SGAP Cairns Home Page
The Cairns Branch of the Society for Growing Australian Plants (SGAP)
The Cairns Branch of SGAP
History of the Branch
This branch was formed in 1980 to
create interest in the cultivation of our native species in preference to
exotic species. Originally, monthly meetings were held at night with an
excursion held on one Sunday each month, visiting interesting botanical
areas as well as parks and private gardens. However, nowadays the meeting
and excursion are held together on the third Saturday of each month.
Species lists were compiled for all the sites visited.
In the early days the branch
filled a need to grow and provide native plants for the public as native
plants were rarely found in nurseries. Plant stalls were held at various
venues, not only to provide plants for sale, but also to raise money for
the club. Before the onset of the Conservation Act and the Wet Tropics
Heritage Listing propagation materials such as seeds and cuttings were
readily obtainable and members grew all sorts of species. Nurseries were
made aware of the need to also source native plants.
For many years, the club was very active in selling plants at the
Tropical Garden Expo and the Botanic Gardens festival, as well as mounting
a display at the Cairns Show horticultural display.
Community work in fostering
interest in native plants was undertaken. The group undertook regular
plantings at Centenary Lakes, Carpentaria Home, several schools and park
areas around Cairns. Some years later, this function was taken over by
other community groups, school environment studies and the City Council.
One exciting project was the Tree Train, organised by the former Mulgrave
Shire Council and Queensland Rail. The Tree Train travelled up to the side
of the range behind Jungarra (Redlynch) loaded with interested parties and
trees to plant on the deforested areas. This was to prevent the bush fires
doing further damage to the hill slopes.
An expo and sale of Australian
plants was held in 1985 and this proved a great success. The following
year Cairns Branch together with Tablelands Branch hosted the Queensland
Regional conference. Many people from all over Queensland attended and
enjoyed informative talks and field trips to various places. The climax
was a trip to Cape Flattery sand dunes and Isabella Falls, preceded by a
planting of the Banks and Solander collection in the Cooktown Botanic
Gardens which had been recently been resurrected from neglect for many years. The Group has continued to service this garden with an
annual trip to Cooktown to work on it as well as the main gardens. We take
a stock of plants that are not only donated to the gardens, but also are
planted for them.
Plants have been donated to
various groups and money or book donations given as prizes for the
Cairns Show and the City Council Garden Competitions.
Flowers were sent to SGAP flower shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and
other areas for several years.
Over the years excursions went to
places near at hand and far afield. Many were combined trips with the
Tablelands SGAP group. Near places are Mossman, Daintree, Babinda,
beaches, local walking tracks, Copperlode Dam, Irvinebank, Watsonville and
Tablelands. Far afield places
include Forsayth, Cooktown, Home Rule, Chillagoe, Mt Lewis, Windsor
Tableland and Innisfail. Both day trips and weekend camp outs were
organised.
(Founding member)
