Lindsay Pryor National Arboretum

Before 2001, the Arboretum had been damaged in bushfires, and for many years, much of it was in poor condition with the effects of droughts clearly evident.

As a joint Commonwealth and ACT Government initiative, the site was gazetted in June 2001 as the Lindsay Pryor National Arboretum. It commemorates the contribution to the nation of the late Emeritus Professor Lindsay Pryor AO (1915 – 1998), an eminent Australian forest scientist, botanist and landscape architect.

The National Capital Authority (NCA) now manages the Arboretum as a place for recreation, scientific research and education, in recognition of the great importance of trees and forests to Australia.

The area has become a popular walking area, through mature trees, beside Lake Burley Griffin, and with views across to Weston Park.

The enhancement of the Arboretum continues with designs for toilets and interpretive signs being developed to provide more amenity for visitors. These will be progressed in the coming years.

The Lindsay Pryor National Arboretum Masterplan

The LPNA Master Plan is to provide a design strategy that will successfully further develop the area as a forested park primarily for recreation and education with increased facilities for these purposes.

In summary the Master Plan addresses the following key site requirements:

• entry and access;
• facilities and amenities;
• signage;
• tree species lists for new trees; and
• development and management strategies.

Masterplan recommendations

It is envisaged that the LPNA will:

• provide adequate recreational facilities;
• provide tree interpretation to emphasise the role and importance of trees to Australia in the 21st century;
• provide the opportunity for a progressive expansion of the tree collection which in the years ahead will yield useful performance information for an expanded range of tree species; and
• embrace a sustainable approach to materials selection, water management, site soil and other materials.

Further Information

For further information, please contact the NCA Plan Team on info@nca.gov.au or 02 6271 2888.