A plethora of birthday surprises are in store for the 40th anniversary of one of the Coast’s premier events, including what is believed to be Australia’s first-ever rooster crowing competition.
With more than seven hectares of garden inspiration, 50,000 plants on sale each day and Australia’s largest gardening speaker program, the Queensland Garden Expo will transform the Nambour Showgrounds into a gardener’s paradise.
Event manager Marion Beazley said the 40-year celebrations included an expanded event program from three to four days offering visits even more opportunity to gather ideas, learn new techniques and purchase from more than 360 exhibitors.
The popular Poultry Spectacular will also return, and with it comes the introduction of the expo’s inaugural Crowing Competition where entrants will deliver their best rooster impression as voted by the crowd.
“Expo visitors will have the opportunity to let their inner rooster loose and vie for some fabulous prizes in, what we believe is, an Australian first,” Ms Beazley said.
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“Daily heats will take place at 1pm, leading up to the exciting grand finale to be held on Sunday.
“In addition to this fun new event, we’re thrilled to introduce daily Q&A sessions with several renowned poultry experts.
“These sessions will offer invaluable insights and advice on backyard chicken keeping, perfectly complementing our extensive gardening speaker program, the largest of its kind in Australia.
“The expo’s 40th anniversary includes an expanded speaker program with 50 gardening experts delivering over 150 free lectures and demonstrations across six stages, headlined by crowd favourites such as Jerry Coleby-Williams, Costa Georgiadis, Sophie Thomson, Phil Dudman, Millie Ross and Claire Bickle.”
Poultry Spectacular chief steward Rob Leck said he was looking forward to sharing his passion for chickens and offering expert advice on backyard chickens to both seasoned poultry keepers and newcomers.
“We were overwhelmed with the level of interest we had in our poultry last year,” Mr Leck said.
“The Poultry Spectacular brings together poultry breeders from all corners of the country and features an extensive range of poultry standard classes, providing breeders with a comprehensive evaluation opportunity.
“At this year’s event, we’ll showcase a dazzling array of breeds, including a comparison of Australian versus American breeds, to demonstrate to visitors the utility breeds of poultry that are most adaptable to both backyard environments and show benches.
“There will be plenty of expert advice for aspiring chicken keepers from the Poultry Spectacular’s esteemed judges, who are also part of the expo’s speaker program.
“Keeping chickens is also fantastic for teaching kids about responsibility, sustainability and where our food comes from.”
With free entry for children aged 15 and under, Ms Beazley said chickens weren’t the only exhibit at the expo to keep the kids entertained.
“Throughout the event, our Kids Garden Patch offers an abundance of activities, including kids’ crafts and seed planting – all designed to engage and entertain the young garden enthusiasts,” Ms Beazley said.
“Costa Georgiadis will also be back as the Garden Gnome at 1.30pm on the Terraces on Saturday and Sunday, where he will create a space for children and families to engage in a mix of mayhem, stories and nature-inspired activities.
“From nature inspired activities to exploring the secrets of the soil, those who come along will be guided by Costa on a journey of imagination and wonder – the kids will absolutely adore it.
“Families can also make their way to our complimentary kids’ playground, complete with a giant slide, a jumping pillow and a merry-go-round. This playground is consistently one of the highlights for our littlest visitors.”
The event runs from July 4-7, with gates open at 8am and close at 4pm daily. For the full program and to buy tickets online click here.
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