Our Organisation

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is one of the world's leading botanic gardens and a centre of excellence for horticulture, science and education.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is dedicated to the conservation, display and enjoyment of plants and extends over two locations, Melbourne and Cranbourne, and incorporates the National Herbarium of Victoria.

Our Vision

Life is sustained and enriched by plants

Our vision is a flourishing community and healthy planet, sustained and enriched by plants. Through iconic landscapes, horticultural excellence and scientific eminence we will make an enduring contribution to this vision.

Plants, along with fungi and algae, are fundamental to life on Earth. They provide the air we breathe, the food we eat, many of the medicines that heal us, and habitat and shelter for our planet’s wildlife. They give our lives meaning and inspiration.

We prosper and our planet benefits when we understand, appreciate and protect plants for their life giving qualities. The actions we all take should be based on our knowledge and respect for plants.

Our Mission

Every interaction with us advances the understanding and appreciation of plants

Our mission is to use our two remarkable gardens, our innovative science, and our skills at sharing knowledge, to help the community understand and value plants. We will seek every opportunity to interact with people, from all walks of life and wherever they live. By engaging with our local communities, attracting visitors to our gardens and connecting with people online, we will achieve our vision.

In all our interactions we will be creative, open, brave and remarkable as we look for every opportunity in our roles to advance the understanding and appreciation of plants. Our values guide our decision-making and behaviour and determine how we will act as we achieve our vision.

Our Values

Creative

We are inventive and enthusiastic

Open

We make time to listen, learn and be clear

Brave

We have the courage to change things

Remarkable

We leave a lasting impression

Our Charter

Under the Royal Botanic Gardens Act 1991 (MS Word - 211 kB), the objectives of the organisation are:

To conserve, protect and improve the botanic gardens and managed land and their collections of living plants
To conserve and enhance the State Botanical Collection and National Herbarium of Victoria
To provide for the use of the State Botanical Collection or plants or plant specimens at the botanic gardens or managed land for scientific or reference purposes, consistent with accepted international practice
To increase public knowledge and awareness of plants and plant communities
To provide for the use of the Botanic Gardens for education, public enjoyment and tourism
To provide for the carrying out of and contribution to research into biodiversity and the conservation of biodiversity.

Melbourne Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Melbourne Gardens has been a treasured part of Melbourne’s cultural life for more than 170 years – much loved by generations of Victorians, as well as by many visitors from interstate and overseas. It is a picturesque haven for recreation and an important resource for education, conservation, science and horticulture. Melbourne Gardens extends over 38 hectares and houses a collection of more than 8,500 species of plants from around the world, including amazing and diverse plant collections such as camellias, rainforest flora, cacti and succulents, roses, Californian species, herbs, perennials, cycads, plants from Southern China and, in the Rare and Threatened Species Collection, plants from south-eastern Australia.

Cranbourne Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Cranbourne Gardens is one of Victoria’s most precious areas of remnant native bushland and offers visitors the chance to explore heathlands, wetlands and woodlands on the 363-hectare site. It is recognised as a site of State significance for flora and fauna conservation, with over 25 species listed as endangered, threatened or at risk of extinction. Following representations by the Maud Gibson Trust, Cranbourne Gardens was established in 1970 when the Victorian Government acquired the land with a view to developing it into a botanic garden that complemented Melbourne Gardens through the display of native plants and ecosystems.

Today, visitors to Cranbourne Gardens can enjoy a natural bushland experience and visit the Australian Garden. Facilities in the bushland include over ten kilometres of walking tracks, six kilometres of cycling tracks, a lookout tower, picturesque shelters, barbecues and picnic tables. There is a range of visitor programs, as well as self-guided walks available throughout the year. The Australian Garden, completed in October 2012, celebrates the beauty and diversity of Australian landscapes and flora and features approximately 170,000 plants from 1,700 plant varieties. Complementing the Garden are a visitor centre, gift shop and interpretive displays.

National Herbarium of Victoria (MEL)

The National Herbarium of Victoria (the Herbarium), founded in 1853 and located at Melbourne Gardens, is the Victorian Government’s major centre for botanical studies in plant identification, collection and classification. The Herbarium houses the State Botanical Collection, an irreplaceable resource of over 1.5 million dried specimens of plants, fungi and algae from Australia and many other countries. It is one of the most historically significant collections in the world and is used by Herbarium staff and visiting botanists for scientific research. Research areas include biodiversity, classification, evolution, biogeography, molecular systematics, conservation and horticulture.

