Biggest ever Home Garden Expo

Garden lovers from near and far will flock to Nambour this weekend as the Sunshine Coast gets ready for this year’s Home Garden Expo (July 10-12), and with all space fully booked out by exhibitors for the first time in its 25-year history it’s an event not to be missed.

Marion Beazley, Event Manager of the QLD Home Garden Expo said that since it was first staged in 1985, the Expo has grown into Queensland’s largest garden exhibition.

“This is the place where Queensland’s top landscape designers and nurseries come to showcase their creative talents, products and knowledge.

“It is a testament to the increasing popularity of the expo that we are this year for the first time fully booked.

“Another first is that we are running television ads in Brisbane and South East Queensland to promote the event to a larger audience than ever before,” Ms Beazley said.

Last year the Home Garden Expo attracted 24,300 visitors, with over 50% of these from outside the Sunshine Coast, as well as 360 exhibitors and their 1980 support personnel.

Economic Development and Council Entrepreneurship portfolio holder Cr Lew Brennan said that the expo is one of the coast’s most successful home grown events and it brings a significant economic benefit to the coast.

“Organisers estimated that visitors from outside the Sunshine Coast area spent around $7.4 million here last year.”

“With these types of figures, this event plays a crucial role in boosting tourism and strengthening our local economy which is why council earlier this year entered into a 3 year sponsorship contract with expo organisers from 2010 to 2012”.

“We really value these events and want to make sure they remain on the Coast, and our sponsorship support will ensure it remains here and continues to grow successfully,” Cr Brennan said.

The Nambour community also values this event, says Division 10 Councillor Paul Tatton.

“Council, through its Town Centre Management Specialist Libby Ozinga, has been working closely with the event organisers to promote it throughout Nambour.

“They are running a Nambour Town promotion that will see banners up and down Main Street and small Garden Expo flags installed outside 100 businesses.

“Nambour’s Friday Moonlight Market on 10 July has a theme promoting the Garden Expo called “Mad Hatter’s Garden Market” which will see locals dress to impress the Mad Hatter himself!” Cr Tatton said.

The 2009 Queensland Home Garden Expo will be held on 10-12 July 2009 at the Nambour Showgrounds.