Bloomin’ Marvellous: Garden Clubs hold Zone Friendship Day Coffs Coast Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - November 4, 2022 Bellingen Garden Club members David and Anne Smith, Ian and Ulrieke Bethel with Friends of the Garden President Graham Tupper, Zone President Marion Watt, Nambucca Garden Club member Sue Kempton and Coffs Harbour Garden Club member Esther Koreny. GARDEN Clubs of Australia Coffs and Woolgoolga members hosted a Zone Friendship Day on Thursday, 27 October, inviting their Garden Club zone neighbours from Bellingen, South West Rocks, Nambucca Valley and Talarm to participate. Planned as a day of conviviality, around 50 Garden Club members met at the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden in Coffs Harbour for morning tea and a choice of three walks, finishing the get together with a leisurely lunch at Coffs Harbour Surf Club restaurant. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au Zone Director Marion Watt, in her official welcome to the day, spoke about the Garden Club ethos of connection and friendship. With the help of the volunteer guides from the Friends of the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden, everyone enjoyed a morning tea meet and greet between members from the six zones. Graham Tupper, President of the Friends of the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden and volunteer guides introduced the three different walks offering a stroll through different types of plant communities, into the rainforest area, and talks about the plants of the North Coast and the relationship with the animals who inhabit them. Each walk took in the newly opened glasshouse. One group was lucky enough to witness a male koala enjoying the warm day. “We know it is a male because later he reclined back to show us his chest with the distinctive brown patch stained by the scent gland he uses to rub his scent on trees,” said Graham. Looking back on the day, Judy Jackson, Secretary of Woolgoolga Garden Club told NOTA, “Coffs Harbour and Woolgoolga Garden Club members felt extremely proud to welcome our regional gardening club members to the Botanic Gardens for our inaugural Zone Friendship Day and that it was a blooming marvellous day. “The weather gods were smiling for the excursion and the Outing Coordinators had certainly done their ground preparation. “After a scrumptious morning tea prepared by Friends of the Botanic Garden, knowledgeable volunteers guided us throughout the morning to view a mix of natural coastal forests and a myriad of planted gardens. “It has been some time since visiting the gardens and I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of new work completed; not only the stunning Glasshouse, but many accessible pathways winding through various garden exhibits. “Do yourself a favour and take visitors, friends or family to the North Coast Regional Botanic Gardens, a beautiful 20-hectare oasis in the heart of Coffs which has something for everyone, including picnic areas. “It is certainly in my top ten visitor attractions and a valuable asset we should all be proud of,” she said. By Andrea FERRARI Judy Jackson, Secretary, Woolgoolga Garden Club with Marion Watt, Zone Coordinator. Maria Bell, Coffs Harbour Garden Club member. Mary Gibson, Rachel White and Sylvia Welsh from Talarm Garden Club. Garden Club members witnessed this male koala on their visit to the Botanic Gardens walking with Graham Tupper, President of the Friends of the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden.
