Author Archive

ALBARE – iTD Long Way

Albare will bring a free concert to the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, performing songs from his forthcoming album release entitled “Long Way” and his extensive back catalogue.

Long Way was recently recorded in New York, the first album to emerge from his new signing to prestigious German recording label Enja. Some of the world’s finest musicians play on Long Way and for one time only, this line up of international players will be visiting Australia to play.

The show line up includes:

–         Triple Grammy Award winning drummer Antonio Sanchez

–         Saxophonist George Garzone, a member of the Grammy winning Joe Lovano Nonet

–         Leo Genovese, the avant-garde pianist who has toured with Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding;

–         Hendrick Muerkens, the most important jazz harmonica player since Toots Thieleman;

–         and Albare’s musical collaborator, bassist and composer, Evri Evripidou, whose inventive and electrifying use of six and seven string basses and a variety of electronic effects takes bass playing to the extreme.

Don’t miss this one off global event, featuring some of the world’s finest jazz musicians to ever share a stage in this country, all on the one evening. It is unlikely to be repeated!

Produced by Matthias Winckelmann, the new album Long Way, will be released thru Enja locally on April 20th.

Visit albare.info for more information

THURSDAY, 7TH JUNE

Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Tuncks Road, Alice Springs

3.30pm

Free entry

Enquiries:  (08) 8952 2154 / www.albare.info

‘Look Up Look Down’

 

‘ Look Up, Look Down.’  an exhibition by Barbara Stuart – Olive Pink Botanic Gardens – August 10th – 26th 2012

This new body of work has mainly been inspired by the transformation of the desert by the rains beginning in 2009. Not expecting another year of rain Morris and I took a flight from Coober Pedy to Lake Eyre in 2009 believing this event wouldn’t happen again in our lifetime.

I’ve since painted from the photos I took during that flight. The rains have continued for three more years with resulting work emerging of the country and gorges around Alice Springs. Included in the exhibition are several images depicting the night skies mixed with aboriginal and creation themes. Mediums used are oils and watercolours, the paintings ranging from small to large.

Barbara Stuart, mother of four adult children and a Pastor’s wife, is a working multi-media artist- in water-colour, pastel, oils, glass pencil and silk. She paints landscapes, flowers, wildlife, seascapes, streetscapes and portraits as well as concepts depicting a story or idea.

She has a passion for the Australian landscape – especially the vast deserts of the Australian centre and the Northern Territory which she visits annually. A mainly self-taught photographer, artist, and teacher of water-colours, Barbara has staged many solo and shared art exhibitions in Victoria and Central Australia over the past 20 years. Her work is in private collections in Australia, the U.K., New Zealand, Japan and the U.S.A. Her images are also sold on cards and larger prints.

Barbara is passionate about multiculturalism and reconciliation in Australia. Through several trips to the Northern Territory, she has forged strong links with the Warlpiri people. She has initiated and undertaken a series of arts/reconciliation exchanges between Melbourne and Warlpiri women, so as to foster mutual understanding and to celebrate shared goals and dreams between Australian women of diverse cultural backgrounds.

Barb is widely travelled and seeks to reveal some of her passions through her work. She sees painting as a tool for communicating concepts, including her great love of light, design, colour, texture, tone and beauty, especially in Australia’s outback.

Her annual cultural visits to the Warlpiri community of Yuendumu N.T., plus her Afro/South American Aussie family have had a big influence on her life, faith, thinking, musical interests, cooking and artistic expression.

Ecofair 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Australia’s premier sustainability event, desertSMART EcoFair, is on again!

This educational community event engages us in the social, ecological and economic challenges of living sustainably in central Australia.

And we want you to be a part of it.

The forth desertSMART EcoFair will be held at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens August 10-12. With more than 2000 people attending last year, 2012 will see the EcoFair continue to flourish.

The event is being organised to coincide with National Science Week and will be held over 3 days (August 10-12). The Friday will see the continuation our schools day, local and regional students are invited to take part in a series of hands-on sessions to facilitate learning of key local environmental and sustainability topics including geology, ecology and meteorology, water, energy, waste, built environment and food production.

The weekend program will include 2 evening programs with music, food, Central Australia’s-own Environmental Q&A and Environmental Films.

The  Sunday will be jam-packed with workshops, speakers, children’s activities and green business and community stalls.

If you’re interested in having a stall, conducting a workshop, discussing an environmental or sustainability-related topic and/or promoting your business’ green credentials, products or services – then this is the event for you.

Please fill in the application forms here.

Please note: Stall fees have been added this year to assist us in making the event financially sustainable. If you are interested in running a workshop or presenting on your project, campaign, organisation or business –  we will waive the fees. Please fill in and return both forms together in this case. If not, just fill in and return the Stall Holder form – we’ll sort out stall fees closer to the date.

Thank you. We look forward to your participation.

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact either Ben or Jimmy.

Cheers,

Jimmy Cocking
Arid Lands Environment Centre
(08)8952 2497
info@alec.org.au

Ben Convery
Olive Pink Botanic Garden
(08) 8952 2154
garden@opbg.com.au

OPBG Policy and Procedures

OBBG Masterplan 2011

OPBG Living Collections Policy

OPBG Cultural Collections Policy

OPBG Library-Procedures Manual

OPBG Exhibition guidelines for applicants

A review of Alice Springs Botanic Gardens, Dr Robert Boden

Audited financial Reports

OPBG 2009/10 Audited financial statements

OPBG 2008/09 Audited financial statements

The flora of Olive Pink Botanic Garden

 

Olive Pink Botanic Garden was opened to the public in 1985, and there are now over 450 Central Australian plant taxa represented in the Garden – 145 of these occur naturally within bushland on two rocky hills – and there are around 30 rare or threatened species in the collection (these are designated by 2 horizontal lines on their plant labels).

A network of walking trails takes visitors around the plant collection and up onto Annie Myers Hill, where great views of Alice Springs, the Todd River, and the West MacDonnell Ranges can be gained. There are five self-guided walks around the Garden, and the interpretive signage has been designed to help visitors understand more about desert plants and their uses, as well as learning about the life of the Garden’s founder, Miss Pink.

OPBG Species List 2012

Olive Pink Botanic Garden native plant sale

The Olive Pink Botanic Gardens  native plant sale is on again. 

Come along on Saturday the 17th of March from 8am for a huge range  of local species including flowering shrubs, grasses, climbers and trees, in tubestock and pots.
There is plenty going on at Olive Pink Botanic Garden right now. As summer finally begins to recede it is time to start planning new plantings in your own garden. To help with your garden preparations, there is a huge native plant sale happening at the Garden on the 17th of March from 8am – 12pm. There will be plenty of planting advice available for new gardeners, and a great selection of local shrubs, trees and rockery plants to choose from.

While you are visiting, you can take a wander around the Garden and see examples of many of our local desert plants. The Eremophila garden is full of flowers right now, with dozens of different emu bush species and sand-loving desert peas putting on a gorgeous show. The 700-odd new plants put in around the Garden in 2010/11 are now starting to make their presence felt, and already plans are afoot for this season’s plantings –

We are also looking for new Board members right now as two former Trustees have recently left town. Anyone with a passion for the Garden and some creative energy to put into monthly Board meetings would be most welcome to apply for a voluntary Trustee position.

 

Flickerfest Short Film Festival

 Olive Pink Botanic Garden and Pop Cinema Present 

21st FLICKERFEST International Short Film Festival presented by ING DIRECT

“Bite Size Chunks Of 
Great Cinema”
March 8th, 9th and 10th at the Olive Pink Botanic Garden.
Tickets available from Araluen Box Office – 08 8951 1122
or 
Cam’s Coffee Shop ( opposite ASTC )
Tickets $15 per night pre sale ( $20 on the Gate)
Three Night Festival Pass $30

Celebrating 21 years of short film excellence Flickerfest Australia’s leading short film festival will be presenting another award winning programme of the best of Australia’s and the worlds short films. Flickerfest remains Australia’s only Academy® Accredited and BAFTA recognised short film festival ensuring that we continue to present an A-list class short film competition recognised amongst the best in the world.

A record 2200 entries were received for Flickerfest 2012, and a selection of the top 100 shorts were selected in official competition, all handpicked to represent the most innovative, creative and cutting edge short films being produced in the world today. This impressive and unprecedented number of contenders from all round the world confirmsFLICKERFEST’s reputation as Australia’s largest and most respected short film competition.

We will be screening an entertaining, inspiring and award winning range of highlights many of which are world or Australian premieres, giving local Flickerfest audiences the first look at the hottest short films in the world today. For many films,

 the FLICKERFEST festival will serve as their world and/or Australian premiere whilst other films have already taken home some seriously prestigious prizes – the calibre of this year’s program is undeniable with several films screening at some of the world’s most prominent and revered film festivals including Sundance and Cannes.

 

Thursday 8th – Best Of Comedy Shorts 
Friday 9th – Best Of Australian Shorts
Saturday 10th – International Shorts 

 

 

Getting around the gardens

 

Olive Pink Botanic Garden has an extensive network of walking trails to stroll around and take in the diversity of our unique Central Australian flora. There are three self-guided walks and two information brochures available for download to gain an incite into the Gardens flora, ecology and  history.

Pre employment program starts at the Botanical Gardens

 

 

 

 

This week has seen the start of a new Pre employment and Training program at the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens (OPBG) with outstanding results

In 2011 a partnership formed between OPBG and Civil Train (The training branch of the Civil Contractors Federation) to develop a jointly managed work experience and Training program at the Botanical Gardens

In 2011 a partnership formed between OPBG and Civil Train (The training branch of the Civil Contractors Federation) to develop a jointly managed work experience and Training program at the Botanical Gardens.

In early January 2012 Jobfind contacted OPBG with an offer of funding for a trial program. The program caters for forty participants in four groups of ten. Each group is onsite for three days a week over three weeks. The first group commenced on Tuesday the 14th of January.

Participants receive training in Occupational Health and Safety, Working at Heights, Hazardous Chemical handling, Certificate I infrastructure and Resource Management and Horticulture. Ensuring that they are ready to enter into the workforce

The first group has participants from five language groups and we have seen 100% participation in the first three days of the program.

This program has been made possible by funding through Jobfind and DEEWR.