Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens

On Tuesday 30 August I visited the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens, where I had the pleasure of launching the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Avenue and Woodland Walk. This project wouldn’t have been possible without $18,215 in funding under the Planting Trees for the Queen’s Jubilee program, a coalition government initiative, and the dedicated work of the Friends of the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens, or the friends, as they like to be called.

This project has created a lasting legacy of the late Queen Elizabeth II, whilst generating positive environmental impacts for our local community. I commend the friends’ president, Alex Jakimoff; founder and project director, Kate Heffernan; secretary, Catherine Simpson; education coordinator, Rana Baguley; and all of the wonderful volunteers for spearheading this fantastic project. I was honoured to be asked to plant the first tree of the project, a Syzygium moorei, which will grow to be quite large.

It was great to see students and teachers from Benowa State School and St Kevin’s Catholic School, beautiful schools in my electorate, who worked closely with the gardens at the event, planting some trees. Thanks to Kate for taking us on a walking tour, where we saw an amazing 300-year-old kauri pine. We ended at a magnificent gum tree, with all kinds of wildlife calling it home, for a lovely home-made morning tea. I can’t wait to see the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Avenue and Woodland Walk once completed. The memory of Queen Elizabeth II will live on at the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens.