THE AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN MOUNT ANNAN
australianbotanicgarden.com.au
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART NATIONAL HERBARIUM OF NSW HAS OFFICIALLY COMMENCED WITH NSW MINISTERS TURNING THE SOD AT THE AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN MOUNT ANNAN
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s Australia’s oldest scientific institution, the Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust has spent over 200 years discovering, researching and protecting plants. In this challenging era of climate change, it is imperative now, more than ever, that we understand the impacts to our natural environment and drive effective conservation solutions. As part of the Western Sydney City Deal, the NSW Government announced a $60 million package to fund the construction of brand new National Herbarium of NSW at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan to safeguard the growing collection of around 1.4 million botanical specimens.
26 THE GARDENS SUMMER 2020–2021
In late August 2020, NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces the Hon. Rob Stokes MP, NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney the Hon. Stuart Ayres MP, the local member for Camden Mr Peter Sidgreaves MP and Botanic Gardens Greater Sydney Chief Executive Denise Ora officially announced the construction with a sod turning for the new Herbarium.
PURPOSE & VISION We're building a brand new National Herbarium of NSW at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan to safeguard our growing collection of around 1.4 million botanical specimens. The new state-of-the-art Herbarium
facility will join the award-winning Australian PlantBank at Mount Annan, to ensure the survival of plants and build more resilient ecosystems for future generations. The new Herbarium, along with all of the Gardens' scientific facilities, programs and living collections across the three Botanic Gardens, are being united under the new Australian Institute of Botanical Science. The Institute will be one of the nation’s premier botanical research organisations, advancing fundamental knowledge of flora and driving effective conservation solutions to ensure the survival of plants, and all life that depends on them.
