The Hunter Region Botanic Gardens cover an area of more than 130 hectares, much of which has been preserved as natural bushland. The Gardens are managed, maintained and developed by a non-profit company of volunteers.
To welcome visitors, the Gardens have a Visitor Centre, cafe, gift shop and reference library. Devonshire teas and light lunches are served daily, or visitors can picnic in the Gardens. Walks and excursions are organised regularly, and there is a program of special events.
The Gardens are constantly growing as new displays are developed for recreational, educational and scientific purposes. Australian and introduced species are laid out in theme areas including acacias, banksias, myrtaceae, grevillias, ferns, bushtucker plants, succulents and palms. Rare and endangered Australian species are also cultivated. Our orchid houses are extremely popular with visitors.
Many of the plants are suitable for the home garden, and the landscaping is an inspiration for the keen gardener. Expert personal advice is available on plantings and propagation, and a large selection of plants and herbs can be purchased at low prices from our plant stall.
Easy walking trails provide access to the natural bushland with its mature blackbutt, angophoras and swamp mahogany forests and its understorey of more than 150 native plants. Their forests are the natural habitat of goannas, wallabies, lizards, brushtail and ringtail possums, sugar gliders, bats, a small group of resident koalas and many birds.
The Hunter Region Botanic Gardens was established on 11th November 1985 and is a Public Not for Profit Company Limited by guarantee.
The objectives for which the Company is established are:
To establish a botanic garden within the Hunter Region that would serve the people as a focus for the appreciation, study, research and enjoyment of horticulture, botany and related fields by the growing and display of plants, both native and introduced species, in landscaped and natural surroundings.
The Board of Directors of the Company consists of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and 7 Directors.
All Directors work on a voluntary basis and also have operational roles at the Gardens.
The members of the Board hold office until the next ensuing Annual General Meeting, when they retire and are eligible for re-election.
Our Current Directors are:
Chairman – Ken Page
Deputy Chairman –Kevin Stokes
Company Secretary - Robert Beautement
Treasurer and CEO – Robert Beautement
Lynda McPherson
Alison Abbott
Lorraine Zions
Helen Howard
Annika St-Jean
Ian Farnsworth
Our Senior Staff are:
Susie Satorie – Director, Business Services
Jeannie Lawson – Manager, Fundraising and Events
Trudy Lilley – Manager, Café and Catering Services
Louise Ingram - Volunteer Coordinator and Membership Secretary
Our Patron is:
Emeritus Professor Tim Roberts AM
Professor Roberts, a distinguished scientist and educator, was awarded Member of the Order of Australia in 2022
for his significant service to environmental and life sciences and to tertiary education.
Tim Roberts was Director of the Tom Farrell Institute for the Environment at the University of Newcastle from 2010 until 2018. He continues to be active in research in the laboratory and has published some 130 papers.