Cairns Regional Council - Parks & Leisure
Issue 8 - September 2015
Volunteers Voice This newsletter will be published quarterly, showcasing articles and photographs on volunteer activities throughout Council’s Parks & Leisure branch.
In this issue: • From the Editor • Down ‘n’ Dirty new members • Volunteer Profile • Conservatory Opening • Friends Garden Festival (Carnival on Collins) • Carnival on Collins 2015 • TripAdvisor award • Popular Little Taccas • Volunteers’ Tips • Jabiru News • Friends News • Hort. Notes • Kewarra Beach volunteers • Feathered Friends • Plant Information: Annonaceae • Horticulturalist Retires • Test your Knowledge • What’s On
Making a difference in Cairns
Gardens’ Conservatory opens Cairns Regional Council and Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns celebrated the official opening of the Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory on Friday 4 September. Mayor of Cairns, Bob Manning, thanked all involved in the project and declared the Conservatory open, inviting the Friends to be the first to officially walk through. The Friends donated over $130,000 towards the structure, interpretation signage and plants. “A project such as this is only possible through the hard work and decidication of a lot of people, said Mayor Bob Manning. “I would like to particularly recognise the efforts of consultants, builders, suppliers, the Friends of the Botanic Gardens,
Cairns and the management and staff of Cairns Regional Council in bringing this magnificent project to fruition. “The Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory is a fitting legacy to mark the early contributions to the Cairns community by these two families. My heartfelt thanks to all those involved, in any way, with this project and I proudly welcome this new addition to our city.” The Conservatory was built in the shape of the Licuala ramsayi, an icon of Cairns, and houses several important botanic collections such as aroids, including the Amorphophallus collection; bromeliads; carnivorous plants; cycads; ferns; palms; orchids and tassel ferns. - more photos Pages 4-5
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Down ‘n’ Dirty
From the Editor Welcome, It has been a busy few months leading up to the Carnival on Collins and the opening of the new Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory. The Conservatory was officially opened on Friday 4 September (see story Front Page and photos Pages 4-5) with many people seeing the new structure on the day of the Carnival. Volunteers were kept busy on Carnival day raising funds and awareness for the Gardens and their programs. See photos Pages 8-9. This year I’ve realised many people were unaware that the original ‘Carnival’ was held by the Friends Go back in time to 1990 on Page 4-5 to read about how this event first began. Check out Jabiru News to see what we have been up to at Cattana Wetlands over the past few months. Since April and the cooler weather the Down ‘n’ Dirty volunteer group has had 12 new members registered with a total of 32. See some of the new members pictured right. Once again there is a section on Hort. Notes. This time its on Inflorescence Arrangment. Also see Plant Information on the interesting tropical plant family of Annonaceae. Friends have some exciting events coming up - go to Pages 10 -11 for more details. There is a couple of new sections in this issue: • Volunteer Garden Tips: if you have something you would like to share with everyone - maybe it’s how to grow better vegies, or how to control a particular pest, please contact me and we can add to this growing column next issue. • Feathered Friends - for all you bird lovers this column will continue to be featured in each issue. Enjoy
Louisa
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Since the cooler weather in April the Down ‘n’ Dirty volunteer numbers have been growing. New members (yet to receive their Gardens Volunteer shirt) 1. Donna Gray working in the Saltwater Lake reserve area; 2. Linda Rawson detailing on her first day; 3. Nyree Carroll and (back) Gary Abbot digging a garden edge ready for mulching; 4. Elise Chatterton weeding in the Rainforest Gully. 5. Dennis Turpin in Goodwin St gardens; 6. Nathan Cremen on his first day; 8. Vivian Robertson assisting with cleaning up the rainforest gully.
