CONTENTS
Volume 32 Number 6 June 2021 PUBLISHER NURSERY & GARDEN INDUSTRY VICTORIA
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PRESIDENT Simon Gomme CEO Craig Taberner
3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
CONTRIBUTORS Simon Gomme, Leigh
4 CEO’S MESSAGE
Siebler, Craig Taberner, Matt Ross, Nan
6 DYNAMICS OF MEDIA PILES
Cleven, Rohan Davies, Ally Jackson, Sara Barron, John Rayner
9 MAY TRADE DAY REPORT 12 OZBREED EASY ACCESS – OUR NEW NO-FUSS OFFERING
ADVERTISING NGIV T: (03) 9576 0599
16 TS&G: DINNER AND TOUR OF CRITTENDEN ESTATE
Malvern East VIC 3145.
18 PRESERVING CLOUDEHILL GARDENS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
P.O. Box 2280, Wattletree Road LPO,
ADDRESS Unit 3, 307 Wattletree Road, MAILING ADDRESS Malvern East VIC 3145.
20 THE HOMEGROWN MEADOW 2021 24 FOUR WAYS TO SELL TURF
Our front cover: Aloe Aloe – that’s a nice dash of colour!
25 INDUSTRY NEWS
www.humphris.com.au
23 PLANT POT RECYCLING BINS FOR INDUSTRY
28 NEXTGEN: SARAH BEALES
TELEPHONE (03) 9576 0599 FAX (03) 9576 0431 EMAIL ngiv@ngiv.com.au www.ngiv.com.au FINISHED ART Vale Graphics M: 0409 88 77 06 E: angie@valegraphics.com.au PRINTING Norwood Industries 6 Wedgewood Road, Hallam VIC 3803.
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Simon Gomme President, NGIV
Australian Growing Solutions, Botanix Plant Supply, Mansfields Propogation Nursery, Paradisia Nursery, and Oasis Horticulture; you know you’re going to generate a lot of interest.
At the end of May, we were sent a timely reminder that COVID-19 isn’t something that we’re free of. I think many of us had thought it was something that was behind us, a 2020 blip.
I’d like to thank Matt Mills for the time he spent on NGIV’s Board. Matt achieved great things at GCP in his efforts to close the loop on PP5 plastics in horticulture. He’s now moved on to a role with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation and resigned from the Board.
Whilst it is a temporary setback, particularly for our Metropolitan retail members, let’s also remember that for many reasons it has fuelled an interest and desire to garden, which can only be good for our industry.
I’d like to acknowledge the fantastic job that the Strategic Working Committee, the Trade Day Committee, and the team at NGIV are doing to deliver a Trade Day in July at KCC Park. I cannot over emphasise enough how much work has been involved in the change of venue and I’d encourage buyers and stand holders to be patient as we bed into our new home.
Be mindful of how it might be impacting your team; a sense of insecurity, family life and health concerns may all be affecting them. Look for ways to support them and understand their concerns. And look for opportunities to support your peers and ultimately the industry as a whole. We’ve all done a fantastic job for such a sustained period, let’s make sure we continue to operate to the highest COVID-Safe standards, so we can keep servicing the public demand for quality plantlife. It’s been great to see that NGIV continues to promote horticulture as an excellent career choice. Policy and Technical Manager, David Reid, has attended a number of schools and career expos to encourage the next generation to bring their careers to life with horticulture. When you have a stand that is adorned by plantlife provided by Speciality Trees, Tall Trees,
Finally, I’d like to give special thanks to Nan Cleven, our Market Co-ordinator, although let’s face it Nan runs the show. She is always the first in to open up at 4:00am and usually the last out after locking up. She’s not one for accolades, you’ll never spot her in a photo, and she’ll be squirming as she reads this. But after 20 odd years of dedicated service, I’d just like to say thank you Nan, we couldn’t do it without you.
Simon Gomme President, NGIV Powerplants Australia
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CEO’S MESSAGE
Craig Taberner CEO, NGIV Winter has come and with it the frosty mornings, but the industry buoyancy remains. Gone are the days of growers spending long winters in warmer climates, with demand for quality plantlife being a year-round affair. Just a reminder as well that this is the final monthly Groundswell as we transition to a larger bi-monthly offering. As ever we want to share our Member and Partner stories, if you have content that would be of interest to an industry audience, reach out to matt@ngiv.com.au The next Issue will be August Groundswell. Speaking of events, after months of webinars, it's been fantastic to be able to deliver our events in person again in 2021. From the Dinner and Tour at Alowyn Gardens to the Golf Day Classic and LEAN Leaders Program; the turnouts and feedback have been fantastic.
Our Training & Events Officer, Lizzie Earl, has been working hard to put together a year of events that will educate, inspire and excite our members. Events are spread across Tree and Shrub Growers, Educational, NextGen and Marquee Events; to provide something for every member. NGIV events are a fantastic way to meet industry peers, socialise and learn together. You can view the calendar of events on page 30. In May, NGIV held the final trade day at Caribbean Gardens. It was wonderful to bring the industry together to share trade day memories and get excited about its future. It was a day full of emotion, and it was lovely to welcome back some familiar faces; including former Market Manager, Frank Hammond. Andrew Raper, Greg Carrick and Leo Koelewyn, all spoke passionately about the importance of trade day to the industry and the need to embrace the change of venue. It was with regret that our June Trade Day was cancelled due to the rise in positive COVID cases in Metropolitan Melbourne. The NGIV Board have made the final decision; which was unanimously supported by the Trade Day Committee, the NGIV team and KCC Park management. Everything was in place for it to be a wonderful first Trade Day at KCC Park; the response from both buyers and stand holders was fantastic and the venue was at full capacity. A great deal of work had gone into providing industry with a seamless transition to the new venue and it's incredibly unfortunate that we won’t get to come together in June. However we all have a responsibility to do the right thing; not only is there a potential risk to the health and safety of our attendees, but proceeding could also jeopardise the Industry’s current ability to trade. The success of Trade Day is enormously important to the financial wellbeing of our historic association, and so we ask that you bring the same level of enthusiasm and commitment to what we sincerely hope is our first Trade Day at KCC Park, on Tuesday 6 July. Finally, I’d like to thank all those that completed our Member and Partner surveys. The feedback we received was extremely valuable and is already being used to inform our work. The responses have been shared with the Board for their consideration.
natives / exotics / grasses ornamentals / contract grow specialists
INFO@TALL A TREES.COM.AU (03) 59830 166 | TALL TA TREES.COM.A T U 04
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Craig Taberner CEO, NGIV
PROFILE: AUSTRALIAN GROWING SOLUTIONS
Dynamics of Media Piles By Rohan Davies, Australian Growing Solutions How you store and handle your growing media can have a great impact on the performance of your crop. In this article, Rohan Davies of Australian Growing Solutions details the best practice techniques to improve your growing results. When buying potting mix, there is a lot to consider; start-up nutrient, slow-release fertiliser, controlled release fertiliser, porosity, water holding, nitrogen drawdown levels, just to name a few. Some of these considerations become more relevant when you buy more media than you can use in a short period of time based on your potting schedule.
degradation. High media temperatures will hasten nutrient release and may cause excessive media EC levels. Consider an irrigation flush when first using the media to eliminate this problem.
Here are some factors to consider when ordering a load of potting mix.
Always cover your potting mix pile with a tarpaulin or a cover made from light coloured material. The light cover reduces the impact of heat absorbance from the sun compared to a dark cover. Excessive rainfall can cause bulk media to turn anaerobic and leach nutrient because of the potential to rapidly increase the release of nutrient from controlled release fertilisers due to a high osmotic potential.
Timeliness Buy enough, but not too much, “enough” generally equates to the volume of media you will use within a few weeks. If you are left with excess, it is best to use this up as quickly as possible. Time, along with the other considerations can impact on the quality and performance of your media. Ordering larger loads can often reduce costs due to freight efficiencies, so try to condense potting into batches so you get through as much mix as possible in a short period.
Temperature Always aim to store your bulk pile of media under 1.2 metres in height. This helps to maintain air porosity and reduces opportunities for temperature build ups due to media
Rainfall
What is Electrical Conductivity (EC)? In water, EC is a measure of its ability to conduct electricity. When looking at water in its natural state, i.e., rainwater, it has a low EC. If we bring nutrients or ions into the water, the EC rises, meaning the water is better at conducting electrical current. EC is usually measured in micro-Siemens (µS/cm) and readings generally fall between 30 µS/cm to 2000 µS/cm. Seawater, for example, will have a reading of approximately 50,000 µS/cm, rainwater typically around 60-90 µS/cm and a typical nutrient solution 1000 – 2500 µS/cm.
Having multiple potting media bays allows the nursery to have a number of different media blends to best suit particular plant requirements. Ensure you keep the pile below 1.2 metres in height.
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Fertiliser is more evenly distributed throughout the media when blended through a batch or inline blender, like the one AGS used to blend the growing media pictured above.
Factors Affecting Media EC There are several factors that affect media EC or soluble salts: water quality, starter charge, media components, fertiliser type and rate, watering technique, environment, and age of plant roots. Most commercial mixes have a starter fertiliser charge added to promote growth during the first three to four weeks following sowing or transplanting. When you take an initial measurement of media EC, you are measuring the starter charge along with the lime or gypsum. Fertilisers are a type of salt, so the fertiliser you choose, how much you feed, and the frequency of feeding all determine the media EC as you are growing the crop. How you water the crop will also influence EC levels. If you are heavily feeding the crop and do not flush on a regular basis, salts will build up in the container, causing damage to roots. Environment can also affect media EC. Cool temperatures may keep growers from watering to run off often enough which could see the build-up of soluble salts. Low light levels and high humidity can also cause similar problems, in addition causing the plants to stretch and become soft. Finally, the older the root system, the lesser the effect soluble salts will have, lowering the chances of burning roots and causing root rot.
Dibbling vs Incorporated AGS recommends the use of controlled release fertiliser in many situations and recommends the controlled release fertiliser be incorporated in the growing media rather than dibbling or topdressing. Having the fertiliser added at time of blending, ensures an even distribution of prills throughout the pot. This has several benefits. Firstly, it ensures there is an equal spread of nutrition throughout the rootzone which provides even root development, and secondly, it eliminates toxic concentrations of prills in one spot. These concentrations, or “hot spots”, can cause burning to the root fibres, and in some cases, can limit root development in that part of the pot. u GROUNDSWELL JUNE 2021
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PROFILE: AUSTRALIAN GROWING SOLUTIONS
Bulka Bags
Bulka bags can be a convenient option, but there are downsides to consider.
Having fertiliser on the surface of the mix by topdressing provides the perfect conditions for weeds and liverwort as there is a large amount of nutrition and moisture close to the surface. Topdressing is a great way of providing a plant with a boost prior to sale or to get it through until potting up, but it is not recommended for the initial feed. Fertiliser is more evenly distributed throughout the media when blended through a batch or inline blender, like the one AGS used to blend the growing media pictured above.
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Some nurseries opt to purchase their potting mix in bulk bags. This option does help keep the mix dry and protected, but there are some downsides. Bulka bags are made from plastic, and while there is an effort to recycle or repurpose the bags after use, they do eventually enter the waste stream. Bulk bags make it possible to move the mix around without the need for a front-end loader, and most nurseries have a forklift available. However, there are extra costs associated with filling and shipping bulk bags. Ultimately, nurseries will use whatever works best in their business, but it is worth reviewing your processes on a regular basis to assess the efficiency and safety of your potting operations. Weighing up the cost of new equipment versus the savings and potential productivity gains that you could deliver your business. Australian Growing Solutions and the Nursery and Garden Industry of Victoria will be running some workshops in August exploring these points and more. Keep an eye out for the details.
