The Living Legacy Project - Keith Oliver’s Kangaroo Paws

The Wildflower Society of WA working in collaboration with The Wetlands Centre Cockburn, pioneering kangaroo paw breeder Dr Keith Oliver and his son Jeff, developed a project in 2021 to relocate many of Keith's vast collection of kangaroo paws. Keith had been breeding these over the last 60 years, but at 88 years young he could no longer care for them.

They now reside as a Living Legacy in the gardens of The Wetlands Centre.

The iconic kangaroo paw is world renowned in many ways thanks to the work of Dr Oliver, who dedicated much of his later life to producing hybridized cultivar plants suitable for landscaping. Following his hobby in the 1960s Keith created a professional business career in the 1980s and was an Honorary Research Associate at Murdoch University in 1996-98 and received his PhD in 2013 at the age of 79! Keith was a founding member of Murdoch branch of the Wildflower Society in 1987 and was President of the Kangaroo Paw Society.

Many of his hardy breeds have become popular landscape plants worldwide especially his landmark variety ‘Big Red, which was released in the 1970s.

A beautiful, handcrafted bench has now been installed in the Wetlands Centre garden amongst the kangaroo paws to commemorate the work of Dr Oliver and his connection with the Society.

We would be pleased if you could join us to celebrate this occasion. There will be refreshments available. Please RSVP for catering to bXVyZG9jaCAhIHNlY3JldGFyeSB8IHdpbGRmbG93ZXJzb2NpZXR5d2EgISBvcmcgISBhdQ==

You can read more about his legacy here - https://www.wildflowersocietywa.org.au/dr-keith-olivers-kangaroo-paw-living-legacy/

Also check out other Nonprofit events in Alfred Cove.