A Night of Celebration: A tribute to our Friends & Volunteers
The National Arboretum Canberra hosted its annual Friends and Volunteers End of Year Celebration on 16 December, bringing together our Arboretum community to celebrate another year of remarkable contribution and growth.
The evening opened with a warm welcome from Stuart Jeffress, followed by a meaningful Welcome to Country from Selina Walker. Special guests from the Friends Council, ACT Government, CIT and guest speaker Valmai Dempsey OAM were acknowledged, along with the many volunteers whose efforts continue to shape the Arboretum’s success.
This year marks 12 years since the Arboretum opened to the public, and our volunteer contributions are as diverse as the volunteers themselves. Once again, they have given their time and expertise to an impressive number of programs including guiding, horticulture, citizen science, Warm Trees, the Harvest Group, the National Bonsai & Penjing Collection and more, supporting the Arboretum to be a world class venue of community and conservation.
Mike Woolley, Chair of the Friends of the Arboretum, reflected on the many achievements of the Friends, before Caitlin Tough MLA presented the Volunteer Awards recognising outstanding service. Congratulations to Jan Morgan, Sandra Linsley, Robyn Calloway, Juliet Berry, Penny Campbell, and Del Da Costa - thank you for your continuing efforts and support.
After a short break, guests heard from Val Dempsey OAM, whose inspiring words highlighted the power of community volunteering.
The evening continued with the announcement of the Jake Keller Scholarship, introduced by Amalie Shawcross. The Jake Keller Scholarship provides an opportunity for a final year CIT horticultural student to further their studies and work with the Arboretum’s horticultural team on a project that will benefit the Arboretum.
Imogen McMillan, the 2024 recipient, shared her experience with the audience, before Trish Keller OAM revealed the 2025 scholarship winner. Congratulations again to Kim Theobald, who joined Imogen for the plaque unveiling.
The event was a heartfelt celebration of the extraordinary volunteers, Friends, and supporters who each make the Arboretum a thriving, welcoming place for the whole community.