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“Working with others who are equally engaged in the way and to be ecology of the area is very rewarding” says Cattana curious and ask Wetlands Jabiru volunteer and Friends member questions and not accept things Sharren Wong. at face value. Originally a Western Australian for over 50 years “I am still Sharren and her husband, Rick, came to Cairns for a passionate about sea change two years ago. education and “Rick retired as a Master Mariner and wanted to get encouraging back to the tropical warmth that he was used to; being people to think originally from Malaysia. We also wanted to pursue outside the box, gardening and fishing and Cairns has everything. It’s so engaging them close from the coastline to the Atherton Tablelands.” with the world A member of the SES, Sharren met one of the Down ‘n’ around them. Dirty members, Pat MacConacher, who told her about “I love bushwalking and enjoyed showing Rick the the gardening group. After talking with the Volunteer nature of Australia as he was always at sea. Now Rick Coordinator they realised that the new program, which says the same thing to me ‘guess what I discovered had begun at Council’s Stratford Nursery, was much today?’. We both believe that every day has a gift to closer and decided to join. share.” Sharren has a background in Botany, having studied a Rick and Sharren are both members of the SES, joining Bachelor Of Science after high school, and at 21 years so they could learn about the environment and how to of age was then hired as manageress for the Blossom live in a tropical cyclone area while assisting others. Garden Centre, WA. “We were deployed to Rockhampton and Yapoon last “An incident in life changed my direction and I didn’t year and learned a great deal of respect for the SES. come back to gardening until I joined the volunteer Members come from all walks of life across Australia group here. yet have had the same training which ties us all together “After raising my children I studied for a Diploma in and ensures we know what to expect and to deliver the Education in High School Science Teaching and worked job with unity and continuity. as a relief teacher for a number of years. “We have had a chance to meet so many people who “What I loved about teaching was opening the world up take time out of their lives willingly without expectation for kids; to teach them to see the world in a different of recognition or reward, just for humanity and the satisfaction of making a difference. We have met people from Cairns and surrounding districts, Rockhampton, Mission Beach, Atherton, Herberton and Townsville. “What I love about being a part of the Jabiru volunteers is learning about Cattana and seeing us make a difference in such a dynamic environment. Watching it grow and develop is very rewarding. “I enjoy watching other people in the group engaging and learning how the environment works; the joy of watching the Wetlands grow and change even in such a short time that we’ve been there. “It is fulfilling to be a part of the group that is caring and has an active interest in this landscape. There is so much potential for us, as a group, to grow with this area.”
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Watkins Munro Martin
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1. Friends lead the way on the first official walk through the new Conservatory, 2. Cytrina Stanton, Pat Lawardorn and Coralie Stuart; 3. Pat MacConnacher, Sharren and Rick Wong, Prue Fitzpatrick and Sandy Long; 4. Margaret Humphrey and Max Moulds; 5. John Seale and Jude Friesen; 6. Parks & Lesiure Captial Projects Officer Kristy Korevaar, Cairns Botanic Garden Curator David Warmington and Mayor Bob Manning; 7. Murray Fairbairn, Lois Hayes, Val Auld and Nanette Fairbairn, 8. Julie McEnerny and Lisa O’Mara; 9. David Warmington and John Dowe; 10. Lyn Hudson, Nancy Pettit, Glenda Barnes, Trish Robertson and Ellen Marvellous; 11. Bob Hudson, Mayor Bob Manning, Lother Ross and Supervisor Horticulture Services Dave Weston; 12. Neslon Barnes and David Rentz.
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Conservatory opening
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25th Year Celebrations
Friends’ Gardens Festival How
now known as Carnival on Collins . . . n a g e b l l a it
Carnival on Collins is in its 25th year! Did you know the original idea for the Carnival on Collins, held every year on Father’s Day, was developed by the Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns in 1990? Originally known as the Botanic Gardens Festival, member Richard Lear presented this fundraising concept at the first meeting of the then new Friends committee. The original Committee, consisting of Richard Lear, Deslsey Boyle, Mary Gandini, Denis Golden and Ray Church, was formed in 1989 with the objective to: - Stimulate interest and community awareness in the activities of Flecker Botanic Gardens (FBG) - now Cairns Botanic Gardens. - Raise funds for use in furthering the stated management aims of FBG. - Under the direction of Council representatives undertake such work as necessary to further the stated management aims of FBG. - Promote and support horticultural and botanical science in Cairns.
