Set to dazzle: new glasshouse taking shape

“So the pandemic hasn’t been bad for everything.”

Janice Fitzpatrick and Lindy Hills watch as the foundations for the new glasshouse take shape.

The impressive new glasshouse at the botanic garden in Coffs Harbour should be complete by the end of July this year.

It was a difficult decision having to demolish the old one in 2018 but it was way past its use-by date - held together by paint by all accounts.

It's been a labour of love for volunteers and staff at the local botanic garden (its official title is the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden).

The steel and glass design of the building will reflect its surrounding landscape.

Lindy Hills was the president of the Friends of the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden for many years and instrumental in lobbying governments and applying for grants for the new glasshouse, and now with construction underway she can't wait to see the finished product.

In May 2020, the Australian Government announced a new $500m Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCI Program) to support local councils nationally to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects to help stimulate local economies and communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The North Coast Regional Botanic Garden Glasshouse Project received funds of $782,096 towards its construction from the Program.

"So the pandemic hasn't been bad for everything," Lindy said.

Janice Fitzpatrick and Lindy Hills watch as the foundations for the new glasshouse take shape.

The federal government grant is for the "shell" of the building with the friends of the garden contributing $100,000 for the rest - plants, irrigation, paving etc.

The steel and glass design of the building will reflect its surrounding landscape with tree trunks that reach up and branch out to support opaque and transparent panels, filtering the light like leaves.

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The modular design will also allow for future expansion

It will have three interconnected areas:

- A Foyer offering a covered space for educational display boards, an informal meeting point and workshops;

The steel and glass design of the building will reflect its surrounding landscape.

- A Shade House designed to offer secure housing for shade-loving plants such as Bromeliads and Orchids. The Shade House will offer display shelving and planted feature beds with accessible pathways and seating; and;

- A climate-controlled Tropical House. Interconnected with the Shade House and Foyer, the Tropical House will offer accessible pathways, seating, display shelving and planted feature beds. The Tropical House will showcase plants that are not normally grown within the Coffs region, for conservation, research, display and education.

Janice Fitzpatrick at the new botanists' walk under construction at the Coffs Harbour botanic garden.

Connex Management and Construction are undertaking the work.

Building works are forecast to be completed by the end of July, hard landscaping at the end August and the balance of planting by the end of October, dependent on weather and availability of planting materials.

The friends and garden staff are also working on a botanists' way which will be a striking new feature at the gardens just down from the new glasshouse.