A PLANT nursery that has been responsible for the greening of much of Redlands is about to undergo a major upgrade.
Work is about to start on the IdigiScapes plant nursery where about 400 volunteers have worked over the years in ramshackle sheds as they propagated local native plants.
The nursery is part of a $3.7 million upgrade announced last November which will feature a suspension bridge starting at the main IndigiScapes building, crossing Coolwynpin Creek and ending at a huge 400-year-old tallowood tree.
Local Government Minister Mark Furner said the government would tip in about $110,000 to expand the nursery’s capacity to grow plants and support jobs.
“The subsidy will assist council to construct a shed, shade enclosure and parking for heavy vehicles,” Mr Furner said. “The centre currently supports 38 employees across the environmental education centre, cafe, nursery and gardens.
“...The nursery upgrade will provide even more opportunities for paid employment, volunteers, work experience for students and opportunities for people with a disability.”
Visitors at the project launch included Peter and Colleen Hubbert who used to live across the road from IndigiScapes before the facility was set up.
In the late 1990s they helped clear the land of weeds.
“Peter used to come over with the brush cutter and get rid of lantana,” Ms Hubbert said.
“It was amazing how quickly native ferns and other plants came back.”
Mr Hubbert said indigiScapes was now a major asset for the community. “It’s remarkable what’s happened here,” he said.
Redland mayor Karen Williams said the Hubberts, former nursery owners, had made a big contribution to improving degraded land.
She said IndigiScapes was set up in 2000 as an environmental education centre and native botanic gardens, the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
“As the home of council’s environmental programs, IndigiScapes features and propagates only native plants indigenous to the Redlands and offers advice and support to help landholders and residents make a difference to our natural environment,” she said.
“The IndigiScapes nursery expansion is expected to boost availability of native species stock for council’s planting program.
“Bushcare and community plantings will also benefit from the upgrade as will our residents, through the nursery’s monthly plant sales.”
Capalaba MP Don Brown said that once the upgrade was complete, the centre could attract an extra 8000 visitors each year.
“The expansion will increase the number of plants the nursery can grow, allowing for around 105,000 plants in tube stock at any one time, which are then replanted back in our community,” Mr Brown said.
“We expect the extension could result in an additional 15 direct jobs and five part-time indigenous jobs, as well as more training places available for people with disability based at the neighbouring MyHorizon community education centre.”
