Events .... big and small!

The various Regions and District Groups which make up the Society for Growing Australian Plants all hold a range of activities throughout the year. Activities include plant sales, wildflower exhibitions, tree and shrub plantings, bush regeneration days, garden visits, bushwalks and regular meetings.

The activities listed here are by no means a complete programme of all activities. They have been selected as being of particular interest to those who are not (yet?) Society members. They also include activities by other organisations.

Details of other Society activities can be obtained from the World Wide Web sites for the Society's Regional Groups:

• Canberra
• New South Wales
• Queensland
• South Australia (inc. Alice Springs)
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

2009...2009...2009

September - October

Geelong, Victoria

ASGAP 2009 Conference and Seminar
26 September - 2 October.

The Victorian Region is pleased to host the 25th Biennial Conference and Seminar of ASGAP. We are looking forward to welcoming you in September.

The theme of the Conference is "Australian Plants in the 21st Century." The challenges we face today through climate change and drought in growing and conserving our unique Australian flora requires us to explore new ways in growing native plants and conserving water.

The three days of lectures will revolve around the themes of" Looking Around ", "Looking Forward ", and "Local Issues ".

Three one day tours are planned. One will cover the Brisbane Ranges, gardens and nurseries around Geelong, and the other two will take us further afield to the Otway Ranges and Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne.

Together with the pre and post conference tours and day trips we hope to show our visitors some of the wide diversity of the flora of Victoria, its native gardens and other local attractions. Our theme ... "Australian Plants in the 21st. Century" will be highlighted by our speakers and on field trips.

Victoria is known as "the Garden State" because its peoples have always loved gardens. But they also love the bushland that supports our wide diversity of flora and most members live within a few hours travel of the bush.The third smallest state, we believe we have it all here in Victoria. Approximately 4,000 species have been recorded in Victoria. Our vegetation types vary from rainforests - both subtropical and temperate, sclerophyll forests, dry wet and grassy woodlands, mallee, low shrubland and sub alpine areas. In conjunction with the vegetation types are the varying rocks, soils and climate types which have an impact on which species of plants occur in any particular area.

Our Victorian members take up the challenge to grow a wide variety of native plants in different climates and soil types contending with current drought conditions, yet creating many beautiful gardens. We have learnt that many of our Australian plants are truly adaptable.

The conference will be held at Costa Hall.This is located in the heart of Geelong, overlooking the water front. The city centre is only a short walk away. Accommodation is at the Marcus Oldham College near Deakin University and buses will ferry visitors to and from the conference venue and three local caravan parks. Geelong also offers a range of other accommodation.

Won't you come to Geelong? We hope you can all join us to make the conference and seminar a great success. You will meet up with lots of old friends as well as making new ones.

Paul Kennedy, Conference Convenor

Further details on the program, venues, accommodation and tour itineraries are available on the ASGAP 2009 website which will be regularly updated as new information comes to hand.

You can download a Registration Form here.