Volunteers Voice - Issue 2 - March 2014

Cairns Regional Council — Parks & Leisure

This newsletter will be published quarterly, showcasing articles and photographs on volunteer activities throughout Council’s Parks & Leisure branch.

In this issue: Raising Funds for Botanic Gardens

Issue 2 — March 2014

Raising funds for the Botanic Gardens Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns (FOBG) has donated $95,000 towards the new conservatory, an exciting new development at Cairns Botanic Gardens.

Through fundraising events and plants sales, FOBG has continued to supply the gardens with funding for a variety of landscape assets, including rare plant collections, specially designed garden benches, new entrance wrought iron gates, the stage area (enabling them to hold fundraising events),

the Aboriginal Garden creek landscape project, specialised photographic and scientific equipment and acquisition of botanical art, to name a few.

Fundraising achievements organised for many years by dedicated members include the Botanic Gardens Spring Festival, now known as Carnival on Collins. This is a huge annual event attracting aabout 25,000 visitors each Father’s Day. Jazz Under the Stars and Starry Nite Cinema (in conjunction with local organisation, End Credits) have also been well attended.

Supporting Council and community Volunteer Profile Support the Cattana Wetlands Jabirus Database assistance Nature activities for under 5s Plant Information: Araceae Vertical Garden What’s On

Gardeneer, Mary Gandini potting up plants for Plant Sales

And of course, the Gardeneer’s yearly plant sale events (April 13, September 7 and December 7) and their general weekly sales held on a Wednesday near the Friends House.

The proposed conservatory (pictured below) has generated much enthusiasm within the community and Council with a unique design.

If you would like to be a part of this dynamic group of volunteers and help raise funds and awareness of the Gardens please contact 4032 3900 or 4032 6648.

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Volunteers’ Voice

Supporting Council and community

Has volunteering always interested you?

giving plant information sessions to the community, to assisting with the Plant Collection Database.

cohesion, strengthens communities and provides benefits to the volunteers If so, support the Cairns themselves, such as social Botanic Gardens or Cattana Wetlands and Volunteer Programs address inclusion, physical and select one of the programs the Council and community psychological wellbeing and career opportunities. that suits your needs (see needs. They link different page 8 for details). sectors of community in Being involved in a program Volunteers are involved in a constructive ways, increase such as those on offer overall productivity and contributes to personal variety of activities from stimulate a culture of service growth and developing skills gardening, revegetation, and civic engagement for and competencies that guided tours, providing generations to come. enhance employability. information at Friends House & Shop, assisting Research indicates that Community involvement with fund raising events and volunteering enhances social also provides better

knowledge and understanding of Council’s assets with research stating that every volunteer extends Council’s sphere of influence to six to 12 people!

Volunteer also keep the community active, especially in times of low employment, creating an energy within the community that not only supports Council but also makes Cairns a great place for residents and visitors.

Volunteers’ Voice

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Ray Church,

one of the founding members of the Friends of the Botanic Gardens ‘Gardeneers’, has been volunteering for 26 years and has seen many changes in the Gardens in that time.

Ray said he had never had a chance to work in a garden as he was in the army and Colonial government in East Africa for many years. He came to Cairns in 1967 and it wasn’t until 1990 that he became involved in the gardening group with Mary Gandini and Betty Kelly.

“It seemed such a great opportunity to become involved and learn about plants as I didn’t know a thing about gardening,” Ray said.

The Gardeneers originally worked within the Gardens as well as assisting with office duties, such as pamphlet folding.

These volunteers slowly developed into a group that propagates and sells plants to raise monies for the Gardens.

Over the years Ray has seen the Gardens turn from an unruly garden with a small zoo to the magnificent Botanic Gardens it is today with order and interpretation.

“Originally the monies were returned to Council. There was a tremendous difference when the Friends were able to have control of the funds they raised and place it back into the Gardens for specific needs.”

“It’s great to see it become such a close-knit organisation. The progress has been incredible over the past 20 years especially as Council and councillors became more involved.”

Support the Cattana Wetlands Jabirus Does working at Cattana Wetlands appeal to you?

Why not become one of the Jabiru Volunteers and assist with caring for the local wetlands.

communities, the Cattana Wetlands also harbours an impressive range of north Queensland wildlife.