FEATURE: TRADE DAY
May Trade Day report By Nan Cleven And there we have it, our final Trade Day at Caribbean Gardens after 43 glorious years and 500 bustling markets. There was definitely a different atmosphere at this one; with lots of nostalgia and sentiment for the big shed and a fair amount of excitement and chatter about what’s to come at KCC Park. There was the usual melee of plant laden trolleys and beautiful displays, but the real interest came at the end of trading.
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A sizeable crowd of buyers, stand holders and some special guests gathered to enjoy a complimentary BBQ and hear some of Trade Day’s key figures share their memories and look to the future.
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Thanks to former market manager, Frank Hammond and his wife Beverley, cutting the cake with Craig Taberner
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Buyers ready themselves for one last splurge at Caribbean Gardens.
Fittingly, Justin from Flinders Nursery, our longest serving stand holder, rung the bell on trading for the last time.
Leo Koelewyn of Coolwyn Nurseries spoke about how much he learnt about the industry and how much of an impact it had on the way he still does business, through connections he made at trade day. He implored everyone present to get behind the new venue and make it work.
Andrew Raper of Rhodo Glen Nurseries reminisced on memories of his dad, Alan, and the role he played in getting Trade Day of the ground. He too, implored the crowd to embrace the change and to trust in an event that has been around for decades. u
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FEATURE: TRADE DAY
Through the years this big old shed has been brightened up by plants and plant people. Thanks to everyone for the special memories, we’re looking forward to making new ones at KCC Park.
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FEATURE: TRADE DAY
May Trade Day was proudly sponsored by NGIV Silver Industry Partner, Monbulk Rural.
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A First visit to Trade Day on our last day at Caribbean Gardens for Ashley O’Hara from Monbulk Rural, with Rick Giurini showing her the ropes.
As always, great care in presentation by the crew from Scotsburn with another massed display of colour, all set for a big Mother’s Day.
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“The Three Amigo Michaels” – Linton, Warner and Van Berkel, enjoying a chat and reminiscing over Trade Day’s gone by. Tallying up the number of over 100 years between them since the start of trade day.
What better time than Mother’s Day for a massed display of pink Cyclamens, Danielle right amongst it on the Boomaroo stand.
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‘Think Pink’ our annual theme for May Trade Day and Mother’s Day brightened the place up and helped to raise $135 for the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA). Thanks to all who supported our raffle, in particular the stand holders who donated plants or product.
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Chris England from Merrywood Plants finally gets his hands on the Golf Day Classic winners shield, ably presented by Heath McKenzie from AGS.
Here’s Jacky and Miss Molly Gilbee, both big fans of NGIV’s Trade Day
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PROFILE: OZBREED
Ozbreed Easy Access – Our New No-fuss Offering By Ally Jackson, Communications and Business Relations
At Ozbreed we’ve been breeding no fuss, functional and reliable plants for landscape professionals since 2002. For almost 20 years, our plants have graced roadsides, commercial and residential landscapes, and gardens Australia-wide. Todd Layt and his family have been synonymous with the Ozbreed enterprise, whose humble beginnings started in turf breeding in 1995. The success of a decision by Todd to breed Lomandra cultivars in the early days of the business, has grown into what it is today. We are now represented by licenced propagators and growers in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Europe and Japan, supplying each country’s landscape industry with a huge variety of greenlife products. In 2021, while Todd remains at the forefront of the breeding and research arm of the business, the day-to-day running of the company is undergoing some radical changes. Whereas, in the past Ozbreed were perceived as a ‘closed book’, with
access to our signature plants and growing options limited – things are changing. Industry feedback has been building and we are listening. After almost 20 years, we are evolving to make access to our plants easier and meet ever-increasing industry demand.
Ozbreed Easy Access Offering From 1 July 2021, we are launching a new offering called Ozbreed Easy Access (OEA). The OEA will make it easier to access young plants from specialist propagators and growers to pot on and sell. Fewer complications in accessing available propagation stocks for approved OEA growers, will in-turn
Blue Gem™ Westringia hybrid ‘WES03’ A
Yareena™ Myoporum parvifolium ‘PARV01’ A
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Low Horizon™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES06’ A
'Callistemons in Ozbreed Gardens'
increase the potential availability of supply of each Ozbreed plant to market. Whilst we will maintain our current business relationships with our limited number of licenced propagators and growers, the OEA will be available to nurseries who meet the new OEA criteria. For more information on the OEA criteria go to ozbreed.com.au/ozbreed-easy-access
Working with NGIV As Ozbreed grows and improves, we want to support the established industry that helped to build us. This year, we are connecting with NGIV in a collaborative relationship with an aim to grow, innovate and develop the industry, especially at the ‘grassroots’ level, to engage the next generation of nursery men and women.
A Team for Transformation Where previously the Layt family used to run every aspect of the company, some family members are taking a step back from the coalface. Todd’s wife Marina, and daughter Katrina, are winding up their positions in the company to pursue other opportunities, Todd’s son, Nathan, continues to consult the Senior Management Committee.
Tropic Cascade™ Lomandra hystrix ‘LHWP’ A
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PROFILE: OZBREED u
Nafray® Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘PA300’ A
Todd, while remaining Director of Marketing, is focussing on breeding and has assembled a team of industry professionals to manage and run the day-to-day aspects of the business and deliver the changes associated with the OEA offering. Michael Rigg is leading the new team in the role of General Manager. His new team accompanies the new management style and fresh ways of doing things at Ozbreed. James Maitland connects supply and demand in the recently created role of Distribution and Relationship Manager. Eleanor Cadalbert will oversee all contracts, administration, and compliance as the Office Manager. Ozbreed is reinvigorated with new marketing and communication expertise on board. Ally Jackson’s role of Communications and Business Relations focuses on personal communication with influencers and businesses at the forefront of the landscaping industry. On top of that, we are embracing the digital age and building on our marketing presence through social media platforms, under the guidance of Marketing Assistant, Bianca Boman. Ozbreed is combining the strengths of our new team members with the expertise of those who have been with the company since its inception. This synergy allows us to evolve and improve the way we operate.
