85) |
1986 |
Jul |
Minister for Science, Barry Jones, announces start to databasing Australian National Herbarium (CSIRO) collection. (more) (7/7/86) |
1987 |
July |
CANB (CSIRO) herbarium loans started to be recorded in database. |
| 1987 | Sept. | Judy West at Kew as ABLO Sept 87 - Sept 88 |
1988 |
Start of data capture from CBG Herbarium labels. |
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1988 |
Micro-computer operating UNIX with ORACLE software purchased for Gardens. |
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| 1989 | Oct | Establishment of 'Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS) at Gardens. |
1989 |
Oct |
CBG (ANBG) herbarium loans started to be recorded in IBIS database. |
1990 |
200,000 specimens in CBG Herbarium. |
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1991 |
Sept |
Governor General proclaims ANBG a reserve under ANPWS Act (10/9/91) |
1991 |
Sept |
Establishment of 'Australian Network for Plant Conservation' ANPC at Gardens. |
1992 |
April |
First publication of Musci Australasiae Exsiccati by CBG Cryptogam section. |
1992 |
May |
NPWC Act 1975 ammended to include definition of botanic gardens and objectives (7/5/92) |
1992 |
May |
David Kay takes over as Director Biodiversity ANPWS and hence Gardens Director (25/5/92) |
1992 |
May |
ComCare coverage for volunteers at ANBG and its herbarium gazetted by Minister of Industrial Relations (27/5/92) |
1992 |
Dec |
First intake of studens under CBG Herbarium Botanical Internship Scheme. |
1993 |
Feb |
Memorandum signed to establish the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (3/2/93) |
1993 |
June |
ANPWS name changed to Australian Nature Conservation Agency (ANCA) (1/6/93) |
| 1993 | July | ANBG launches it internet website: www.anbg.gov.au (8/7/93) |
1993 |
Nov |
Formal signing of agreement to establish Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (22/11/93) |
1994 |
March |
ANBG Plan of Management came into effect after 20 sitting days in both Houses. (3/3/94) |
1994 |
Oct |
Handover of new Australian National Herbarium building at CSIRO for CPBR. |
1994 |
Nov |
Move of herbarium specimens from ANBG site to new CSIRO building (23/11/94) |
1995 |
Jan |
First student Internship program operated from the newly combined herbaria at CSIRO (2/1/95) |
1995 |
March |
Compactus removed from ANBG Herbarium to allow cryptogams to go upstairs (17/3/95) |
1995 |
May |
Opening of Australian National Herbarium building at CSIRO by Minister Faulkner (23/5/95) |
1995 - 1996 |
Herbarium Curator, Bob Makinson, at Kew as ABLO Sept 95 - Sept 96. |
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1996 |
Dec |
Launch of ROTAP publication by Minister for Environment, Robert Hill, at ANH (3/12/96) |
1998 |
July |
Major review of Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR) by external reviewers (9-10/7/98) |
1999 |
June |
Combined CBG-CANB-APNI herbarium specimen database became operational - known as ANHSIR. |
1999 |
June |
New 'Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Bill' passed by Senate (24/6/99) |
1999 |
Sept |
First Biodiversity Month seminar series organised by CPBR Wednesdays in Sept at Discovery Centre. |
1999 |
Sept |
John Hicks appointed Director ANBG (Assistant Secretary Parks Australia South) (9/9/99) |
2000 |
April |
New ten-year agreement for joint management of Centre for Biodivesity Research signed (14/4/00) |
2000 |
Sept |
Second Biodiversity Month seminar series hosted by CPBR at Discovery Centre on Wednesdays. |
2000 |
Oct |
Robin Nielsen starts as the Director of the Australian National Botanic Gardens (12/10/00) |
2001 |
Feb |
'Genetics, Demography . . . Fragmented Populations' book launch at Discovery Centre (7/2/01) |
2001 |
Feb |
