Nursery facelift reveals cheap place to buy native plants

This southeast Queensland nursery may have undergone an extensive multimillion-dollar revamp, but the price of native plants has remained at just $2.50. Keen gardeners can also pick up free koala food trees.

STAGE one of a $3.9 million redevelopment of Redlands Indigiscapes Centre has now opened - but the plant prices have remained at just $2.50 per seedling.

And keen local gardeners can also pick up free koala food trees.

At the official opening of the upgraded native plant nursery, Redland City Mayor Karen Williams described Indigiscapes as critical to the preservation of the local environment and an important supplier to the region’s more than 40 bushcare groups.

The nursery, which opened in 1996, was run by volunteers until 2008 when council first employed a manager.

Quandamooka elder Uncle Norman Enoch gave the welcome to country speech at the Indigiscapes nursery. Photo: Paula Shearer.

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Nursery volunteers (from left) Penny White, Carol Kennedy, Maureen Tottenham and Nick Foster. Photo: Paula Shearer.

Since then, a total of 210 volunteers have continued to lend support, working more than 11,000 hours on seed collection, propagation and developing a seed bank.

The Redlands Society for Growing Native plants initially sold seedlings from council’s depot in South St, Cleveland, before public demand triggered the move to Indigiscapes at Capalaba.

Cr Williams said the continued and growing demand for native species plants meant the

20 year-old Indigiscapes site was due for an upgrade.

The redeveloped native plant nursery can now hold more than 100,000 plants in tube stock. Photo: Paula Shearer.

The redevelopment, jointly funded by council and the State Government, will include the stage-two relocation and expansion of the existing bush tucker cafe, a new theatrette with conference facilities and a new environmental interpretation area.

A skywalk is proposed for stage three.

The nursery is an important local source of native plants, with the $2.50 seedlings a bargain for family gardeners. Photo: Paula Shearer.

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Capalaba MP Don Brown said the new nursery could now hold about 105,000 plants in tube stock.

The official opening of the nursery saw elected representatives, locals, visitors and volunteers celebrate with activities including a children’s seed bomb craft session, propagation demonstration, free barbecue and other entertainment.

Redland City Council Mayor Karen Williams gives an official address. Photo: Paula Shearer.

Cr Williams said the facility would continue to educate the community about the use of native plants, host monthly plant days and annual ‘trees for weeds’ swaps.

“This new community space is a naturally wonderful example of what we enjoy and appreciate about the Redlands Coast environment, and it was wonderful to see so many people exploring the nursery,” she said.

Street performer Kristian Santic, as The Guardian, helped entertain at the official nursery opening. Photo: Paula Shearer.

The main Indigiscapes centre building, car park and some bush trails will close from January 28 for six to eight months while site construction is undertaken.

The centre’s environmental extension programs will continue from a temporary location at Capalaba Place and the new nursery will remain open through the renovations - providing access to a number of the bush trails.

The nursery is open Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm and the first Saturday of the month from 9am to noon.