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The flyer (see above) stated there was something for everyone: - horticultural demonstrations and displays - rainforest walks - community arts and crafts with demonstrations - Aboriginal dance music and crafts The meeting minutes of November 1989 state: - live bands and the Cairns Orchestra ‘the idea of a Gardens Festival was presented to the - children’s entertaining and activities committee members to serve as the primary fundraising - fine food and wine tasting activity for the year and also support the Friends general - licenced bar and lounge. objectives of promoting the Gardens reserve, raising Long time Friends member Coralie Stuart said, “We public awareness and public activity and increasing didn’t realise how much it would involve to deliver awareness of the Gardens and the Centenary Lakes as an the first one but what an event it was! We were able integrated area.’ to improve it each year and gained support from the By July 1990 the Friends had delivered a spectacular community.” Gardens Festival involving many community groups Due to other Cairns’ events held in July the Friends such as the Cairns Musical Band and Cairns Youth decided to move the festival to Father’s Day in Orchestra, comedian Myra Gold, the Historical Society September, the following year. and horticultural societies such as Hibiscus Club, Cairns In more recent times, as this event expanded and Garden Club, Bonsai Society, Society for Growing the Tanks Art Centre evolved, the festival became a Australian Plants and the Rare Fruit Council, to name a Council responsibility and was renamed Carnival on few. Many Cairns residents contributed on the day. Collins.
Volunteers Voice
The 1990 Botanic Gardens’ Festival was well supported by many plant enthusiasts, hoticulturalist groups and community clubs.
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Carnival - sales, sausage sizzles, 1.
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arnival on Collins 2015 was once again a Pictured: 1. Conservatory Lawn stalls 2. Gardeneer popular event on Father’s Day, held this Rod Garrett assisting a buyer; 3. Jabirus & Friends Prue Fitzpatrick and Sharren Wong setting up the Promotional year on Sunday 6 September.
Marquee; 4. Gardeneer Lois Hayes discusses plants with Friends and volunteers spent the day promoting the customers; 5. Selling Tree Mundus Raffle tickets Friend Gardens and the newly opened Watkins Munro Martin Janet Cummings and Down ‘n’ Dirty member Linda Conservatory as well as raising funds for future projects Rawson; 6. Friends member Del Van Mierlo assisting in and awareness of the volunteer programs. the Friends plant cloakroom.
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promotions and fun activities
7. Little Taccas volunteers Maureen and Peter Hunt, Natasha Stanley and Denise Neumann set up the children’s activities; 8. Friends’ Visitor Guide Tony Cuming offers assistance at the new Conservatory; 9. Down ‘n’ Dirty member Gary Abbott lends a hand at the sausage sizzle; 10. Gardeneer Ray Church answers plant questions at the plant sale; 11. Friends sausage sizzle volunteers Lother Ross, Judy Pedersen and Elliott Ross; 12. Jackie Frost selling Tree Mendus Raffle tickets; 13. Friends’ Visitor Guide Bill King answers queries in the new Conservatory; 14. Entomologists Peter Shanahan and Sally Cowan in the very popular Insect Marquee.
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Hard work and pride pay off C
e. nc le el xc E of te ca fi ti er C r so vi d TripA
airns Botanic Gardens has a combination of strong support from staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to achive a high standard of garden presentation. This work has paid off with TripAdvisor awarding the Gardens and Red Arrow Walk with the 2015 Certificate of Excellence. The Botanic Gardens fill an extremely important role in the conservation and preservation of some of the world’s most exotic tropical plant species, from the mountains to the mangroves. For volunteers interested in plants, this is the place to spend their time whether it be through ‘hands-on’ activities such as working in the Gardeneers group propagating and selling plants each week, getting Down ‘n’ Dirty in a variety of gardening activities to support staff, being a part of the Friends Committee raising funds and awareness of the Gardens, inputting data on the Plant Collection Database, greeting visitors in the Friends Shop or taking them on tours throughout the Flecker Gardens.
