Bill Aitchison Australian Native Plants Society Biennial Conference 2026

Bill Aitchison

Bill Aitchison has been Leader of the Acacia Study Group since 2011, and has also been Editor of the Group’s Newsletter since 2007, during which time 58 Newsletters have been produced. His particular interest in Acacias was triggered by his involvement as a member of the Organising Committee for the 2006 FJC Rogers Biennial Seminar on Acacias, Knowing and Growing Australian Wattles. The year 2006 also coincided with his retirement from his job as a Consulting Actuary. He marks his decision to take early retirement as one of the best decisions he has made – it provided so much more opportunity to enjoy gardening, Australian plants and his association with our Society. Bill and his wife Sue joined the Australian Plants Society Maroondah Group in 1987 and have both occupied various committee roles with that Group (Bill was President from 2001 to 2004). They are both Honorary Life members of the Group. They are also both Honorary Life Members of APS Victoria, for whom they have looked after the Society’s book sales function continuously since 2001. They have a one acre property in Donvale (an outer eastern suburb of Melbourne) which features many species of Acacia and other native plants, and includes sections devoted to local indigenous plants. They try to provide habitat that is suitable for and welcoming to local wildlife. The garden has featured on the ABC’s Gardening Australia program and has also been open under the Open Gardens Victoria program. Bill has spoken regularly at various meetings of Australian Plants Society and other groups, often on subjects relating to Acacias but also other topics as well. He will be speaking at the 2024 Conference on the subject of relationships between Australian acacias and wildlife.