About the Friends & Volunteering
The Friends of the Botanic Garden are a not-for-profit association and registered charity which provides volunteers and raises funds for the botanic garden. The Friends work in partnership with the City of Coffs Harbour who manage the botanic garden.
The botanic garden is the green heart of the City of Coffs Harbour offering a range of services in education, conservation and community enrichment.
You can support the botanic garden by joining the Friends, and if you choose, to also volunteer at the garden. To volunteer you need to be a member of the Friends.
Membership of the Friends
Members receive regular news about the botanic garden and are invited to special events. Members are invited to Annual General Meetings and can vote or stand for a governing Friends Committee.
Membership is $10/year for individuals and $30/year for families (2 adults and children)
To join the Friends click here:
For more information see: About the Friends of the Botanic Garden
Volunteering at the Garden
To volunteer at the botanic garden you need to be a member of the Friends. As a part of your membership application you can indicate which types of volunteer roles you prefer.
Volunteers are covered by an insurance policy maintained by the Friends and all volunteers receive an induction information kit and training for their role.
To join the Friends and volunteer click here: [Insert direct link to Join It]
Volunteer roles at the botanic garden include:
- Garden maintenance: pruning, weeding, mulching and other maintenance
- Plant Nursery: growing plants for sale and for the garden
- Visitor Information and Shop: assisting visitors at the garden entrance
- Guiding and education: guiding tours and assisting with school visits
- Communications: assisting with the website and online news bulletins
- Botany and conservation: assisting with our conservation work (See Conservation)
- Administrative support: in volunteer coordination, finance management and other
About the Friends of the Botanic Garden
The Friends of the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden were formed in 1981 to support the development of a new regional botanic garden in Coffs Harbour. The garden was formally opened in 1988. For more information see the History of the Botanic Garden
The botanic garden grew out of many years of community effort and local government work to first protect and clean up the site and to then to build paths and plant out the garden areas. The Friends raise funds and provide volunteers to maintain the garden, build facilities and offer visitor services.
The Friends of the Botanic Garden operate under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the City of Coffs Harbour which outlines our respective roles and responsibilities in managing the botanic garden and the services provided. The City of Coffs Harbour has adopted a Plan of Management for the Botanic Garden.
The Friends have adopted a Strategic Plan which summaries our priorities and planned actions under our three core goals of education, conservation and community enrichment.
The Friends are an incorporated not-for-profit Association and a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC). Our members elect a governing Friends Committee to manage the affairs of our Association under our Constitution. HERE.
The current Office Bearers of the Friends of the Botanic Garden are:
President: Graham Tupper
Vice President: Patsy Caves
Secretary: Louise Power
Treasurer: Ian Scott
To contact the Friends email: coffsbotanicgarden@gmail.com
Friends of the Botanic Garden Annual Reports
2024 2024 Annual Report
2025 (TBC)