With the support of these volunteer activities staff are able to present a Garden to visitors of world class quality. If you would like to volunteer at the Gardens see the back page for further details.
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Popular ‘Little Taccas’
Volunteers Tips Volunteers Natasha Stanley, Denise Neumann and Peter Hunt at Carnival on Collins
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ittle Taccas is fast becoming a household name for families with childen five and under. Each term has been booked out within a few hours of opening, while on Sunday at Carnival on Collins over 200 children particpated in the activities marquee organised by the Little Taccas volunteers. The Term 4 program bookings open on September 28 with limited numbers. Phone 4032 6650.
TIPS Jackie Frost: I solved the Brush Turkey nuisance with a product I got from a local supplier (see Jackie for details). It is a yellow powder I mixed with water (according to the instructions) then I used a watering can to lightly cover the garden bed. After applying it the turkeys stayed away for about six months.
Del Van Mierlo reads ‘We’re going on a croc hunt’
Judith Pedersen: Since Judith has been trialling Biochar in her vegetable garden and potted plants she has noticed a better growth rate in all the plants. Louisa: Rather than spending labourious hours digging a veggie patch use the No Dig Gardening Method. I have written an article on it: http://senseofpeace. weebly.com/connecting-with-nature/ archives/02-2014
QUESTIONS: Donna Grey asks:
Denise Neumann is the ‘Little Taccas’ Children’s Nature Activities Program’s newest recruit. Story time was held in Tank 3 on a wet day during June.
Q. Has anyone got a natural way of deterring grasshoppers? A. Here’s a hint from a permaculture follower: blend grasshoppers, if you can stomach this, and spread over garden and this will deter them.
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JABIRU The Jabirus volunteer program at Cattana Wetlands has had some great success over the past few months and is becoming more popular with 12 volunteers now in total. One of the highlights was a meeting (1) with Cr Jessie Richardson, Cairns Regional Council Parks & Leisure staff and members of BirdLife Australia to discuss future plans for the wetlands. Local groups have also joined us this year. The Accor group, who was volunteering as a part of ‘Plant for the planet’, joined us to plant 100 trees and Cairns Volunteers Australia assisted us in weeding these newly planted areas. We planted trees in the Memorial Garden to replace ones that had died, as well as clearing and weeding throughout this area.
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We have also begun planting in the Viewing Platform garden and continue to source more plants that will be used to assist with education of our native species. Much of our time is spent weeding and recently we have been weeding out vines that had covered many of the tree saplings towards the back of Cattana Wetlands. This has been very rewarding to see these trees free of weeds. Pictured (3) Prue
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NEWS
Fitzpatrick de-vining a small tree; (4) Charles Wang and (5) Rick Wong clearing away weeds. (2) Trevor, a visitor to Cairns, joined us for a number of weeks and shared his knowledge of water insects. This was a great education into a whole new world. We have also seen the wonders of nature - Peaceful Doves discovered as eggs and then a week later, tiny hatchlings. We are also learning about new trees as they flower with plant fact sheets regularly distributed on the notice board. BirdLife Australia is also placing information on the noticeboard for visitors. The Jabirus are also involved in other activities such as talking with visitors - (6) Jeff chats to children about plants and animals, as well as plant id education (7) Sharren Wong looking closely at a Ficus fruit. Morning tea is a time to come together and socialise and learn from each other and enjoy the landscape around us - another great aspect of volunteering (see above). The Jabirus
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Friends News F
riends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns
have a number of activities over the next couple of months. There is a fund-raising raffle, a tea party, Starry Night Cinema screenings (with End Credits) and a photographic competition.
Tree Mendus Raffle If you would like to support the Friends in raising $8,000 for a Tropical Spice & Herb Garden and Sensory Walk, to be built at the Saltwater Lake Gardens, become involved in the Tree Mendus Raffle. You can purchase tickets or sell books of tickets.
