Some of Australia’s greatest green thumbs will be among about 40,000 people at a massive three-day expo on the Sunshine Coast.
A packed schedule has been released for the Queensland Garden Expo, to be held at the Nambour Showgrounds from July 7 to 9.
A host of gardening gurus will present more than 125 free lectures and demonstrations on eight stages.
ABC Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis, Sophie Thomson, Jerry Coleby-Williams and Millie Ross will again share their extensive knowledge at the event, while new speakers such as celebrity chef Matt Golinski and domestic poultry experts will also be on hand to pass on their advice.
Mr Georgiadis – a landscape architect, television presenter and author – said he looked forward to returning one of his favourite gardening events, which he has attended for the past 12 years.
“I am so chuffed to be coming to the expo this year,” he said.
“It’s hands-down one of the best gardening events on the calendar.
“What makes it so special is that those who come and join us, can talk directly to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced gardeners we have in Australia.
“Whether you’re new to gardening, and how exciting is that, or you are a seasoned expert looking for specialist advice, this is the best place to find it all.
“The expo is also a great opportunity to expose kids to all the benefits of gardening for the mind and the body, which they can then take forward and use for the rest of their lives.
“It’s all about gardening for the soil and the soul.”
Event manager Marion Beazley said festival-goers would benefit from listening to an array of speakers.
“We are proud to host Australia’s largest gardening speaker program at the expo, with 45 speakers across eight stages over three days, and this year we have much of our gardening royalty headlining the program as well as an incredible array of other gardening experts covering a wide range of topics,” she said.
“We know our visitors plan their days at the expo in advance, according to who is speaking at which stage, so the release of this program is always much anticipated.
“Of course, we are delighted to confirm that Costa will join us again this year.
“He first joined our speaker line-up in 2011 and his charm, energy, exceptional knowledge of all things gardening and permaculture, and ever-increasing profile on the small screen have earned him a substantial following and a somewhat iconic status at the expo – with old and young visitors alike.
“Costa will once again spend much time in the popular Kitchen Garden, including a garden ramble and special sessions for the young gardeners on the Terraces when he dons his goggles and becomes Costa the Garden Gnome.”
Other popular speakers on the program this year include Phil Dudman, aka the Garden Guru, a horticulturalist and landscaper that fronted a noisy ’80s grunge rock band long before becoming the horticultural editor of ABC Gardening Australia magazine; and Brisbane local Claire Bickle who will share her wealth of knowledge on indoor plants, creating happy habitat gardens to attract native fauna.
There will be more than seven hectares of gardening inspiration at the expo, with more than 360 exhibitors and displays, including 55 nurseries and 50,000 plants for sale each day.
The event is set to inject more than $10m into the local economy.
The full speaker program is available on the official Queensland Garden Expo website at Queensland Garden Expo.
