About the Club

A brief history

The first meeting of the Bonsai Society of WA was in a garden shop at the Floreat Forum in July 1976, and in Spring of that year the newly formed club was invited to stage a display of bonsai at the Perth Royal Show. The members were delighted and worked hard to set up a show that they called “Tranquillity – A display of the best bonsai in WA”

In the early days of the club, learning bonsai was challenging with limited supplies and knowledge.

Club meetings were held in various homes and halls until the club settled down to meet regularly at the Leederville Town Hall. In January 1995 the club moved to the Lesser Hall of the South Perth Civic Centre before it relocated to the Collins Street Centre in South Perth. The Club holds an annual exhibition of bonsai, and other displays and community events are held throughout the year at various venues. A mini seminar weekend Gathering about Bonsai ( GAB ) is also held for the bonsai community to network and increase their knowledge.

The Bonsai Society of WA was incorporated in 1989 and has over the years been visited by many National and International Bonsai artists who have helped the members to improve and develop their skills in the art of Bonsai.

In 1996 the Club celebrated its 20th anniversary with a weekend of bonsai demonstrations, workshops and a public display held at the Orchard Hotel in Perth. These 3 days of intense bonsai activity was called “Celebration 20” and featured a Japanese Bonsai expert Mr Hirotoshi Saito.

In the last few years this club has assisted the formation of the bonsai clubs Bonsai South West and Mandurah Bonsai and also has an active subgroup the Albany Bonsai Collective as a part of our club.

In August 2022 BSWA received the Japanese Foreign Minister’s commendation for promoting Japanese Culture over many years – one of only 2 groups in Australia (40 groups globally) to gain that award that year.

Notable achievements

2023 – Hosted AABC 35th National Bonsai convention “Back Together“ at the Crown Resort.

2022 - Received the Japanese Foreign Minister’s commendation for promoting Japanese Culture

2022 – Hosted the virtual event, the 9th World Bonsai Convention on behalf of the Australia – New Zealand region of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation 

2018 – Our first Gathering about Bonsai.  Held in Bunbury.

2011 - Hosted the 24th AABC National Bonsai convention “Come Together” at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle.

2001 - Hosted the 14th AABC National Bonsai convention at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle.

1996 – Celebrated 20 years with a weekend of bonsai “Celebration 20”

1989 – The club was registered as an incorporated association.

1976 – The first meeting of the club.