The 2019 Queensland Garden Expo reaches a milestone 35 years!
More than 40,000 gardeners and green thumbs are expected to walk through the Nambour Showgrounds, home to this award winning, iconic event with a three day program starting this Friday.
Sunshine Coast Council has supported the Expo as a sponsor for more than 15 years, alongside preparation in and around Nambour to welcome visitors, and ensuring the Nambour Showgrounds meets the event organisers growing needs over the years.
There is a record number of exhibitor sites this year, 373 in total, and it is the exhibitors that make a significant contribution to economic impact of the event. Many of these sites have at least two people staying on the Sunshine Coast for four or five days, coming from Victoria and New South Wales and more than 100 from outside of the Sunshine Coast Region.
Tourism, Sport and Major Events Portfolio Councillor Jason O’Pray said it was exciting to see local events grow into major events that bring so much economic and community benefits into the coast.
“It is a great event for Nambour, creating a real buzz and vibrancy among local business, and community getting into the spirit of the event.
“Whether you want to spruce up the front garden with some colourful natives, or perhaps you want to create an edible garden with herbs, fruit and vegetable plants so you can eat what you grow – everything you need to know is at the Expo,” Cr O’Pray said.
A fully planted sustainable Giant Kitchen Garden with permaculture and organic gardening experts on hand will encourage home gardeners to eat what you grow.
If you are more of a wildlife warrior, you might want to attract frogs, birds, butterflies, bees or other wildlife and emulate the council’s Living Backyard display.
If you aren’t sure what is growing in your garden, you can get free help at The Plant Clinic to identify plants and talk with some garden gurus.
Kids Garden Patch is a show favourite, and with FREE entry for kids aged 15 and under there will be a large variety of free activities scheduled across the three days of the show, kids will certainly be kept amused.
An amazing line-up of Speakers includes ABC gardening talkback presenter Annette McFarlane who will be talking pruning and native plants, Gardening Australia presenter Jerry Coleby-Williams will talk rainforest gardens and growing food in small spaces, while Tasmanian chef Paul West will chat about the garden to table theme.
The 2019 Queensland Garden Expo will feature more than 120 free lectures and demonstrations and in excess of 360 exhibitors and displays. It will be held between 12 and 14 July at the Nambour Showgrounds, Coronation Avenue, Nambour.
