Botanic Gardens
What is a Botanic Garden?
A Botanic Garden is essentially a specialised park or passive recreation area where visitors can appreciate the intrinsic and botanical values of plants and the use of plants in ornamental horticulture.
Botanical Gardens have a range of other diverse facilities and functions such as providing facilities for environmental education and specialised botanic and horticultural research, facilities for arts and entertainment, and for community and community outreach groups.
Location and Site Description
The site is located approx 15km east of Murwillumbah, NSW and comprises 158 hectares of mostly northern slopes and spurs of the Condong Range. The area has been subjected to both complete and selective clearing followed by pastoral agricultural uses and some forest regrowth. These processes have resulted in a basically botanically-degrade site with some scattered areas of remnant endemic. This provides optimum conditions for the establishment of a Botanic Gardens that is primarily devoted to the research and interpretation of plant material for ornamental horticulture.
Early Beginnings
Tweed Shire Council has for many years been committed to the establishment of a Regional Botanic Gardens.
In 1984, a report by the Royal Australian Institute of Parks & Recreation recognised the significant natural eco system of the Mount Warning Caldera and the unique plant communities there in. The establishment of a Regional Botanic Gardens in the Tweed Region of New South Wales was recommended.
In 1996 Council resolved to develop a Botanical Gardens. Tweed Shire Council has land identified for future use as a botanical gardens which will result in a site in excess of 170 hectares. Over the next quarter century it is proposed the Tweed Regional Botanic Gardens will develop into one of Australia's largest Regional Botanic Gardens.
Project Status
Tweed Shire Council has been developing concepts for a central core area of the botanical gardens and has undertaken preliminary investigations for the purposes of development planning applications, including Geotechnical, vegetation and hydrological assessments, along with preliminary civil engineering and landscape architectural concepts.
Council will engage consultants for Cultural Heritage Investigation, to develop Architectural plans for key buildings, and to futher develop landscape and civil design.
Community consultation is planned as part of the process of refining the designs for the core area of the proposed Botanical Gardens site.
The Future
The future potential for the botanical gardens includes a range of functions and opportunities, including:
- Science and research opportunities and facilities
- Education opportunities and classroom areas
- Opportunities for outreach such as work for the dole and landcare projects
- Opportunities for cultural events such as outdoor exhibitions, workshops, music in the gardens, festivals
- Wedding and other family events
- Passive recreation
- Developing a Friends of the Botanical Gardens group.
Council is currently developing concept designs and working towards planning approval for the first stage of the core area of the gardens. Part of this process will include community consultation.
Having a planning approval for the core area of the gardens will make it easier for Council to seek major funding to develop a first stage.
Previous Associated Projects - Tweed Regional Cemetery
The Tweed Regional Botanical Gardens Masterplan identified the site for the Tweed Regional cemetery to be part of the whole Botanic Gardens precinct. The Tweed Regional Cemetary was officially opened by Mayor Max Boyd on 30 April 1997. This cemetery has been developed with a range of specific rainforest plantings consistant with the proposed Botanic Gardens flora. The integration of the function of a cemetery with the Botanic Gardens is unique and entirely appropriate as it provides a specialised attractive environment that is also scientifically important. This role will continue for mutual benefit as the Botanic Gardens expands and develops along the site.
Botanic Gardens Work for the Dole Scheme
Two Work For The Dole projects have been coordinated by Council at the Cemetary. These have proved successful for participants and Council alike. These schemes have assisted significant progress in establishing:
- Two areas of North Queensland rainforest tree plantings.
- Revegetation of approx 2 ha of degraded steeply sloping land with endemic native vegetation.
- Plantings of large numbers of ornamental trees and shrubs in the lawn cemetery area.
- Establishing approx 800m of walking tracks through existing bushland areas.
- Regeneration of around 1 ha of degraded bushland including the clearing of areas of Camphor Laurel and Lantana.
- Planting of 350 butterfly food plants along a section of walking track.
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