Established in 1976, The Australian Orchid Foundation is a voluntary organisation whose members are dedicated to promote orchids, or are persons who are deeply interested in these plants, either in a cultural or scientific sense.

The aims of the Foundation are broad, and may be briefly summarised:-

• to preserve, protect, promote, propagate, nurture and cultivate all orchids, both species and hybrids.
• to establish, conduct, manage, support and finance research into orchids, their characteristics, distribution, growth, preservation, promotion, propagation and cultivation.
• to educate the public generally, and especially young people, and encourage them in the studies of the sciences relevant to orchids.