The University of Queensland (UQ), as custodian of the Queensland heritage-listed Boyce Estate, invites the community to join UQ Centenary Celebrations at the Gardens in Toowoomba on April 23, 2010.
Director of the UQ Centre of Native Floriculture Professor Daryl Joyce said the community event would increase public awareness of the gardens and encourage their wider use as an educational and recreational resource.
The celebrations also provide an opportunity to give thanks for the $50,000 grant from the Federal Government Community Water Grants and matching funding by The University of Queensland through the Boyce Garden Trust Fund to enable a drought-proofing project to proceed.
This grant enabled installation of underground water storage tanks critical to the efficient use of water for horticulture projects in the Boyce Gardens parkland, which is located at 6 Range St, Mt Lofty, Toowoomba.
“Every great University should have great gardens for education and appreciation,” Professor Joyce said.
“The Boyce Gardens will be further developed to showcase our native plants of commerce, including native floriculture and potted colour, landscape and garden, food, forestry and fibre plants.”
The commercial native plant theme ties in with the entrepreneurial spirit of the Gardens’ original owners, Dr s Leslie Boyce and his wife, Margaret. The Boyce and Griffiths families were among industrial pioneers in Australia, closely associated with the Toowoomba Foundry and Southern Cross windmills.
The Boyces were also devoted gardeners, plant collectors and conservationists. Their gardens and parkland, along with remnant rainforest that they conserved, will reflect, through education, cultural experience and recreation, the largely unsung inherent value to society of native plant biodiversity.
To commemorate the event, an iconic broad leaf bottle tree (Brachychiton australe) will be planted by the Hon. Mr Ian Macfarlane MP, Federal Member for Groom, and Professor Roger Swift, Executive Dean Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science (NRAVS).
The celebrations on April 23 include a picnic in the gardens and tours of the estate as a tribute to a remarkable gift made by extraordinary people.
Entry to the carpark is from the Open Learning Centre entrance in Jellicoe Street.
For bookings please contact boycegardens@uq.edu.au or call 07 54 601 456.
If attending, please RSVP by April 16.
Contact – Amber Aceman 0458300456 and Karli Kollegger 0488 780 229
