HomeLifestylePodcast: newly discovered trees in Botanic Gardens

Podcast: newly discovered trees in Botanic Gardens

In today’s episode we hear about newly discovered trees in the Botanic Gardens, learn about Lunar New Year celebrations and find out about the extended services at a local community gym.

Local news highlights include the official launch of a new children’s book, the Be Active Be Alive free fitness program, and the 2020 year water services review.

You can also listen on Google, Apple, Spotify, TuneIn or your favourite podcast app.

Podcast transcript

Adele More 0:07
Hello and welcome to the Bundaberg now podcast brought to you by the Bundaberg Regional Council. We’re all about showcasing our beautiful region, it’s amazing people and sharing news about local arts, culture, events and business. I’m your host Adele More. And today we have an exciting lineup of speakers for you. We will hear all about the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations at the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre an off the beaten track section of the Botanic Gardens, and a way to get fit at local gym Raw Awakening. but first here’s a quick news recap from this week’s top stories. Councils Water services report for 2020 has revealed over 100 water hydrants were upgraded as part of a council project to maintain the service vital to firefighting operations. Here is Branch Manager Water Services, Narelle D’Amico with more

Narelle D’Amico 1:02
Labour primarily focused on scheme works around hydrants. So going through checking hydrants upgrading them and making sure that our network was secure for risk management, so for fires etc, as we did see in recent times. As part of that work around the hydrant projects, we have still continued to maintain normal operations, which means responding to call outs and we’ve been able to track that we’ve had at an average of 88 jobs. Our week that our team have gone out and assisted the community and kept the services running for for our council.

Adele More 1:34
Local grandmother Elaine Lyons has officially launched her children’s book, Bert, The Boy Who Had a Dream. The book follows the life and achievements of Bundaberg pioneer aviator Bert Hinkler.

Elaine Lyons 1:45
Today, we launched the book here with friends that have been involved with the book, and I was really thrilled that most of them were able to come.

Adele More 1:55
Elaine’s book is available for purchase at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation, Dymocks, Art Plus Bundaberg and tourism information centres around the region. The Be Active Be Alive programme has begun and offers free fitness activities ranging from circuit, dance, yoga, tai chi, Zumba, pool activities, and much more through to March 21. Here’s Councillor Vince Habermann with some more information on the programme.

Vince Habermann 2:19
So there’s lots of things happening. All free fitness activities in parks and pools across the region. Bundaberg, Childers, Gin Gin, Bargara, Burnett Heads, Elliott Heads, Woodgate, Moore Park Beach so there’s something happening close to you wherever you live in the region.

Adele More 2:37
Shelly Lobartolo is one of the many experienced instructors leading the programme and says it has a range of benefits for the community.

Shelly Lobartolo 2:44
It gives people an opportunity to come in and move their bodies and get involved with something. it’s a social opportunity as well for people to interact and meet new people in their community. And it’s a great way to to get out and get active.

Adele More 2:59
For more information on the programme, visit the Be Active Bundy Region Facebook page or head to Council’s web page. As part of stabilisation works on the Burnett River bank the removal of three large gum trees has been deemed necessary by Bundaberg Regional Council’s parks and engineering staff for public safety. And Year 10 Shalom College student Thomas Morcom has signed a three year contract with the Brisbane Broncos as part of the team’s development programme. And that’s the weekly news wrap. The Bundaberg Botanic Gardens is blooming with brilliant flowers and fruits, you can try straight off the tree, but only if you know what you’re looking for. I headed down to the gardens to have a chat with Cody Johnson, the curator at the gardens to find out more about some of their interesting projects and a section of the garden that you may not have heard about before.

Cody Johnson 3:49
Yes, so just recently done a lot of work down in the in the Woodworkers Guild. So it was an area that was originally established in the gardens here in the early 90s. But for the most part has sort of become a bit of forgotten area since those times. So we’ve done a lot of work down here of drainage and access paths. So we’re now able to get down here and sort of rediscover a little hidden gems that we’ve got down here. And we’ve been doing a lot of identification work and labelling down here, which has been pretty exciting discovering a lot of species that we didn’t know we had. And it’s really good to see.

Adele More 4:23
What are some of the most impressive things that people could see in this new section?

