George Althofer
Encyclopedia
George W. Althofer OAM
(1903-1993) was an Australia
n botanist
, nurseryman, author and poet, with a special interest in the mint-bush genus Prostanthera
as well as other Australian native plants, who founded the Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum
.
local government area of Central West New South Wales
. He attended school locally, in Dripstone, then Wellington and Mumbil
.
Althofer grew up working on his father’s farm and orchard
, becoming an orchardist himself. In 1938 he established a native plant nursery at his property “Nindethana” at Dripstone. Inspired by the American example of the Arnold Arboretum, and assisted by his brother Peter, he lobbied for the establishment of a similar institution with a focus on Australian native plants. As a consequence, the 167 ha Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum on the foreshore of Lake Burrendong
, near Wellington, opened in 1964.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(1903-1993) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, nurseryman, author and poet, with a special interest in the mint-bush genus Prostanthera
Prostanthera
Prostanthera, commonly known as Mintbush, is a genus of plants of the family Lamiaceae. There are about 90 species within the genus, all of which are endemic to Australia. The word is derived from the Greek, which refers to an appendage...
as well as other Australian native plants, who founded the Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum
Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum
The Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum is located near Mumbil, south-east of Wellington in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia...
.
Life
Althofer was born at Dripstone in the WellingtonWellington, New South Wales
Wellington is a town in inland New South Wales, Australia located at the junction of the Macquarie and Bell Rivers. The town is the administrative centre of the Wellington Shire Local Government Area. The town is 362 kilometres from Sydney on the Great Western Highway and Mitchell Highway...
local government area of Central West New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He attended school locally, in Dripstone, then Wellington and Mumbil
Mumbil, New South Wales
Mumbil is a town in the east of central New South Wales, Australia. The town is in the Wellington Council, part of the Orana Region, north west of the state capital, Sydney. At the 2006 census, Mumbil and the surrounding area had a population of 449....
.
Althofer grew up working on his father’s farm and orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
, becoming an orchardist himself. In 1938 he established a native plant nursery at his property “Nindethana” at Dripstone. Inspired by the American example of the Arnold Arboretum, and assisted by his brother Peter, he lobbied for the establishment of a similar institution with a focus on Australian native plants. As a consequence, the 167 ha Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum on the foreshore of Lake Burrendong
Burrendong Dam
Burrendong Dam is a Rock-fill dam with a clay core across the Macquarie River upstream of Wellington in New South Wales, Australia.The dam impounds Lake Burrendong and is filled by the waters from the Macquarie and Cudgegong rivers....
, near Wellington, opened in 1964.
Publications
Books and collections of poetry by Althofer include:- 1936 – The road to Burrendong and other verses
- 1937 – Drifting. (Music by Edward H. Tyrrell, words by George Althofer). The Manly Daily: Sydney
- 1956 – The story of Nindethana and new and enlarged catalogue of Australian native plants. Nindethana Nursery: Dripstone
- 1966 – Trees to beat the droughts: being a guide to the planting of hardy species on the western slopes and plains. (With “Blue Gum” of “The Land”). Land Newspaper: Sydney
- n.d. (1970s) – The dream of Ronal and other verses
- 1978 – Cradle of incense : the story of Australian Prostanthera. Stanley Smith Memorial Publication Fund: Australia. ISBN 9098301314
- 1980 – Ironbark chips of Stuart Town, Mumbil, Dripstone and the Burrendong region. Macquarie Publications: Dubbo. ISBN 095952066X
- 1980 – The flora of Mt Arthur Reserve, Wellington, N.S.W. (Illustrated by G.J. Harden). Trustees of Mt Arthur Reserve: Wellington, NSW. ISBN 0959831906
- 1983 – Laughter and tears from the golden years, or, Some more ironbark chips. Macquarie Publications: Dubbo
- 1985 – The Dripstone story : being a comprehensive social history of Dripstone and district, from the earliest times to the present day. Wellington Historical Society: Wellington, NSW. ISBN 0959137017
- 1992 – The collected poems of G. W. Althofer.