Kate Heffernan

Now semi-retired, Kate Heffernan's career in horticulture spans over 40 years. The last two decades have been spent in professional and volunteer roles with Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens (GCRBG) and as a consultant to other botanic gardens in Queensland and Victoria. Kate is a former Chair of BGANZ Queensland, later National Representative, and also a member of BGCI and AAFBG. She has made presentations at Australian and international conferences.

Kate was also a vocational horticulture and landscape teacher, undertaking the development of many community landscape projects on the Gold Coast and Brisbane as a practical component of student training. A feature writer from 2003, Kate wrote for journals including Horticulture Australia, weekly articles for Gold Coast papers and was Saturday Morning Garden presenter for ABC Gold Coast. Kate recently published a book ‘Celebrating Regional Biodiversity‘ which tells the story of the unique South East Queensland flora through the lens of GCRBG. A keen traveller, with an emphasis on garden-based travel, Kate has led tours to the gardens of France, United Kingdom, Ireland and a wildflower tour to Western Australia. She has travelled widely in Australia and overseas.

Kate has been awarded - Gold Coast Australia Day Environmental Achievement Award for her role in the establishment of GCRBG; Queensland Australia Day Award for Vocational Training and was Gold Coast Teacher of the Year. With husband Alan Donaldson, Kate is an Honorary Life Member of Friends of the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens.