Australian Plants Awards 2026

The Australian Plants Award was established in 1983 to recognise people who have made an outstanding contribution to the knowledge of Australian plants. Since 1987 the Award has been made in both professional and amateur categories; they are presented at ANPSA’s biennial conference, which was held in Alice Springs in 2026.

  • The 2026 Professional Awards go to Dr Noushka Reiter, Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, Victoria and to Dr Hilary Pearl for her understanding and conserving the Sunshine Coast’s rare heathland flora..
  • The 2026 Amateur Award goes to Maya Harrison, for her extensive contribution to the Friends of the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, Queensland.

 

Dr Noushka Reiter

Noushka is a worthy candidate for the Professional Category of the ANPSA Plants Award,

Her dedication and passion for protecting endangered plants species is infectious as any one hearing her speak or seen her on TV, or assisted her as a volunteer in the laboratory or field events, planting or surveying. The majority of the projects have relied heavily on grants and volunteers that she has trained.

Qualifications and Occupation

PhD of Philosophy her Research focusing on the ecology and conservation of threatened flora. Including endangered Grampians flora and their susceptibility to Phytophera.

In 2008 she joined the Department of Sustainability and Environment in Horsham as the Threatened Species Officer, at this time using the Dept. of Agriculture facilities to start the program of propagating endangered orchid species and reintroducing into the wild. When the (DSE) ceased the funding for the Threatened species Officer she secured funding through the Wimmera CMA and under the Umbrella of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation (ANPC).

While working in the Wimmera area Noushka also worked on several non-orchid rare and threatened species, collecting seed and contributing to the RBGV and Millennium seed Bank.

In 2014 the Orchid Conservation Program was moved to the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne where a dedicated laboratory was set up and expanded with the aid of volunteers, to include a nursery.

The RBGV program was expanded in 2023 with a joint application with Latrobe University through a DEECA “Nature Fund” Grant for Preventing the Extinction of Threatened Victorian Flora and this covers 24 species, 18 of which are not Orchids.

Since 2014 has developed an exsitu collection of >220 species of some 30,000 plants with >90 never having been propagated before. The program has a team of volunteers, staff and students, supported by grants and donations.

Part of the program is not just propagation but reintroducing into the wild, >12 species of Orchids have successfully been translocated into Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.

This work not only entails propagation but extensive field work, surveying for translocation sites. An area needs suitable soil, rainfall, pollinators, co flora and mycorrhiza. Site preparation, training of volunteers, yearly post planting surveillance for flowers and successful pollination.

Surveys also of areas post bushfire for natural regeneration and of course seed collection and artificial insemination of wild plants to increase genetic biodiversity.

Publications

Noushka has written or co-authored 52 publications, in collaborations with, Latrobe University, Australian National University, Florida International University, Swedish University of Ag. Science. Some titles being:

  • Global Compilation of Orchid pollination and breeding systems, pollinator attraction systems (2026)
  • Threatened Flora Translocating in the Wild. Identifying animals for pollination, co plant attractors, understanding suitability of habitat.
  • Threatened Species Recovery Hub – a 6 year research program (2021).
  • Understanding Mycorrhizal Fungi, to propagate Australian imperilled Leek Orchids – Prasophyllum
  • Threatened plants Translocation in Review. (2019)
  • Guidelines for the Translocation of Threatened plants in Australia. (2018)

Awards

In 2023 Noushka was awarded the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for “Excellence in Botanical Science”

Nomination

In conclusion, Dr Reiter gives freely of her time and energy, educating staff, volunteers and the public, having been interviewed on the radio and an ABC Gardening Australia segment, https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/how-to/my-garden-path-dr-noushka-reiter/12541266 and the Committee of Management of Victoria is pleased to select Noushka Reiter as our nomination for the 2026 Professional ANPSA Plants Award.

Robyn Tyson – President Australian Plants Society Vic. Inc.

 

Dr Hilary Pearl

Professional Contribution

Dr Hilary Pearl is an exceptional botanist whose work has profoundly advanced the understanding, conservation, and public appreciation of the Sunshine Coast’s heathland flora. Her recent delivery of the Bill Tulloch Memorial Address at the Queensland State Conference, on “the diverse and distinctive flora of the Sunshine Coast heathlands”, is testament to her standing as both a scientist and a communicator of rare clarity and passion.

Dr Hilary Pearl (left) with ANPSA President, Miriam Ford (right)

Hilary has lived in the Sunshine Coast hinterland community of Maleny since 1984. For forty years she has been a custodian of place, deeply involved in the Dilkusha Nature Refuge and its long term rainforest revegetation project on the Obi Obi between Maleny and Montville. Her life’s work is inseparable from the landscapes she has tended, studied, and championed. Her commitment to ecological restoration, community education, and the celebration of native flora exemplifies the values at the heart of the Australian Plants Award.

Academic and Teaching Background

Hilary’s academic journey reflects both breadth and depth. She studied horticulture, teaching, and later botany. For 30 years she taught Science and Biology in secondary schools , a job she describes as one of the most influential, with the opportunity to hopefully inspire generations. In Hilary’s words;

“I can categorically say I inspired some (there are several Phd graduates in my students), interested some, and was tolerated by others!”

Her fascination with the flora of the Sunshine Coast ultimately led her to undertake doctoral research at the University of the Sunshine Coast, completing her PhD in 2023 on the ecology, diversity, and conservation of Sunshine Coast heathlands.

Today, Hilary shares her expertise widely. She runs botany workshops across the Sunshine Coast and at Barung Landcare, teaching rainforest, heathland, and general plant identification. She leads the ANPSA Wallum and Coastal Heathlands Study Group, guiding both professionals and enthusiastic amateurs in understanding and conserving these fragile ecosystems.

Research Significance

Hilary’s doctoral research addressed one of the most urgent ecological challenges in southeast Queensland. This challenge is the accelerating loss and fragmentation of heathlands in one of Australia’s fastest growing regions. Her work documented how the pre European mosaic of wetlands, heathlands, woodlands, and rainforest has been transformed into an urbanised landscape, with profound consequences for biodiversity and cultural connection.

Her study:

  • Assessed the diversity and distinctiveness of Sunshine Coast heathlands using innovative tools including DNA barcoding and phylogenetic metrics.
  • Sampled 80 heathland sites across nine Regional Ecosystems, analysing species composition, structure, and abiotic drivers.
  • Constructed a dated phylogeny of 366 heathland species using rbcL, matK, and trnH psbA markers.
  • Evaluated conservation status, fragmentation, connectivity, and refugial potential of heathland remnants.

Her DNA barcodes and statistical analyses also contributed to the research project led by Marion Howard, relating to conservation of biodiverse and threatened dry rainforest plant communities, and recognising the importance of dry beach scrubs as stepping stones along the coast for dispersal, and their vulnerability under climate change.

Hilary’s work has produced multiple peer reviewed publications in Austral Ecology and the Australian Journal of Botany. These include studies on abiotic correlates of diversity, conservation of distinctiveness and connectivity, and potential mycorrhizal associations in heathland flora. Her research is shaping how heathlands are understood, valued, and protected.

Leadership and Community Engagement

Hilary’s leadership of the ANPSA Wallum and Coastal Heathlands Study Group has been transformative, building on the inspiring work of Barbara Henderson, and later, Allan Carr. She works with skilled professionals and enthusiastic amateurs alike, helping them explore essential conservation questions.

  • –  Why are heathlands important?
  • –  How much heathland remains, and where are the key fragments?
  • –  Which areas are priorities for conservation?
  • –  What makes the flora distinctive?
  • –  Can heathland species be grown in gardens?
  • –  How can the community help conserve Sunshine Coast heathlands?

Her work includes detailed mapping of heathland fragments, outlining some key issues for restoration, and the translation of complex ecological science into accessible, practical knowledge. Hilary also collaborates with local experts to deliver workshops on rainforest and grass identification, and she regularly presents at community events such as the Sunshine Coast Wildflower Festival. She delivers botanical and rainforest identification workshops, in collaboration with botanists Rowena Thomas and Ann Moran. Workshops introduce participants to:

  • the Sunshine Coast flora
  • plant identification skills
  • flower structure
  • key heath and rainforests local plant families
  • resources for ongoing learning

Her generosity in sharing her expertise has strengthened botanical literacy in her local community, and contributed to the heathland research data in the scientific community in Australia. Hilary is widely recognised as a gifted teacher whose enthusiasm is infectious and whose knowledge is both deep and beautifully communicated. Her dedication to using her botanical skills and passion for the greater good is exemplary. Her ‘vision’ is to run botanical workshops for community members of the Sunshine coast for the next decade, in an area where there is intense pressure from urban development. Hilary’s view is that;

“When people connect with and understand ecological systems, they will strive to protect them.”

In summary

Dr Hilary Pearl exemplifies the spirit of the Australian Plants Award. Her scientific contributions, community leadership, and lifelong dedication to understanding and conserving native flora make her an outstanding candidate for the Professional Category of the Biennial Australian Plants Award. Her work through her own research, and her collaborative work with other researchers has deepened Australia’s knowledge of its heathlands and rainforests. Hilary’s teaching has inspired countless people to appreciate native plants, and her ability to inspire others has contributed meaningfully to the conservation of some of Australia’s most threatened ecosystems.

Publications

Pearl H. & Shapcott A. (2024) ‘There must be something in the soil our little plants need’: exploring patterns of potential mycorrhizal associations in the flora of the Sunshine Coast heathlands, Queensland, Australia. Aust. J. Bot. 72. [online]. Available from: https://www.publish.csiro.au/bt/BT23057

Pearl H., Ryan T., Howard M., Shimizu Y. & Shapcott A. (2024) Abiotic correlates with diversity and distinctiveness in Sunshine Coast heathlands: Moisture, volcanic landscapes and patterned mounds. Austral Ecology 49 , e13481. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/aec.13481

Pearl H., Ryan T., Howard M., Shimizu Y. & Shapcott A. (2024b) Conserving diversity, distinctiveness and connectivity in the Sunshine Coast heathlands, Queensland, Australia. Austral Ecology 49 , e13504.

Pearl, H (2023) DNA barcoding to enhance conservation of Sunshine Coast heathlands. PhD Thesis. University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs. [online]. Available from: https://research.usc.edu.au/esploro/outputs/doctoral/DNA-barcoding-to-enhance-conservation-of/99725797502621?institution=61USC_INST.

Pearl H., Ryan T., Howard M., Shimizu Y. & Shapcott A. (2022) DNA Barcoding to Enhance Conservation of Sunshine Coast Heathlands. Diversity 14 , 436. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/6/436

Pearl, H., Bonney, N., Whitehead, J., Rhodes, T., Simpson, I. H., Singye, R., and Gross, C. L. (2015). Plant Species Richness, Structure and Life Form Respond to an Altitudinal Gradient in Central Bhutan, Eastern Himalayas. Proceedings of the Bhutan Ecological Society 2. Available at:
http://www.bhutanecologicalsociety.org.bt/publications.php

 

Maya Harrison

Maya Harrison is a tireless volunteer, an inclusive educator, a passionate environmentalist, an environmental photographer and artist, with a driving force dedicated to connecting people with nature. She is also very personable with a friendly manner and enjoys and understands the natural environment and its significance. She has been a member of Native Plants Queensland since 2016.

Maya Harrison (left) with Lawrie Smith AM, leader ANPSA Garden Design Study Group (right)

Maya is a qualified teacher, and has specific diplomas in kindergarten and special education, giving her wide breadth abilities in communicating across age groups.

Maya has been closely associated with the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens for more than twenty five years using her talents in teaching about the environment. As President and Secretary of the Friends of the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens for many of those years, Maya is behind all events, projects and initiatives that inspire and educate the community, that beautify the Gardens and, that improve the experience for visitors.

Most weekends and many week days too, you will find Maya at the Botanic Gardens conductng guided walks, answering questions and sparking the curiosity of excited children of all ages.

Maya’s long term and expansive engagement with the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens is driven by her deep desire to make the natural environment accessible and understood by all members of the community.

However, Maya’s work does not end with the Gardens. She is also involved with Native Plants Queensland, the Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club, Toad Busters, and the Network of Botanic Gardens of Australia and New Zealand (BGANZ).

Beyond this, on her Land for Wildlife property at Mt Blackwood, Maya nurtures a significant collection of local native plants, and even maintains a tadpole hatchery and an insect specimen collection to personally share with children at school talks and holiday sessions she conducts at the Botanic Gardens. Maya’s dedication ensures nature is accessible and appreciated by all.

Nomination by Lawrence Smith AM, Landscape Architect

As landscape architect of these Botanic Gardens, I have known Maya for all of the time she has been involved and know personally of her knowledge, and expertise, that is used to optimum effect to educate and inspire the local community. She has a comprehensive knowledge of the plants and wildlife of the local bioregion, which is invaluable in her regular guided walks. Her monthly Friends Newsletter is a colourful, inspiring and always interesting promotion for the botanic gardens and ensures that there are always many Friends to share the load with Maya.

What I find most impressive is the simple but evocative way Maya introduces children of all ages to the wonders and significance of native plants, animals and wildlife – these two typical quotes indicate the imaginative way Maya encourages the discovery of a whole new world at the Botanic Gardens:

“Hunt for Bungee Jumping caterpillars in the Tropical Shade Garden on the leaves of the Tree Omphalea, taste some bush tucker, pause to watch for birds, before finding dinosaur footprints in the Coal Garden.”

“Bring your camera – any size, any shape! Look through the camera’s viewfinder, pretend you are going to take photos of a flower, and then “catch” insects, spiders, bugs and bees when they don’t expect it!”

I have no hesitation whatsoever in nominating Maya for the Australian Plants Award – Amateur Category. Her expertise and dedication is second to none, and makes an ideal example that shows how a member of NPQ / ANPSA can make a huge contribution to bringing an awareness of native plants to the community.