Newsletter

Welcome to 2010!

It’s was a dry, dry spring and early summer in Mackay. The first rains in almost 6 months occurred when 80mm fell in November and another 40mm just before Christmas (one day after our Carols in the Gardens – whew!). This late and limited rainfall has kept the young MRBG Living Collections alive, but not exactly thriving. Temperatures soared in November, topping 37.2º C at the Gardens and needless to say, some young plantings didn’t make it through the dry and heat – even in irrigated areas.

Establishing botanic gardens in a hot, windy greenfield site during this time of climate change is a challenge – especially in the face of what is predicted for this part of the Queensland Coast over the next 50-100 years. The Central Queensland Coast bioregion that extends approx 100 kms north, south and west of Mackay is identified as one of Australia’s 3 ‘most threatened’ bioregions due to warming, sea level rises and further drying out. Our bioregion is a green ‘bubble’ surrounded by the much dryer Brigalow Belt bioregion. The MRBG’s challenge will be not just displaying and preserving our bioregional flora – but also researching flora from the adjacent bioregion that will be able to take the odd seasonal inundation and high summer humidity, which many true dryland species cannot. We are already seeing what bioregional natives are coping in the dryer conditions and which Brigalow Belt species are also coping These results have already fed into shaping our local Council’s Street Tree and WSUD (water sensitive urban design) species recommendation lists.

The Year of BGANZ

The MRBG has been operating in two ‘time frames’ –

‘BB’ (Before BGANZ)
and
‘AB’ (After BGANZ).

The two-year lead up to the biennial congress was exciting and just a little stressful – but garnered some great outcomes and inspired the MRBG staff with some daunting challenges.

A wonderful announcement at the BGANZ Congress was that 2010 will see Gladstone’s beautiful Tondoon Botanic Garden hosting the next BGANZQld branch conference in August. We’ll let you know more if any Friends are interested in attending - each botanic garden has something unique to offer and tell - and you learn so much by actually being there!

Much of October through to December at the MRBG was spent on exotic weed and water weed controls and completing projects not quite achieved by the BGANZ deadline. Projects have included:

• Our main carpark entrance to the site has been widened and pattern sandblasting, bollards and new directional and welcome signage will be installed in early 2010.

• The new Tamarind Toilet facility adjacent to the ‘Under the Banyan’ PlayGarden was completed and extensive softfall refurbishing occurred in the PlayGarden - just in time for the holidays.
• Final planting for 2010 occurred in the Screens and Hedge Garden, Tropical Shade Garden, Torres Strait Islands Garden and Ethnobotany Garden – Medicinal Plants bed.

Two major reviews are also under way – the MRBG Masterplan 2000 is being brought up to date almost 10 years since its inception. The process commenced in May 2009, so has not been a quick undertaking! The Living Collections Policy is also being finalised now for completion in early 2010, however is already guiding procurement plans as we speak.

Both polices will be up on our website and available for your review and feedback in March 2010.

Summer Wrap-up to date

The MRBG Horticultural Reference Group had its final meeting – commencing selection of species for a new ‘Flora for Fauna Garden’ and Demonstration Garden – Native Scented Flowers and Native Scented Foliage, beds. All three are bioregional flora themed beds and will have planting commence in March and April 2010.

The Gardens Friends also finished a successful year in style at their Christmas break-up in the Lagoons Gallery and Café. Numbers of the Friends have swelled to 80 and this group continues to attract residents willing to ‘get their hands dirty’ and help on so many levels of the MRBG operations.

2009 ended on a high - the MRBG Horticultural crew received a Mackay Regional Council award for Community Service for their passion in presenting the MRBG to the public and our peers. Well done team!

We finished with Carols in the Gardens – still very popular with Mackay families, even with a choice of 5 other major carols events around the Mackay Region. Over 1000 people filled the Tropical Sun Garden Lawn under the lights of the Araucaria bidwillii Xmas Tree – and the Gardens Friends raised over $1700 in raffle ticket sales.

I'd like to acknowledge the hard work of the Friends Committee in organising and running the evening, the Friends who worked hard on the night selling fund raising tickets and carol souvenirs, the  photocopiers, songbook folders and cake cutters behind the scenes. And a special thankyou to those Friends that donated to the raffle, both with cash and the wonderful plants donated by Jim and Noeline Quinlan.

Upwards and Onwards!

2010 is shaping up to be another huge year for the Friends with a jam packed calendar of informative and fun events, a little hard work at five planting bees and the excitement of potentially stage three  development of the Gardens commencing in the new financial year. The Friends were also successful in obtaining a state government grant for over $3500 for a new computer and printer to help support the 
Gardens spatial mapping project; a microscope/camera to support the horticultural team and visitor services officer programs; and a second marquee for more shade at planting bees and events. Thanks to Bill and Robin McWhinney for their perseverance and hard work applying at what was a very hectic time of year!

Some key future dates to look out for:

• Saturday February 13th – Garden Friends Welcome BBQ and Hobart Presentation

Enjoy a chat, a casual BBQ and be inspired as Veronique and Maya present to us images and tales from the Australasian Conference of Voluntary Guides in Botanic Gardens held n Hobart during November last year.

Please bring a plate of salad or dessert to share and RSVP to Robin McWhinney or Maya by Monday February 8th. The 2010 Friends Events Calendar will also be launched to help you plan your year.

• March 13, from 9am – First Gardens Friends planting bee

Come along and help us commence planting in the newly themed ‘Flora for Fauna’ Garden (the old Waterwise Garden next to the Forest Arbour vine structure). Meet at the Heritage Garden gazebo for a 9am start.

• Easter – the launch of our refreshed MRBG quarterly newsletter featuring a new layout. The Newsletter will be available on-line on our website and will be posted out to our Friends without web connection.

Hot Holidays…

The January School Holiday Activities at the Gardens proved to be hotter this year with the temperatures soaring.

Many exciting discoveries were still made despite the stifling conditions. There were stick insects, woolly bears (caterpillars), Blue Ulysses, and skeleton leaves aplenty as well as stinkhorns, baby birds and the favourite ‘wait a while’, hat snatching plant and the berries that gives you a blue tongue.

The Meeting Room in the Administration building became the cool zone after the many walks throughout the gardens where the children then had the opportunity to make creations from clay, twigs, leaves and paints as memories of their botanic experiences. Parents and grandparents often joined the children in their discoveries, I’m sure reliving some of their own childhood good times with nature. ‘It’s amazing how much there is to see in the Gardens when you just take the time to stop and look closely” Come and join in some of the future activities and guided walks at the Botanic Gardens. Well worth the effort.

Dale Arvidsson
Curator