The Board

The Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria (the Board) is a statutory authority established by the Royal Botanic Gardens Act 1991.

The Board has six members, appointed by the Governor-in-Council.

Ms Chris Trotman B.Bus (Acc), Grad Dip Ed (Health) MoE, GAICD

Chairperson – Appointed 9 April 2020   Appointed to the Board 9 April 2020   Ms Trotman has more than 20 years of executive experience, most recently as Chief Executive Officer of a public hospital in Gippsland. She has extensive experience serving as chairperson and member of a range of boards and committees. A former registered nurse, Ms Trotman holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in accounting and business and has expertise in finance, corporate governance and strategic planning. Living on a farm, she has a keen interest in agriculture and is committed to public health, public land management and conservation. 

Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria Members

Mrs Penny  Fowler GAICD, BBus

Deputy Chairperson – Appointed 9 April 2016, reappointed 9 April 2020                Appointed to the Board 8 April 2014, reappointed 9 April 2020 Mrs Fowler has a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a CEW member. She has also been a member of the Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria since 2014 and is currently the Deputy Chairperson. She is also Chair of the Herald and Weekly Times and the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal. In addition, she is a director of the Australian Ballet, The National Portrait Gallery, Tourism Australia and is on the Advisory Boards of Visy and the Bank of Melbourne.

Professor Tony  Bacic FAA

Appointed to the Board 17 December 2013, reappointed 9 April 2020 Professor Bacic is a highly respected plant scientist. Previously he was Director of the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute at The University of Melbourne, Deputy Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, and was a long serving member of the Maud Gibson Trust Advisory Committee. He is currently the Director of the La Trobe Institute for Agriculture and Food at La Trobe University and ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub in Medicinal Agriculture. His primary focus is on understanding plant growth and development to secure a sustainable food supply with optimal nutritional and health benefits. He has been a member of the Royal Botanic Gardens Board Victoria since 2013.

Gillian  Hund OAM

Appointed to the Board 9 April 2020    Ms Hund is a graduate of Sydney University (Bach. of Ed), University of London (Grad Dip Teaching of ESN Children) and Swinburne University (Master in Social Investment and Philanthropy). She began her career in teaching, before co-founding and publishing a national magazine group. She currently holds several roles in the philanthropic sector, including Co-Founder of Melbourne Women’s Fund, and Foundation Officer at the Jack Brockhoff Foundation. She is also a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors and Philanthropy Australia and received an Order of Australia medal in 2020 for service to charitable organisations. She also served as the Chairperson of the Royal Botanic Gardens Foundation Victoria for seven years. 

Christine Wyatt

Appointed to the Board 30 November 2021 Ms Wyatt is an independent adviser and non-Executive Director with substantial corporate and public sector executive leadership and expertise in urban planning and strategy, environmental management, infrastructure delivery and governance. Christine is currently the Deputy Chair of the Suburban Rail Loop Authority and a Board member of the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority. Previously, Ms Wyatt was Chief Precincts Advisor at the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, and held the position of Deputy Secretary Planning at the Department of Environment, Land Water and Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. Before joining the public service, Christine was a senior executive leading planning and environmental services with global consulting engineering firms working with public and private organisations across Australia and internationally. Ms Wyatt holds a Masters of Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Town and Regional Planning both from the University of Melbourne. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.