The National Bonsai & Penjing Collection of Australia (NBPCA) recently appointed its new Selection & Ambassadorial Committee (SAC). The SAC exists to act as ambassadors for the NBPCA at the grass roots level of the Australian bonsai community, to identify potential trees for loan or donation to the NBPCA, and to assist the Curator in assessing suitable trees amongst those on offer.

The NBPCA recently appointed a new SAC. The ambassadors are:

ACT

Mike Woolley

NSW

Chris Di Nola
Andrew Edge
Hugh Grant

QLD

Tony Bebb
Beau Pett

SA

Luke Parsons
Matt Sharp

TAS

Jarryd Bailey

VIC

Jeffry Farman Scott Martin Gerard Schoofs

WA

Pete Inglis

The NBPCA is a partnership between the ACT Government and the Australian bonsai community. The Australian bonsai community is represented in this relationship by the NBPCA Collection Advisory Committee (CAC). If any club or individual wishes to make comment regarding any matter associated with the NBPCA, they should write to the CAC, as the representative body of the Australian bonsai community. The CAC will then bring relevant matters to the attention of the NBPCA and/or the management of the National Arboretum Canberra (NAC), for action.

Please use the following email address, marked attention NBPCA CAC: . The CAC welcomes and invites input. Your CAC representatives are:

Bruce Sullivan (Chair)
Amanda Beilby
David Nassar
Peter Odin
Keith Stanley

Staff and volunteers welcome both committees to the NBPCA and appreciate the valuable time and contributions that the members make to the ongoing success of our National Collection.

Winter is well underway in Canberra. A great time to view the Collection while the deciduous trees are allowing you to see the intricate structures and fine ramification of branching. Here is a very fine example of broom style bonsai using English elm. A favourite among our many visitors, this tree is often referred to by young children as “Mr Magee’s tree” as it looks similar to the tree from the children’s book of the same title.

This tree was grown and styled originally by Max Lehey from Victoria. There is a great article on how Max created the tree in an old copy of the publication “Bonsai Australis”. If you would like me to send you a scanned copy of the article, just email me at http://. This tree was kindly donated to the NBPCA in 2016 by Frank Kelly in memory of his parents Kathleen and Raymond Kelly.

Thanks very much to all our wonderful volunteers who have worked hard and with enthusiasm to share our love of bonsai and penjing with the public and enthusiasts who have been visiting in large numbers.