Tree Mendus Raffle Support the Friends to raise $8,000 for the Tropical Spice & Herb Garden and Sensory Walk
There are 34 opportunities to win one of the many prizes on offier such as three nights accommodation packages, leisure and entertainment passes, dinner vouchers, green waste trailers, gardening kits, gift and fuel vouchers, reef passes, and much more. Tickets are available from the Friends House and Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre. The raffle will be drawn on Sunday 6 December at the Christmas Plant Sale held within the Flecker Gardens.
Annual Photo Competition
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3 for $5
Tickets on sale from 6th September at Carnival on Collins & the Friends Shop. Drawn midday on Sunday 6th December at the Christmas Plant Sale.
Are you a winning photographer? Start snapping now for the annual photo competition and win some great prizes. All photos must be taken in the Cairns Botanic Gardens. There is a variety of categories; something to suit everyone. All photos must be received on or before October 1 at the Friends House. Winners will be announced at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party on 24 October. This is open to amateur photographers only. For more information phone 4032 3900
Volunteers Voice
Following the success of the 25th Anniversary Tea Party last year the Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns will be holding a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the Gardens on Saturday 24 October 10am-noon to encourage enjoyment of the Cairns Botanic Gardens.
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ter’s Tea P t a H art d a y
This year the Friends have chosen a more relaxed picnic theme and ask you to bring along a morning tea picnic, a rug and a chair and enjoy a social occasion sitting under the trees. There will be raffles, hat parade prizes and the results of the photographic competition so come along and have a little fun with mad hats and social occasions while enjoying the beautiful Gardens.
Starry Night Cinema in the Gardens
Friends and End Credits will be presenting the following movies for the remainder of the year: September 23: Grease - an old time favourite released in 1978. Dress up and be a part of the fun. September 30: The Princess Bride - one
Gardeneers grow plants for Noosa At the request of Paul Plant, editor of Subtropical Gardening Magazine, the Friends’ Gardeneers are supplying seven Cananga odorata var. fruticosa to the Noosa Botanic Gardens. The plants were propogated from cutting grown stock in 75mm tubes. Apparently Noosa B.G. has experienced great difficulty in propagating these plants. A feather in the cap for the Gardeneers! Pictured, from left, Nanette Fairbairn, Val Auld and Lois Hayes.
of the hottest cult videos of the 1980s. October 14: Rushmore - a 1998 comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson about an eccentric teenager named Max Fischer. October 31: The Rocky Horror Picture Show - make sure you come along dressed to suit the theme. November 11: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - a post-modern take on
Hollywood and the detective game. November 25: Alice’s Restaurant - is a musical monologue by singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie, released in 1967. December 16 - Shaun the Sheep - released this year this film is loved by young and old alike. Films are screened on the Gardens’ back lawn, entry via MacDonnell St. Tickets available at the gate.
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Hort. Notes
Inflorescence arrangement This issue of Hort. Notes will cover An inflorescence is a flowering shoot that carries more infloresences - the arrangement of than one flower. The following is an introduction to the flowers on the plant. basic terms used to describe the arrangement of flowers.
Racemose Inflorescences -smallest sphere represent the youngest flowers
Head Head
Spike
Raceme
Umbel
Solitary Flowers Flowers are said to be solitary when the plant bears only one, or when single flowers appear on the ends of lateral branches that are remote from one another. Racemose Inflorescences Racemose inflorescences are characterised by a pattern of branching termed monopodial. The main axis continues to grow, producing lateral buds, which become flowers or shoots that repeat the same pattern. The youngest buds are nearest the apex. Terms: Spike - flowers arranged on a single axis, individual flowers lacking stalks.
