Queensland Garden Show unveils star studded 2026 speaker program
QUEENSLAND’s biggest gardening event has unveiled its 2026 speaker program, bringing together some of Australia’s bestknown horticultural experts alongside a fresh crop of emerging gardening talent.
Returning to the Nambour Showgrounds from July 10 to 12, the Queensland Garden Show will feature more than 90 free talks and demonstrations across five live stages as it celebrates its 42nd year.
The program includes popular gardening personalities Graham Ross AM, Sophie Thomson, Jerry Coleby-Williams and Phil Dudman, while several firsttime presenters will make their debut appearances at the three-day event.
Among them is ABC Gardening Australia presenter and author Tammy Huynh, who said she was looking forward to connecting with Queensland gardeners for the first time.
“I’m excited to make my first appearance at the Queensland Garden Show this year,” Ms Huynh said.
“One of the things I love most about gardening events is the opportunity to connect with other plant enthusiasts, share
knowledge and learn something new.
Chief executive officer of Greenlife Industry
Queensland Colin Fruk said the speaker program remained one of the event’s major attractions and
respected growers and horticultural experts, and this year’s program reflects the incredible diversity of Australia’s gardening community,” Mr Fruk said. “Welcoming Tammy Huynh to the Show for the first
delighted to welcome back some of the gardening industry’s most trusted and recognisable personalities who continue to inspire visitors year after year.”
The popular Cooks Garden Stage will again
continued to draw visitors from across Australia.
“The Queensland Garden Show has built a reputation as the place where gardeners can learn directly from some of the country’s most knowledgeable and
time is a real highlight. She represents a new generation of horticultural voices that are helping make gardening more accessible, joyful and relevant for everyday Australians.
“At the same time, we’re
feature a strong line-up of chefs, including Mal Meiers, head chef at ēthos at Alsahwa Estate, Kenji Hiroto of SOKA, Sunshine Coast favourite Matt Golinski and Robert Cauilan, executive chef at Aussie World and the
Banana Bender Pub.
Mr Fruk said the extensive program catered for gardeners of all experience levels. “Whether you’re interested in rare and unusual plants, growing your own food, creating a more sustainable garden or simply learning from some of the best minds in horticulture, there is something for every gardener,” he said.
Beyond the speaker stages, visitors can explore the Giant Kitchen Garden, seek expert advice at the Plant Clinic, participate in workshops and browse Queensland’s largest collection of plants for sale in one location.
The event attracts more than 25,000 visitors annually and will feature more than 360 exhibitors, including 55 nurseries offering about 60,000 plants for sale each day across more than seven hectares of displays and exhibits. The 2026 Queensland Garden Show will be held from Friday 10 July to Sunday 12 July. Gates are open at 8am daily.
For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.qldgardenshow. com.au.
WHETHER you’re planning a new patio, upgrading your backyard, adding a garden shed or simply looking for inspiration, the 2026 Queensland Garden Show is the perfect place to start.
As a proud sponsor of this year’s event, Stratco is excited to help visitors discover practical ideas and quality solutions to transform their outdoor spaces.
With more than 75 years of experience designing and manufacturing building and outdoor home improvement products, Stratco has helped generations of Australians create spaces to entertain, work, relax and enjoy.
Throughout the three-day event, Stratco’s experienced team will be available to discuss projects, provide expert advice and prepare designs for patios and Visitors can also access Queensland Garden Show
The stand will also feature
a range of outdoor home improvement solutions, including garden sheds, raised garden beds, decorative screening and outdoor storage, with special offers available across the weekend.
Garden Show visitors who join Stratco’s Super Savers database will receive a complimentary Stratco red bucket while stocks last. Whether planning a major outdoor renovation or a simple weekend project, the Stratco stand offers plenty of ideas and practical advice to help turn inspiration into reality.
*Terms
Gable Roof Shed.
The Umbra Awning Shed.
Celebrating the 2026 QLD Garden Show
From local roots to national shelves
FOR years, Bassett Barks has been a familiar name on the Sunshine Coast, supporting everyone from commercial growers and landscape professionals to councils, schools and local gardeners with trusted bark, mulch and growing media products.
As Bassett Barks prepares to attend the Queensland Garden Show as naming sponsor for the first time, it is a fitting moment to reflect on
a local story behind its national growth.
In 2024, Bassett Barks partnered with Rocky Point, a horticultural and landscape supply manufacturing business on the Northern Gold Coast and part of the wider Hyne Group. Together, we now produce The Garden Family, a range of retail mulch and growing media products available through Bunnings stores across Australia.
For us, that growth means more than seeing products on shelves. It is the latest chapter in a journey shaped by the people, communities and Australian timber and horticultural industries that have backed us along the way.
