Free entry at Macarthur’s $20 million Australian PlantBank, located in Australia’s largest botanic garden

Australian Botanic Garden

A free public open day at Macarthur’s $20 million Australian PlantBank, located in Australia’s largest botanic garden, will take place on Sunday, August 23, 2015.

Opened in the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, in 2013, the Australian PlantBank was built to house seeds from all of Australia’s 25,000 native plant species in order to conserve the country’s flora for the future. The futuristic facility provides plant and seed scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust with research laboratories that specialise in horticultural research and conservation of Australian native flora. Some of the world’s ground breaking botanical research is undertaken at the Australian PlantBank in Macarthur.

Visitors on August 23 can explore the PlantBank and join free talks with research findings and expert scientists giving valuable information on the important role plants play in our lives. A PlantBank app can also be downloaded to gain an in-depth insight into the exciting projects underway at PlantBank.

In the surrounding botanic gardens, visitors can bring a picnic rug, use BBQ facilities and enjoy one of Australia’s largest collections of wattle species which will be in spectacular bloom in the wattle garden on August 23. The open day will also feature art activities and entertainment as well as arts and crafts stalls, insect displays and demonstrations on plant research and conservation. Children can enjoy a range of free entertainment including face painting, seed planting and much more. A coffee cart and refreshments will also be made available.