Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens
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Volunteers

The volunteer program in the Geelong Botanic Gardens is managed by the City of Greater Geelong, register here if you are interested in being hands on in the Gardens : Volunteer registration - City of Greater Geelong

Volunteers are involved in a number of key areas which support the Gardens and also assist with the business of the Friends. These include:

  • the Growers who maintain the Friends'  Nursery which is open each Wednesday morning.  The Nursery also holds a weekend Plant Sale each Autumn, Winter and Spring,

  • TheVolunteer Guides who conduct many activities and invite visitors to join them to discover more about the Garden.  Read more about these activities at: Discovering the Gardens.

  • the Volunteer Gardeners who regularly work in the Gardens at the Perennial Border and the Heritage Rose Garden and Weeders.

Volunteers are also involved with the Friends in other areas:
  • our volunteers who maintain the GBG and FGBG Libraries. providing support to the Friends' office,
  • assisting at many of our events which are regularly listed at What's On, including our very successful local garden tour Through the Garden Gates, which began in 2012 and is usually held in November. 
  • or taking a position on our Committee, Sub-committees and working groups. which ensure our organisation continues to operate smoothly.
  
 
 
August 2026

The United Nations International Volunteer Day is in December each year. It is an opportunity to say thank you to all our wonderful volunteers, who contribute their time and energy to the Friends and the Gardens so willingly.

National Volunteer Week is held in Australia each year in May. The Friends celebrate the contributions and dedication of the many members who volunteer, with an annual Volunteers Luncheon and guest speaker afternoon in May.

The Guides

Would you like to share the history of the fourth oldest botanic garden in Australia. The first curators were avid plant collectors and many of the splendid trees they planted, now have Heritage status. Several historic structures have also found a home here, including some 'curiosities'.

Why not train as a GBG Guide?

  • Join our next training course in February 2027.
  • Learn about our plants and history (you do not have to know everything!!!)
  • Partner with a mentor Guide
  • Share the wonders of our Gardens with visitors.

  • The Guides meeting is once a month and Guides are usually on duty for 1-2 hours per month.

The Growers

The Growing Friends are enthusiastic volunteers who meet on Wednesday mornings to propagate, pot and prepare quality plants for sale to the public. Read more about the Growers

Perennial Border

The Perennial team is always seeking keen volunteers to join them on Wednesday mornings. There are friendships to be made, weeds to manage, dead-heading and trimming of those plants eagerly claiming more space than desired. Read more about the Perennial Border group

Heritage Rose Growers 

The Western District Heritage Rose Group has maintained and developed the rose beds at the Geelong Botanic Gardens since 1997. Read more about the Rose Group

Weeders

A volunteer horticulture team was established in early 2022 to help maintain the Geelong Botanic Gardens. Since then, the team has worked weekly to remove weeds from designated garden areas selected by the Supervisor. Read more about the Weeders

Library

The Friends coordinate the GBG Reference Library, an excellent source of botanical and horticultural information. Read more about the Library