A key feature of the facility are the six protective vaults with precisely controlled environmental conditions, which are assisted by the building’s elegant, long span “fly-roof” to shield the precious collection from bushfires and extreme weather conditions.
Over 100 leading scientists, researchers and staff will now be based at the ‘green’ facility which boasts sustainability benefits, from a large photovoltaic array on the roof that will generate electricity for the facility within and rainwater harvesting technology for irrigation.
The project has generated over 350 jobs for local New South Wales residents, with expectations to create more as the science hub continues to expand and gives the region an added boost to its to economy with plans to host public programs, helping to carve a new identity for South-West Sydney.
The facility’s innovative, functional, and sustainable design is inspired by the waratah seed pod of New South Wales’s floral emblem.
Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the National Herbarium of New South Wales would become an important cultural and scientific asset and safeguard the Australian Institute of Botanical Science’s growing collection of important plant specimens.
“It is fitting that this world-class facility has found a new home in the growing Western Parkland City, made possible through a commitment of $60 million from the NSW Government as part of the Western Sydney City Deal (WSCD),” Mr Ayres said.
“This has brought an important cultural and scientific attraction to the west."
Dharawal man Uncle Ivan performs the Smoking Ceremony at the Herbarium.
Member for Camden Peter Sidgreaves said he was proud to welcome the Herbarium to Sydney’s south-west.
As part of the monumental move to the new facility, the largest herbarium imaging project in the southern hemisphere took place to capture each specimen as a high-resolution image to create a new tech-enabled era of management which helps to reduce the physical handling of the fragile specimens and provide unlimited access to scientists, across the globe that will allow faster and more extensive research outcomes.
Find out more
To discover more information about the Herbarium or access its collection, visit the website.