In addition, the State Botanical Collection contains the oldest and most comprehensive botanical library in Australia. Current work at the Herbarium is focused around three main research themes: Victoria’s biodiversity, including documenting and conserving our flora; the origin of the Australian biota, including the evolutionary history and relationship of Australian plant groups; and Biodiversity Services, including the provision of an Identification and Information Service.

Memberships

We are proud to announce that we are now a member of the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation (GPPC).

Science

Conservation

Victoria's flora and fungi are under increasing threat from climate change, environmental weeds, agriculture, forest clearance and urbanisation. Climate change will especially impact on plants restricted to the coldest environments on mountain summits, which are likely to lose their only suitable habitat. At Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, studies of taxonomy, distribution, population genetics, propagation, translocation and seed banking all contribute to the conservation of Victoria’s and Australia's plants and fungi.

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Seedbank

We collect millions of high-quality seeds from native plant species within Victoria for long-term storage, research and restoration programs.

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Conservation

Our scientists work to maintain biological diversity, including genetic variation, essential for functional ecosystems and the long-term viability of species.

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Weeds and biosecurity

Our research helps to identify, document and combat environmental weeds that pose a threat to native ecosystems and biodiversity.

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Protecting our rare and threatened species

In Victoria, there are nearly 700 native species of threatened plants (among the approximately 3,200 species recorded from the state) along with many others that are rare. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria plays a leading role in programs to conserve these endangered species in order to stabilise or increase populations in their natural habitat. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is particularly involved in the conservation of native terrestrial orchids. Victoria is a 'hotspot' for orchid diversity, with 23 per cent of Australia's orchid species occurring in just 3 per cent of the land area. Most of the native orchid species found in Victoria are terrestrial, and at least a third occur nowhere else.

Horticulture

Plant Collections

Botanic gardens throughout the world play a significant role in helping scientists and the public understand the evolution and history of plants, their present day uses as well as what the future may hold for plants in natural environments. Across our two locations at Melbourne and Cranbourne, our experienced horticulture teams manage 45 plant collections as well as a significant area of precious bushland at Cranbourne Gardens. All of our collections feature plant labels which show each plant's scientific name comprised of a genus and species.

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Sustainable Management

Our horticultural and environmental research is focused on responding to future challenges such as water availability and changing climatic conditions and looking at how these may impact on plant and landscape conservation within the gardens.

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Environmental Management

At both Cranbourne and Melbourne our land management teams focus on irrigation management, finding alternate water sources, water quality and biodiversity of the lakes system; reducing weeds, protecting plants against pests and diseases and managing soils.

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Water conservation

We are constantly striving to improve irrigation efficiency, stormwater treatment, lake ecosystems and water quality in the lake system. Recently the Working Wetlands project was completed at Melbourne Gardens, reducing reliance on potable water by 40%.

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Home gardening

How we garden in botanic gardens, how you garden at home and how we all garden as a community has big impacts on the biodiversity and sustainability of urban Australia. The Australian Garden at Cranbourne is designed to showcase how native plants can make a spectacular and waterwise home garden. There is an Australian plant suitable for virtually any situation in your garden, from tall trees to ground covers, aquatic plants to those growing in low light or in full sun. Australian plants attract native birds and butterflies, and brighten up your garden with wonderful seasonal colour. Visit the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria to find inspiration and great tips for using Australian native plants at home.

Visit Cranbourne

Support

Help the Gardens grow

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria has a special place in the hearts and minds of all Victorians. The Gardens has played an important role in the cultural development of Melbourne and can continue to flourish with the help of passionate individuals. There are many ways to get involved with the Gardens and we value any level of support, whether you are a friend or a donor, a member of our Director’s Circle or one of our volunteers. There are also ways to honour those you love by dedicating a tree or a bench within the Garden of your choice.

Support the Gardens

Become a friend

The Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria at Melbourne and Cranbourne Gardens play an active role in raising funds for the gardens through plant sales and programs.

Join the Friends

Donate

It’s easy to help the Gardens. Any donation over $2 is tax deductible and every dollar helps contributes to the work of the Gardens.

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Honour someone you love

Many people share the Gardens with those they love and some visitors choose to mark a significant occasion by dedicating a tree or a bench to someone special. In the Gardens you’ll notice each bench has a dedication plaque featuring a favourite quote or the recognition of an anniversary, achievement or occasion.

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