Corymbose panicle Panicle
Cymes
Raceme - flowers arranged on a single axis, each flower stalked. Panicle - flowers produced in much branched complex structures resembling the branching pattern of a tree. It is important to realise that panicles can incorporate other basic inflorescence patterns such as umbels and cymes. Corymb - flowers arranged so that they are on the same level more or less in the same plane. Umbel - flowers arising from one point at the apex of a stalk, each flower on its own stalk. Fascicle - flowers arising from one point on a twig or branch, each flower with or without a stalk.(corymbs are stalked ie peduncle). Head - flowers produced in definite structures where the flowers (often without stalks) are densely packed in various ways without any obvious branching pattern.
Fascicle
Cymose Inflorescences In cymose inflorescences, or ‘cymes’, the growth of the Diagram excerpt reprinted with permission main axis is terminated by a flower. One or more lateral Name That Flower, Clarke & Lee buds behind that flower then devleop until their growth Melbourne University Publishing, 2003 is in turn stopped by the production of flowers.
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Feathered Friends
Traffic awareness for volunteers
Council has supported its volunteers at the Parklands Estate (Kewarra Beach) by giving them a traffic awareness induction. This allows thems to mow and brushcut in a safe manner while beautifying the gardens
they have created at the end of Wonga Close. Pictured: (above) from left: Mike Denney, Council’s Traffic Management Officer, Stephen Dry and Jason Lunson. (below:) Mike Denney amongst the gardens.
One of the most regular birds in attendance at Cattana Wetlands is the Comb-crested Jacana. With its strange forehead-shield, long legs and novelty oversized feet, at first glance the Comb-crested Jacana appears to be a particularly ungainly bird. However, anyone who has watched one nimbly picking its way across precarious platforms of floating aquatic vegetation would disagree. Similarly, those strangely elongated appendages would seem to render any attempts at long-distance movements problematical. Again, this is incorrect. Although there is no evidence that Jacanas undertake large-scale seasonal movements, some individual birds are capable of making long-distance flights, as odd birds occasionally turn up in the most unexpected places. Most movements of the Comb-crested Jacana are probably in response to the prevailing condition of wetlands. As wetlands dry out, birds must disperse to available stretches of water. This may have provided the impetus for records of Jacanas as far as South Australia.
Rotary Club cleaning up in October
Would you like to assist the Rotary Club and Friends of Botanic Gardens, Cairns to clean up Saltwater Creek running through the Botanic Gardens and past Edge Hill State School? The Rotary Club said they are planning to do this again in October and welcome all support. If you are interested please phone 0438 811 166. Left: Roger Cumming and Carrie Gay.
Usually your best bet for seeing this bird, however, would be to visit them at home in Cattana Wetlands. There you can watch them and marvel at their antics as they fight over their treacherous territories. Mind you, all is not as it seems. Jacanas have reversed sex roles where females are more colourful and aggressive than males while males look after the young and sometimes lift them to safety tucked under their wing. If you would like to learn more about birds join one of BirdLife NQ outings: http://www.birdlifenq.org/
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Custard Apple or
Plant Information: Annonaceae
Annonaceae, the Custard Apple or Soursop family, is concentrated mainly in the tropics and consists of trees, shrubs, and rarely lianas. With 2106 accepted species and more than 130 genera, it is the largest family in Magnoliales. Several genera produce edible fruit, most notably Annona (Custard Apple / Soursop), Rollinia and Uvaria. About 900 species are Neotropical, 450 are Afrotropical, and the other species Indomalayan. The Annonaceae leaves are simple, alternate, lack stipules, and generally are distichously arranged in flat sprays. The flowers are bisexual and actinomorphic, possessing three whorls of perianth with three segments in each whorl. The elongated floral axis also bears many helically disposed stamens and several to many simple pistils. All of the floral parts are distinct.
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The stamens are very short, consisting of the fertile central anther portion, a distal pad of fleshy connective tissue, and a short fleshy basal portion. The stamens are generally so tightly packed on the receptacle that often only the fleshy connective tissue of each is exposed. The pistils each have a superior ovary with one locule and one-many parietal ovules. Sectioned seeds reveal channels or partitions in the ruminate endosperm. The pistils generally remain distinct and develop into berry-like fruits but sometimes they coalesce into multiple fruits like the Custard Apple.