Australia's Virtual Herbarium proposal approved by ANZECC SCC for $10m (9/2/01) |
2001 |
April |
'What's Its Name?' web interface for APNI became operational for public. Published Proteaceae. |
2001 |
May |
Open Days for CPBR held on ANBG site as part of Science Festival (4-5/5/01) |
2001 |
May |
Australia's Virtual Herbarium (AVH) funding proposal signed by Env Minister Hill for $10m (4/5/01) |
2001 |
May |
Bob Makinson leaves for Sydney after 10 years as Curator of Herbarium with Gardens and CPBR (25/5/01) |
2001 |
Oct |
Herbarium on CSIRO site open to public for two days as part of CSIRO 75th Anniversary (20-21/10/01) |
2001 |
Dec |
Second Management Plan for ANBG approved by Minister Kemp for printing and tabling. (10/12/01) |
2001 |
Dec |
AVH team win CSIRO PI Chief's Award for Technology Uptake (West, Croft, Whitbread, Palmer, Fagg, Whalen) |
2001 |
Dec |
John Hicks off for 12 months long-serfing-leave, David Kay replacing him as Branch Head for Dept of Environment (21/12/01) |
2002 |
Feb |
ANBG Management Plan tabled in House of Reps and Senate on 12 February 2002. |
2002 |
Feb |
Bernie Hyland retired after 40 years of rainforest work at Atherton (8/2/02) (more) |
2003 |
Jan |
Director Judy West seconded to Dept of Science (DEST) for one year, Jim Croft acts as CPBR Director. |
2003 |
May |
Public Reference Herbarium relocated from ANBG Visitor Information Centre to ground floor of Botany Building. |
2003 |
June |
Director Judy West awarded Order of Australia for services to botany and Australia's Virtual Herbarium. |
2003 |
November |
Public Reference Herbarium relocated from ground floor of Botany Building to ANBG Library, following installation of compactus units. |
2004 |
Oct |
Started databasing digital images of type specimens from collection (7/10/04) |
2005 |
Apr |
Work commences on 'Australian Plant Census' with appointment of Tony Orchard as coordinator (11/4/05) |
2006 |
Aug |
New management arrangements in CSIRO result in the Conservation Biology program leaving the CPBR (7/8/06) |
2006 |
Aug |
Open days held in Herbarium as part of Science Week on weekend of 19-20 August. |
2006 |
Dec |
Anne Duncan appointed Director of the ANBG (20/11/06) |
2008 |
March |
Australian Tropical Forest Institute, incorporating the Australian Tropical Herbarium opened on 4/3/08, Darren Crayn appointed Director 31/3/08. |
2008 |
May |
Botanical Resource Centre opened at ANBG by Marlena Jeffery to house the Public Reference Herbarium (15/5/08) |
2008 |
July |
CSIRO establishes 'Biological Collections' theme, with the CPBR as part of that, along with the National Insect Collection, etc |
2009 |
May |
Second external review of the CPBR, chaired by Bryan Gilligan, with Tim Entwistle, Sue Serjeantson, Dave Coates. (11-13/5/09) |
2009 |
June |
John Connors retires after 28 years with CSIRO, much input into Euclid, (12/6/09) |
| 2009 | Nov | Judy West ceases as Director of CPBR to take up the role of Director of the ANBG and head of new Science Branch in Parks Australia (13/11/09) |
| 2010 | Oct | Name change from 'Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research' (CPBR) to 'Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research' (CANBR) |
| 2010 | Oct | Open Day held at the Herbarium on both CSIRO and Gardens sites as part of ANBG's 40th anniversary celebrations (24/10/10) |
| 2010 | Dec | Launch of the web-based 3rd version of 'Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants' (9/12/10) |
| 2010 | Dec | The 3rd Agreement, to continue the CANBR for a further 5 years, signed by the parties (21/12/10) |
| 2011 | Jan | Announcement of appointment of Andrew Young as new Director of CANBR, the position to be jointly funded by CSIRO and Parks Australia (31/1/11). |
2011 |
March |
Andrew Young starts as 2nd Director of the Centre (1/3/11) |
