Booderee Botanic Gardens

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Australia - JBT - Jervis Bay

Institution Code: CBG

BGCI Member: No

ArbNet Accredited: Level II

About the Booderee Botanic Gardens

The Booderee Botanic Gardens (formerly the Jervis Bay Botanic Gardens) were established in 1951 as an annex of the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG). Its purpose was to provide frost-free growing conditions for plants unsuited to Canberra's climate. In 1995 the Gardens, along with the Jervis Bay National Park, were handed back to the local Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council. The Park was renamed Booderee National Park in 1998, and the Gardens subsequently proclaimed as part of the Park in 2000. Whilst the Botanic Gardens now are independent and no longer exist as an annex, there are still close links with the ANBG. Booderee is jointly managed by the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council and the Director of National Parks under a 99 year lease agreement established in 1995.

The Botanic Gardens cover an area of 80 hectares including both natural vegetation and cultivated sections surrounding Lake McKenzie, a natural freshwater lake. A living collections policy guides the directions of the Gardens, determining the focus be on native flora from the south eastern NSW. A thematic collection of ethno-botanical plants supports the strong emphasis on Koori interpretation of traditional plant use. This service is utilised by schools in particular, but also by a wider audience in general. Other thematic plantings enable displays of ecological units such as rainforest, forest, heath and woodland, as well as horticultural displays. Taxonomic collections of Eucalyptus and Casuarinaceae are displayed on various lawns. Collaboration with national parks and other botanic gardens ensures the Gardens’ continued involvement in plant conservation in the local area.

The Gardens’ living collection is of high integrity and well documented due to continuous stock takes and other plant recordings, with data lodged on data bases shared with and supported by the ANBG. All new plant accessions are complimented by herbarium specimens which are lodged at the Australian National Herbarium, Canberra, and copies kept at the Booderee Public Reference Herbarium.

The Gardens are open to the public 365 days of the year.

Main Address:
Booderee Botanic Gardens
Cave Beach Road
Village Rd
Jervis Bay
JBT 2540 Australia

Telephone: (02) 4429 7444
Fax: 02 4442 1011
URL: www.environment.gov.au/parks/booderee/explore/botanic/index.html
Primary Email: Booderee.mail@environment.gov.au

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: Brenda Duffy, acting Park Manager
    Curator's Name: Bernie McLeod, Curator
    Plant Records Officer's Name: Stig Pedersen, Collections Officer
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 3
    Educational Staff Number:
    Research Staff Number:
    Administration Staff Number: 1

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: Private: No
    Status: State: No
    Status: Educational: Yes
    Status: Municipal: No
    Status: Satellite: No
    Status: Trust: No
  • Date founded: 1951
  • Physical Data
  • Natural Vegetation Area: Yes
    Natural vegetation area: Size: 55 Hectares
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
    Landscaped Area: Size: 25 Hectares
  • Total Area: 80 Hectares
    Latitude: -35.12112
    Longitude: 150.68191
    Annual Rainfall: 1170 mm
    Altitude: 0.00 Metres
  • Additional Locations
  • Satellite Garden Names: N/A

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: Yes
    Herbarium: Number of Specimens: 1200
    Arboretum: No
  • Micropropagation/ Tissue Culture Facilities: No
    Seed Bank: No
    Published Plant Catalogue: No
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: Yes
    Friends society: No
    Retail Outlet: Shop: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: Yes
    Disabled access: Yes
  • Number of Visitors: 30000
    Number of Volunteers: 30

Plant Collections

  • Accession Number: 11573
    Cultivation Taxa Num: 1016
  • Special Collections:100 % Australian flora, of which approx. 50% is of southeastern NSW origin. The collection includes a comprehensive Ethno-botanical collection utilised for Koori interpretation of plant use; ecological collections, including Rainforest, Forest, Heath and Woodland flora; species of conservation status; horticultural displays; and a number of lawns, some of which feature Eucalyptus and Casuarina collections.

    The collection is documented to a high quality level, with stock takes occurring on a continual basis, and new accessions supported by herbarium specimens. Living collections and herbarium specimens are databased, utilising the ANBG Oracle IBIS database, and herbarium specimens lodged at the Australian National Herbarium, Canberra.
  • Invasive Species Monitoring: Yes
    Invasive Species Policy: Yes
    ABS Policy: Yes
    Plant Collection Policy: Yes

Conservation Programmes

  • Conservation Programme: Yes
    Medicinal Plant Programme: Yes
    Ex Situ Conservation Programme: Yes
    Reintroduction Programme: No

Research Programmes

  • Biotechnology: No
    Plant Breeding: No
    Conservation - Biology: No
    Conservation - Genetics: No
    Data Management Systems and Information Technology: No
    Ecology: No
    Ecosystem Conservation: No
    Education: No
    Ethnobotany: No
    Exploration: No
    Floristics: No
    Horticulture: No
    Invasive Species Biology and Control: No
    Molecular Genetics: No
    Pollination Biology: No
    Restoration Ecology: No
    Seed/Spore Biology: No
    Systematics and Taxonomy: No
    Sustainability: No
    Pharmacology: No
    Agriculture: No
    Land Restoration: No
    Urban Environments: No

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: Yes
    Education Signs in Garden: No
    Public Lectures/Talks: No
    Education Booklets/Leaflets: No
    Guided Tours: Yes
    Permanent Public Displays: Yes
    Special Exhibitions: No
    Courses for School Children: No
    Courses for University/College Students: No
    Courses for General Public: No
    Education Programme: Yes