Meet our volunteers

We believe that our volunteers are a vital part of the pure energy and enthusiasm that maintains the vibrant environment for the public to enjoy across the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust. Most importantly volunteering reconnects the community with nature, keeps you socially active and mentally healthy.

It’s I nternational Volunteer Day and I am so thankful to the 800 plus volunteers that support the people, culture, and environment of the Botanic Gardens.

We are extremely lucky to have so many dedicated volunteers that love and respect our green spaces as much as we do. Volunteering is one of the life bloods of our organisation and has been a part of the way we work for over 40 years.

While we may not be gathering at our favourite places right now, I know that we are in this together!

Thank you so much for all that you do throughout the year.

Denise Ora, Chief Executive of the Botanic Gardens Greater Sydney

How did volunteers stay connected to the Botanic Gardens over the year?

This year has been challenging for so many reasons, but it also gave people the chance to reflect and embrace new technology to connect with family and friends, and to learn new activities through virtual platforms. Many of our volunteers continued to assist remotely with resource development or research for their programs. The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Volunteer Guides continued to conduct their monthly meetings along with guest speakers via Zoom, and Steve Cartland, Head Volunteer Guide, produced a monthly Botanic Bugle with wonderful botanical stories and contributions from other volunteers, links to talks and virtual learning opportunities.

Hear from our volunteers

Frank and Ros Allatt

Tour Guides at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah

Bill Cheshire

PlantClinic volunteer

Mary Cail

Specimen mounting program

Ann Wilcher

Specimen mounting program

Vicki Davies

PlantBank tour guide at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan

Barbara Darmanin

Specimen mounting program

Peter Martin

Woodworking

Flora Deverall

Guide at Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Jane and Peter D’Olier

Glen and Susan Armstrong

The Garden’s first volunteer group consisted of eight guides taking the public for walks around our historic site.

Today the volunteers donate their time and skills to assist the programs and work covering; horticulture, science, visitor engagement and information services, herbarium specimen-mounting, bush regeneration, wildlife monitoring and asset restoration.

The Garden’s charitable organisation, Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Garden s volunteers also assist in a variety of programs including the Growing Friends, plant sales, Botanica and Artisans in the Gardens exhibitions and events such as the New Years Eve Picnic. All of these efforts help by raising money to support the projects that otherwise would not be possible.

Meet the team

Who are our volunteers? Now a large network, our volunteers who support us range from 18 to over 80 years of age, they bring an enormous range of professional skills plus personal passion to their volunteer positions.