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About the garden

The garden, including the arts and ecology centre, is set amongst 82 hectares of eucalypt and riparian forest, with creeks, lagoons and walking tracks.

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The Maroochy regional bushland botanic garden is located at 51 Palm Creek Road in Tanawha on the Sunshine Coast. The garden showcases plants native to the Sunshine Coast region. These local plants are perfectly adapted to the coast's climate and conditions.

The magnificent 82 hectare garden supports native plants and wildlife, and has a magic and spirit that affect all who visit. The garden includes a mix of eucalypt open forest and creek-side rainforest, featuring lagoons, rocky and palm filled gullies, and the headwaters of Mountain Creek.

While the forest is old, the garden is new. Council encourages everyone to visit often and witness the changes as plants grow, mosses spread on rocks, birds nest, frogs spawn, and new events and activities are held.

The garden story

Aboriginal people probably passed through the area on their way to the coast, and Europeans first settled there in 1910. Two-thirds of the site were cleared for dairy farming, sugar cane and pineapple growing and the remainder was logged.

After forty years of forest regrowth, council purchased the land for the botanic garden in 1997. In 1998, a master plan was developed and major development work began in 2000. Governor of Queensland, Major General Peter Arnison, opened the gardens on 1 December 2001.

Council purchased a further 20 hectares providing more walking trails across the site.

More than 75% of the site is managed as bushland, only accessed by bush walking tracks. The areas previously farmed are now being used for cultivated display gardens.

This unique concept allows visitors to see local native plants in their natural habitat as well as in landscaped gardens, demonstrating their use in horticulture and home gardening.

Aims

The Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden is a haven of beauty and peace that highlights the flora of the Sunshine Coast region. It is a place where we can feel connected to nature and to one another.

Its aims are to:

  • provide open space for informal recreation and interaction
  • grow, save, research and display the plants of the Sunshine Coast region
  • provide environmental learning
  • be a centre for art and cultural activities
  • promote ways we can care for our natural world
  • explore and explain our past and future links with the land
  • be able to support itself through tourism, education, art and culture, horticulture and contribution to lifestyle.