Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

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Australia - TAS - Hobart

Institution Code: HO

BGCI Member: Yes

About the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (RTBG), established in 1818, is Tasmania’s only botanical garden and is custodian of the state’s botanical collections. The RTBG strives to provide a range of experiences that will enhance the community’s awareness and appreciation of plants and the Gardens’ cultural heritage. The RTBG is distinguished by a number of unique collections and is home to the world’s only Subantarctic Plant House showcasing the flora of Macquarie Island. The Tasmanian native collection is significant due to the unique nature of Tasmania’s flora with around a 30% of species being endemic to the State. Complementing this is the Tasmanian Seed Conservation Centre which was established in 2005 and has become the cornerstone of the RTBG conservation strategy. Major ornamental collections include the Conservatory, Mixed Border, Japanese Garden and Lily Pond and those with a geographic theme include the Australian, New Zealand, Chinese and Gondwana collections.

Main Address:
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Queens Domain, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Hobart
TAS 7000 Australia

Telephone: 61 3 6166 0451
Fax: 61 3 6236 3051
URL: www.rtbg.tas.gov.au
Primary Email: rtbg@rtbg.tas.gov.au

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: David Reid (Acting)
    Curator's Name: David Reid
    Plant Records Officer's Name: Laura Williams
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 16
    Educational Staff Number:
    Research Staff Number: 2
    Administration Staff Number: 2

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: State: Yes
  • Date founded: 1818
  • Physical Data
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
    Landscaped Area: Size: 14 Hectares
  • Total Area: 14 Hectares
    Latitude: -42.866177
    Longitude: 147.332425
    Annual Rainfall: 570 mm
    Altitude: 30.00 Metres
    Total area of glasshouses: 1500 Metres
    Total area of shadehouses: 580 Metres

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: Yes
    Herbarium: Number of Specimens: 2500
  • Seed Bank: Yes
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: Yes
    Friends society: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Shop: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: Yes
    Disabled access: Yes
  • Number of Visitors: 500000
    Number of Volunteers: 95

Plant Collections

  • Accession Number: 8000
    Cultivation Taxa Num: 3300
  • Special Collections:The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens was established in 1818 and today is a fusion of early heritage and ornamental plantings together with a more recent focus on Tasmanian plant species and conservation collections. The heritage collection of mature trees acts as a backbone to more recent plantings. Ornamental collections include the Conservatory, Lily Pond, Friends Mixed Border and Japanese Garden. A strong focus on Tasmanian native species since the late 20th century has seen the development of the Tasmanian Collection, Greater Hobart Flora and Tasmanian Fern House. The Subantarctic Plant House displays plants from Macquarie and Heard Islands.

    The seedbank collection constitutes the major conservation and research focus of the Gardens. Established in August 2005 the Tasmanian Seed Conservation Centre has short term aims to hold seed samples for all Tasmania’s Rare and Threatened seed bearing flora and a longer term goal of full coverage of the Tasmanian flora. The seedbank is part of the global Millennium Seedbank Partnership and the Australian Seedbank Partnership. Germination data generated by the program is publicly available from the RTBG website at www.rtbg.tas.gov.au/tasgerm.
  • Invasive Species Monitoring: Yes
    Invasive Species Policy: Yes
    ABS Policy: Yes
    Plant Collection Policy: Yes

Conservation Programmes

  • Conservation Programme: Yes
    Ex Situ Conservation Programme: Yes
    Reintroduction Programme: Yes

Research Programmes

  • Seed/Spore Biology: Yes

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: Yes
    Education Signs in Garden: Yes
    Public Lectures/Talks: Yes
    Education Booklets/Leaflets: Yes
    Guided Tours: Yes
    Permanent Public Displays: Yes
    Special Exhibitions: Yes