Initiative to train more guides

Friends of the Dunedin Botanic Garden tour guides founder Annette Riley (left) and new co...
Friends of the Dunedin Botanic Garden tour guides founder Annette Riley (left) and new co-ordinator Caroline Byrne enjoy a stroll through the garden on an early spring day. Photo by Brena Harwood.
The Friends of the Dunedin Botanic Garden group is planning to train more volunteer guides ahead of the summer cruise ship season.

The garden tour guide programme was established early this year by group committee member Annette Riley, with 10 guides initially trained to lead visitor tours of the lower garden.

Now, with the cruise ship season set to start in October, plans are in place to expand the programme with extra guides. Tours have been halted during the winter, but will start up again in time to coincide with cruise ship visits.

New Friends of the Botanic Garden tour guide co-ordinator Caroline Byrne is hoping the tours will prove attractive to cruise ship passengers.

''Our aim is to help promote the garden as an attraction,'' Mrs Byrne said.

Garden guides could be of any age or background, and only needed to have a general knowledge and enthusiasm for plants and gardening, she said.

Training up the volunteer guides to lead the 45-minute tours will take several weeks, so sessions will begin soon.

An introductory meeting for prospective tour guides will be held at Opoho House (botanic garden offices), on Wednesday, September 4, from 3pm to 4pm.

Opoho House is adjacent to the bus turnaround on Opoho Rd (opposite the Gardens New World car park). For more information, phone Caroline Byrne on 482-1344.

 

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement