Australian National Botanic Gardens

Logo or symbol for the Australian National Botanic Gardens

The original logo of the Australian National Botanic Gardens

1978 - 2011

A representation of a Banksia flower head and fruiting 'cone' on an outline map of Australia.

The illustration is stylised and based loosely on Banksia marginata, the only species native to the Canberra region, but is not intended to represent any particular species. There is at least one species of Banksia growing in every state and territory of Australia.

Designer: Murray Fagg

Date: 1978

Information on the genus Banksia.

The symbol 'boxed' (1994 – 2001)

After the incorporation of the Australian National Botanic Gardens into the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service (ANPWS), each reserve and many of the administrative units within that organisation were given a unified style of logo, either new or incorporating a pre-existing logo into the new format. These 'boxed' logos were also used by the Australian Nature Conservation Agency (ANCA) which became the administrative name for the ANPWS from 1993 to 1996.

Designer: Terry Woolcott

Date: 1992

Graphic lettering style (2005 - 2011)

From about 2005 the stylised lettering developed as a graphic started to be used on publicity material for the ANBG, often replacing the approved logo. The approved logo remained on the masthead of most web pages about the Gardens.

Current logo for Gardens (2011 - )

In June 2011 the Director of National Parks approved a new logo for the Gardens as part of a broader 're-branding' for the Gardens. The new logo features a generic banksia flower in a more abstract representation. The new logo was implemented on 23 November 2011.

Web site use

The use of the 'boxed' symbol coincided with the development of the Australian National Botanic Gardens web site from its earlier gopher site on the Internet. It quickly became a recognised symbol for the web site both in Australia and overseas. The role of ANCA was incorporated into the Department of Environment and Heritage in 1996 under the name of 'Environment Australia', and these 'boxed' symbols ceased to be used. From August 2003, the term 'Environment Australia' ceased to be used, replaced by the full name 'Department of the Environment and Heritage' using the Commonwealth Coat of Arms. In March 2004 the ANBG was granted permission to brand itself with its own logo and the name 'Australian National Botanic Gardens'. In January 2007 the name of the department changed to 'Department of the Environment and Water Resources'. From November 2007 the name of the department changed to 'Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts'. From August 2010 the name of the department changed to 'Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities' (SEWPaC). From September 2013 the name of the department changed to 'Department of the Environment' (DotE). On 23 November 2011 the original logo of the ANBG was replaced with the current stylised banksia version, designed by the advertising agency Grey Canberra.

Commonwealth Coat of Arms

From August 2003 web sites for Australian Government departments were required to display the black and white version of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, together with the words 'Australian Government' and the full name of the Department. Web pages representing joint initiatives spanning more than one Department were able to use 'An Australian Government Initiative'.