Our History From our inception, we have focussed on breeding plants that were tough enough to withstand the climatic extremes of drought and flood, that were low maintenance and reliable in their horticultural uniformity and performance. We revolutionised the landscaping industry with natives that behaved the way we claimed they would, thanks to selective breeding and consistent trialling and testing of products in 14
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PROFILE: OZBREED
Scarlet Flame™ Callistemon viminalis ‘CC19’ A
the development phase, through to uniform propagation. Still today, new plants are only released to market when they successfully pass all vigorous controls, over several years. Describing the process, Todd said, “Discarding beautiful plants that do not perform in landscape testing is always the hardest part as a breeder but testing and not guessing is part of our culture”. Over the last two decades, our plants have become landscape design darlings, featuring in high-profile landscapes all over the country. What started with signature Lomandras has led to a constant evolution in the plants that Todd bred. As the business evolved, we also became a representative for other national and international breeders needing a platform to distribute their carefully bred plants to growers and propagators alike.
Blue Horizon™ Eremophila glabra prostrate ‘EREM1’ A
Regular contact with the professionals in the landscaping industry has been at the core of new product development and acquisition and continues to be today. The plants they required or were at a loss to find, Todd has always sought to represent.
Looking forward
Tanika® Lomandra longifolia ‘LM300’ A
Breeding and selecting plants has never slowed down in the Ozbreed nursery, and the results of that focus will be revealed in the upcoming months and years. Plants that have been requested by industry, will become available to approved OEA nurseries, to buy, pot on and sell to a market that continues to go from strength to strength. As long as there is demand for exciting new plants and reliable performers, Ozbreed will continue to deliver them, and OEA-approved nurseries will have ‘easy access’ to growing them. Grey Box™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES04’ A
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TREE & SHRUB GROWERS
Tree and Shrub Growers:
Dinner and tour of Crittenden Estate By Matt Ross It seems that nothing draws a crowd of horticulturalists like a tour and dinner of a winery. On an autumnal Wednesday 28 April, over seventy NGIV members came along to the Tree and Shrub Growers April meeting at Crittenden Estate. Rollo Crittenden, a second-generation winemaker, at the family business provided an expert tour of the mature vineyard that he helped plant as a child. Everyone sat down to enjoy a stunning dinner, catch up on industry news and make new acquaintances. And it would be rude not to cap off a fantastic evening without a tasting session of the Crittenden Estate wines.
The group consists of members of the NGIV involved with nursery plant production and allied trade and provides fantastic networking opportunities across all areas of industry.
Crittenden Estate has been a labour of love for Garry Crittenden, and his family. With a background in horticulture and inspired by his love of wine, Garry transitioned from nurseryman into viticulture in 1982 just as the Peninsula was emerging as a wine growing area.
Carl Soderlund (Botanix Plant Supply)
The feedback from attendees was fantastic, and it was wonderful to see such diversity amongst the attendees and lots of new faces. The Tree and Shrub Grower meetings are proving to be a resounding success with a diverse offering of events, an inclusive and friendly atmosphere, and a growing guest list. The Tree and Shrub Growers of Victoria is the largest sectional interest group of the Nursery & Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV).
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A big thank you, as ever, to the Tree and Shrub Growers committee: Ben Scoble (Speciality Trees)
Will McIntosh (Mansfield Propagation Nursery) Howard Fox (Plant Growers Australia) Our charismatic Chairman Heath McKenzie (Australian Growing Solutions) and NGIV’s Training & Events Officer Lizzie Earl, who work tirelessly to create an engaging calendar of events and an inclusive atmosphere. If you, or your team, haven’t been to one of our events, make sure you join us next time. The more the merrier. Visit the events page at ngiv.com.au to see what’s coming up next.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Breeding focuses on early flowering genetics Many breeding programmes within the fruit, vegetable and cut flower industries, focus on developing improved genetics with earlier harvest seasons. The rationale is based on stock hitting the shelves earlier, extending the harvest season, and aiming to achieve premium prices via strong consumer demand and interest. Imported produce has blurred typical seasonal windows of supply, with asparagus, oranges, kiwi fruit and Peony roses, often available all year round when sourced from northern hemisphere producers. Applying this base supply and demand economic rationale and aiming to extend the flowering season of its core Chamelaucium genetics, Helix Australia’s breeding programme is now starting to release earlier flowering hybrids of Waxflower for both its nursery and cut flower clients. In partnership with Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth, Helix Australia has released two early flowering white Waxflower hybrids called Morning Delight and Dawn Pearl. The Kings Park breeding program has identified some new genetics that flower even earlier than the current earliest flowering varieties.
