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| Number 1, October, 2009 | Number 2, December, 2009 | Number 3, February 2010 | Number 4, April 2010 |
| Number 5, August 2010 | Number 6, October 2010 | Number 7, March 2011 | Number 8 July 2011 |
NEWSLETTER NO 9 October 2011
Recent Events and ActivitiesThe main event since our last newsletter was –
General Meeting of Friends of Williamstown Botanic Gardens Wednesday 17th August 2011
At a well attended meeting Jenny Possingham, Volunteer Guides Coordinator for the Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens gave a most interesting presentation about the history of their Botanic Gardens. Her focus was on the many people who have worked to develop these fine botanic gardens over 150 years. She also talked about their guiding program and the need for guides to be trained in practical aspects of taking groups on tours. Helena Buxton President of the Geelong Friends Group then talked about the way their Friends group operates. Both speakers stressed that any Friends group needs to decide on its focus and on activities which can be realistically handled by the Friends given their membership and resources. We all enjoyed the exchange of ideas.
A copy of the text on which Jenny based her talk is on our website and a hard copy will be available in the Williamstown Library.
Our Head Gardener, Shelley Wood and Loraine Callow of Hobsons Bay City Council came to the meeting. Shelley gave us an update on the Williamstown Botanic Gardens. She spoke about the upcoming refurbishment of the pond and also asked if members of the Friends could come along on the 3rd of November and enjoy the annual Vintage Games for primary school children on the Fearon Reserve.
Shelley also proposed that the Friends propagating group would be provided with cuttings and seeds of botanic specimens from the Gardens to propagate. These would then be the plants developed for sale.
Upcoming Events and Activities
We were asked to circulate the following invitation and have emailed it to members.
"At the next meeting of the Williamstown Garden Club at 7.30pm on Monday the 10th of October in the Ladies Bowling Club Melbourne Road Williamstown we will have two members of the Friends of Melton Botanic Gardens (Alan and Jill) who have a great presentation on the development of the Melton Botanic Garden. I invite all members of the Friends of Williamstown Botanic Gardens to come and enjoy learning about this exciting development at Melton."
Regards
Rod Noonan
President, Williamstown Garden Club
Guided walk in Williamstown Botanic Gardens
Saturday 15 October 2011
John Hawker, Horticulturist, Heritage Victoria will lead a walk for the Friends of WBG and members of the Inner West Branch of the National Trust at 2.00pm on Saturday the 15th of October. He will talk about significant trees which will link with the tree labels the Friends have provided. All members are invited to come to this interesting tour with John to benefit from his knowledge and enthusiasm
Annual General Meeting of the Friends of WBG
26 October 2011
The second Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Williamstown Botanic Gardens will be at 7.30 pm on Wednesday the 26th of October 2011 in the Ladies Bowling Clubroom, Melbourne Road Williamstown. Nominations will be sought for the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and two general members. Please contact the secretary, Geoffrey King on 9397 5672 if you wish to nominate. There will be supper after the meeting.
Story Time in the Gardens October 2011 to April 2012
This program will run from 10.30 am to 11.15 am on the following dates –
| 28 October 2011 | Magical Creatures |
| 16 December 2011 | Bush Christmas |
| 13 January 2012 | Pond Life |
| 24 February 2012 | Where the Wild Bugs Are |
| 27 April 2012 | Teddy Bears’ Picnic |
As always, our thanks are due to Anja Lee and Russell Barrett for the effort they are putting into this successful series of events jointly run by the Friends of Williamstown Botanic Gardens and Hobsons Bay Libraries.
Vintage Games Fearon Reserve, Williamstown
3 November 2011
Shelley Wood has invited members of the Friends to assist by adding to the atmosphere of these annual Edwardian period games run for local primary schoolchildren. We have been asked to come and be spectators. A number of the Friends have already committed to bringing a picnic, coming as Edwardians and helping where required. All are welcome to come and support this event.
OZACT present Shakespeare in the Gardens
19 and 20 November 2011
Romeo and Juliet
Relax and enjoy the irresistible combination of the acclaimed creativity and high performance standards of Australia's leading outdoor Shakespeare company and the best loved drama of the world's greatest playwright played out in Williamstown's idyllic seaside Botanic Gardens.
Bookings OZACT 0419 330 516
Paint the Gardens 2012
Once again the Friends will join the Arts and Culture Department of the City of Hobsons Bay Council to run this art competition which was so successful in 2011. The exhibition and judging will be held on the 31st of March 2012 as the opening event of Art in Public Places. Planning is now beginning – Kim Sawyer of the Friends is meeting with Janet Dawes and starting to source sponsors for prizes. Should you have names of possible sponsors could you email the Friends at williebotgardens@gmail.com, drop a line to Friends of Williamstown Botanic Gardens PO Box 826, Williamstown 3016 or phone Sue Murray 9397 5698 as soon as possible.
Friends Information Box in the Williamstown Library
An information box is being set up at the Williamstown Library, (Mechanics Institute).
This to enable Friends of the Williamstown Botanic Gardens to get access to the many publications and notice of events we now receive from our network of Friends Group and from other organisations. Publications will include Campsis (newsletter of the Association of Friends of Botanic Gardens) and the newsletter of the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria.
Propagating Group
Propagating is currently being done in members’ back yards as we do not yet have a venue for this activity. Helen Olsen and Shelly Wood will convene a meeting of interested members to plan future activities propagating botanic specimens from the Gardens for sale. Please contact Helen Olsen by phone 9397 5378 or email helena.olsen@optusnet.co.au if you are interested in joining the propagating group.
Annual Subscription Renewals
Members are reminded that subscriptions are due in October. The renewal form is on page 4 of the newsletter and members are encouraged to renew at the Annual General Meeting on 26 October 2011.
Members who have joined in the last two months will automatically be renewed to the end of 2012.
Thanks
We thank the Williamstown Bowling Club for the use of the Ladies Bowling Club for our meetings and our local member Wade Noonan for use of his office to copy our newsletter.
Committees
The committee and subcommittees have continued to meet regularly to plan future events. The Committee meets at 7.30 pm monthly, usually on the first Monday of each month at the Ladies Bowling Club in Melbourne Road. Interested members are welcome to attend.