What's on! at the Geelong Botanic Gardens

What's On! - Events and Dates for the Diary.

The Friends' of Geelong Botanic Gardens present a series of special events and activities throughout the year. Use the tabs below to explore your particular area of interest!

For further details or any additional information, see our newsletter or contact our office.

Music in the Gardens 2008

The Gardens have enjoyed another year of evening music performances, this year exceding the last. For the first three Sunday's of Feburary from 5pm onwards, people arrived bearing all their picnic gear, ready to settle in a prime position on the Teahouse lawns: young couples, large groups of friends, families, and of course the loyal members of FGBG. Some of the audience had never been to the gardens before; some had come specially from Melbourne, Ballarat or Werribee. Without exception, they were stunned by the beauty of the gardens, which were still green in spite of the drought and enhanced further by the evening light and the sound of the music. The aroma of sizzling sausages drifting from the Teahouse added the final touch to the atmosphere.

Irish band the Donegal Express perform on the teahouse lawn at the first night of music evenings

The first evening featured Donegal Express, who in the previous years, despite the threat of inclement weather, have proved a crowd favourite. Fortuantely for the band and the crowd the weather was perfect and the band were in fine form.

The crowds gathered at the Donegal Express performance

This year the Irish music of the Donegal Express enjoyed great popularity.

The evening light breaks through the trees as the traditional jazz band The Louisianna Shakers perform for a large crowd

The evening light breaks through the trees as the traditional jazz band The Louisianna Shakers perform their popular brand of jazz and ragtime.

Seated from the top of the Teahouse lawns to the tables outside the Teahouse, an appreciative audience gathered for an evening of trad jazz

Trad jazz was the flavour of the evening when The Louisianna Shakers performed for an appreciative audience for another year for the evening music sessions at the Botanic Gardens.

Music in the Gardens 2008 has been a wonderful series of community events, and it would be worthwhile for this aspect alone. The bonus is the money raised for the benefit of Geelong Botanic Gardens. Thanks are due to so many for the success of these events:

to the musicians who were generous with their talent, time and flexibility.
to The Geelong College, who willingly loaned the stage for all of February
to the FGBG volunteers, who staffed gates and teahouse
to their spouses and partners, who helped out when they were needed
to Jan Perry, who worked exceptionally long hours to support the music
to all the Geelong Botanic Gardens staff on duty
to the Geelong Advertiser and The Independent for extra help with publicity

Congratulations to all who were involved in Music in the Gardens. Now people are asking for more! If you have any ideas for fostering more music at the GBG, please contact the Friends Office with your suggestions.

For more information about the performers, see the following web-sites:

Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens

What's On! - Events and Dates for the Diary.

Music in the Gardens 2008