The Friends of the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens
would like to welcome you and show case their botanic gardens asGrowing Matters … Growing Friends, Growing Gardens
Friends of Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens are excited to host the AFBG National Conference from 8 -10 August 2014. We look forward to welcoming delegates from the Association’s more than 50 member groups from botanic gardens within Australia, as well as two from overseas.
As the first AFBG Conference to be held in Queensland, we aim to attract delegates to the Gold Coast with our stunning Sprinter weather. We are privileged that Professor Tim Entwisle, who coined the term Sprinter in 2009 to describe the early native spring flowering season, will be our keynote speaker.
To register for the 2014 AFBG Conference, please download and print the form, complete and return by fax, email or post.
To be in the draw for one free night accommodation at the Mercure Gold Coast Resort during the conference, take advantage of the reduced price for Early Bird Registration and submit your registration before 9 May 2014.
There are great venue and accommodation facilities at the Mercure Gold Coast Resort situated away from the hustle and bustle of our popular tourist city. Our wonderful Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens are minutes away by car, and a willing contingent of Gold Coast Friends will be on hand as super friendly hosts!
The theme of the conference is “Growing Matters … Growing Friends, Growing Gardens”. A Call for Presentation Papers has been circulated and already a number of interesting and motivating guest speakers have agreed to present enlightening topics. These include conserving regional plant species, using technology to aid in plant identification, effective and engaging public, children’s and vocational education programs, and attracting new volunteer participation in botanic gardens. We want this conference to inspire delegates to continue to ‘grow’ their Gardens and their Friends.
The Registration and ‘Welcome Cocktail Drinks’ on Friday evening and the ‘Conference Dinner’ on Saturday evening will give delegates the opportunity to meet up with ‘old’ Friends and make new Friends from other botanic gardens.
Pre and Post Conference Excursions have been organised for the Friday 8 August and Monday 11 August. Please book early for these excursions, as numbers are limited.
Friday 8 August: an Escorted Full Day Excursion to the Scenic Rim behind the Gold Coast
- Depart the Mercure Gold Coast Resort at 9:00am and travel by coach to Tamborine Mountain
- Guided Tour of Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens ‘where tropical meets temperate’
- Walk and Talk through one of the Tamborine Mountain National Parks
- Guided Tour of Glenloch, a private garden that has been part of the open gardens for “Springtime on the Mountain”
- Return to the Mercure Gold Coast Resort by 4:00pm Cost: $80.00 pp
- Excursion includes: Coach travel, morning tea, lunch and refreshments
Monday 11 August: an Escorted Full Day Excursion to the Currumbin Valley
- Depart the Mercure Gold Coast Resort at 9:00am and travel by coach to the Mt Cougal Section of the Springbrook National Park
- Walk and Talk through the sub-tropical vegetation of Mt Cougal beside Currumbin Creek
- Guided Tour of the Currumbin Eco Village, an award winning sustainable residential development
- Guided Tour through an Australian native garden, part of the ‘Open Gardens Australia’ in 2013
- Walk and Talk along the boardwalk of the Currumbin Estuary
- Return to the Mercure Gold Coast by 4:00pm Cost: $80.00pp
- Excursion includes: coach travel, morning tea, lunch and refreshments
Why not make this conference a holiday to one of the most biodiverse regions in Australia? The Gold Coast Region has so much to offer!
Mid-Week Pre and Post Conference Accommodation Packages (min 2 nights) are available from Binna Burra Mountain Lodge (www.binnaburralodge.com.au) and from O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat (www.oreillys.com.au - experience O'Reilly's with these great rates!!) Both are located in the World Heritage Lamington National Park, an hour away from the Gold Coast.
For those who may wish to include the Conference as part of a camping/caravanning holiday, there are many parks from which to choose. The following site is for tourist parks run by the City of Gold Coast: www.goldcoasttouristparks.com.au
Other places of interest to visit pre or post Conference include:
- Springbrook National Park (www.springbrooktourism.com.au)
- Lamington National Park (www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/lamington)
- Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane - a train from Nerang Station to Roma Street and a short walk (www.romastreetparkland.com)
- Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Brisbane (www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/botanicgardens)
- Brisbane City Botanic Gardens (www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/parks-and-venues/parks/city-botanic-gardens)
- Maroochy Bushland Regional Botanic Gardens (www.friendsofmaroochybotanicgardens.org.au)
- Tweed Valley including Wollumbin National Park and other national parks, Tweed River Art Gallery, Byron Bay and surrounds (www.tweedtourism.com.au)
If you have any questions or would like more information about the conference, please contact the Friends of the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens:
CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Download The Friends of the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens Conference Invitation here (pdf).
Conference Highlights
download pdf of AFBG 2014 Conference Program here.
Growing Matters
Australia's Changing Seasons
Professor Tim Entwisle, Director and CEO Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne
Using Technology to Communicate Species Conservation and Learning
Mark Ballantyne, Griffith University
Creating an Interactive Rainforest DVD
Gwen Harden, Honarary Research Associate, Author & Publisher
Plants in Paradise, Managing Threatened Species on the Gold Coast
Naomi Christian, Natural Areas Management, City of Gold Coast
Role of Botanic Gardens in Promoting and Conserving Australian Native Flora
Lawrie Smith OAM Landscape Architect, Botanic Gardens
Growing Gardens
Prospering Through Partnerships
Dr Liz Caddick, Curator Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens
Collaborating with Council in a Child-friendly Challenge
Bob Ducrou & Malcolm Cox, Friends of Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens
The Herbarium and Australian Botanic Gardens
Neil Morley, Friends Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens
The Herbarium and Australian Botanic Gardens
Dr Melinda Laidlaw, Senior Ecologist, QLD Herbarium
Managing Environmental Weeds
Dale Arvidsson, President BGANZ Curator Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens
Memorandum of Understanding between BGANZ and AFBG
John Bentley, Friends Melton Botanic Gardens VIC
Community Action and Leadership. Growing Plants, Growing People
John Bentley, Friends Melton Botainc Gardens VIC
'Bungee Jumping Caterpillars' Engage Children in Botanic Gardens
Maya Harrison, Visitor Services & Education Officer Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens
Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens - Living Collection and Landscape
Kate Heffernan, Friends Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens & Gardens Consultant
Growing Friends
Who's the Smartest? Plants or Animals
Pat Wright, Friends of Australian National Botanic Gardens
Effectively Manging and Retaining Volunteers
Richard Patterson, Volunteering Gold Coast
Gardens NEED Advocates - Friends CAN Do It
Alex Smart, The Australian Garden, Cranbourne VIC
Marketing Your Gardens
Danielle Dunsmore, Marketing professional
Using Media to Promote Your Gardens
Horticulture Media Association
Super Success Stories
Friends of Botanic Gardens, from around Australia
Contact
Friends of GCRBG
PO Box 5653, GCMC 9726
Phone 0449 561 674
Email:
www.friendsgcrbg.org.au