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Documents relating to the history of the CANBR

Chronology of some significant events in the history of CANBR

The Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR) is jointly managed by CSIRO Plant Industry and Environment Australia through the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG). Over the years there has been a consolidation of several CSIRO herbaria and finally the Botanic Gardens herbarium into the Australian National Herbarium, managed as part of CPBR.

Significant events in the history of the two parent institutions, and later the CPBR, are set out below.

The Herbarium Code 'CBG' was used by the Herbarium of the Botanic Gardens, and 'CANB' was used by the Herbarium of CSIRO Plant Industry. 'CANB' is now used for the combined Australian National Herbarium.

1926

 

CSIR established.

1927

 

CSIR commissioned Arthur Hill, Director Kew, to visit Canberra and report on plant collections.

1927

 

Hill recommended establishing a `national' herbarium and Aust Botanical Liaison Officer (ABLO)

1928

 

CSIR decide to delay establishment of herbarium due to financial constraints.

1929

 

Mr J Calvert appointed, after training at Kew, to manage vouchers of weeds and poisonous plants

   

Calvert uses the name 'Herbarium Australiensis', later corrected to Herbarium Australiense.

1933

July

Fed. Cap. Advisory Council recomends setting up Botanic Gardens to the Minister for the Interior.

1935

Sept

Dr B T Dickson, Head of CSIR Plant Industry, presents Report on establishing Bot Gdns.(4/9/35)

1941 Nov Dr Edwin Gauba starts collecting herbarium specimens while a prisoner at Loveday Internment Camp in the SA mallee, later to form part of the CBG Herbarium.

1944 - 1958

 

Lindsay Pryor appointed Superintendent of Parks and Gardens for Canberra.

1945

 

A few eucalypts planted by Pryor on site for Botanic Gardens on slopes of Black Mountain.

1946 - 1973

 

Nancy Burbidge appointed first professional systematic botanist to CSIR Herbarium (11/10/46)

1946 - 1948

 

Collecting for Herbarium Australiense undertaken by Stan Blake, who stayed in BRI.

1946

 

CSIR started extensive Land Use Research Surveys, later a Division.

1949

 

Ray Perry & Mike Lazarides establish first reference collection for Land Use Research Surveys.

1949

 

CSIR renamed CSIRO, Ian Clunies Ross appointed as first Chairman.

1949

Sept

Ceremonial planting of Botanic Gardens trees by Ben Chifley and Sir Edward Salisbury, Director Kew.

1950 -1960

 

Dr Erwin Gauba employed as botanist for Dept of Interior, starts collecting herbarium specimens.

1950

March

Minister for the Interior approves the establishment of a Gardens (CBG) Herbarium.(9/3/50)

1950

Sept

Eviction notices sent to grazing lease holders of Botanic Gardens site on Black Mountain.

1952

 

Ru Hoogland joined CSIRO Div Land Use Research, coordinates extensive PNG collecting.

1952 December Nancy Burbidge arrives at Kew Herbarium, U.K., to act as the Australian Botanical Liaison Officer
1954 July Nancy Burbidge attends the VIII International Botanical Congress in Paris, France, as an Australian representative
1954 November Nancy Burbidge returns to Canberra from Kew, visting several U.S. herbaria en route [report in html and pdf formats]

1955

March

CSIRO Herbarium receives donation of 1282 specimens ex Mueller's herbarium from the National Museum of Canada (28/3/55) [correspondence]

1958

 

Lindsay Pryor appointed Professor of Botany, ANU.

1960

 

Erwin Gauba joins Pryor as part-time Lecturer at ANU.

1960

June

Dr Betty Phillips appointed Botanist (for Botanic Gardens ) to replace Gauba.

1960

Aug

Answer to Senate question confirm 'indigenous' nature of Botanic Gardens collection (25/8/60).

1962

 

Botanic Gardens Herbarium moved from wooden buildings at Acton to brick cottage at Downer.

1964

 

Botanic Gardens (CBG) Herbarium contained 15 000 specimens.

1965 -1966   Mike Lazarides at Kew as ABLO

1966

 

CBG Herbarium, Office, Library, buildings completed in Botanic Gardens.

1967

Sept

Gardens open to public for first time. (27/9/67)

1970

 

Horticultural Research Laboratory and Display Room added to Herbarium/Office building.

1970

Oct

Official opening of Gardens by Prime Minister John Gorton. (20/10/70)

1973

 

Herbaria of CSIRO Divisions of Plant Industry and Land Use Research united, staff together.

1973 - 1981

 

Hj.Eichler appointed Curator of Herbarium Australiense to succeed Nancy Burbidge (- /6/73).

1973

 

New CSIRO (CANB) Herbarium building completed at CSIRO's Black Mountain site.