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SA
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Adrian Parsons, Managing Director of Helix Australia, is excited about the development. “These two new hybrids typically flower up to six weeks ahead of other Waxflower varieties. Our global cut flower growers are achieving price premiums in excess of 25 per cent by tapping into this strong early season demand. “In addition we are seeing a strong demand and interest from our nursery growers who are keen to have an extended retail nursery shelf presence of flowering waxflower pots with early varieties commencing in June until late flowering hybrids in mid-November.” These earlier flowering varieties have been incorporated into the breeding program with a view to further extending the waxflower season, particularly targeting production for Mother’s Day. For further information and to order contact Adrian Parsons e: adrian@helixaustralia.com.au m: 0418 399 539
Tarrawood Nursery Gondwana Nursery
WA
Benara Nurseries Domus Nursery Plantrite
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Pohlmans Nursery
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Preserving Cloudehill Gardens for Future Generations
The Diggers Foundation is very pleased to announce that the world class Cloudehill Gardens in Olinda will be preserved for future generations of garden lovers. Cloudehill creators Jeremy and Valerie Francis have guaranteed its preservation by signing a contract for its eventual transfer to the Diggers Foundation. “We are delighted that Jeremy will continue to manage the garden as he has for nearly 30 years and oversee its ongoing development,” Clive Blazey, Founder of the Diggers Foundation said. “Very little at the garden will change apart from the eventual ownership and long-term preservation, which is pleasing for both Jeremy and I and the many thousands of garden visitors who relish its beauty,” Clive added. Jeremy and Clive have been garden friends since the Diggers Club set up a garden shop at Cloudehill in 2014 and share concern over the preservation of leading Australian gardens. Both Clive and Jeremy are thrilled that now Cloudehill, one of Australia’s internationally-acclaimed gardens, will remain open to the public for generations of garden visitors to enjoy.
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The seeds of the Diggers Foundation were sown nearly 40 years ago with the acquisition of historic Heronswood in 1983 by the Blazey family as their home and the headquarters of the fledgling Diggers Club. Clive reflects, “When you are lucky enough to be a custodian of a place like Heronswood or Cloudehill, you realise that precious historic houses and gardens should never be traded like real estate, but should be preserved for all to enjoy.” In 1996 Tommy Garnett’s unique Garden of St Erth was bought by the Blazey family to ensure Tommy’s legacy would continue and be preserved as the second garden for Diggers. Cloudehill will be the third garden that the Diggers Foundation will own, giving access to three of Australia’s finest gardens to Diggers
INDUSTRY NEWS
Club members for free and other public visitors for a small fee which assists with upkeep. “Because the preservation of Australia’s finest historic gardens gets no funding support from Government, the Diggers Foundation has emerged as a focused garden charity, in a similar tradition to the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK,” says Clive. The Diggers Club now has over 80,000 members Australia wide and is best known for its campaigns against GMO seeds and its success in rescuing heirloom seeds. In 2011, the Blazey Family gifted The Diggers Club and its gardens to the charitable Diggers Foundation – a bequest estimated at over $15 million dollars – in order to ensure the Diggers legacy would continue and their historic gardens would be preserved. Profits from the Diggers Club now go to the Foundation and are combined with public donations and bequests to continue their work in preserving historic gardens and heirloom seeds.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
The Homegrown Meadow 2021 By Sarah Barron and John Rayner The Homegrown Meadow was a display garden created for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show by Master of Urban Horticulture students from the University of Melbourne. The ‘Homegrown Meadow’ puts an Australian spin on the naturalistic, meadow planting style and using local flora supports biodiversity conservation, and creates a uniquely Melbourne sense of place. The planting integrates rare and threatened Victorian flora from the Raising Rarity Project with other native Australian species, creating a beautiful display. The design showcases the potential for these plants in an urban backyard setting and seeks to inspire the home gardener to broaden their planting palette and embrace local flora. Hard landscaping elements are also included to create a practical and usable outdoor space, typical of many smaller rear gardens.
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The display garden was planned for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in 2020, and then again in 2021; however, cancellations of MIFGS due to COVID-19 made these plans impossible. Fortunately, the students were able to install and display the garden at the Burnley Campus from April 16 - 28 2021 as the images show. “We were determined to display the garden in whatever way we could, so flexibility and resilience became so important while continuing with our mission” writes MUH graduate Erryn Tenuta. “We learned to have flexibility in our design, materials, and planting when circumstances were changing so quickly and were out of our control.” Though some plants were lost over winter 2020, others self-seeded and spread during lockdown. The meadow plants were visited by butterflies, bees and birds during lockdown. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos watched over construction of the display garden with keen interest. Timing for the final display was also not ideal in Photo: Paul Kertes (www.pkphotography.com.au)
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The Homegrown Meadow display garden highlights how local plants can be used in backyards across Victoria.
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Photos: Paul Kertes (www.pkphotography.com.au)
INDUSTRY NEWS
The Homegrown Meadow Team (l-r): Hui-Anne Tan, Erryn Tenuta, Dwij Jeetun and Ali Babington.
Wooden sculptures by Shlomit Moria hint at the native fauna that might visit a Homegrown Meadow.
terms of flowering and required last minute additions by borrowing extra plants available on campus through research projects to finalise the display. The students learnt how to be creative with placement and learning to love the new colours and textures of plants that come with the change of seasons. We believe that it makes for a more realistic meadow experience overall. Top 10 meadow plants:
Arthropodium milleflorum
Pale Vanilla-lily
Brachyscome basaltica
Basalt Daisy
Brachyscome multifida
Cut-leaf Daisy
Calotis scapigera
Tufted Burr Daisy
Chrysocephalum apiculatum
Common Everlasting
Pycnosorus globulus
Drumsticks
Rytidosperma geniculatum
Kneed Wallaby Grass
Velleia paradoxa
Spur Velleia
Wahlenbergia communis
Tufted Bluebell
Xerochrysum viscosum
Sticky Everlasting
We would like to thank the University of Melbourne, especially Sara Barron, the nursery team, Burnley academics and Samantha Chong. We are grateful for the external support and sponsorship from: Bayside Garden Supplies Melbourne, Bushwood Creations by Shlomit Moria, Coolth.Inc, FormBoss, Gardens by Erryn, Light on Landscape, Lee Harrison, Raising Rarity, Specialty Trees, Victorian Indigenous Nursery Co-operative and Western Plains Flora.
Selected plants include rare and threatened Victorian flora and other native Australian species.
