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We have started the new year with quite a diverse range of weather across the country. Our trees have had to deal with everything in December and January, it seems, including very dry heat and some very hot days, as well as humidity, heavy rains and storms at other times. It all adds up to the need for us to be watchful and to keep our trees as comfortable as possible over the summer.

The club’s year commences with a Saturday Workshop on 18th January, and then our first evening meeting on Tuesday 11th February, which will be a workshop night to help members prepare trees for the Annual VNBC Exhibition in March.

Club meetings and workshops will be held at the Newlands Senior Citizens Centre, 49-53 Murray Rd, Coburg. Saturday workshops commence at 9:30am, and Tuesday evening meetings at 7:30pm.

The major bonsai events for our club in the next few months include the club’s 2025 Annual Exhibition, to be held at the Preston City Hall, Gower St, Preston, on Friday night 22nd and Saturday 23rd March (see flyer below). Further information on the exhibition arrangements will be posted in the near future.

Also of particular note is the coming 2025 National Bonsai Convention, being held in Canberra from 16-19th May. This is expected to be an outstanding opportunity to experience a range of excellent international and national presenters, and to meet and exchange information and ideas with other bonsai enthusiasts. Registration and all the information on the convention can be found through the host club, Canberra Bonsai Society, at www.canberrabonsai.club. Email inquiries can be directed to aabc2025@cbs.org.au

The 10th Symposium on Australian Natives as Bonsai – “Sharing Our Learnings” was held on 31st August and 1st September, hosted by the Victorian Native Bonsai Club, at the Treacy Centre, Parkville, Melbourne.

This Symposium once again was intended to bring together much of the knowledge which continues to expand amongst bonsai growers in utilising Australian native plant species as bonsai, with demonstrations, discussions, exhibitions, critiques and workshops,  a concurrent Exhibition of Australian Native Species as Bonsai. An excellent set of presenters covered a range of topics during the symposium, with plenty of different species of trees to think about, and demonstrations of development of bonsai from collected plants, as well as group plantings.

This was certainly an event which was inspiring and encouraging for the participating bonsai enthusiasts to continue to work with Australian native species as Bonsai.

Photo gallery of exhibition trees to be added shortly.

The 2024 VNBC Exhibition – 15th March and 16th March, in the Preston Town Hall – what a great show of Australian native plant species as bonsai, and what a good crowd of visitors to enjoy the exhibition, both on the Friday night and most of Saturday.

Altogether, we had nearly 70 trees and tree groups on display, ranging in size from the very small to the very large, and with such a diversity of species in the show. The range of species included representatives of Acacias, Banksias, Eucalypts, Sheoaks, Figs, Melaleucas, Leptospermums, and many more.

As usual, we had an award for the Best Eucalypt in Show, sponsored by Eucalypt Australia as part of the lead-up to National Eucalypt Day on March 24th. The winning tree was selected by our guest judge, Prof Ros Gleadow, the Chair of EA Board, and the prize this year went to a 40-year-old Red Box, Eucalyptus polyanthemos.

We also continued the very popular Public’s Choice Award, with very strong voting over the two days by the visiting crowds. While there was quite strong numbers of votes for several of the trees, this year the winning number of votes went to a magnificent Coastal Tea Tree, Leptospermum laevigatum, the “Three Headed Monster” hanging from a cliff face.

The sales area was also well patronized over the weekend, demonstrating that there are many people who want to start and/or continue to develop their enjoyment of the art of bonsai.

Our thanks to all who participated – members, supporters, family and friends, and the cheerful crowd of visitors, who all came to enjoy seeing outstanding specimens of bonsai featuring many of our Australian native plant species. We will be back again next year, of course, to continue the story.

Membership of the Victorian Native Bonsai Club is a great avenue for anyone who wants to develop their understanding and skills in growing bonsai using Australian native plant species.
Access to support, new ideas, knowledge of others, regular Club newsletters, a database of information, and much more, all come as benefits of club membership.
The Victorian Native Bonsai Club is keen to hear from you if you are interested in membership.
Just click on the “Joining” tab in the menu list, and follow the prompts.