Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

January 24: Australia Day: 11 am to 3 pm. Can’t you just smell the fragrant eucalyptus trees? Hear the haunting sound of a didgeridoo? Australia is closer than you think — learn about The Land Down Under on a tour through the majestic forest of eucalyptus and red gum trees; enjoy Outback entertainment. Volunteers and staff offer a guided tour at 11 am through the towering 100-foot tall Eucalyptus Forest, followed by storytelling and didgeridoo music with Paul Taylor from 1:30 – 3:00 pm.

Didgeridoo Class: There's also a special class for 24 students to learn to play the didgeridoo. “Didge class” requires pre-registration and pre-payment of $45 if you’re not already an annual members at BTA or $35 for members. The class is a fun family activity, and also worth enrolling for anyone who plays a woodwind and wants to learn advanced breathing techniques. To sign up have your credit card ready and call gift shop staff at (520) 689-2723 during daytime business hours. The class runs from 9 – 11 am and includes all materials, and instruction from Australian folklorist Paul Taylor.

A variety of plants from the world's deserts await you at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is the place to discover the intricate beauty and many faces of Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden. Featured are plants from the world's deserts, towering trees, captivating cacti, sheer mountain cliffs, a streamside forest, panoramic vistas, many natural habitats with varied wildlife, a desert lake, a hidden canyon, specialty gardens and more.

The Arboretum was founded in the 1920s by mining magnate Col. William Boyce Thompson. In 1917 Col. Thompson served as co-leader of a Red Cross mercy mission to Russia, where he came to understand the importance of plants as the ultimate source of a large portion of mankind's food, clothing, and shelter. It was then, that he determined to use his great wealth to improve the use of plant resources. The Arboretum is one of his legacies.

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Encompassing 323 acres, the Arboretum is Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden. It was the first purely botanical institution in the inter-mountain states. The Arizona State Parks Board entered into agreement with the Boyce Thompson Arboretum Board and the University of Arizona in 1976 to cooperatively manage the Arboretum.

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Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park