Australian Plants Society (Victoria)

Promoting the Appreciation and Preservation of Australian Plants


Australian Plants Society Victoria:
promoting Australian plants for more than 50 years

swaby

Arthur Swaby had a deep conviction that Australian plants deserved a prominent place in Australian horticulture. For several years he wrote a column called “Know Your Natives” in the popular gardening magazine Your Garden. In 1957, inspired by enthusiastic interest in his column, he called a meeting for anyone who liked to grow Australian native plants. The response was overwhelming, and the Society for Growing Australian Plants was established in Victoria. Now, there are 29 District Groups across Victoria, and APS Victoria is a member of ANPSA – The Australian Native Plants Society (Australia), Australia’s largest horticultural society.

landscape
Australian plant landscape
© Jenny Kelso

Our Objectives:

  • Promote growing Australian plants in home gardens and public places
  • Encourage the nursery industry to propagate and supply Australian plants
  • Improve Australian plants as garden subjects
  • Encourage the recognition and development of distinctive landscape styles and forms using Australian plants
  • Encourage and facilitate the conservation and study of Australian plants and their habitats
  • Monitor and encourage the strengthening of the laws for preservation of flora

Honour Board

The Society has three awards recognising those who have made special contributions:
Honorary Life Membership For people who have made an outstanding contribution towards furthering the Society’s aims
Impressa Award For members who have rendered outstanding service in one of the following categories:
Outstanding service to the Australian Plants Society Victoria Inc
Outstanding service to a District Group
Outstanding service to Australian Native Plants
Outstanding service to Conservation and Sustainability
Certificate of Commendation For members who have rendered distinguished service to the Society worthy of acknowledgement and commendation

Honorary Life Members

1957Thistle Harris* (Mrs D G Stead)
Miss Jean Galbraith*
Miss Alison Ashby*
Mr George Althofer*
Mr Dave Gordon*
Mr Alf Gray*
Mr Ivo Hammet*
Mr Frederick Payne*
1961Mr A Hargrave*  
1963Mr Arthur Swaby*  
1972Miss Enid Bowman*Mr Fred Rogers* 
1974Dr Jim Willis*Mrs Marielies Fisch* 
1978Mr Laurie Baglin*Mrs Freda Baglin*Mr Mal Erskine*
1982Mr Tom Blackney*Mrs Hazel Blackney* 
1983Mr Alf Salkin*Mrs Esma Salkin* 
1984Mr Fred Jeffs*  
1986Mr Bill Cane*  
1987Mr Rodger ElliotMrs Gwen Elliot 
1988Mr Glyn Sago*  
1990Mr Alby Lindner*Mr David Davie* 
1993Mrs Beryl Birch*Mr Ross Field 
1994Mrs Bev Fox  
1995Mr Bill Gunn*
Mrs Doris Gunn*
Mr George Smith*Mrs Alvina Smith
1996Mrs Stephanie Rennick*  
1998Mr Paul KennedyMrs Barbara Kennedy 
1999Mrs Cherree Densley  
2000Mr Ern Perkins*Mrs Lesley PerkinsMrs June Rogers
2001Ms Nicky Zanen (Rose)  
2002Mrs Marilyn Bull (Gray)  
2005Mrs Norma Bathie  
2007Mrs Barbara Buchanan  
2008Mr Bill AitchisonMs Sue Guymer 
2011Mrs Helen Kennedy  
2012Mr Neil Marriott  
2015Mr Ross McDonald  
2016Mr Brendon Stahl  
2017Mrs Cathy Powers  
2019Mr Royce RaleighMrs Maureen Schaumann 
2023Mr Chris Long

* = (Deceased)

Impressa Award

  for outstanding service to for outstanding service to
2014Philip Robinson*APS VictoriaVirginia BarnettAPS Waverley
2017Paul KennedyAPS VictoriaKevin SparrowAPS Warrnambool
Judy and Keith SmithConservation and Sustainability 
2019Maree GoodsAustralian Native PlantsJeanne RaleighAPS Victoria
2020John ThompsonAPS SE MelbourneGraham GoodsAustralian Native Plants
2021Michael BeamishAPS Latrobe Valley
2022Barry Teague*Australian Native Plants
2023Coral HughesAPS South GippslandBarb & David PyeAustralian Native Plants
2024Anne LangmaidAPS VictoriaPhil WilliamsAustralian Native Plants
Jill LulhamAPS Yarra YarraIan ChisholmConservation and
Sustainability

* = (Deceased)

Certificates of Commendation

1986Peg FlattelyCarl Rayner 
1988Alvina Smith  
1990Ross McDonald  
1996Valerie Marburg*  
1998Don Weybury*Jean Weybury 
1999Beverley Graham*  
2000Agnes Coxan  
2005Tony MooreBrenda MooreKaren Russell
2007David Pye
Barbara Pye
Tony Cavanagh
John Nagorcka
Laurel Nagorcka
Jan Hall
Alan Hall*
Peter Lang
Marion Lang
Brendon Stahl
Kerry Artis
Anne Kerr
Bryan Loft
Barry Norton
Sue Gwilym
2008Ngaire Turner
Max Kennedy*
Helen Kennedy
Glenda Datson
Noel Gaskett
Graham Goods
Maree Goods
Royce Raleigh
Jeanne Raleigh
JanBert Brouwer*
Mabel Brouwer
Norma Boschen
Keith Boschen
Douglas McColl
Evelyn McColl
Keith Buck
Joy Buck
Anne Langmaid
2009Bruce Grose*  
2010John Facey*
Graeme Rowe
Sybil Smith
Bob O’Neil
Dot O’Neil
Lance Lewis
Judith Lewis
Pat McKeown
Phil Williams
Jane Williams*
2011Bernard Boulton*
Dallas Boulton
Raymond Sykes*
Kathleen Sykes
Patricia Ettwell
Ian Graham
2012Graeme Nicholls
Jan Nicholls
Ian O’Halloran*
Bob Shoebridge
Mike Williams
Graeme Woods
2013Marlee Petrie
Graeme Stone
Joan CarrJohn Thompson
2014Russell Best*
Geoff Beilby
Kerry Davis
Phil Hempel
Joan Rand*
2017Ron Powers*  
2019Shirley Carn*  
2021Colin Jackson
2023Jan ChisholmAlison Chatfield
2024Alex Smart

* = (Deceased)

Presidents of Australian Plants Society Victoria

1957 – 1959Ivo Hammett*1959Jim Addison*
1959 – 1960Adrian Francis*1960 – 1964Geoff Echberg*
1964 – 1968Fred Rogers*1968 – 1970Tom Blackney*
1970 – 1973Barrie Norton1973 – 1975Tom Blackney*
1975 – 1978David Fletcher1978 – 1982Ross McDonald
1982 -1986David Davie*1986 – 1988Bruce Grose*
1988 – 1991Ross Field1991 – 1994Cherree Densley
1994 – 1997Royce Raleigh1997 – 2001Nicky Zanen
2001 – 2004Neil Marriott2004 – 2007Paul Kennedy
2007 – 2010Brendon Stahl2010 – 2013Cathy Powers
2013 – 2016Greg Brown2016 – 2019Chris Long
2019 – 2022Chris Clarke2022 – current Miriam Ford

* = (Deceased)