From our Botanic Gardens to Werribee Open Range Zoo

We’re donating bamboo for the zoo animals to enjoy while maintaining our commitment to sustainability.

In a move towards sustainable resource management and environmental preservation, we have donated approximately 12 cubic metres of Bambusa balcooa and Phyllostachys aurea bamboo varieties to Zoos Victoria.

By keeping the bamboo out of landfill and redirecting it to Werribee Open Range Zoo, we’re supporting the enrichment of zoo animals while maintaining our commitment to sustainability.

Our Mayor, Councillor Trent Sullivan, said:

Our collaboration with Zoos Victoria highlights the significance of working together to achieve shared environmental goals.

We can’t think of a better place than Werribee Open Range Zoo for our bamboo to be donated.

Councillor Peter Murrihy, Chair of the Environment and Circular Economy portfolio, said:

The decision to donate the bamboo came from the need to address the impact of its growth on the heritage trees within the Geelong Botanic Gardens, particularly the Ginkgo biloba.

Our Ginkgo biloba is a female tree and is an outstanding specimen, which is a native of China and by far the largest in Victoria and presumably Australia.

We recognise the importance of controlling the bamboo’s expansion to ensure the protection of our heritage trees.

By making species of significance our priority, the removal of any plantings that are inhibiting the natural growth is part of our obligation to protect this magnificent tree and others like it. As a result, we remain aligned with preserving our Botanic Gardens.

/Public Release. View in full here.