July has been a very busy month!
Visitors have thoroughly enjoyed Mackay Regional Council Libraries' ‘Strolling Stories’ over the holiday period. If you haven’t been to the Botanic Gardens to see ‘Birds Don’t Have Birthdays’, then make sure you come along and enjoy it before it ends on Saturday, August 28. The pages of the book appear on story panels along a pathway in the gardens.
Our school holiday workshops were once again enjoyed by our young participants. Insect hotels and upside-down vegetable planters were created and taken home, we look forward to seeing what insects occupy the hotels and what crops are produced from their creations.
We have had a recent upgrade of the viewing deck signs. Keep your eyes open for more signage upgrades shortly with new signage set for Regional Forests.
Don’t forget now is the perfect time of year to get outdoors and visit the Botanic Gardens. We have a range of family-friendly self-guided activities on offer, self-guided walk trails and of course, there are plenty of opportunities to sit back and just relax under the shade of one of our trees.
If you’re looking for something different to do on a Saturday morning, Falun Gong and Mackay Parkrun are also on. They are free to attend and a different way to experience the Botanic Gardens.
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Check out the Regional Forests
SGAP volunteers and the Botanic Gardens team have been busy in the Regional Forests during working bee sessions held in May, June and July.
Cherry Tree Creek, Jolimont Creek, Mixed Eucalypt, Brigalow Belt and Palustrine Wetland gardens have all had additional plantings in the ground over the three sessions and a lot of tidying up was undertaken. New irrigation has been installed at Palustrine Wetlands garden, so the long-awaited planting in this area took place earlier this month.
Thank you to the Gardens Friends Association for donating the funds for the new irrigation system in this area and to all SGAP volunteers for their ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance these areas with Botanic Gardens staff.
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Your chance to win!
For the month of August, we are promoting our free Friday guided walks!
If you attend one of our walks during August, you will go into the draw to win a $30 voucher from the Botanic Gardens Café.
Bookings are essential as places are limited. To book your spot, phone the gardens on 4952 7300. We look forward to seeing you on one of our walks!
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August Photo Walkabout workshop
'Showcasing the gardens'
Led by Sue Mayer Miller from Mackay Camera Group
Saturday, August 7, from 10am to noon
This workshop will focus on taking those special photos that showcase the gardens. From close-ups of flora and fauna, to landscape images across the lagoons and capturing the picture-perfect family shot, discover some of the techniques involved in taking these images.
To book your spot, please phone the gardens on 4952 7300 or email botanic@mackay.qld.gov.au. We will meet at the Botanic Gardens Meeting Room (opposite the café).
This workshop is suited to anyone who is interested in photography, learning new skills and sharing their experience with others. It is suitable for a range of cameras (smart phone cameras to DSLR cameras).
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‘Paint and Glass’ exhibition
Husband and wife duo, Doug and Bronwen Le Boutillier share their love of nature through a variety of artworks, from paintings to lead lighting.
A range of flora and fauna has inspired them in their artworks, including birdlife and sea creatures. You are invited to come along and see the diversity.
This exhibition is on display in the Lagoons Gallery within the Botanic Gardens Café until Sunday, August 29 (café is closed Mondays).
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Birdlife Mackay monthly bird surveys
Birdlife Mackay holds monthly bird counts in the Botanic Gardens to assist in monitoring the status and trends of local bird populations across the Mackay region. If you are a keen bird lover/ bird watcher, we would love you to join in!
The next bird surveys in the Botanic Gardens will be held on Friday, July 30, and Friday, August 27. Meet the group at the viewing deck (next to the café) at 6.30am.
For more information, please contact activitiesbirdlifemackay@outlook.com
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Native Plants Queensland
Are you interested in local native plants? Native Plants Queensland – Society for Growing Australian Plants Mackay is a regional branch of Native Plants Queensland.
They hold monthly meetings, propagation days, planting bees, plant sales and more and visitors are welcome to attend meetings.
Don’t forget we have a range of native plants for sale at Botanic Gardens Visitor Information that has been propagated and grown by the NPQ - SGAP propagation group. Thank you so much to SGAP for enabling this opportunity to keep going.
For more information please email npqmackay@gmail.com
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Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens Friends Association
Garden Friends are made up of nature lovers, gardeners, artists, photographers and interested others who get together for social activities, guided walks, working bees and many more activities to learn more about plants, gardening and to support the Botanic Gardens and its ongoing development.
Contribute to your community and investigate your interest! To find out more, please contact the Botanic Gardens on phone 4952 7300 or email botanic@mackay.qld.gov.au
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