Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria • Annual Report 2018–19 • Annual Report Victoria Gardens Board Botanic Royal Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Annual Report 2018–19 Cover image: Learning Facilitator, Lenka Vanderboom interacts with children on Oak Lawn, Melbourne Gardens. Inner cover: The rare Caladenia formosa Elegant Spider-orchid. Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria Birdwood Avenue Melbourne Victoria 3004 Private Bag 2000 South Yarra Victoria 3141 Australia T +61 3 9252 2300 F +61 3 9252 2442 E [email protected] rbg.vic.gov.au ISSN 1320-842X © Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria 2018. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Stock: Revive Laser Digital is an FSC® recycled certifi ed paper, which ensures that all pulp is derived from well managed forests and controlled sources. Revive Laser Digital is 100% recycled and processed chlorine free. Revive Laser Digital SPX 80-110gsm is manufactured in Australia by an ISO 14001 certifi ed mill. It is also certifi ed carbon neutral under the National Carbon Off set Standard (NCOS), an Australian Government initiative. The rare Caladenia formosa Elegant Spider-orchid. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chairman’s Foreword 2 3. Creating Special Places 52 Director and Chief Executive’s Foreword 4 Key Achievements 53 Highlights 6 High Quality Landscapes 55 Our Vision 8 International Networks 56 Our Mission 8 Completing Cranbourne 58 Our Values 10 Overview 59 Our Charter 10 4. Towards a Sustainable Future 60 Definitions 10 Year in Review 60 Key Achievements 61 Our Organisation 11 Impact Snapshot 62 Melbourne Gardens 12 Sustainable Resource Management 62 Cranbourne Gardens 14 Implementation of Information and 64 Attendance Figures 16 Communication Technology Strategy Scientific Research 17 Revenue Raising Agreements 65 Engagement and Impact 17 Developing a Sustainable Organisation 65 Governance – Purpose, Functions, Powers and Duties 18 Overview 65 Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Board 18 Executive Team 21 Our Supporters 68 Organisational Structure and Key Functional Areas 22 Volunteers and Associates 74 Our People 23 Financial Statements 78 Public Sector Values and Employment Principles 24 Declaration in the Financial Statements 79 Employee Learning and Development 25 Comprehensive Operating Statement 80 Equal Opportunity 26 Balance Sheet 81 Occupational Health and Safety 26 Cash Flow Statement 82 Statement of Changes in Equity 83 Our Performance 27 About this Report 84 Financial Overview 28 Funding Delivery of our Services 85 Financial Performance and Position 30 The Cost of Delivering Services 88 Key Assets Available to Support Service Delivery 92 Our Achievements 31 Other Assets and Liabilities 94 1. Discovery and Sharing Knowledge How we Finance Our Operations 96 Year in Review 32 Risks, Contingencies and Valuation Judgements 99 Key Achievements 33 Other Disclosures 108 Scientific Research 34 Independent Auditor’s Report 117 Providing Plant Information 35 Solving Plant-Related and Ecological Problems 38 Appendices Curating the State Botanical Collection 39 Appendix One: Disclosure Index 119 Overview 40 Appendix Two: Other Disclosures 122 2. Inspiring Plant Learning ICT Expenditure 123 Year in Review 41 Consultancies 123 Key Achievements 42 Attestation 124 Visitor Engagement 42 Legislation 125 Impactful Engagement: Promoting the Work 46 Legislative Compliance 125 of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Overview 51 ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS BOARD VICTORIA — ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 1 Chairman’s Foreword demonstrated this year in our hosting of This year saw the Department of the inaugural Climate Change Summit Environment, Land, Water and Planning for global botanic gardens. In December support our vision for a transformation of 2018, thirteen international botanic Melbourne Gardens through development organisations came together for a four- of a new Nature and Science Precinct day summit exploring ways in which with a $5 million grant to complete a botanic gardens can become climate full feasibility study for this project. The ready and resilient. Participants were Nature and Science Precinct includes introduced to the Royal Botanic Gardens redevelopment of the National Herbarium Victoria’s Landscape Succession Strategy of Victoria into a state-of-the-art home for In accordance with the Financial as a guiding approach, culminating in the irreplaceable treasures and specimens Management Act 1994, I am pleased to the establishment of the Climate Change of the State Botanical Collection. The present the Royal Botanic Gardens Board Alliance of Global Botanic Gardens. Herbarium collections will be protected securely for future generations in an Victoria Annual Report for 2018-19. Our scientific research continues to play underground vault, while