In addition to the amazing wetland habitat and significant plant

collecting seed and getting to know native plants.

Further details Page 8.

This area is becoming increasingly popular with This 80 hectare wetland site, the general community, once used for sugar cane school groups, scientists, and sand and gravel mining, university students, bird has been transformed into a watchers and tourists. natural wonderland which Be a part of this amazing includes 30 hectares of place and join the Jabirus regionally significant forest each Tuesday morning from and several large freshwater 9am until noon and spend and saltwater lakes. time weeding, planting,

Volunteers planting Dianella sp. at the BBQ area

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Volunteers’ Voice

Database assistance

A new volunteer program is underway to support the Cairns Botanic Gardens Plant Collections Database.

Couroupita guianensis Cannonball Tree

The Gardens is currently using an MS Access database to manage living plant collections.

This tool allows staff to: Maintain accurate taxonomic information about each plant in the collection

"Botanic gardens are institutions holding documented collections of living plants for the purposes of scientific research, conservation, display and education."

Database is an important part of the Botanic Garden.

Help to enter data is always appreciated by staff Record plant maintenance members.

Store information on FOBG member, Donn provenance, phenology, Corcoran has been plant rarity, pests & contributing time each week diseases etc. for a couple of years to The information stored on work on the database. the database allows staff to This year he will be joined quickly locate plants,

by Prince Jose (pictured accurately label them and below), Michelle Stewart track plant performance. and Jude Friesen.

The Living Collection Track the location and movement of each plant within the gardens

Staff support volunteers’ training

Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI)

Bombax ceiba Silk Cotton Tree

Cairns Botanic Gardens horticulturalist Keith English assists volunteer Prince Jose in his chemical application practical training.

Volunteers’ Voice

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Nature activities for under 5s

DID YOU KNOW?

"Childhood is a time of rapid physical, mental and emotional development. Time spent in nature provides a diversity of sounds, sights, smells and textures, and a variety of plants, animals and landscapes that children can engage with. This mental and sensory stimulation is important in human developmental processes."

As we explore, we grow at the ‘Little Taccas’ children’s program A new Children’s Nature Activities Program for under 5s and their carers will begin in May this year.

The ‘Little Taccas’ program is named after the tropical plant, Tacca integrifolia (pictured right growing at the Botanic Gardens). This program begins Thursday, May 1 and will be held fortnightly Thursdays from 10am-noon. Bookings can be taken from April 1.

This program aims to

connect children under 5 and their carers with nature.

They will be able to join in a delightful morning of fun and adventure through nature-based activities.

The program is designed to encourage children to learn about and experience the natural world with an opportunity to grow through the help of caring volunteers and supportive parents in a safe, yet active, natural environment.

Parents/guardians will have the opportunity to learn

Planting Trees: Just What the Doctor Ordered (2012).

basic yet engaging children’s activities and meet other parents in the community.

There will be a variety of activities such as exploring nature, nature-based art and craft, storytelling and singing, garden discovery walks and a lot of fun.

Groups are limited to 15 children, so bookings are essential. Please phone 40326650 after April 1.

If you would like to assist in the program as a volunteer please telephone 4032 6648.

Tacca integrifolia White Bat Plant

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Volunteers’ Voice

Plant Information:

Araceae - bizarre beauty

Looking for plants that Flower” (Anthurium provide an instant tropical andraeanum) and “Swiss feel for your garden?

Cheese Plant” (Monstera deliciosa) are mentioned, a The Araceae or Aroid family, often referred to as look of recognition usually the Arum family, are among crosses people’s faces.

However, due to their very the most striking of the foliage plants and consist of different life forms and leaf morphology many people a wide variety of beautiful and even bizarre forms that do not realise they come from the same family. will suit most tastes.

species that can handle low light conditions to full sun.

Others grow epiphytically (on other plants) and some prefer to be in ponds, submerged or free-floating.

