Raising Rarity:
Preventing extinction of Victoria’s threatened flora The Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria (RBGV) was successful in procuring a grant to fund this 3-year project. The project starts on 1st June this year and covers 24 threatened species across Victoria, 11 of them occurring only in Western Victoria. RBGV are partnering with a number of organisations and there is a community engagement component to help with searching for and monitoring of these species. There will also be conservation genetics work done on collections already at RGBV as well as the collection of additional material to ensure the species diversity into the future. The gardens will also do work to optimise methods of germination on 11 species which are currently difficult to grow. For 10 species, little is known about how they are pollinated, so baseline data will be collected on pollination for these species; a researcher based at La Trobe university will lead this work. There will be ex-situ collections established as well as some reintroductions to establish new populations for some species. If you are interested in participating in the searches which are happening this year on the western side of the state, please register with Dr Noushka Reiter at least a fortnight before the planned search. The best way to contact Noushka is by email at
2nd September : Spyridium furculentum – on the southern border of the Little Desert in the Cooack area, there is a search for Spyridium furculentum.
17th September : Thelymitra mackibbinii – there will be a search in the Morrl Morrl area for Thelymitra mackibbinii with an option the following day to assist with monitoring in the Deep Lead area.
13th November: Sphaerolobium acanthos – on the Mt Rosea Track area to search for Sphaerolobium acanthos.
25th November: Pimelea pagophila- on Mt William to search for Pimelea pagophila.
Wendy