1973

June

Foundations laid for new Botany Building and Herbarium in the Botanic Gardens.

1973

June

50,000 specimens in CBG Herbarium

1973

 

250,000 specimens in CANB Herbarium

1973

Dec

At CBG, Dr Betty Phillips retires due to ill health.

1974

Jan

At CBG, Arthur Court appointed to head Herbarium.

1974

 

New Botanic Gardens CBG Herbarium and botanists' offices completed.

1975

March

Gazettal of 'Herbarium Australiense' as an institution - to house collections of "plants of Australia and adjacent territories" (25/3/75)

1975 -1976   Andries (Andrew) Kanis at Kew as ABLO

1977

March

Dept of Science report on biological data recommends close liaison between CANB and CBG.

1977

June

Establishment of Cryptogam collection of CBG Herbarium in the Botanic Gardens.

1978

 

Establishment of new plant taxonomic journal 'Brunonia' by Herbarium Australiense.

1978

Oct

CSIRO Herbarium receives 1069 specimens collected in Australia by Robert Brown from 1802–1805. These were duplicates donated by the British Museum (Natural History). (16/10/78) [correspondence]

1978

Dec

'Canberra Botanic Gardens' became `National Botanic Gardens'. (21/12/78)

1979

July

Dr Robert Boden appointed Director of Botanic Gardens.

1980

Sept

Opening of Burbidge Memorial Amphitheatre by Lady Cohen (14/9/80).

1981

 

Hj Eichler retires as Curator of Herbarium Australiense.

1981 -1982   Mike Crisp (CBG) at Kew as ABLO

1984

 

Start of computerisation of Living Collections at Botanic Gardens.

1984

May

'National Botanic Gardens' became 'Australian National Botanic Gardens' (15/5/84)

1984

June

Name change of 'Herbarium Australiense' Gazetted to 'Australian National Herbarium'. (26/6/84) [PDF]

1984

 

Aust National Herbarium takes over management of FRI Eucalypt collection and Atherton rainforest herbarium.

1985

Nov

Opening of Visitor Information Centre, including Public Reference Herbarium by Prince and Princess of Wales. (7/11/85)

1985

Dec

Gov Gen approved transfer of Gardens from Dept Territories to Dept Art Her & Env.(12/12/85)

1986

Jul

Minister for Science, Barry Jones, announces start to databasing Australian National Herbarium (CSIRO) collection. (more) (7/7/86)

1987

July

CANB (CSIRO) herbarium loans started to be recorded in database.

1987 Sept. Judy West at Kew as ABLO Sept 87 - Sept 88

1988

 

Start of data capture from CBG Herbarium labels.

1988

 

Micro-computer operating UNIX with ORACLE software purchased for Gardens.

1989 Oct Establishment of 'Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS) at Gardens.

1989

Oct

CBG (ANBG) herbarium loans started to be recorded in IBIS database.

1990

 

200,000 specimens in CBG Herbarium.

1991

Sept

Governor General proclaims ANBG a reserve under ANPWS Act (10/9/91)

1991

Sept

Establishment of 'Australian Network for Plant Conservation' ANPC at Gardens.

1992

April

First publication of Musci Australasiae Exsiccati by CBG Cryptogam section.

1992

May

NPWC Act 1975 ammended to include definition of botanic gardens and objectives (7/5/92)

1992

May

David Kay takes over as Director Biodiversity ANPWS and hence Gardens Director (25/5/92)

1992

May

ComCare coverage for volunteers at ANBG and its herbarium gazetted by Minister of Industrial Relations (27/5/92)

1992

Dec

First intake of studens under CBG Herbarium Botanical Internship Scheme.

1993

Feb

Memorandum signed to establish the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (3/2/93)

1993

June

ANPWS name changed to Australian Nature Conservation Agency (ANCA) (1/6/93)

1993 July ANBG launches it internet website: www.anbg.gov.au (8/7/93)

1993

Nov

Formal signing of agreement to establish Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (22/11/93)

1994

March

ANBG Plan of Management came into effect after 20 sitting days in both Houses. (3/3/94)

1994

Oct

Handover of new Australian National Herbarium building at CSIRO for CPBR.

1994

Nov

Move of herbarium specimens from ANBG site to new CSIRO building (23/11/94)

1995

Jan

First student Internship program operated from the newly combined herbaria at CSIRO (2/1/95)

1995

March

Compactus removed from ANBG Herbarium to allow cryptogams to go upstairs (17/3/95)

1995

May

Opening of Australian National Herbarium building at CSIRO by Minister Faulkner (23/5/95)

1995 - 1996

 

Herbarium Curator, Bob Makinson, at Kew as ABLO Sept 95 - Sept 96.

