Green on the march
THE Green Army starts work today on a project that will see Bowen’s town entrance corridor transformed into a beautiful space.
Over the coming months residents and visitors can expect to see existing garden areas enhanced, new gardens created, and the salt works saltpans screened and hidden by vegetation.
About 1500 seedlings will be planted – attractive native vegetation has been chosen that is suitable for the soil and land conditions to ensure minimal ongoing maintenance.
Tall trees, a wide variety of shrubs and low- lying plants will create an interesting and colourful effect. Species include scaly ash, kapok, flame tree, Townsville wattle, caesias, bauhinias, sea cabbage and lilies, to name a few. Nutrient- rich soil will be brought in, irrigation laid, and mulch put down. The $ 150,000 project is ongoing and it will be a number of years before the plants mature and the full effect is realised.
Whitsunday Regional Council parks and gardens manager Scott Hardy briefed Bowen Tourism and Business members on the project on Monday. Mr Hardy developed the Bowen Entrance Greening Plan.
Bowen Tourism and Business chairman Paul McLaughlin couldn’t be happier.
“Many organisations and individuals have been working hard in the background to get this to happen, along with other works including improvements at the Don River, stabilisation of the sand bank at the golf club’s ninth hole and revegetation of Queens Beach,” he said. “The Green Army is playing a significant part in all of these activities. They’re here for 26 weeks doing a range of work and will work on the town entrance for about six weeks.
“Council’s Scott Hardy has worked hard to come up with the Bowen Entrance Greening Plan, it is going to transform the town entrance.
“Although the project has been costed at $ 150,000 it is mostly in the form of in- kind support, with many businesses donating time, machinery and resources, or providing it cheaply.’’
The community project is being driven by five stakeholders – Bowen Tourism and Business, Don River Improvement Trust, Queens Beach Action Group, Bowen Golf Club and Whitsunday Regional Council.
The Green Army, an initiative of Member for Dawson George Christensen, will see about six to eight young unemployed people undertake work while learning about the environment and land management.