Some genera that occur in the Gardens are:
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1. Uvaria grandiflora, (Flecker Gardens) 2. Cananga odorata (Ylang Ylang) valued for its perfume (Flecker Gardens) 3. Pseuduvaria froggattii (Gondwana), 4. & 5. Stelechocarpus burahol (Kepel Fruit) known for its edible fruit having value as an oral deodorant (Saltwater Lake).
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Soursop family Horticulturalist retires
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Botanic Gardens’ horticulturalist Stephen Jackson, known for his hoticultural expertise and for growing a world class Amorphophallus collection, was given a ‘Farewell Morning Tea’ by Friends & Down ‘n’ Dirty members in June. Pictured pollinating one of the Amorphophallus.
Test your knowledge These are questions about the Gardens and its plants. Visit the Friends Shop and pick up self-guided walk brochures (Aboriginal, Gondwana and Flecker BG) to find answers. 1. What is the major host plant for Australia’s largest butterfly, the Cairns Birdwing? 2. What parts of the native ginger Alpinia caerulea are used as food? 3. Where is the Gondwanan Garden?
7. 6. & 7. Annona muricata (Saltwater lake) flower (top) and fruit (above). Other genera not pictured: Artobotrys odoratissimus, Cananga odorata var. fruiticosa, Demos chinensis, Goniothalamus australis, Melodorum, Miliusa and Monodora species, and Polyalthia longifolia (Indian Mast Tree).
4. What is a Bayu? 5. What plant produces vanilla? 6. What family does bamboo belong to? 7. What is the primary source of material for string used to make Dilly bags and to weave baskets? 8. What is the common name for Tapeinocheilos?
Cairns Regional Council - Parks & Leisure
What’s On Friends’ Wednesday Night Talks: 2nd Wednesday each month, from 6.30pm in the amenities area, Friends House. Saturday ‘Walk & Talks’: 3rd Saturday each month from 9am until noon at Cairns Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre for members and non-members. Bird Walks: John Seale’s free weekly tours, every Tuesday, leaving the Friends House at 8.30am.
Volunteers Voice
• Gardeneers Plant Sale -
• Gardeneers Plant Sale -
‘Gardeneers’ Trolley Plant Sales: every Wednesday morning from 9.30am-11.30am outside the Friends House.
story page 11 for movie details. Tickets sold at the gate.
Garden Guided Walks: Monday to Fridays at 10am. Contact the Friends House 4032 3900 to confirm. Starry Nite Cinema is presented by End Credits and Friends on the Botanic Gardens back lawn. See
Cairns Regional Council PO Box 359, Cairns Q 4870 Australia. 07 4032 6650 Cairns Botanic Gardens 64 Collins Ave, Edge Hill, Cairns Q 4870, Australia 4032 6650 Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns 4032 3900
Keep up to date with all events Cairns Botanic Gardens and Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns are on the Web and Facebook
Birdweek Celebration and BirdLife North Queensland Poster Launch: Tuesday 20 October 10am-2pm at Cattana Wetlands. Come for a sausage sizzle and meet Dr Golo Maurer and Dr Leeann Reaney of the BirdLife North Australia office. RSVP by 18 October for catering purposes ph: 0467 444114
Interested in Volunteering? There is something to suit everyone. If you are interested in supporting any of the following volunteer programs please contact Public Relations & Volunteers Officer Louisa Grandy 4032 6648: • Visitor Guides • Public Relations & Shop assistance in the Friends’ House • Tuesdays - Cattana Wetlands Jabirus • Wednesdays - Botanic Gardens Down ’n’ Dirty Volunteers • Children’s Nature Activities Program - Little Taccas. For Friends of the Botanic Gardens membership details email info@botanicfriendscairns.com.au or telephone 4032 3900. Contributions: Please submit articles (must be volunteer or plant based) by November for the next quarterly publication in December. Email: l.grandy@cairns.qld.gov.au. Please note articles are subject to editing.