COMMERCIAL LAWYERS Providers of quality legal services to the Horticulture industry. • Are you looking to expand your business & you need to buy or lease more land? • Are you thinking about buying another business, or have you been approached to sell yours? • Are you having a dispute with any of your employees, or do you have health or safety issues? • Are you having difficulties with a supplier or customer – eg. payment, or quality of goods or services? • Do you need to lock in a key supplier or customer, or update your terms of trade? We can help you with all of these.
For NGIV Members we offer a 1 hour initial consultation without charge.
Michael Coker Corporate, commercial & property t: 0417 334 232 e: mcoker@piperalderman.com.au
Piper Alderman Level 23, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne Vic 3000
piperalderman.com.au GROUNDSWELL JUNE 2021
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Plant Pot Recycling Bins: Where’s ya bin? Garden City Plastics, Polymer Processors and Norwood, have joined forces to help consumers, retailers and growers, to recycle their PP5 plastic pots, punnets, carry trays and plant labels. They’ve provided a host of wholesale growers with plant pot recycling bins to help them to breathe new life into each of the many, many plant pots they use onsite. They’ve also given a host of retail garden centres with plant pot recycling bins to give consumers the opportunity to breathe new life into an old pot and close the loop on PP5.
This bin is for: PP5 black or colour Plant Pots, Punnets, Carry Trays & Plant Labels
All you need to do is: 1. CHECK: This bin is for PP5 black or colour plant pots, punnets, carry trays and plant labels 2. TAP:
Prepare for bin drop by thoroughly tapping out soil
3. STACK: Stack pots and trays and remove from carry bags Once the bins are full, Garden City Plastics will arrange for their collection and recycle the used items into new pots. More growers and retailers will receive the recycling bins in due course. As an industry we get through millions of plastic pots, punnets, carry trays and plant labels each year; Garden City Plastics, Polymer Processors and Norwood, are providing a solution to eliminate waste and operate more sustainably. Visit the Resource Centre at ngiv.com.au to keep tabs on the growing list of Plant Pot Recycling Bin hosts.
WHOLESALE RECYCLE BIN LOCATIONS
RETAIL RECYCLE BIN LOCATIONS
DINGLEY: DIN SAN 418 Old Dandenong Rd, Dingley Village, Vic 3172
BRAESIDE: Gardenworld 810 Springvale Rd, Braeside, Vic 3195
KILSYTH SOUTH: Plant Multi 423 Liverpool Rd Kilsyth, South, Vic 3137
GEELONG: Diacos Garden Ctr 140 Bellarine Highway, Newcomb, Vic 3219
LANGWARRIN: Plantmark 1075A Western Port Hwy, Langwarrin, Vic 3910
HEATHERTON: Diacos Garden Ctr 190 Old Dandenong Rd, Heatherton, Vic 3202
MOORABBIN: Landscape Link 409 Boundary Rd, Heatherton, Vic 3202
HEIDELBERG: Greenery Garden Ctr 4 Banksia St, Heidelberg, Vic 3084
THOMASTOWN: Plantmark 30 Mahoneys Rd, Thomastown, Vic 3074
KEILOR: Diacos Garden Ctr Unit 25/16A Keilor Park, Drive Keilor, Vic 3033
WANTIRNA: Plantmark
MORNINGTON: Diacos Garden Ctr
771 Boronia Rd, Wantirna, Vic 3152
360 Wooralla Drive, Mornington, Vic 3931
WERRIBEE: Plantmark
WARRANDYTE: Beasley’s Nursery
Cnr Duncans & K Rds, Werribee South, Vic 3030
195 Heidelberg-Warrandyte Rd, Warrandyte, Vic 3113 GROUNDSWELL JUNE 2021
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INDUSTRY NEWS
FOUR ways to sell turf Research continues to confirm the many benefits of natural turf in homes and communities and four recent studies provide great marketing tools for the turf growers and turf suppliers: Turf is a bushfire retardant. Turf cools our cities and homes.
Turf Australia has developed fact sheets on the studies that leverage scientific-based research to educate consumers about the benefits of turf and to help turf growers and suppliers ensure that their products have the best story to tell.
Turf is a sponge for carbon dioxide, and Turf increases the value of homes.
1
Photo source: CSIRO
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Turf is a bushfire retardant
Turf cools our cities and our homes
A recent study confirmed that not only is living turf a natural bushfire-resilient retardant, but synthetic grass does not share those properties.
Coming to grips with a world where our big cities are recording temperatures over 45°C, we must be thinking about how we can cool the area around us.
Samples of buffalo, couch and kikuyu were all subjected to ignition tests at varying fuel moisture levels to understand the combustibility of these turf types, with the experiment ultimately finding that when alive, none of the turf species were able to sustain ignition in simulated bushfire environments.
A study looking at surface temperatures in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide found that the surface temperature of living turf was nearly 5°C. cooler than regional averages, whereas bitumen was nearly 5°C warmer than average and synthetic turf nearly 11°C above average.
Learn more about the project ‘Conveying the benefits of living turf – a bushfire retardant’ (TU17008) at the Turf Australia website.
Learn more about the project ‘Conveying the benefits of living turf - Mitigation of the urban heat island effect’ (TU18000) at the Turf Australia website.
3 Turf is a sponge for carbon dioxide
4 Turf increases the value of your home
A study of Australian turf farms found that on average, each square metre of turf removes 2.5kg of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
According to Hort Innovation, Australia’s peak body for horticulture, having a natural turf lawn can boost property value by over $100,000.
Also, unlike almost every other possible ground cover, turf comes with no end-of-life disposal problems which further contribute to poor environmental outcomes.
In addition, turf increases rental yields for property investors. A study into the economic benefits of turf found that the extra rent a property earns as a result of installing turf can reach up to $4.45 per square metre a year for a city like Sydney.
So when it comes to choosing an environmentally friendly surface, turf is best. Learn more about the project ‘An Environmental Assessment of the Australian Turf Growing Industry’ (TU16000) at the Turf Australia website.
