Queensland Herbarium
Entrance to Queensland Herbarium building
The Queensland Herbarium, Biodiversity Sciences, is the centre for research and information on the Queensland flora, vegetation and plant communities. A wide range of botanical information is available, including information on poisonous plants, weeds and regional ecosystems. The Queensland Herbarium has a long history devoted to discovering, describing and documenting the Queensland flora and this continues today. New native species are being discovered and documented each year, including plants, algae, lichens and fungi. Today, the Queensland Herbarium houses a world-class specimen collection that is the basis for our knowledge of the flora of Queensland.
Staff of the Queensland Herbarium have completed vegetation survey and mapping for more than 83% of the State's vegetation at a scale of 1:100,000. Information on, and mapping of the 1,351 regional ecosystems are used for local, regional and national conservation and land use assessments, planning and legislation. Queensland's important wetlands are the subject of more detailed mapping for conservation and monitoring.
Ecological and biogeographical research provides essential information needed for the conservation assessment and management of Queensland's communities and ecosystems. Research into a variety of vegetation communities is helping to understand ecological processes and environmental roles provided by vegetation and wildlife.
Visitor information
Opening Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. The Queensland Herbarium is located in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha, six kilometres west of Brisbane's central business district. Tours of the Herbarium are available for groups by prior arrangement. These tours are most suitable for university and TAFE students. Research workers may use the herbarium facilities and collections by prior arrangement, contact us.
Public Reference Centre
Mural of Queensland plants in the foyer of the Queensland Herbarium. Painted by artist Vince Byrne of Nature Works.
The public reference centre is located in the Herbarium building foyer, Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha. It has a reference specimen collection representative of most Queensland plants. Reference books and microscopes are available for use by students and members of the public who wish to identify their own plant specimens. Bookings are essential.
Seminars
The Queensland Herbarium monthly lunchtime Seminar Series is open to the public, and entry is free. Seminars will be held in the second week of each month in the FM Bailey Conference Room, in the Herbarium building foyer, Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha, 12.00 noon to 1.00 pm.
Volunteers
The Queensland Herbarium has a valuable and active group of volunteers. Research associates contribute to the curation of the collections and to our understanding of the biodiversity in Queensland. Some volunteers are involved in Herbarium research projects and others are working with the specimen processing and plant identification teams. Still others are in the field, spotting weeds or other interesting plants and contributing to our specimen collections. The document Queensland Herbarium Achievements is sent to registered volunteers and research associates each year. If you think you would like to become a volunteer, contact us.
What's new
Check out the Wireless sensor network Springbrook which incorporates the latest technology for tracking the restoration of biodiversity at this site.
Contact us
Tel: (07) 3896 9326 fax: (07) 3896 9624
Email: Queensland.Herbarium@epa.qld.gov.au
Postal address:
Queensland Herbarium
Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha
Mt Coot-tha Rd
TOOWONG QLD 4066 Australia
Last updated: 21 April 2009