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.
2025 Trust Fund Grants
The biggest grant of 2025 was the funding for the restoration of fourteen arbours and other structures located throughout the Gardens which were constructed when Baron von Mueller was Director of the Gardens. This grant, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of von Mueller’s birth, represents the first instalment of a multi year commitment of $270,000 towards the project.
The Fund made the following further grants to the RBGV during the year:
- $6,000 towards the General Purpose Grant
- $18,540 towards the Growing Friends’ facilities
- $5,000 for the purchase of works of botanical art for the State Collection from The Art of Botanical Illustration (TABI 2024)
- $14,200 towards scholarships
- $20,000 to the Helen McLellan Research Grant
- $1,200 for the Sharwood Travel Bursary.
Helen McLellan Research Grant - In 2024 the Fund agreed to a three year $56,673 commitment to research by Dr Megan Hirst and Dr Tara Hopley, ‘Growing on the Wild Side’, exploring the paradigm of cultivation for cultivation. $20,000 was paid towrads the research commitment in both 2024 and 2025, with the balance of $16,673 remaining in the 2026 financial year.
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.
