Cairns Regional Council - Parks & Leisure
Issue 11 - June 2016
Green Space Our Place
Our Volunteers Voice
Become involved with your local park, reserve, trail or botanic garden
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Volunteers Voice
Front Page: Cattana Wetlands - join the Jabiru volunteers in caring for our wetlands.
In this issue: • From the Editor - Page 2
From the Editor
• Volunteer Profile - Page 3 • Information Sessions - Page 4 • ‘Adopt a Creek’ - Page 5 • Gandoerma Fungi by Barry Muir - Page 6 • Stratford Community Garden - Page 7 • Friends News - Pages 8-9 • What have our volunteers been up to pictorial - Pages 10-11 • Hort Notes: Seed dispersal mechanisms - Page 12 • Sugarworld Botanic Garden fruit trees by Fran Lindsay - Page 13 • Feathered Friends - Page 13 • Carnivorous Plants - Pages 14-15 • What’s On - Back Page
This newsletter will be published quarterly, showcasing articles and photographs on Green Space, Our Place volunteer activities.
Welcome, It has been a fantastic couple of months since our last newsletter, with Sarah and I promoting the groups and their wonderful work to everyone we can and through whatever means we can - Cairns Botanic Gardens Open Day, ECOFiesta, a Volunteer Week gathering, community meetings, and the media - see our new Facebook page: Green Space Our Place. The result has been a huge increase in numbers for all our groups with the Down ‘n’ Dirty numbers growing from an average of 15 each Wednesday to 23, with the last few mornings having a group of 28 in attendance! I am amazed at how many Cairns people want to volunteer! You have all made such a wonderful contribution to our green spaces in this community. I’m continually told how much the volunteer program supports the city’s needs in building community spirit and long term friendships, along with supporting those who are taking part in various training such as horticulture or wanting to gain skills to increase their employment opportunities. Sarah and I enjoy working with you just as much as you love to attend the weekly groups. Thank you! Little Taccas is continually booked out with new faces appearing along with the few regular attendees. It has been such a pleasure to see some of these children gain confidence through attending these programs. One of the Little Taccas was so shy in the first program, always wanting mum or grandma to sit with him at story time. By the second program, much to his mum’s and my surprise, he decided to sing a song for the entire group! What joy! We have new contributors for this newsletter. Thank you to Barry Muir for providing a column on fungi, and to Fran Lindsay for giving us information on fruit trees at Sugarworld. If anyone would like to contribute, or have suggestions to enhance this newsletter you are most welcome to contact me. Happy volunteering!
Louisa
Volunteers Voice
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“Volunteering gives me so much more than I can give.”
F
ran Lindsay, President of Friends of Sugarworld Inc. has been volunteering since she was a young girl and believes supporting others is a key factor in her life. “I’ve always volunteered, setting up the Elvis Presley Fan Club in Edmonton when I was just a kid, and helped organise a ‘babysitting club’ when I was a young mother with children. We would take turns in minding the children - exchange hours for hours,” Fran said. “I also delivered meals for Meals on Wheels. A friend and I, with our children, would collect the meals and deliver them to various homes. It was a good way for the children to see what we had, compared to what others had in their lives, and also showed them that we didn’t have to get something for everything we did; that it was good to help others.
Fran is also a part of the Cairns branch of SOSBSA – Survivors of Suicide Bereavement Support Association Inc. for those who have lost loved ones to suicide. “When my sister suicided there was no help to support us and people didn’t talk about it. Some years later I attended a meeting in Townsville and in 1994 with the help of Scope Club we started a group in Cairns. People need to talk about suicide even if it is uncomfortable as there are so many emotions to work through including guilt. I have resolved my sister’s death in my own heart and mind with the support of this group. We meet locally and all are welcome. I also volunteered with Dr. Edward Koch Foundation with their Suicide Prevention Taskforce for many years.”
