VANESSA HALL  
EDITOR  

THE WEATHER is warming up quickly, and that means more people are getting out into their gardens or thinking about what to do, and the Coolum Community Native Nursery has a fresh new look and plenty of local species ready to be planted out.

Conveniently located at 157 Warran Road in Yaroomba, the Coolum Community Native Nursery (CCNN) is a not-for-profit with its sole focus on preserving local native species and making these available for the public and larger organisations.

Primarily volunteer-run, the nursery is gearing up for spring and, with that, the launch of its new logo design featuring one of the Sunshine Coast’s most recognisable native plants – the banksia.

Nursery Manager Tim Lang said the rebrand was about giving the organisation a little more personality while staying connected to what it is all about.

“We wanted to make it fun and bring more colour into it. It was a collective approach, and in it we have a banksia, which you see lots of around here,” Tim said.

Rather than simply selling native plants, the nursery is focused on making sure people can plant species that belong here – and varieties which will have the best chance of thriving in local conditions.

“We specialise in local native plants; we call it provenance, so they’re specifically from this region – we collect our seeds from Caloundra and as far north as Noosa and about as west as the highway,” Tim said.

“Our plants are naturally adapted to the soils, the climate, and to things like salt, for instance.”

It is an approach Tim believes makes sense for anyone planning a new garden or looking to replace plants that are struggling.

“We believe that if you’re going to put the effort in, plant something that’s going to be specific to the region and you’ll probably have the best success, and it will be better for the environment.”

There are options for all sorts of gardens, including plants suited to wet and shady areas, salt- and drought-tolerant species, and plants suitable for smaller spaces such as pots and hanging baskets.

Most of the plants are sold as affordable tube stock, making it easier for residents to plant several natives rather than spending up big on larger, more established plants.

The nursery harvests and processes its own seed and propagates its plants on site, with volunteers doing much of the work.

“There’s a lot of human energy put into our plants,” Tim said.

That volunteer effort is one of the things that sets the nursery apart from a commercial garden centre.

Nursery beginnings  
The nursery began through Coast Care and what was then Maroochy Water Watch before becoming a standalone community not-for-profit organisation and now boasts some 70-plus hands-on volunteers and 1,000 keen green thumbs who keep up to date with all things native gardening by way of their membership, and they are also offered discounts on their purchases.

Local community groups, councils and environmental projects source plants from the nursery, while residents can also buy directly and play their own part in increasing biodiversity around their homes.

For those unsure where to begin, there is plenty of advice available with volunteers on site at all times, and the nursery has introduced a new on-site garden consultation service with staff member Sarah able to visit properties across the Coolum, Noosa and northern Sunshine Coast area.

The one-hour consultation includes an assessment of soil, drainage, sunlight, and recommendations for suitable native species, planting and layout advice.

The consult is a detailed hands-on service and costs just $198 and comes with a voucher for five free tube plants, valued at $20, to redeem at the nursery.

The nursery is also planning to host hands-on workshops as more people with specialist knowledge come on board.

With spring planting just around the corner, the message is simple – choosing a local native is not just about having a plant that looks good in the garden – it is about putting the right plant in the right place – and giving Sunshine Coast wildlife a little more of the habitat it needs.

For Manager Tim, the nursery is about creating a place where people can learn as well as buy quality stock, and whilst the new logo might be a little different, the message behind the nursery has not changed.

“With our plants, there’s a lot of love and care that goes into each one, and we are committed to building a community of enthusiasts around the environment.”

For more info, please visit: https://www.coolumnatives.com