We’re proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 BGANZ Professional Awards — recognising outstanding leadership, innovation, and dedication across botanic gardens in Australia and New Zealand.
Partnership Award
Grampians / Gariwerd Endemic Botanic Garden – WAMA Foundation
The Grampians is one of the biodiversity hotspots of Victoria containing over 30% of the State’s native flora. The vision for the Grampians/Gariwerd Endemic Botanic Garden is to provide a collection of 70+ endemic species in a regional botanic garden. Endemism refers to those species that are located in a single, defined area and not found/sourced elsewhere. Given the geographically small distribution of many Grampians endemic plants, it is not surprising that the vast majority are listed as rare, endangered or critically endangered. These species are being further threatened by climate change and an associated increase in wildfires. The Endemic Garden is located on the east side of the Grampians/Gariwerd National Park and has been developed in a partnership between the Wama Foundation, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) and the Victorian Department of Environment. Funding of $48,000 from the State Government’s “Growing Victoria’s Regional Botanic Gardens Program”, enabled the commencement of construction for Stage 1 (3/4 of a hectare) – commenced in July 2022 and completed in 2023. The project included the collection and propagating of local provenance material. It involved detailed research, local knowledge, collecting permits from Parks Victoria, and collecting from areas with difficult access.
Education and Public Engagement Award
Raising Rarity School Outreach Program – Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Raising Rarity is a conservation initiative that engages schools and local communities in safeguarding rare and threatened plant species native to their bioregion. Through hands-on plant cultivation, monitoring and seed harvesting, participants contribute valuable data and seed collections to the Victorian Conservation Seedbank, supporting long-term species preservation. Aligned with STEAM education principles, the program provides authentic, interdisciplinary learning experiences that build scientific and horticultural skills while fostering environmental literacy. Students from primary to secondary levels become active stewards of biodiversity, gaining real-world insights into conservation science. Each year, Raising Rarity expands into bioregional hubs, strengthening partnerships between schools, regional botanic gardens and local communities. This scalable model promotes grassroots action and cultivates a shared responsibility for protecting Victoria’s unique flora. By empowering young people and their communities to take meaningful local action. Raising Rarity contributes to ongoing research, seed banking and the development of future environmental leaders.
Environmental Sustainability Award
Australian Drylands – Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
The Australian Drylands (AD) demonstrates leadership in climate adaptation and landscape succession and contemporary design by rejuvenating an under-utilised area (approx. 3200sqm) of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Melbourne Gardens to showcase what a future sustainable landscape may look like. The heritage connection to native flora for the previously named ‘Australian Bed’ was maintained but redefined to focus on native plants which have evolved in hot and dry climates. This required collaboration across state borders and collecting trips to source species entirely new to Melbourne Gardens, and in some cases cultivation in general. The reimagining of the site involved extensive internal and external collaboration, from the design of the new pathway, the storytelling and teaching potential of the Fire and Palm nodes, to the assessment of existing trees and the creation of expansive new planting opportunities. A detailed interpretation program was developed, pulling together the many story threads that make up this endeavour. This redevelopment exemplifies the spirit necessary to face climate change – combining scientific research and indigenous insight to create an environment that is designed to be wondrous and still thriving in the climate of 50 years’ time. The Australian Drylands demonstrates the courage to take risks in a changing climate.
Horticulture & Landscape Award
Dry River Bed – Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (Cranbourne)
A Plant-Based Solution to a Wicked Dilemma: The Dry River Bed (DRB) precinct is a curved, sunken area that provides a key structural division between the Red Sand Garden and the Eucalypt Walk within the Australian Garden. Originally planted with dense hedgerows of woody shrubs, the 3,300m2 site was rapidly colonised by Armillaria spp., leading to widespread dieback and a significant decline in the precinct’s visual and horticultural value. A full soil removal and landscape redevelopment was deemed unfeasible due to the scale and complexity of the site. Instead, a new planting approach was adopted: herbaceous perennials, grasses, and flowering monocots – entirely Australian native species – replaced the original shrubs. This plant-based approach successfully established a resilient, visually striking, all herbaceous border composed entirely of Australian native plants. The DRB reimagines the traditional herbaceous perennial border concept by blending native perennials and annuals in an innovative, uniquely Australian plant design. Beyond revitalising the DRB, the project introduces new planting typologies that support ongoing research into sustainable landscape management, while enriching the visitor experience through dynamic, ecologically informed horticulture.
Living Collection Curation Award
Shoalhaven Heads Native Botanic Garden’s Volunteer Led Garden Creating a Future With a Living Collection – Shoalhaven Heads Native Botanic Garden
Thanks to a grant from Horizon Bank for access to the Hortis database in 2023, Curator Rob Stewart has spent many hours adding plants to the online Hortis database. Visitors, researchers, and nature enthusiasts have the opportunity to explore the Garden’s rich collection of Australian native plants, including many threatened and endangered species. As a totally volunteer-run group, mainly made up of retirees – currently numbering about 20 members – it is essential to have an easily accessed system instead of relying on one person’s memory or paperwork in the filing cabinet at home. Visitors can utilise the onsite QR code, or the link from the web page, to find the names of plants with basic information. They can then do more research if they wish. This is very helpful if planting a native garden at their homes in the area. Volunteers no longer need to ask where a particular plant is if taking cuttings etc. for propagation. It also stops the duplication of methods of maintenance if they have not been successful in the past. As well as helping to continue with tried and tested practices.