1996

Dec

Launch of ROTAP publication by Minister for Environment, Robert Hill, at ANH (3/12/96)

1998

July

Major review of Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR) by external reviewers (9-10/7/98)

1999

June

Combined CBG-CANB-APNI herbarium specimen database became operational - known as ANHSIR.

1999

June

New 'Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Bill' passed by Senate (24/6/99)

1999

Sept

First Biodiversity Month seminar series organised by CPBR Wednesdays in Sept at Discovery Centre.

1999

Sept

John Hicks appointed Director ANBG (Assistant Secretary Parks Australia South) (9/9/99)

2000

April

New ten-year agreement for joint management of Centre for Biodivesity Research signed (14/4/00)

2000

Sept

Second Biodiversity Month seminar series hosted by CPBR at Discovery Centre on Wednesdays.

2000

Oct

Robin Nielsen starts as the Director of the Australian National Botanic Gardens (12/10/00)

2001

Feb

'Genetics, Demography . . . Fragmented Populations' book launch at Discovery Centre (7/2/01)

2001

Feb

Australia's Virtual Herbarium proposal approved by ANZECC SCC for $10m (9/2/01)

2001

April

'What's Its Name?' web interface for APNI became operational for public. Published Proteaceae.

2001

May

Open Days for CPBR held on ANBG site as part of Science Festival (4-5/5/01)

2001

May

Australia's Virtual Herbarium (AVH) funding proposal signed by Env Minister Hill for $10m (4/5/01)

2001

May

Bob Makinson leaves for Sydney after 10 years as Curator of Herbarium with Gardens and CPBR (25/5/01)

2001

Oct

Herbarium on CSIRO site open to public for two days as part of CSIRO 75th Anniversary (20-21/10/01)

2001

Dec

Second Management Plan for ANBG approved by Minister Kemp for printing and tabling. (10/12/01)

2001

Dec

AVH team win CSIRO PI Chief's Award for Technology Uptake (West, Croft, Whitbread, Palmer, Fagg, Whalen)

2001

Dec

John Hicks off for 12 months long-serfing-leave, David Kay replacing him as Branch Head for Dept of Environment (21/12/01)

2002

Feb

ANBG Management Plan tabled in House of Reps and Senate on 12 February 2002.

2002

Feb

Bernie Hyland retired after 40 years of rainforest work at Atherton (8/2/02) (more)

2003

Jan

Director Judy West seconded to Dept of Science (DEST) for one year, Jim Croft acts as CPBR Director.

2003

May

Public Reference Herbarium relocated from ANBG Visitor Information Centre to ground floor of Botany Building.

2003

June

Director Judy West awarded Order of Australia for services to botany and Australia's Virtual Herbarium.

2003

November

Public Reference Herbarium relocated from ground floor of Botany Building to ANBG Library, following installation of compactus units.

2004

Oct

Started databasing digital images of type specimens from collection (7/10/04)

2005

Apr

Work commences on 'Australian Plant Census' with appointment of Tony Orchard as coordinator (11/4/05)

2006

Aug

New management arrangements in CSIRO result in the Conservation Biology program leaving the CPBR (7/8/06)

2006

Aug

Open days held in Herbarium as part of Science Week on weekend of 19-20 August.

2006

Dec

Anne Duncan appointed Director of the ANBG (20/11/06)

2008

March

Australian Tropical Forest Institute, incorporating the Australian Tropical Herbarium opened on 4/3/08, Darren Crayn appointed Director 31/3/08.

2008

May

Botanical Resource Centre opened at ANBG by Marlena Jeffery to house the Public Reference Herbarium (15/5/08)

2008

July

CSIRO establishes 'Biological Collections' theme, with the CPBR as part of that, along with the National Insect Collection, etc

2009

May

Second external review of the CPBR, chaired by Bryan Gilligan, with Tim Entwistle, Sue Serjeantson, Dave Coates. (11-13/5/09)

2009

June

John Connors retires after 28 years with CSIRO, much input into Euclid, (12/6/09)

2009 Nov Judy West ceases as Director of CPBR to take up the role of Director of the ANBG and head of new Science Branch in Parks Australia (13/11/09)
2010 Oct Name change from 'Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research' (CPBR) to 'Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research' (CANBR)
2010 Oct Open Day held at the Herbarium on both CSIRO and Gardens sites as part of ANBG's 40th anniversary celebrations (24/10/10)
2010 Dec Launch of the web-based 3rd version of 'Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants' (9/12/10)
2010 Dec The 3rd Agreement, to continue the CANBR for a further 5 years, signed by the parties (21/12/10)
2011 Jan Announcement of appointment of Andrew Young as new Director of CANBR, the position to be jointly funded by CSIRO and Parks Australia (31/1/11).

2011

March

Andrew Young starts as 2nd Director of the Centre (1/3/11)

 

 

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