The Friends’ Trust Fund supports research carried out by researchers based at the Royal Botanic Gardens and National Herbarium of Victoria.
Helen McLellan Research Grants
The Friends’ Helen McLellan Research Grant was established in 2010 to commemorate the generous bequest to the Friends of the late Helen McLellan, with up to $20,000 granted annually.
2024/26
In 2024 the Fund committed to a three-year grant totalling $56,673.40 to Dr Meg Hirst and Dr Tara Hopley for Growing on the Wild Side; exploring the paradigm of cultivating for conservation.
2024/25
A total of of $14,200 was granted in 2024/2025 to the following scholarship recipients in their field of study:
- Janine Richardson, Aboriginal Learning Officer, $2,650 to attend the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) National Conference in October
- Harry Mosley, Facilities Supervisor, $6,990 to undertake a Diploma of Facilities Management
- Therese Turner, North Gardens Team Leader, Melbourne Gardens, $1,815 to attend the Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand 2025 Congress ‘Advancing our reach: innovation and leadership in botanic gardens’
- Mandy Thomson, Team Leader Nursery, Cranbourne Gardens, $2,745 for attendance at the Botanic Gardens of Australia and New Zealand Congress, Canberra, in November 2025.
2023/24
A total of $15,000 was granted in 2024 towards the following recipients and their field of study;
Erin Kelly, Acting Manager Governance and Projects to undertake a PROSCI Change Management certificate
Eugenia Pacciti, Curations Officer Collections Curation to undertake a Diploma in Law and Collections Management
Mandy Thomson, Acting Manager Horticulture Cranbourne to attend the International Plant Propagation Conference in Cairns 2025
Mathieu Lascostes, Horticulturalist Cranbourne to participate in a study trip to Kings Park and the Botanic Gardens WA
Matthew Henderson, Horticulturalist Cranbourne to participate in a study trip to Kings Park and the Botanic Gardens WA
Mitchell Burns, Horticulturalist Cranbourne to participate in a study trip to Kings Park and the Botanic Gardens WA
2020/23
In 2021 the Fund committed to a three-year grant totalling $53,180 to Dr Camille Truong for her research on the Biodiversity and phylogenomics of Australian ectomycorrizhal fungi in Pezziales (Ascomycota). A final grant of $13,700 in 2023 completed the Fund’s commitment to this research project.
2019/20
The Helen McLellan Research Grant of $19,711 was awarded to Alastair Robinson, Manager Biodiversity Services, National Herbarium of Victoria for his project which is investigating the Syndrome of Plant Carnivory in Nepenthes.
2017/2018
A grant of $20,540 was awarded to Megan Hirst, Seedbank Officer, to facilitate ongoing research. This is the second year of a two-year allocation of funds to Megan to test the horticultural potential of rare and threatened Australian plants. This brings the total of grants funded under this scheme to $133,272.
View previous recipients and projects supported by the Helen McLellan Research Grant.
Scholarships for RBGV employees
Scholarships are offered annually to the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria to aid the professional and skills development of selected RBGV staff members. The financial grant is tangible support from the Friends for assistance towards the costs of activities such as:-
- further study
- further skill enhancement through approved courses or projects
- conference participation
- visits and study trips to appropriate organisations in Australia and/or overseas*
- approved research projects
View previous recipients and projects supported by the Friends’ Annual Scholarships