Cody Johnson 4:28
Well, down in the new section, one of our most recent finds even just yesterday was a tree with the common name of the native crape myrtle. So that’s a that’s a Lagerstroemia species native to Queensland and Northern Australia. So it’s got quite an impressive sort of mauve to pink sort of flower and yeah, I’d say that’s really one worth checking out. And like I said, one that we’ve only just discovered ourselves recently, thanks to that new foot pathway.

Adele More 4:54
And in terms of bushtucker goodies in the garden, is there anything around people might be out of sample if they know what they’re looking for?

Cody Johnson 5:03
Well, with all bush tucker I’d say, make sure you do plenty of research and don’t just listen to Cody. Most of it requires a bit of treatment. Probably one of the interesting ones that tracks everyone’s attention just because of the bright blue fruit. Iridescent blue fruit is the Elaeocarpus angustifolius that’s the blue Quandong , which we do have down the woodworkers area and there were also quite a few specimens throughout the whole Botanic Gardens. There’s not a lot of flesh to those though, and like most Bush Tucker requires a little bit of treatment before you can go having a snack on them. And aside from that, there’s probably lots to choose from probably too much to mention right now though, but um, that’s that’s definitely an interesting one.

Adele More 5:41
Tell me a bit about the history of the Woodworkers guild and why some of those trees were put in there to start with.

Cody Johnson 5:47
Yeah, so it was a it was originally established with our original curator. As I said back in the early 90s, in coordination with the Woodworkers Guild of Bundaberg. A lot of the species that were selected down there were for timber properties. It was meant to be a display of all the different kinds of timber in its in its natural state from the trees and was intended even originally have some harvesting to be undertaken as well, that idea has since gone by the wayside, which we’re not too sad about but um, it’s still an important sort of place to demonstrate those appropriate species and welcome everyone back down here again. If you hit up to the cafe or Hinkle Hall of aviation, all of our venues around here I’ve got plenty of Botanic Gardens brochures and we also have an information sign that we regularly update in front of the cafe as well with what’s flowering, what’s fruiting and what activities are on. We always try to have some new, even if it’s self paced or activities for the school holidays and try to keep everyone involved.

Adele More 6:51
Thanks so much for coming on the Bundaberg Now podcast. This year, the team at Moncrieff entertainment centre are doing things a little differently to celebrate Lunar New Year on February 13. Here is Jolene Watson from the Moncrieff with more

Jolene Watson 7:05
Hello this is Jolene from the Moncrieff entertainment centre and today I am here with Anna Yen. Hi Anna.

Anna Yen 7:11
Hello Jolene.

Jolene Watson 7:12
How are you going today?

Anna Yen 7:14
Oh, I’m really loving being in Bundaberg. I’m staying at the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery’s artists accommodations. Gorgeous.

Jolene Watson 7:22
Beautiful. Thank you for joining us this afternoon. We’re here to have a chat about our Lunar New Year celebrations that we’re going to be having here at the Moncrieff.

Anna Yen 7:32
Yes, and it’s going to be so exciting. It’s a different show this year. I’ve come here to direct this Lunar New Year’s show, which will feature community members there’ll be dancers from the Bundaberg Dance Academy the taco dramas from the Norville state school other community members doing Tai Chi, Kung Fu, some martial arts, some dance. And the very special thing is that we’re going to have a video from Nanning and Nanning primary school that have often visited here to Bundaberg for the Chinese New Year that they’ve created a small video to share with us to wish everybody happy New Year of the ox.

Jolene Watson 8:23
Yeah, and that is so special that we still have that a little taste of Nanning here. We have had to change it up somewhat this year. Our New Year’s celebration has changed a little bit. And for the better. Of course, it’s great to have this so many local connections and it’s titled The red thread Lunar New Year. Can you tell us more about why why it’s named as such.

Anna Yen 8:46
There’s an old Chinese saying and ancient Chinese saying that says there’s a red thread that connects us all. There’s a red thread that connects people who are destined to meet. And this thread can be pulled, stretched, warped, but it’ll it can never break. And to me this show is about connection and building connection between people between young and old. between different cultures, east and west. between humans and the natural world we have we feature some a water dance, fire dance, metal plate juggling, there’ll be a tea ceremony on stage where it’s all about connections because it’s a wonderful thing to celebrate that we are all of one heart even across different cultures. And we have so much to learn from each other and have our lives are enriched when we share when we share our differences and celebrate our differences and what we can offer each other rather than letting differences break us apart. And it’s been so wonderful working with the community members here. Who are, the dancers are so skilled and such fast learners. I came here in November last year, just for a couple of days to start preparing the show. And I taught a one day workshop where I taught this Chinese plate juggling and some Tai Chi and kung fu and the participants, you know, took a set of plate away, plates away and have been practising. And so now I’m back now, I came on the weekend, at the end of January, and we started rehearsal. And it’s just been such a fun process. And this fun will be there for the audience to see, I’m sure the listeners will really enjoy the show. And it’ll be different to other years when there’s been, you know, other Lunar New Year celebrations at the Moncrieff. But this year’s celebration at the Moncrieff, the one called a red thread that connects will be really beautiful and rich and have many local performance in it.

Jolene Watson 11:12
Yeah, we thank you so much for, for coming and sharing your insight into, you know, by directing this and putting it all together because it sounds like it’s going to be as you say, like a beautiful connection between our community, past and present and looking ahead.

Anna Yen 11:30
Oh, and the other thing that’s interesting is that Trevor’s putting together a snack pack a taste of Asia pack to the audience. So after the show, you’ll get a snack across a ticket that entitles you to a little taste of Asia snack box across in Buss Park,

Jolene Watson 11:48
So, I’ve done a little snooping Anna, and we’ve looked at you and your past and what an amazing, rich history you also have as a performer. And I mean, if anyone wants to check it out online, you’ll be able to see all the amazing things that that she has done. Her performances, workshops, mentoring, and for someone as flexible and circusy and performer as you how do you keep in such great shape?

Anna Yen 12:21
Ah, yes, well, I train you know, every day. I train, I do some movement training every day. I do I do even if it’s a little bit I do some movement training every day. And in order to not just keep up my fitness, but also keep up my awareness, you know of what’s going on. And yeah, I I do weights. Once or twice a week I go to martial arts, a Shaolin Kung Fu martial arts once or twice a week, I go to Pilates once a week. I walk and I practice slack rope. Yeah, all those things. I love it. It helps keep me you know awake.

Jolene Watson 13:07
And you’ve just mentioned slack rope. Then I need people to go and have a look online, you will see a photos of Anna, walking on slack rope in high heels, which is incredible. Is that going to be part of the performance?

Anna Yen 13:21
Unfortunately, not. Joleen. I’d love it if it was but no, the show is not all about me. It’s actually about the community participants. And also we can’t read the slack. Though it would have been interesting, would it not to have had a red slack rope for it to be the red thread that connects but unfortunately not not this year. Anyway.

Jolene Watson 13:42
Amazing. Thank you so much for being here with us today. And I mean, it looks it looks like it’s gonna be an amazing performance. We’ve got around about 30 local performers and yourself and as you said, it’s this community if it’s a combined effort of talent, yourself, there’s there’s other people that are mentoring and helping costuming. Yeah,

Anna Yen 14:05
Trevor Green costumes.

Jolene Watson 14:07
So it’s just going to be beautiful. And we really hope that people can come and join with us and celebrate this Lunar New Year.

Unknown Speaker 14:16
Thanks, Jolene. And I hope everyone comes along. it’ll it’ll be a lot of fun.

Jolene Watson 14:21
Book now for the red thread Lunar New Year’s celebrations at the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre. Saturday the 13th of February 2pm and 4:30pm all tickets only $5 include a taste of Asia pack, book online now at artsbundaberg.com.au at the box office or phone 41304100.

Adele More 14:39
Local gym Raw Awakening is expanding, here’s owner Tatiana Quinn with more.

Tatiana Quinn 14:45
Raw awakening is extending. We’re taking all our classes down 24 Key Street which is a new facility and we’ve got so much more room down there. It’s going to be awesome so many more programmes to come for the community. Raw awakening facilitates programmes for everyone for all ages in the community, we’re not for profits. We also run programmes within the school. So we focus on health and fitness. No one’s excluded here. It doesn’t matter age, race or anything. Our gym features a 24 hour kids zone. So it’s a zone where you can bring your kids it’s completely safe for all ages. It gives the kids somewhere to hang out while you’re training. So it’s got Netflix air conditioned, they’ve got their books, they’ve got everything they need to keep entertained. It helps those parents that are working long hours and can’t go to the gym because of their children. So we’ve gave a place for them to bring their kids along so they can get into health and fitness.

Adele More 15:31
As always, there’s plenty going on in the Bundaberg region. I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s podcast. Join me again next week for more news and stories from across the region. Bye for now.

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