[2] In 1996 Grimes moved to Australia, taking up a position in the National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria as Mueller Fellow July–October 1996, where he worked on developmental morphology of inflorescences in Acacia.
His research interests included the systematics of Fabaceae, subfamily Mimosoideae, and the historic collections held in the Herbarium.
He served as Taxonomic Co-ordinator for legume tribes Ingeae and Psoraleeae for the International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS)[4] 2000–2, and as Councillor of the Society of Australian Systematic Biologists[5] 2001–2.
Grimes was Editor of Muelleria from 1997 to 2001 A significant number, over 1000 collections, are held at NY.
Other herbaria in Australia holding his collections include MELU, CANB, NSW, HO, ATH, AD, and BRI.