Australian Inland Botanic Gardens

The Australian Inland Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden in the Australian state of New South Wales located within The Mallee and the Sunraysia regions. It is located on River Road in Wentworth Shire's Mourquong 5km northwest of Buronga. The regional city of Mildura, Victoria is located nearby, across the Mildura/Buronga George Chaffey Bridge. AIBG is the Southern Hemisphere's first semi-arid botanical gardens. Its specialization in arid-adapted species is unique among New South Wales and Victoria botanic gardens.HistoryScientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) are credited with the idea to form the gardens and the inaugural meeting of the Garden's Steering Committee met in 1983. Five years later, the land, previously used as a sheep grazing property, was acquired as a donation to the community. The volunteer group, Friends of the Australian Inland Botanic Gardens, was also developed in 1988. In 1989, AIBG was established. John Wrigley, inaugural Director of the Australian National Botanic Gardens, drew up the master plan.