President Jan Cheyne and the Committee of the Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens invite current Friends, volunteers and past members to join them for a Morning Tea Celebration in the Visitors Centre at the Geelong Botanic Gardens to mark our 40th anniversary milestone ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Entry to the event is via the front entry on Eastern Park Circuit Parking: Parking is available in the carparks either side of the front entry   SCHEDULE: Arrival time: from 9:00 am Food and drinks served: from 9:30 am at the Visitors Centre   Please note, guests may be photographed during this event   Dietary: Please advise of any dietary restrictions.  Catering by The Gordon   RSVP ESSENTIAL Here by 30 OCTOBER: or email to info@friendsgbg.org.au or phone the Friends’ office: 03 5229 0071

FULLY BOOKED.   Waiting List Available, if a person cancels; ring the Friends office 03 5229 0071. By popular demand, all are invited to join the Friends on a coach tour, visiting three gardens in the Langwarrin and nearby Cranbourne areas. It will be a long but wonderful day, so wear your comfy shoes. Commencing with morning tea, followed by a guided tour of a section of Cranbourne Botanic Gardens, there may be an opportunity to purchase from the Cranbourne Friends’ Nursery. Then on to nearby McClelland Sculpture Park where, you may buy a take-away lunch at the on-site café or bring a picnic lunch, to enjoy amongst large sculptures and native gardens along the Dame Elizabeth Murdoch nature trail. Or you may chose to pre book a table, where bookings are necessary to secure a table. If you wish to dine-in please make your own booking a week beforehand by contacting  ph. 97891671 We will then drive a short distance to Cruden Farm, where you may wander around the world-famous gardens in all their Spring glory, or simply enjoy the lovely views of the lake and gardens. Afternoon tea will complete our day. Tickets include morning and afternoon tea, with bring/buy your own lunch. Leave from carpark opposite gate 3, Geelong Botanic Gardens at 7.30 am.    Arrive back at Geelong 6.00 pm Itinerary, including Coach departure map and all information will be provided after booking.  

THEMED GUIDED WALK ‘ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES & PLANT ADAPTION’          Sunday 12 October, 2.00 pm at the Front Gates          This themed walk will describe some of the impressive features that many plants have developed in order to cope in desert or arid growing regions, in low water environments and during drought conditions. We will explore some of the plants in the Geelong Botanic Gardens describing the strategies they employ.

A SPRING AFTERNOON with FRIENDS Tuesday 7 October 2025 12.30 pm -  4.00 pm ITINERARY PROVIDED AFTER BOOKING In this year of our 40th anniversary, members have generously offered to contribute to the Friends who have come to mean so much to them over the years. Friends members and their carer, or special other, are invited to a relaxing afternoon enjoying afternoon tea and a plant sale, at the Belmont home of Anthea and Chris Williams. Two of Anthea’s neighbours would love to share their much loved garden collections with us as well. It will be a welcome opportunity to enjoy the Spring weather and purchase from a stall full of plants donated by members, with proceeds to the Friends.  Lynne Clarke would also like to open her garden to those who wish to begin the afternoon with a stroll through her Highton garden. It is a fascinating collection of edible produce and sustainable, mainly native planting, which reflects much thought and love of the environment. The afternoon is a FREE event for Members, but please RSVP for catering and address details, by contacting the Friends’ office ph. 5229 0071   A small plate to share for afternoon tea would be appreciated. Do as much or as little as you like on this special day for members. Towards the end of the year a final members’ event will be held in Geelong Botanic Gardens, with more details to be announced. Times: 12.30 pm:                Lynne’s garden  1.45 pm:                  Arrive at Anthea’s from 1.45 pm, followed by a Garden tour from 2.00 pm. 2.30 pm-4.00 pm.:   Afternoon Tea and Plant Sales

FULLY BOOKED. Carpool with friends to enjoy a delightful afternoon, meet in Anglesea, and drive to the site (carpool) and join the Friends for a fascinating walk and talk, led by guides from the Angair conservation group, as they introduce us to the variety of heathland plants, rare and beautiful wildflowers that enchant visitors in early Spring. Meet at Anglesea Memorial Hall, 1 McMillan St Anglesea. Your ticket will include a donation to Angair to support their programs.  You will receive an itinerary with all the information you need, after booking your ticket. You may wish to catch up for a cuppa and chat afterwards, at the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie near Bellbrae.  Cost: $15 members and  $20 non-members.  Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited. There will be some uneven ground on the walking paths.               

Meet at the Front Gates Sunday 14 September, 2.00 pm at the Front Gates   This walk will be a fascinating exploration of plant development and survival over time, including the period when dinosaurs walked amongst them. We will look at connections between plants on other continents as they evolved from their Gondwana origins. The Geelong Botanic Garden has a good collection of “Gondwana” plants, and we will seek them out and discuss where else they can be found in Australia and other locations in the global environment.