Aroids can be beautiful and even bizarre, with some even emitting an unpleasant smell when the inflorescence first opens to attract their Despite this diversity pollinating flies and beetles The Aroids are a family of members of the family are (for example the herbaceous monocots with easily recognised by their Amorphophallus titanum we about 3700 species in 104 unique inflorescence, which featured in the last genera; their highest is a combination of a single newsletter). Its pollinatordiversity occurring in the attracting scent smells like New World Tropics. Aroids modified leaf, known as a spathe, and a spadix (a rotting flesh and to enhance are suited to both indoor fleshy spike like a finger), on the diffusion of the scent, and outdoor culture and are which grow bisexual or the spadix warms up to an very popular as indoor unisexual flowers. astonishing 36c degrees. plants. Many are grown for cut flowers, cultivated for Aroids have evolved into Aroids have become very food and even medicine. many weird and wonderful popular household garden plants. Some are pictured When names such as “Peace species and due to this diversity can be grown just below: (from left, top to Lily” (Spathiphyllum), the about anywhere.

There is a bottom) Anthurium x edible “Taro” (Colcasia huge range of terrestrial andraeanum, Schismatoglottis, esculenta), “Flamingo

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, Alocasia amazonica cv. Polly, Alocasia chaii, Cyrtosperma cuspidispathum, Colocasia submerged in a pond, Spathiphyllum cannifolium, Colocasia esculenta cv. Nancy’s Revenge.

References available in the Cairns Botanic Gardens Library: Alistair Hay, Aroids of Papua New Guinea Keith A.W. Williams, Native Plants Queensland Deni Brown, Aroids, Plants of the Arum Family, 1st and 2nd Editions Queensland Herbarium, Names and Distribution of Queensland Plants, Algae and Lichens.

International Aroid Society, Aroideana (publication)

Volunteers’ Voice

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Vertical Garden - first of its kind in Cairns Friends of the Botanic Gardens planting the Vertical Garden.

Right: (from left) Norma Wright, Sandy Long, Lee Ross ( in background) and Peter Hunt.

Below: Lee and Peter place the last few plants in the remaining pockets.

What a success! The Vertical Garden outside the Friends House is a fantastic achievement.

Volunteers Peter Hunt, Norma Wright, Lee Ross and Botanic Garden’s horticulturalist, Keith English, put their minds together and researched the possible design options in Australia deciding on the ‘Florafelt’ product.

This type of vertical garden is the first of its kind in Cairns. It is made from recyclable plastic bottles, a nylon non-toxic fibre that is indestructible and tough. It is also hypoallergenic-moth proof, mildew and odour resistant and contains no irritants or carcinogens.

This exciting new idea was a great team effort involving FOBG and Down ‘n’ Dirty volunteers, Garden’s staff, the Gardeneers, who purchased the plants, and everyone involved in the project’s major fundraiser, the ‘Tree-mendous’ raffle.

‘It brought us all closer as a team and it would be beneficial to think of other projects we can do to involve everyone,’ said Peter.

Cairns Regional Council – Parks & Leisure

Interested in Volunteering?

Cairns Regional Council PO Box 359, Cairns Q 4870 Australia.

P: 07 4032 6650 Cairns Botanic Gardens 64 Collins Ave, Edge Hill, Cairns Q 4870, Australia 4032 6650 Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns 40 32 3900

If you are interested in supporting any of the following volunteer programs please contact Louisa Grandy 4032 6648: Visitor Guides Public Relations & Shop assistance Tuesdays - Cattana Wetlands Jabirus Wednesdays - Botanic Gardens Down ’n’ Dirty Volunteers Children’s Nature Activities Program - Little Taccas.

For Friends of the Botanic Gardens membership details email info@botanicfriendscairns.com.au or telephone 4032 3900.

We’re on the Web & Facebook

Contributions:

www.cairns.qld.gov.au

Please submit articles (must be volunteer or plant based)

by May for the next quarterly publication in June.

www.cairnsbotanicgardens.com.au

What’s On FOBG Gardeneer’s will be holding their first plant sale for the year on Sunday, April 13 (weekend before Easter) in the staff amenities area behind the Friends’ House.

‘Little Taccas’ Children’s Nature Activities Program begins Thursday, May 1, from 10am until noon.

Tuesdays - Cattana Wetlands Volunteers Wednesdays - Garden’s Down ‘n’ Dirty Volunteers FOBG Walk ‘n’ Talk sessions, phone 4032 3900 for further details Starry Night Cinema - 3rd Wednesday of the month, beginning in May.

Email: l.grandy@cairns.qld.gov.au Please note articles are subject to editing.