Full steam ahead for Garden Expo

June 24, 2014

The wheels have been set in motion for a Queensland Garden Expo to remember, with organisers announcing this week that for the first time ever, attendees can travel to the event on board a historical steam train on Saturday, 12 July.

Queensland Garden Expo Event Manager Marion Beazley said the Expo team had joined forces with the Queensland division of the Australian Railway Historical Society to coordinate the tour, which will depart Roma Street Station in Brisbane.

“We’ve always wanted to incorporate this historical attraction into the Expo and are incredibly excited to launch the maiden voyage in 2014, particularly as we are commemorating our own long history this year. It’s a really special milestone to be adding to our 30-year anniversary celebrations,” Ms Beazley said.

“Brisbane Botanic Gardens Curator-In-Charge Ross McKinnon will be joining the tour and answering any questions from passengers regarding the Expo, so they can enter the gates knowing exactly what workshops and presentations they want to attend and have an understanding of the new plant varieties on offer this year.”

Ms Beazley said after leaving Brisbane behind, the train was scheduled to pass the Glass House Mountains and travel through pineapple paddocks, citrus orchards and bushland.

“The steam train will conduct pick-ups at Northgate, Lawnton and Caboolture and continue through the forests surrounding the towns of Mooloolah and Palmwoods, eventually reaching Nambour’s busy town centre where passengers will be transferred to the event entrance via shuttle bus,” Ms Beazley said.

“A C17 class locomotive — affectionately nicknamed a ‘brown bomber’ last century due to its predominantly brown exterior — is expected to make the journey, with wooden carriages from Queensland Rail’s heritage fleet also put back in action for the day.”

More than 200 C17 class locomotives were built between 1920 and 1953, with the ‘No. 974’ train one of three steam engines retained by Queensland Railways for heritage excursions.

While ‘No. 974’ will be used to transport Queensland Garden Expo passengers to their destination, the locomotive previously spent most of its working life on the railway line between Townsville and Mount Isa. It was based at Cloncurry, Charters Towers and Townsville at various times before being sent to Ipswich in the late 1960s until regular steam locomotive services were suspended in 1969.

Ms Beazley said the heritage tour would make a great addition to the 2014 Queensland Garden Expo program, which includes more than 360 exhibitors and displays, a range of free lectures and demonstrations across eight live stages and over 55 nurseries selling 40,000-plus plants per day.

“This year’s event is shaping up to be one of our biggest yet. We’re thrilled to be welcoming renowned gardening experts Costa Georgiadis, Jerry Coleby-Williams and Angus Stewart of Gardening Australia, as well as many more national and local presenters.”

The Queensland Garden Expo will be held between 11-13 July at the Nambour Showgrounds, Coronation Avenue, Nambour on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Seats on the steam train tour cost $99.00 for adults and $49.00 for children and can be purchased by calling (07) 3252 1759. Discounts for seniors and Australian Railway Historical Society members are also available. The train will depart Platform 10 at Roma Street Station at 8.44am on Saturday, 12 July.

For more information, please visit www.qldgardenexpo.com.au.

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Media contact: Maya Gurry – Fresh PR & Marketing P: 0410 109 102 E: maya@freshprm.com.au

General event details

Where: Nambour Showgrounds, Coronation Avenue, Nambour on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

When:
Friday, 11 July 2014
Saturday, 12 July 2014
Sunday, 13 July 2014
Opening times:
Gates open 8:00am daily
Gates close 5:00pm Friday and Saturday, 4:00pm Sunday

Disability access:
The showground offers excellent facilities for wheelchair visitors with on-site disabled parking, easy access and ground level exhibits along with disabled toilet facilities. Guide dogs are welcome.

Tickets:
Adults $18
Aged concession card holders $16
Groups (10 or more) $16
Children (15 and under with accompanying adult) Free
Two-day entry pass (Saturday & Sunday) – Adults $30
Three-day entry pass $40

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