“I believed in our young people and wanted to start a ‘Schoolies program’ in Cairns so our school leavers could celebrate locally. In 2003 we organised entertainment and other activities for three years. Volunteering with Other groups Fran is currently involved with are Cairns the young helps me to see society as a whole, not just Garden Club; Neighbourhood Watch Edmonton one age level. (founding member); SCOPE (Service, Community, Opportunity, Purpose and Education); an Australian After 17 years working as a Mulgrave Shire and Cairns Women’s Service Club; Edmonton Lions Club; and City Councillor in Cairns Fran felt she needed a change she is the founding member of Friends of Sugarworld and began thinking about the various jobs she could do. Botanic Gardens Inc. “I thought, I know Cairns and the district so well I could “I developed the Friends of Sugarworld with the idea be a taxi driver but soon realised I could retire in 2008 to educate the community about tropical fruit trees that and decided I didn’t need to work and I could pursue could be planted in their own garden. Some fruit doesn’t my personal interests and volunteer to help others.” travel well and cannot be bought over the counter so we encourage people to grow them in their own gardens,” Fran is currently volunteering with the Edmonton Local Fran said enthusiastically. Ambulance Committee. “QAS require additional items The Friends meet on the second Thursday of the month to those supplied by Governments and we organise at 5.30pm at Hambledon House. We have a general fundraising to assist with this through our table and chair meeting followed by a discussion on trees in fruit and hire and we assist with free CPR Awareness training. how to use them. We also have a working bee at the “I also volunteer with the Cairns Branch of Community Sugarworld Gardens from time to time. Supporting Police for police officers and their families. “Anyone interested in joining the Friends of We also manage a residence in Cairns that can be used Sugarworld can contact me on 0407 695 891 or email by officers and their families from remote and country me frantastic10@bigpond.com. We always welcome new areas in an emergency. members and visitors.”
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Volunteers Voice
Information Sessions
This year our volunteers are being rewarded Botanic Gardens. with monthly information sessions on various In April, Botanic Gardens horticultural, gardening and environmental topics. horticulturalists Matt Wilson Each year we like to give something back for all the work and Jody Smith gave a our volunteers do at the Botanic Gardens and Cattana presenation on ‘Pruning’ Wetlands. Last year Botanic Gardens horticulturalist following by ‘Soils’ in May; Keith English ran SMART training sessions for our both being well received. Down ‘n’ Dirty and Jabiru volunteers. Thank you Keith! Council’s Parks & Natural This year thanks to Parks & Leisure staff and other Resources Strategic Planner, volunteers who have offered to support this program, Luke Jackson give an we have been able to offer a variety of information interesting presentation on Quolls in June that was well received. sessions. New volunteer recruit Barry Muir was our first Coming up: presenter, giving a very interesting and informative talk July: Tony Roberts Council’s interpretive officer in March on fungi, ‘Little Rotters - an introduction to will talk about poisoonous plants under the heading, fungi’ specifially relating to fungi that grew in the Cairns ‘Deadly Dozen’; August: David Warmington, Curator of Cairns Botanic Gardens will present the ‘History of the Gardens’; September: Natural Areas Management will talk on ‘Weed Management’; October: Jenn Muir, volunteer, will talk about the ‘Birds of Cairns’. Pictured: Top, Horticulturalists Matt and Jodie delivering training at the Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre; Above, Barry Muir; Left, Matt teaches hedging techniques in the Gardens.
Volunteers Voice
‘Adopt a Creek’
Program making a difference
O
nce again Cairns Mulgrave Rotary Club’s ‘Adopt a Creek’ clean up at Cairns Botanic Gardens was a great success with many bags of rubbish collected throughout the morning. This program began in April last year and every six months members from the Rotary Club, Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns and the general community volunteer to clean up rubbish that collects along the sides of Saltwater Creek. These people are doing a wonderful job in clearing rubbish before it makes its way to the Great Barrier Reef. A community member said “It was lovely to see no rubbish when I
walked my dog along the path the following morning. Great job!” If you would like to join this program contact Roger on 0438 811 166. Pictured: Top, Rotarians and general community members with their collection; Top right, Rotarians placing out signs; Bottom right, Rotary District Governor Mike Woods; bottom, collecting rubbish
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Volunteers Voice
Volunteer Week Ganoderma Fungi National Give Happy, Live Happy by Barry Muir
This is one of six or more species of these woodrotting parasitic fungi found in Queensland, on both living and dead trees and palms. The fungus causes a white ‘heart-rot’, eventually killing the host plant. Some of the fruit bodies have a shiny ‘lacquered’ appearance and are quite plate-like, such as those above. Others are dull and add successive layers of growth over many years, building up a massive fruit body like the one below which is as big as a hat and some 30 cm thick. These fungi have pores on the underside, unlike many of the fungi, which have gills. The spores are produced inside the pores and fall out when mature. Sometimes the brown-coloured spores of these fungi are deposited on the surrounding plants and soil and give them a rusty, powdery appearance. Frequently the fruit bodies of Ganoderma are themselves attacked by boring beetles, sometimes hollowing out the fungus. The borers then move on to other sites, carrying spores on their bodies and distributing it in addition to the spores that blow in the wind.
Sarah Gosling and Louisa Grandy promoted the volunteer program Green Space, Our Place at an interagency event held by the Australian Red Cross on May 9. National Volunteer Week is the largest annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s six million volunteers. The theme was Give Happy, Live Happy based on the research that shows volunteers live happier and healthier lives. There were 32 registered volunteers for the event, plus speakers, musicians and other services such as Centacare, Life Without Barriers, Cairns Regional Council, FNQ Volunteering, ARC Disability Services, Access Community Housing and Uniting Community Care.
Guest Speaker Kerrie Morgan, of Kerrie Morgan Inc gave an interesting presentation about ‘The 3rd Place’. Kerrie explained the necessity of ensuring we include work, rest and play in our daily lives to create a balanced lifestyle and also better health. ‘The 3rd Place’ refers to the ‘play’ element of the saying Work, Rest and Play. Work - working, studying, volunteering, home keeping. Rest – a safe and secure place to live. Play – what we do for fun, to relax, to connect (this can include elements of volunteering too). Play is often the aspect we focus on least, and to lead a happy life, we need to make sure we have enough of this in our lives. NOTE: our Volunteer Recognition celebrations are held in December where we celebrate our volunteers and their achievements.
Sarah Gosling discussing volunteer opportunities with a representative from Centacare.
Volunteers Voice
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Stratford Community Garden how it all began
ee Brown, founder of Straford Community Garden, spoke with ‘Green Space Our Place’. Dee is a very motivated and community spirited Stratford resident and explained, “The Stratford community garden began selfishly, because I was unable to grow much in my own home garden due to too much shade and a force of wild turkeys and scrub hens. “After putting up a sign looking for enthusiastic gardeners I was approached by Paul Mathews, president of Stratford and Freshwater Community Association (SAFCA), who offered the space behind the Stratford Hall to create a garden. I then did a letterbox drop and signage to attract gardeners to the 15 box community garden. “While living in Brisbane for 10 years I was a part of the Beelarong Garden from the beginning so I had some clues as to how it could happen here also.
able to plant and plant we did. In a short space of time we had all types of veggies, herbs, flowers and fruit growing in that amazing soil,” Dee excitedly recalls. “The garden has evolved in two years to be quite a lovely oasis in which interested gardeners can grow their own organic produce and share what is grown around the perimeter, and pay $1 a week for the pleasure of doing so. We catch up every now and again for a cuppa and a chat. Other than that we just go there whenever we want to, or are able to. We are never all there at the one time unless a working bee is required. “I encourage those who have a passion for growing what they eat, to consider a community garden in their own suburbs,” Dee smiles enthusiastically.
“I found that there were people here in the local community, who like myself, just needed a sunny well drained position to grow things that they like to eat. Many live in units so are limited to pots and while that is better than not at all, a good garden bed is much better,” Dee explained. “I applied to the Cairns Regional Council for permission, and while waiting for the permit I organised the work that was required to prepare the land. “Many people donated their time including local businesses. Dennis Dingo donated his time and expertise to flatten the land and also removed a couple of palms that were not required. Cairns Hardware donated the goods to build the boxes and my dear partner, Jim, myself and a couple of neighbours constructed the boxes. We were then supplied with soil from D & R Lavis Organic soil. “Giddy up! Once those boxes were filled and we were
Stratford Community Garden members Mike Murray and Dee Brown
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Volunteers Voice
Wednesday t’ vent ‘Moth Nigh eE r Fre
Guest speaker nights From bees to bromeliads, chocolate to fungi - these are just some of the talks presented at the Friends of the Gardens, Cairns Guest Speaker Nights.
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These events are held the second Wednesday of the month and have a range of topics. This year the Friends had guest speaker Dr John Leslie Dowe, adjunct research fellow with the Australian Tropical Herbarium, speak at the Annual General Meeting about the early history of Cairns Botanic Gardens and the role played by Eugene Fitzalan.
Local bromeliad experts, Lyn and Bob Hudson spoke on the propagation and care of bromeliads in April to a crowd of approximately 30 Friends members and visitors.
In May Graham Thornton, honey providore, presented ‘For the Love of Bees’ and had a variety of honeys on display for tasting. This fascinating presenation covered the role bees have to play, how to breed bees and maintain healthy hives, seasonal operations, pests and control measures being taken in Australia, bees communication techniques and the difference between raw and processed honey. Graham encouraged everyone to support the local bee-
Raising awareness at Botanic Gardens As a part of the BGANZ Botanic Gardens of Australia and New Zealands’ National Botanic Gardens Open Day on May 29, the Friends and Council’s Volunteers provided information and free guided tours to raise awareness of Cairns Botanic Gardens. Friends member John Seale presented his popular bird watching tour through the Gardens precinct during the early hours while the Friends Visitor Guides gave hourly tours throughout Flecker Gardens and Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory. Local Brian Venables provided
Volunteers Voice
Wednesday Night Garden Talk Guest Speaker - Barry Muir
‘Little Rotters’ - Fungi of Botanic Gardens
Wednesday 10 August - 6pm - Light refreshmen
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Amenities area behind Friends House All welcome Friends $5 Visitors $10
keepers by purchasing local honey. Michael Ferrero, ‘The Wild man from Borneo’ gave a well attended talk in June on his Borneo plant explorations and next month, July Friends member Barry Muir will present his talk on fungi, ‘Little Rotters - Fungi of Botanic Gardens’. These nights are for members at $5 and visitors at $10 - see Calendar of Events (right) for more events held by the Friends.
Open Day a guided mangrove and nature walk, volunteer Peter Shanahan provided a tour through the Aboriginal Plant Use Garden and volunteer Charles Wang was available to answer questions at the Chinese Friendship Garden. Local horticultural groups were asked to join the Gardens to promote their groups such as the Friends of Sugarworld Botanic Gardens Inc, Cairns Bromeliad Society, and the Cairns Garden Club. Pictured: Left, from left, Friends patron David Rentz with the Friends visitor guides Peter Shanahan, Barry Muir, Colin Batch and Jenny Muir; Right, Charles Wang gave tours through the Chinese Friendship Garden.
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Friends’ Calendar of Events
JULY Wed 6: FOBG Committee meeting at 5.30pm Wed 6: 7.00pm – Starry Night Cinema featuring “Inside Out” on the Stage Lawn Wed 27: Friends Guest Speaker Evening – Dr. David Rentz AM “Moth Week” – Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre at 6pm. AUGUST Wed 3: FOBG Committee meeting at 5.30pm Wed 10: Friends Guest Speaker Evening – Barry Muir – ‘Little Rotters’ fungi of the Botanic Gardens, amenities area behind Friends House at 6pm Wed 17 : 7pm Starry Night Cinema featuring “Grease” on the Stage Lawn. SEPTEMBER Sat 6: 5.30pm-10pm “Jazz Under The Stars” on the Stage Lawn, Cairns Botanic Gardens (gates open at 4.30pm) Sun 4: Carnival on Collins (Father’s Day) – FOBG Plant Sale Wed 7: FOBG Committee meeting at 5.30pm Wed 14 : Friends Guest Speaker Evening at 6pm – speaker TBA Wed 21: 7pm Starry Night Cinema featuring “Labyrinth” on the Stage Lawn Thurs 29: 7pm Starry Night Cinema featuring “Tomorrowland” on the Stage Lawn. OCTOBER Wed 5: FOBG Committee Meeting at 5.30pm Wed 12: Friends Guest Speaker Evening – speaker TBA Wed 19: 7pm Starry Night Cinema featuring “The Princess Bride” on the Stage Lawn Sat 29: 7pm Starry Night Cinema featuring “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” on the Stage Lawn.
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Volunteers Voice
What have our volunteers been up to? 1.
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Volunteers Voice
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5. 1. Garden’s horticulturalist Matt Wilson trains Peter Hunt and Matt Sherwell in hedge trimming; 2. Lydia Roehrig trys out the hedge trimmer machine; 3. & 4. Down ‘n’ Dirty in the Gardens; 5. Peter Hunt, Sarah Gosling and Denise Neumann lend a hand at the ‘Little Taccas’ children’s nature activities program; 6. Lydia Roehrig with Norah on her first day with the ‘Little Taccas’ volunteer team; 7. Jabirus Sandy Long and Brian Robinson prepare for a morning of brushcutting at Cattana Wetlands; 8. The Jabirus volunteers on a sunny morning at Cattana Wetlands; 9. Jabiru volunteers weeding ‘nut grass’.
6.
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Hort. Notes
Volunteers Voice
Seed dispersal mechanisms
Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have very limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their propagules, including both abiotic and biotic. Common abiotic vectors for seed dispersal are wind and water. Wind borne seed are usually light and often have wings or tufts of hairs attached that aid in their disposal. The dandelion seed head (pictured right) is widely known as many of us have been taught as children to blow the seed and watch as it drifts away. Some seeds are ballistically dispersed by violent dehiscence of the fruit. For example, Hura crepitans or Sandbox Tree (featured at the Botanic Gardens) produces a large capsule that opens explosively ejecting seeds at 70 metres per second.
Another way that animals disperse seeds is by attachment. Some fruits and seeds feature burrs or barbs that get tangled in an animal’s fur or feathers, or our clothing and get disperse this way.
Many plants that live in and near water have seeds that can float. The size of a seed is not a factor in determining whether or not it can float. Some very large seeds, such as those of the coconut palm and the Barringtonia asiatica tree (also known as the Fish Poison Tree and featured at the Botanic Gardens), can float. The fruit from these plants float in the water for a while and then drop down to the bottom to take root on the floor of the waterway.
When you find a seed in nature, take some time to study it and consider its dispersal mechanism. You will be amazed by the variety of seeds and the various ways they are dispersed. Some seed and their ‘casings’ are beautifully shaped with incredible architectural structures. One in particular that catches peoples’ eye is the Aristolochia tagale seed ‘pod’ (pictured below), shaped like a small basket containing thin seed featuring a thin edge to catch the wind.
Common animal vectors include ants, birds, bats, rodents, fish and mammals. They are attracted to fruit by the colour, position, seasonal availability, odour and taste. Sometimes animals eat only the fruit and the seeds are discarded, while other plants require their seeds to be passed through the digestive tract of an animal before it can germinate. For example, the Cerbera floribunda, or Cassowary Plum, produces a large blue fruit that is posionous to humans and most other animals. The cassowary, however, can swallow the fruit whole and its stomach, which contains rare digestive enzymes that break down the poisonous alkaloids in the fruit making it harmless to the bird. The cleaned seed is then deposited in the forest with a dose of fertiliser where it germinates.
Aristolochia tagale
Volunteers Voice
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Feathered Friends
Pouteria campechiana
Sugarworld Botanic Gardens fruit trees The Canistel Fruit, Pouteria campechiana, is one of the many fruit trees in the Sugarworld Botanic Gardens orchard. This evergreen tree native to southern Mexico and Central America, is cultivated in countries such as Brazil, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines for its fruit. It produces orange-yellow fruit, also called Yellow Sapote, up to seven centimeters long, which are edible raw. The flesh is sweet, with a texture often compared to that of a hard-boiled egg yolk, which is why it is also known as the ‘eggfruit’. We have several varieties at Sugarworld Gardens. Some have just finished fruiting and I expect with the cooler weather coming on we won’t see many now for a few months. However come and have a look at the tree as it might be suitable for your garden. One of the varieties in particular that I am more familiar with is beside the South American Sapote, Quararibea cordata, (the name on the plant label is Chupa Chupa) and the pickle fruit trees, Averrhoa Bilimbi. This particular variety of Canistel fruit is quite sweet and although I have not cooked with it or served it as a dessert at one of my dinner evening gatherings, I urge you to research a recipe for Canistel fruit and try one of them. The scones sound very interesting and for those who know how to make scones, probably very easy and a great conversation piece when you look at the health benefits!
Fran Lindsay, Friends of Sugarworld Botanic Gardens Inc.
Shorebirds are marvels of global migration The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper or ‘Sharpie’ has the colours of Australia’s red centre, carrying the rich ochre colours of the red centre on its head and back, making it the most distinct sandpiper. It is also finely tuned into Australia’s boom and bust ecology and recognises a bargain if it sees one. In years of good inland floods hardly a bird will travel to our southern shores. Instead ‘Sharpies’ gorge themselves on the banks of inland floodplains saving themselves thousands of kilometres in travel. There they are the international guest star in the festival of the living desert. Young ‘Sharpies’ only ever fly from Siberia to Australia by themselves doing a ‘small’ detour via Alaska to fill their bellies and catch favourable winds. Sadly birds like the Sharpie are in serious trouble. Coastal development throughout the flyway and especially in the Yellow Sea is destroying the re-fuelling areas for the ‘Sharpies’ and other shorebirds. This leaves them without the energy they need to complete their amazing journey. Protecting our shorebirds and their habitats in Australia and East Asia is a shared responsibility – of governments and communities, in Australia and globally. Its time to act. If you would like to learn more about birds join one of Birdlife NQ outings http://www. birdlifenq.org/ Golo Maurer, Birdlife, North Australia Office
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Volunteers Voice
Plant Information: Nepenthaceae
Carnivorous Plants - Nepenthes - Pitcher Plants
N
epenthes is the sole genus of the plant family Nepenthaceae. The genus includes approximately 150 species which range from India, Madagascar, through to Malaysia and Indonesia and to the top end of Australia. Australia has named three species, N. mirabilis, N. rowanae and N. tenax, with another one or two yet to be described..
soup of digestive enzymes and bacteria. These help break down the prey into useful nutrients that the plant adsorbs through special glands inside the pitchers surface. Culture Nepenthes are quite easy to grow. The range of climatic conditions in which they are found means that members of the genus can be successfully cultivated all over the Australian mainland. The bulk of the species however do best in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Their preference for nutrient poor soils requires that they be grown in media such as peat moss, sphagnum moss, chopped coir or similar raw materials for best results. Nepenthes thrive in hanging baskets, but constant moisture levels must be maintained in the soil mix at all times. Nepenthes have a preference for bright filtered light, and benefit from occasional misting to maintain humidity.
Nepenthes are vines of the tropical rainforests and marshes. They grow from sea level to beyond the tree lines of some Asian mountains. Like all carnivorous plants, Nepenthes grow in soils of very poor nutrient content, and it is for this reason that the ability to catch A greater number of pitchers can be obtained by and digest prey makes them a successful species where regular tip pruning and removal of old woody canes. few plants thrive. Always snip off old pitchers when they die back by around 50%. Do not discard the stem trimmings The Nepenthes trap is a modified leaf, although many as Nepenthes cuttings can be propagated readily to believe the traps are in fact flowers. increase your collection. This is an understandable mistake as There are hundreds of web sites that deal with this Nepenthes’ traps are usually very brightly genus, just type ‘Nepenthes’ in the search box and see coloured and have a huge diversity of what comes up. There are also many nurseries offering shape and structure. on line plant sales and the ‘Friends’ also have them available from time to time. The library in the Friends Nepenthes prey on a large range of House also has a good collection of Carnivorous Plant insects and animals, from ants to small books and magazines for reference purposes. rodents. Initially the prey are attracted to Other carnivorous plants grown at Flecker Gardens: the pitcher by attractive scents produced by nectar glands at the base of the pitcher Dionaea muscipula - The Venus Fly Trap lid. Alighting on the trap, the insect is drawn to the copious droplets of sweet nectar which Sarracenia species - North American Pitcher Plants guide the prey toward the mouth of the pitcher. Utricularia species - Bladderworts Once the prey enters the gaping mouth, there is little hope. The rim and sides of the trap are covered with a Pinguicula primuliflora - Butterwort waxy surface and minute downward pointing hairs that inevitably result in the prey falling into the trap. Drosera species - Sundews Inside the pitcher is a pond of fluid consisting of a Carnivorous plant collector, Steve Jackson
Volunteers Voice
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Diagram of the parts of a typical Nepenthes pitcher
Nepenthes ampullaria x N. rafflesiana
Nepenthes ampullaria Nepenthes veitchii x boschiana
Nepenthes veitchii Nepenthes ventricosa x maxima
Nepenthes (lowii x veitchii) x boschiana
All photographs taken in the Botanic Gardens Ceonservatory
Cairns Regional Council - Parks & Leisure
Volunteers Voice
What’s On Information Sessions for our Volunteers: 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre from 9.30am (see Page 4 for details). Bird Walks: John Seale’s free weekly tours are held every Tuesday, leaving the Friends House at 8.30am. Friends ‘Gardeneers’ Trolley Plant Sales: every Wednesday morning from 9.30am11.30am outside the Friends House. Garden Guided Tours: Monday to Friday leaving from the Friends House from 10am. Contact the Friends House 4032 3900 for further details. Starry Night Cinema: begins at 7pm on the back lawn of the Botanic Gardens (see Page 9 for details). Friends Guest Speaker Evenings: the second Wednesday of the month (see Page 9 for details). Friends Committee meetings: the third Wednesday of the month at 5.30pm.
Zingiber neglectum 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
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Nepenthes x ventrata
Interested in Volunteering?
There is something to suit everyone. If you are interested in supporting any of the following volunteer programs please contact Volunteers Supervisor Louisa Grandy on 4032 6648. Opportunities include: • Plant Collection Database • Tuesdays - Cattana Wetlands Jabirus • Wednesdays - Botanic Gardens Down ’n’ Dirty Volunteers • Children’s Nature Activities Program - Little Taccas. • Working in your local park, reserve, tracks and trails. For Friends of the Botanic Gardens membership details email fobg@bigpond.com or telephone 4032 3900. If you are interested please ask how you can offer your support such as working in the Friends Shop, becoming a Visitor Guide or assisting with one of their events. Contributions: Please submit articles (must be volunteer or plant based) by August for the next quarterly publication in September. Email: l.grandy@cairns.qld.gov.au. Please note articles are subject to editing.