Cairns Regional Council - Parks & Leisure
Issue 6 - March 2015
Volunteers Voice This newsletter will be published quarterly, showcasing articles and photographs on volunteer activities throughout Council’s Parks & Leisure branch.
In this issue:
• Community pride alive • Volunteer Profile • Botanic Garden construction news • Gardeneers’ plant sales 2015 • Volunteer Comments • Little Taccas • Questionnaire results • Training in 2015 • Test your knowledge • Hort. Notes • Plant Information • Volunteers celebrate • What’s On
Making a difference in Cairns
Community pride alive
Community pride is alive and thriving! Cairns Regional Council supports residents who wish to give something back to their community by spending their time in gardening, revegetation and track maintenance programs on Council land.
Last year Council registered a number of residents as volunteers to ensure they were given guidance and direction as well as an induction in health and safety awareness. Ivan Evans Track in Bayview Heights is well known to the locals. Two very keen residents Inga Kamps and Alex Hoffmann approached Council for permission to conduct minor repairs and maintain the track especially after wet season wash-outs. Council conducted a track assessment with them and registered them as volunteers. Council also gained support from NEATO Employment to assist with much larger projects such as creek /pathway washout. Kewarra Beach Parklands Estate, volunteers have been putting their time and energy into beautifying their streets with trees and shrubs while continuing to retain open grassland sections.
Clifton Beach residents Don Davis, David Dann and Raymond Woodhouse, now registered as volunteers, have been maintaining and planting out the Upolu Esplanade foreshore areas in front of their homes under Council guidance. These residents are aware of the necessity to retain vegetation within these foreshore areas to ensure sand is not eroded especially during storm surges. Geoff McClure, also of Clifton Beach, has spent a number of years replanting Deadman’s Gully Creek in Yule St area. The young trees he planted approximately 10 years ago have now created a small forest along the creek banks. Geoff continues maintaining this area with pride. Individual residents such as Gail Winters were inspired to care for a small area of Council parkland at Garnet St. After Council had to remove a Ficus tree threatening nearby buildings Gail has replanted and maintained this small plot with support from Council. Annette Angell spends her time clearing weeds from the reserve behind her home and loves every minute of it. Contact Public Relations & Volunteers Officer Louisa Grandy 4032 6648 for further information. (see photos Page 2)