news, local-news, Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, John Siemon, Cathy Offord, Macarthur

The jewel in Macarthur’s crown will celebrate a significant milestone next week. The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan will reach its 30th birthday on Tuesday, October 2. The venue has become a major tourism destination since it was opened by the Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1988. The garden is home each year to the largest paper daisy trail on the Australian eastern coast but is also a hub for the country’s native plant species. Curator manager John Siemon said the 416-hectare garden started from humble beginnings but had become a popular destination and world-class facility. “There has been considerable change here over the years and I sometimes forget how far the garden has come,” he said. “What was originally a cow paddock has now become a world-class botanic garden. “This is my 17th year at the garden so I’m proud to have been here for over half of the garden’s history. “We are very excited to reach such a huge milestone.” Mr Siemon said one of the facility’s proudest moments was establishing the Australian Plant Bank on site. The science and research facility specialises in horticultural research and the conversation of Australian native plant species. “The plant will one day be home to all of Australia’s 25,000 plant species and provide great research opportunities,” Mr Siemon said. Mr Siemon said he was excited about the botanic garden’s future, which includes the construction of a mega-herbarium facility worth $60 million. The National Herbarium of NSW will move its Centre of Innovation in Plant Sciences from Sydney’s Botanical Gardens to Mount Annan. Construction is set to begin in 2019. “The centre will open in the next few years and will be Australia’s leading plant conservation facility,” Mr Siemon said. “This will hopefully allow us to become one of the great tourism attractions in western Sydney.” Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan’s principal research scientist Dr Cathy Offord joined the Macarthur facility in 1989. Dr Offord said she had seen “enormous change” in the past three decades. “There was no science centre or laboratories here when I started,” she said. “The botanic garden is more than just a park, it’s where we learn about our native species.” Dr Offord has been a driving force behind the Australian Plant Bank’s success. “The scientific component of what goes on at our gardens can be found in the plant bank,” she said. “We are often the first people to collect a new species and bring them into cultivation. We've gone a long way to go towards understanding Australia’s flora.” Dr Offord said her proudest achievement was helping to lead the conservation program of the Wollemi pine since the species was discovered more than 20 years ago. “This species is arguably one of the world’s most famous plant discoveries of the past 60 years," she said. Dr Offord said she expected visitor numbers at the garden to grow in the coming years. “I expect it will be a showcase for Australian native plants and a major drawcard for visitors across the world,” she said. There will be a series of celebrations during October to toast the anniversary including a garden picnic on the lakeside lawn, an eco art workshop and the launch of an art exhibition. Details: Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan website.

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