Dr Tony Orchard, ‘Allan Cunningham: King’s collector for Kew’

Allan Cunningham was sent to Australia by Sir Joseph Banks to collect plants for the King's Botanical Garden at Kew (now Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).  He travelled via Brazil (1814-16), arriving in Sydney in late 1816 and died there in 1839. He joined Oxley in the first expedition into inland New South Wales before accompanying Phillip Parker King on four voyages to chart the north and northwest coast of Australia. In his subsequent expeditions he became one of the most successful explorers of inland NSW and Queensland discovering, among other things, the Darling Downs of Queensland.

Thursday Talks are held at 12.30pm every Thursday from February to November in the Gardens’ Theatrette. Talks last for one hour. Admission is by gold coin donation. There is no need to book. For more information about the Friends of the ANBG lunchtime talks visit the Friends' website at www.friendsanbg.org.au