Through the Friends of the Gardens and their Trust Fund, over $3.5 million has been contributed towards projects within the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and the National Herbarium of Victoria.
You can help us to continue to support development, restoration and research in the Gardens by donating to the Friends’ Trust Fund.
2024 Trust Fund Grants
Grants to the sum of $171,857 were paid to RBGV in the 2024 financial year.
The biggest grant of 2024 was $104,071 as the second part of a two-year commitment totalling $200,000 to fund curating and data basing of the Global Collection at the National Herbarium of Victoria. Much of the Global Collection, which represents some hundreds of thousands of specimens assembled by Baron von Mueller in the nineteenth century, remains to be collated. This commitment should see approximately half the Collection collated.
The Trust Fund made a $7,854 grant towards acquiring plant tables for the Growing Friends’ Nursery.
A further $17,092 grant was made towards repairs and upkeep of Gate Lodge.
Other grants included the annual $6,000 General Purpose Grant, $16,860 towards scholarships and $20,000 towards the Helen McLellan Research Grant (further details below)v
Some of the projects and initiatives supported over the last 10 years include:
$69,500 to purchase two new Garden Explorers and their signage, to help many visitors explore the Gardens
$75,000 towards the restoration of the Fern Gully Rest House
- $50,000 for re-design of the Visitor Centre
- $300,000 to build the boardwalk in the Fern Gully enabling access for all
- $190,000 towards the design and construction of the Sensory Garden project
- $30,000 towards the Garden Ambassadors’ POD vehicle
- $70,000 towards the Changing Places facility located at the Visitor Centre
- $24,000 to fund the attendance of RBGV staff to the BGCI Conference 2022
- over $450,000 to Water Works, Water Wise since 2002
- $20,000 per annum – The Friends’ Helen McLellan Research Grant
- $15,000 per annum – The Friends’ 25th Anniversary Staff Scholarships
Botanic Art for the State Botanical Collection
$5,000 is donated every 2 years by the Friends to the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne to purchase Botanic Art at The Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibitions. Together with donations from the Director’s Circle and the Library Fund a number of important works are purchased for the State Botanical Collection.
Bequests
If the Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne have been a part of your life, then you can be a part of their future. By leaving a gift in your Will to the Friends’ Trust Fund you help us to continue our support of projects in the Gardens, including staff development and research.
For more information please contact the Friends’ office on (03) 9650 6398 and ask to speak to someone about bequests.