Geelong School of Botanical Art Inspired by Nature 9 Exhibition 10-24 September 2025 Sunday to Friday 10 am – 4 pm The Gordon Gallery, 2 Fenwick Street, Geelong   The Geelong School of Botanical Art invites you to explore Inspired by Nature 9. A botanical vision of science and artful beauty, this exhibition of original artwork by our skilled tutors and students draws inspiration from living plants and natural history.   The artwork ranges from grand portrayals of flora to intricate depictions of plant life, all executed with remarkable technique and skill. The exhibition will present a blend of contemporary and traditional botanical art, offering a comprehensive exploration of the structural botany of plants and showcasing individual artistic expressions through the varied use of watercolour, coloured pencil, graphite, pen, and gouache.   Notably, all artwork on display will be available for purchase, making it an excellent opportunity for art collectors or individuals looking to enhance their living spaces with beautiful botanical creations.   For more information: Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens 03 5229 0071 info@friendsgbg.org.au

Come and meet the newly elected Committee of Management, enjoying supper after the AGM and guest speaker John Bentley, President of Melton Botanic Garden. AGM at 5.30, Guest Speaker at 6.15 pm and Supper at 7.00 pm.  Free Event.

The oldest Botanical garden was in China in 138 BC when Emperor Wu had 2,000 different plants in hothouses. Over 2,000 years of Chinese horticultural endeavour enrich gardens in the rest of the world. Come and see how many of our plants had origins in China. Meet your guide at the front gates.

As the 14th July is ‘Bastille Day’ the Friends are going to celebrate with a French Supper and a movie, The Secret Garden.  Come along and enjoy the Bastille Day Menu: Mushroom Vol-au-vents , Quiche Lorraine, Vegetarian Quiche, French Onion Soup with Baguettes, Blue Cheese Canneles, Goats Cheese and Tomato Tarts, Savoury Croissants, Macaron Raspberry Sponge Biscuits,  Profiteroles, Chocolate Éclairs and Fruit Flan. The venue this year will be the Newcomb Library Theatrette (upstairs from the Newcomb Library, there is a lift for easy access) the corner of Queenscliff and Wilsons Rd. The Secret Garden is the enchanting classic story by Frances Hodgson Burnett, telling the story of a prickly and unloved 10-year-old girl, born to wealthy British parents in India. When they die suddenly, she is sent back to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven (Colin Firth) at Misselthwaite Manor, a country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors. With only the household maid for company Mary begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly her sickly cousin Colin who has been secretly shut away since birth. Mary discovers a wondrous garden, locked away and lost within the grounds of Misselthwaite. She befriends local boy Dickon and, through his knowledge of nature and the garden’s restorative powers, together these misfit children restore and delve deeper into the mysteries of the garden – a magical place of adventure that will change their lives forever.

Meet your Guide at the Front Gates Geelong' Botanic Garden has three centuries of gardens. Join your Guide and explore how the political, social and scientific trends of the times influenced their development. Discover how the trends of the times affected their layout and design, and how they still speak to us today.

TICKETS NOW SOLD OUT. We have great pleasure in inviting you and your friends to the Friends of the Geelong Botanic Gardens  Annual winter lunch on Tuesday 17th June 12-3pm at Mt Duneed Estate. The cosy venue will be the Vineyard Room with panoramic views across the vines towards the Barrabool Hills. Head Chef Daniel Duve will prepare a gourmet two course lunch followed by tea or coffee. Drinks will be available at bar prices. The venue provides generous onsite parking, with disability access.                                                                  Following lunch our guest speaker will be Caroline Davies. 'GARDENING IN POTS' Before her current inner-Melbourne garden, Caroline Davies had five larger gardens, over the years, with the majority of plants in the ground. For the past twenty-six years her focus has been on contained plants. Initially she was influenced by the pot gardens in Greece filling flights of steps, ledges on walls, balconies and window-sills. With her long association with the Mediterranean Garden Society, her preference was for drought-tolerant plants, but her collection is eclectic ranging from Vireya rhododendrons and shrubby begonias to cyclamen and snowdrops. Closely connected are the links with gardening friends, places in the wild where such plants grow, and the challenges associated with their culture. It is an addiction which fills her later years with joy and a retreat from the present turbulent world. Caroline ran wildflower and garden tours for some 30 years with her late husband, David Martin. Caroline was the past President, 2016-2022, of the Mediterranean Garden Society. During the lunch our fabulous raffle will tempt you to purchase tickets with the draw at the conclusion of proceedings. Bookings have now closed. Please contact the office for further information Ph: 03 5229 0071 Email: info@friendsgbg.org.au.