Garden Expo sows seeds of sustainability

June 4, 2015

Organisers of this year’s Queensland Garden Expo will up the ante on sustainability – not only by introducing a range of workshops and initiatives to educate Expo attendees on sustainable living, but by putting it into practice themselves with the introduction of an innovative composting system to minimise the event’s impact on the environment.

Queensland Garden Expo Event Manager Marion Beazley said sustainability continued to be a subject of great interest to those attending the Expo and it was important that the event continued to raise the bar on being more sustainable.

“This is a significant event with close to 40,000 attendees so anything we can do to reduce the impact of the event and to provide more information to those who come along is a positive move,” Ms Beazley said.

The 2015 event will benefit from the addition of a ‘Bite-size’ On-Site Composting Apparatus (OSCA) — a waste-management invention that was recently developed by Sunshine Coast-based company Worms DownUnder.

“For the first time in the expo’s 30-year history, we will be separating organic waste from general waste and using the commercial-size composting system to process the organic material,” Ms Beazley said.

“The end product will be used on garden beds around the Nambour Showgrounds and Nambour Community Gardens, adding nutrients to the soil and assisting with moisture retention.”

“This is a really exciting step for the Queensland Garden Expo and we’re thrilled to be minimising our impact on the environment and using waste in a positive way.”

Ms Beazley said she was also delighted to have Worms DownUnder Business and Sustainability Manager Dr Pene Mitchell presenting daily at the Expo regarding worm composting, and sustainable gardening expert and blogger Roman Spur taking to the stage at the 2015 event.

“Roman and his wife Jana are well-known for having developed a year-round urban farm at their Brisbane property that produces an abundance of vegetable, fruit, honey and eggs.”

“Having achieved this at a rented apartment block less than 3km from the Brisbane CBD, Roman has demonstrated that you don’t require acres of land to create an edible garden that can sustain your family.”

Ms Beazley said Expo attendees of all ages could get involved with the sustainability initiatives taking place throughout the three-day event, with event-goers encouraged to visit the coffee cup ‘upcycling station’.

“Off the back of the initiative’s success in 2014, we are once again inviting attendees to bring their used coffee cup from the Expo to the upcycling station and have it filled with a handful of soil and a free plant they can take home and care for.”

“Last year we gave away more than 5,000 free plants and expect this figure will continue to grow in 2015 as the concept becomes more and more popular and awareness increases.”

Ms Beazley said it was encouraging to have attendees embracing this initiative with such vigour, and she was pleased to see the community as a whole taking more of an interest in living sustainably.

“By taking small steps now to lessen our impact on the environment, we can provide future generations with a much better quality of life.”

The 2015 Queensland Garden Expo will be held at the Nambour Showgrounds on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast between 10 and 12 July. To purchase tickets or find out more about the event and accommodation packages on offer, please visit www.qldgardenexpo.com.au.

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Media contact

Maya Gurry, Fresh PR & Marketing
0410 109 102
maya@freshprm.com.au

General event details

Where: Nambour Showgrounds, Coronation Avenue, Nambour on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
When:
Friday, 10 July 2015
Saturday, 11 July 2015
Sunday, 12 July 2015
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 weekend pass (Saturday and Sunday) – Adults $30
Three-day entry pass $40
Three-day car pass $15

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