THIS weekend the annual conference of the Australian Garden History Society will be held in Armidale. 250 delegates will come from all states in Australia, except the Northern Territory.
The diverse program will combine lectures, held at the Hoskins Centre at TAS, in the mornings, and garden visits around the region in the afternoons.
Local speakers will be showcasing our region by focussing on the differences of the high lean country of New England as well as examining exploration, settlement, and Aboriginal perspectives of gardening.
The conference will be opened by Meredith McKinney, daughter of well know local poet, Judith Wright.
Local caterers and charities will be providing refreshments to the delegates as they move around the region visiting the gardens, before going on to a range of evening meals provided at local restaurants.
“It has been an exciting task, organised by a wonderful group of volunteers from our local AGHS branch, and has made us realise how fortunate we are to have such a great array of great speakers and gardens, not to mention our amazing landscape,” local convenor Lynne Walker said.
Delegates will visit over a dozen gardens stretching from Uralla to Dundee as well as visiting a number of significant local attractions including Wollomombi Falls.
Well known garden identity Trisha Dixon Burkitt will lead pre and post conference coach tours from Sydney to Armidale, showcasing significant gardens on the way, particularly in the Hunter Valley. Local AGHS member Sir Owen Croft will be the tour guide in a special AGHS Countrylink carriage coming from Sydney the day before the conference.