creating Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria’s iconic a critical role in the identification and opportunities to bring the stories behind sites, critical scientific research, and conservation of Australia’s native flora. those treasures to the general public for innovative learning and participation The National Herbarium of Victoria is the very first time. programs speak to our unique purpose to leading a major national collaborative safeguard plants and plant knowledge for research project, Genomes of Australian The Precinct will include a new Learning the wellbeing of people and the planet. Plants, which aims to improve and Participation Centre providing This year has been one of remarkable understanding of Australia’s plant life fresh opportunities to engage local achievements for Royal Botanic Gardens through Next Generation Sequencing communities with urban ecology, Victoria. Our work was bolstered by of large proportions of the Australian ethnobotany, ethno-astronomy and much a funding increase from the State plant genome in collaboration with more. I thank Minister Lily D’Ambrosio Government through the Department Bioplatforms Australia. This project was for her ongoing support of Royal Botanic of Environment, Land, Water and made possible through generous support Gardens Victoria. from The Ian Potter Foundation and Planning in June 2018, followed by strong I wish to express my sincere thanks to the Royal Botanic Gardens Foundation. support for our flagship capital project, my fellow Board Members who have I thank them for their foresight in the Nature and Science Precinct. With volunteered their time and worked supporting this valuable initiative. the uplift in operational funding Royal tirelessly throughout the year to assist Botanic Gardens Victoria has achieved Much of the work of Royal Botanic management in delivering so many important improvements to public Gardens Victoria cannot be achieved wonderful achievements. accessibility, safety and engagement, without the hard work and support of our This year more than ever before, I’m proud while also enabling the organisation to two Friends groups – Melbourne Friends to say, there is something new happening recruit 18 new staff roles that ensure the and Cranbourne Friends of Royal Botanic at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and I organisation maintains its world-leading Gardens Victoria – and our dedicated am excited for what lies ahead. healthy, biodiverse and resilient plant volunteers who enthusiastically deliver collections and essential plant research. many important functions, from our This year has seen two of our most guided daily walks to mounting historical popular landscapes, Fern Gully at specimens. I also gratefully acknowledge Melbourne Gardens and the Red the significant support of the Royal Botanic Gardens Foundation Board, Sand Garden at Cranbourne Gardens, Ken Harrison AM chaired by Gillian Hund, and our loyal and refreshed and enhanced. These areas Chairman generous donors and corporate partners, are now not only beautiful locations for Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria without whom we would not be where we visitors but also examples of landscape 4 September 2019 design and horticultural excellence. are today. Our leadership role in landscape and horticultural management was further 2 A family enjoy a peaceful moment at Cranbourne Gardens ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS BOARD VICTORIA — ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 3 Director and Chief Executive Foreword The development of each site is guided Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria has by its own Landscape Master Plan. This maintained our position as one of the year saw the completion of the draft world’s leading botanical and scientific Melbourne Gardens Master Plan 2019- organisations. New discoveries from our 2039, including an extensive public research scientists and the continued consultation and stakeholder feedback expertise of our horticulturalists and phase. This master plan protects and arborists have supported conservation builds on the stunning heritage landscape of plants and their habitats throughout with a series of major and smaller scale Australia, generating valuable insights into projects to meet the needs of all visitors. plant and fungal biology and ecology. This Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria offers We look forward to sharing the final plan research supports industry challenges a unique blend of nature, culture and with you in late 2019. in agriculture, the commercial nursery sector, biopharma and biosecurity. science. These three elements shape our This year has seen remarkable events at innovative delivery of plant knowledge, our gardens, attracting new audiences Importantly, our Gardens continue to be our contributions to conservation action and inspiring our regular visitors.