Auburn Botanic Gardens comes alive throughout the Autumn months, when a blaze of colour appears on the deciduous tree leaves and a winter chill hovers in the air over Western Sydney.

 

The leaves of Japanese maples, Chinese Tallow Woods and Liquidambars are already turning shades of yellow, orange and red. Camellias are also starting to flower and this will continue throughout May.

 

Auburn City Council’s Autumn Colours Festival officially opens 19 May, with additional events on 20, 26 and 27 May. There’s a host of activities and entertainment including themed art exhibitions at the Peacock Gallery and Auburn Arts Studio, music and choir performances, children’s activities, artists market with work by the Auburn Artists Network, workshops and guided garden tours.

 

Auburn Mayor Ronney Oueik is excited at the prospect of an eclectic events program and encouraged people from all over Sydney to come along on one of the event days and find what Auburn has to offer.

 

“Auburn Botanic Gardens is one of the major tourist attractions in Western Sydney and it’s easy to see why – especially at this time of the year,” he said.

 

“Auburn’s Parks and Recreation team as well as our Community Development staff have put in a lot of hours and it’s phenomenal to see such a diverse events program to compliment the natural beauty of the gardens.”

 

Featured at the event is a range of cultural music including an Uyghur singer and instrumentalist, a Mongolian throat singer and horse fiddle player, and a traditional Baglama musician.

 

The full schedule of events is available on the Auburn City Council website.

 

The event will also feature cycling activities where children and adults can test their riding skills along the Duck River bike path. Bicycles and helmets are provided if you don’t have your own. Contact Mary Schulha on (02) 9735 1343 for more cycling details.

 

General opening hours: Auburn Botanic Gardens is open 9am-5pm seven days a week throughout winter, 9am-5pm on weekdays during summer and 9am-6pm on weekends and public holidays. The Gardens are closed Christmas Day.

 

Ends.

 

 

 

There are two new art exhibitions at the Peacock Gallery, Auburn Botanic Gardens. The exhibitions feature two local artists, Ximena Del Campo-Tapia from Newington and Joseph Jabour from Auburn. The opening of the exhibition includes performances from the choirs from each of the artists’ home suburbs; The Newington Singers and Auburn Community Choir.

 

Autumn by Ximena del Campo-Tapia and Duck River on Canvas by Joseph Jabour are on display from 9 May-19 June 2012.

 

Peacock Gallery Opening Hours are 12pm-4pm, Wednesday-Sunday, Auburn Botanic Gardens, Corner Chiswick and Chisholm Roads, Auburn.

 

The artists are available to talk with visitors during Conversations With The Artists, a Q&A event at Peacock Gallery, 1-2pm, Saturday 26 May 2012.

AUTUMN by Ximena del Campo-Tapia (Newington)
Chilean-born Australian resident Ximena studied at the University of Chile, graduating with an Honours Degree in Graphic Design. Her passion for oils and acrylics on canvas has become a full time job since she retired from the public sector, where she worked for over 20 years in Australia. Her 2011 entry into the Mayoral Art Award won her a residency at the Armory at Sydney Olympic Park. Ximena loves colour and the chance to explore the beautiful shades and hues of the natural environment, birds and the underwater world, including; ponds, lilypads, goldfish and reflections, leaves and gumnuts, which make up her current inspiration.

 

DUCK RIVER ON CANVAS by Joseph Jabour (Auburn)
Joseph Jabour has worked in his home studio in Auburn for over 20 years. He has created a collection of works for his exhibition based on his exploration and tranquil atmosphere of the Duck River. He invites visitors to the gallery to view the way he has captured the temporal moods of light and effects upon Duck River and its surrounds; the vibrant colours of an instant that are lost with further observation. He hopes that this exhibition may inspire people to visit our river and kindle the first awe felt upon discovering such a hidden treasure.