Learn more about the project ‘Economic, environmental, social and health impacts and benefits of the turfgrass and lawncare industries’ in Australia (TU17006) at the Turf Australia website.
These resources are available on the Turf Australia website – turfaustralia.com.au/resources/member-toolkit/marketing
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New members and partners A big welcome to our latest members and partner, who have joined the NGIV. We look forward to helping you build your business through a long and fruitful relationship. New Partner Ozbreed
Plants Galore (Production)
(Production)
Ozbreed is a well-known environmental landscape gardening plant breeding company. Specialising in improved varieties that are tougher, more uniform and often need less maintenance and water, they strive to provide better plants for landscape professionals and homeowners alike.
Plants Galore, based in Werribee South, are known for having the greatest range of plants at the best prices. From Bedding Plants to beautiful Ornamental Trees, and everything to create your ideal garden. plantsgalore.com.au
Advance Community College (Allied)
They have a wide range of plants and turf to suit different situations that are available around Australia, to help make the best out of your landscape or garden. ozbreed.com.au
New Members Bundameer Nursery (Production)
Bundameer Wholesale Plant Nursery, located in Moorooduc, has been an established for over 25 years. A specialised leading grower of quality Phormiums and Ornamental grasses, supplying the landscaping industry and retailers. They also grow a range of containerised landscape trees, hedging and screening plants and flowering lines.
Advance are a registered training organisation on the Mornington Peninsula. They deliver a range of Horticulture qualifications, via traineeships and apprenticeships, under workplace-based arrangements. Their prime focus is to encourage and support engagement in education by providing opportunities to enhance current skills, learn new skills and improve career prospects for the most disadvantaged members of our local community. advance.vic.edu.au
bundameernurseries.com.au
GROUNDSWELL JUNE 2021
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We know you need so much more from your accountant than a sim mple tax return (though we do that, to oo). We understand there is more than can and should be done to help your reach your businesss and personal goals. We’re not interested in taking a rrun-and-gun approach with your money.
Plant Rescue Mission
RETAIL STATE OF PLAY SPONSORED BY:
Melbourne experts deployed to Cairns to gather precious specimens A team of arborists and horticulturists from Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria has been deployed to Cairns on a plant rescue mission this week. The team will collect Australian plant material for the preservation of Australia’s precious biodiversity and to support the scientific work of the Gardens. Working with Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, this expedition is planning to gather valuable species from the Atherton Arboretum, CSIRO Tropical Forest Research Centre, home to more than 500 Australian forest species. “This expedition is essential to preserve valuable plant specimens from other plant collections, which could be affected by climate change or habitat destruction,” says Peter Symes, Curator Horticulture at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. “It’s a great example of scientific institutions working together and sharing expertise to collect and preserve plant collections and prevent loss of potentially unique genetic material.” The plant material will be taken to Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and the propagules will be nurtured by the nursery team. The plants will then be used to expand the Gardens’ collection of Australian plants for protection and display in Melbourne’s Australian Forest Walk collection and other regional Victorian botanic gardens with varying climates and conditions. The seeds gathered will be stored securely in the Victorian Conservation Seedbank or Nursery, for later use in conservation activities, such as repopulation after drought or bushfire. In recognising the value of the plants, Plant Standards (Victoria) and Biosecurity Queensland are working with the team to also ensure biosecurity requirements are met. The expedition was made possible by the generous funding of Portland House Foundation.
Great poster from Bulleen Art & Garden, VIC.
Winter – time to plan I suppose it’s pretty obvious that successful businesses make time to plan for the future. Success doesn’t just happen. The best time to plan was last month but the next best time is now! What are you planning for? Take a step back from your business literally. Have a look at your entrance and fences from the street. Do they welcome customers. Do they promote your brand as you would like? Walk inside as a customer would and see if your traffic flow makes sense. Maybe put on plain clothes and dark glasses, a wig, and see if your staff welcome you as a customer. Better still, get someone else to do that for you and then listen to their comments. Are your displays up to date? Are your posters, particularly outside, looking great? I can give you a short Self-Audit check sheet if you email me. Gardens & Plants are Therapy for Body & Mind Follow GCA on Facebook for updates www.facebook.com/gardenreleafaustralia
More information To support conservation work like this, please visit. www.rbg.vic.gov.au
Leigh Siebler Garden Centres of Australia leigh.siebler@bigpond.com M: 0409 889 779
www.gardenreleaf.com.au
GROUNDSWELL JUNE 2021
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NEXTGEN: SARAH BEALES
Interview with NextGen
SARAH BEALES
Mansfields Propagation Nursery Where do you work and what is your role? I currently work at Mansfields Propagation Nursery, which is a wholesale nursery located in Skye. My role at Mansfields is Despatch 2IC which involves making sure all orders for Mansfields customers and Bunnings stores are being sent out with the best quality plants that Mansfields produce, making sure all scheduled orders are being sent out on the corrects days and correct transportation they have requested. Also assisting customers when they come to the nursery to collect their order, loading trucks/ unloading trucks, taking the orders out when they arrive and any other requirements they need while visiting Mansfields.
How long have you worked where you are and has your role progressed in the time you’ve been there? I have worked at Mansfields Propagation Nursery for coming up to four years now. Within these 4 years I have been lucky enough to work in nearly all areas of the nursery to widen my
ESTABLISHED 1998
WHOLESALE NURSERY | LANDSCAPING AND SEASONAL LINES BORDERING PLANT OPTIONS | POTTED PLANTS
knowledge of the processes in the nursery and what happens from start to finish. Learning and improving in these areas have led me to my current role in Despatch.
What do you like most about the Nursery industry? What I like the most about this industry is the versatile skills you can gain through working in each area of the nursery and the learning never stops. There is so much to learn within this industry because each day things are changing and improving, you are learning something new every day or every week, even within a role you’ve been in for a while. Everyone is coming up with something new or learning new thing about the plants from implantation to growing to the quality of the plant being sent out the door. The plant never stops growing and neither do we in this industry.
Where would you like your career to go to within the industry? My goals for the future within the industry is to keep improving myself and my knowledge and working my way up hopefully one day have a manager role. Trying to keep an open mind and seeing where this industry could take me in the near or far future.
How did you end up working in the nursery industry?
JMK NURSERY 160 Wandin Creek Rd Wandin East VIC 3139 E jmknursery@bigpond.com | T 03 5964 2971 | jmknursery.com.au 28
GROUNDSWELL JUNE 2021
Working in this industry wasn’t actually a first choice of mine, I had other career plans for myself once I left school but my mum’s side of the family has always been in this industry and an opportunity opened up at a nursery where my mum was working at the time. I applied there, got the job and ended up loving every minute of it working outdoors, the team environment and learning a whole new world. That’s when I knew I wanted to further my interest in plant knowledge so I applied for an apprenticeship at Mansfields which I had heard nothing but the best things about and now four years on I have loved every minute and gained all the knowledge I needed to get to where I am today in my career and I wouldn’t change a thing.
NEXTGEN: SARAH BEALES
What is a typical day like for you? A typical day for me starts off pretty early in the morning, once I get in for the day I start by looking at the schedules for the day in what is going out and whether orders need to be boxed, packed on stillages and that orders are on the correct trolleys for the correct companies, making sure all the plants have been dispatched and are going with the correct transport or if our truck drivers are delivering the correct orders to the correct places. If things are required to still be done we organise a team member to get all the orders in their correct places in the morning before heading out or getting picked up for the day. Once this is all organised I then head out and start dispatching our Bunnings orders as these are the first thing to go out for the day and have cut off times for when they need to be dispatched. Once the orders have been fulfilled, I then and go and walk our stock and update our stock list to make sure the Bunnings live orders are up to date and ordering the most recent stock. Once the Bunnings side of things are finished, I then move on to despatching Mansfields orders and making sure these orders are fulfilled by the end of the day and ready to go out for delivery the following day. I also set up both despatch areas for the next day and if there is time left in the day I then check in with my manager to see what I can help with next or if there are any other jobs required, which can either involve helping the sorting team out or help organise some of the team member on different jobs.
Are any of your family members in the horticultural industry? Yes, a lot of my family members have or are still working in this industry and most of them work at Mansfields Propagation Nursery.
Did you study horticulture and where did you study? I recently just completed my apprenticeship in Certificate III in Nursery Production at Chisholm
What level of study are you at presently and how much more do you plan on doing? As of now I’m currently not studying and don’t plan on studying for a few years but if I do choose to go back and further my studies, I would start my Diploma of Horticulture.
What do you in your space time? In my spare time if I’m not training or playing softball, I love finding different places in Victoria to explore and adventure, going for drives through the hills with my partner, catching up with friends and family and just enjoying the outdoors.
Proudly sponsored by
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Our Training & Events Officer, Lizzie Earl, has been working hard to put together a year of events that will educate, inspire and excite our members. Events are spread across ree and Shrub Growers, Educational, NextGen and Marquee Events; to provide something for every member. NGIV events are a fantastic way to meet industry peers, socialise and learn together. Further details on each event will be shared closer to the time.
JUNE
2021 EVENTS
17-18th NextGen Meeting GCP & Polymer Processes 26th NGIV Gala Dinner Park Hyatt – postponed
JULY
AUGUST
27th Tree & Shrub Growers Meeting: GCP
18-19th NGIV Masterclass Series: Potting Mix 25-27th Tree & Shrub Growers Meeting Mildura Tour
Callin ng all
NextGen’’e ers At NGIV we think it’s impo ortant to celebrate the next generation of horticulturallists. Our industry is full of peop p ple that have g gone from m appr pp entice right g up p to general manager or business owner; enjoying a career for life. Each month in Groundswell we give a young horticulturalist the stage to share the journey they’ve been on and where they hope to get to. The article provides a bit of background on their passion and experience within the industry, their study and their personal interests. Not only is it a chance for them to share their achievements and dreams with the industry, it’s a chance for you, the employer to give them the credit they deserve.
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
2nd NGIV Masterclass Series Plant Structure & Function
14th NGIV Masterclass Series: IPM
16th NGIV Masterclass Series Weed Management
21st Tree & Shrub Growers Meeting & AGM Mansfield’s
21st Tree & Shrub Growers Meeting: Tall Trees 30th NGIV Masterclass Series: Budgeting
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
4th Trade Day
7-10th Trials Week 2021
16th Tree & Shrub Growers Meeting: SE Water
8th Tree & Shrub Growers Meeting: Trials Week
If you’re an NGIV member and you have an employee that’s 35 or under that you think they deserves a bit of recognition, email ngiv@ngiv.com.au to find out how to have them featured in Groundswell.
Preliminary Calendar. Dates subject to change. Details of events and booking details will be released closer to each date. Please check our website for the latest information.
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INDUSTRY PARTNERS MAJOR CORPORATE
PRICE UPDATE
PLATINUM
Decreased by $83.35 per tonne (4.25 cents per litre) Prices effective 1 June 2021 (inc GST) Cat
Cents per litre
Melbourne Geelong
Other
A
Base Price
82.01
82.56
83.66
84.10
B
Usage below 2,500 litres
72.66
73.21
74.20
74.75
C
Usage between 2,500 – 5,000 litres
72.11
72.66
73.65
74.20
D
Usage between 5,000 – 10,000 litres
70.46
71.01
72.00
72.55
E
Usage between 10,000 – 30,000 litres
69.36
69.91
70.90
71.45
F
Usage between 30,000 – 50,000 litres
68.81
69.36
70.35
70.90
GOLD
Mildura
SILVER
BRONZE
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