As family businesses, we have always believed that what goes into a product matters just as much as what grows from it. While we are proud to see The
Garden Family reaching gardeners across the country, we are even prouder of the story behind what is inside the bag.
Most gardeners think about what they are planting. We think about where it starts. Behind every bag of The Garden Family is a network of suppliers, regional businesses and generations of horticultural knowledge. By bringing together Bassett Barks’ Sunshine Coast Pine Bark expertise with Rocky Point’s Northern Gold Coast production experience,
The Garden Family range now draws on trusted Queensland ingredients and long-standing supplier relationships. It means we have a closer connection to what goes into each product, where it comes from and how it is made. That is what is in the bag
for us. Quality ingredients, trusted relationships and supporting local industries that help Australian gardeners succeed. Today, every bag of The Garden Family carries a little piece of Queensland with it. With nearly 40,000 gardening enthusiasts expected at this year’s Queensland Garden Show, we are looking forward to meeting gardeners face-to-face, sharing the products, people and partnerships behind The Garden Family brand.
Work smarter not harder with OZeTrike
WHEN Matthew and Alison Park travelled to China in 2019, they were introduced to electric cargo tricycles, a simple yet highly effective utility vehicle widely used in agricultural operations throughout China.
Impressed by their versatility and efficiency, they saw an opportunity to change the way they worked at home in Toowoomba.
Back on their property, where feed and manure were still being moved by hand barrows, the benefits quickly became obvious. The couple recognised that
electric tricycles could save valuable time, reduce physical strain and make everyday farm tasks significantly easier.
That idea became OZeTrike, a business dedicated to supplying durable electric cargo tricycles designed for Australian conditions.
Manufactured by a leading Chinese supplier and assembled locally in Australia, the vehicles are built to comply with Australian Design Rules (ADRs),
with selected models able to be registered for use on public roads.
Today, OZeTrike is supported by a team of experienced and certified mechanics committed to delivering reliable, cost-effective utility vehicles for farms, acreage properties and rural businesses.
The trikes have proven popular with horse owners, hobby farmers and property managers looking
for a practical workhorse that can handle daily tasks without the running costs of larger vehicles.
Beyond productivity benefits, OZeTrike also promotes a more sustainable approach to transport. Their electric vehicles offer a greener alternative for property owners seeking to reduce fuel use and lower their environmental footprint while getting the job done efficiently.
Make sure to visit their display at the 2026 QLD Garden Show and see these workhorses in action.
Celebrating the 2026 QLD Garden Show
QLD Garden Show set to shine
With Brownie
IT’S on again, the Queensland Garden Show (formerly Garden Expo) at Nambour Showgrounds running July 10, 11 ad 12 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), and proudly presented by Greenlife Industry QLD, the peak nursery and plant growers association for Queensland.
This extravaganza is Queensland’s premier gardening event and every gardener’s dream come true.
The 2026 Show will feature an amazingly diverse array of stallholders, numerous nurseries, and a lineup of gardening experts eager to share their wisdom offers everything from greenhouses to gardening tools and bulbs to botanical art – you will find all things relating to flowers and foliage, fertilisers and plants at the Nambour Showgrounds over the three days.
There’ll be over 150 exhibitors, six full-sized landscaped garden displays, a kitchen garden with cooking demonstrations, and experts talking gardens and gardening across six dynamic stage areas –including Graham Ross,
Jerry-Colby Williams, Sophie Thomson, Matt Golinsky, Paul Plant and ‘The Garden Guru’ Phil Dudman.
They’ll be new plant releases, the hottest landscaping accessories and products, gardening gadgets and gizmos, and information on permaculture, organic gardening, weeds and pests, native plants and a host of other specialist topics. Plus, there’ll also be over 40,000 plants for sale daily … many rare and exotic and hard to find.
Look out for the locals with their displays and stalls – including Barung Landcare, Mellum Creek Nursery, Mountain View Daylily Nursery, Mountain View Orchids, Rumbalara Nursery, Suncoast Water Gardens, Topiary Madness, and Rocky Point / Basset Barks.
Not enough … the free Plant Clinic is there staffed by experts armed with a wealth of knowledge and experience, to address any gardening dilemmas you have, provide tailored advice, and assist you in identifying any plants you may encounter.
Then there’s something new – the Horticultural Media Association of
Australia ‘Pre-Loved Book Nook’.
The HMAA members have been busy fossicking through their personal libraries and collections to gather a treasure trove of pre-loved horticultural books. These are the books that have inspired gardens, solved plant puzzles, guided pruning decisions and sparked design ideas. Showgoers are warmly invited to browse, discover a bargain, and perhaps take home a gardening gem or two.
For those with a fl flair, the Nambour Floral Art Group have gathered the best talent for design and presentation to dazzle, delight and inspire at their display and competition.
lineup of feathery friends you’ll see, with some unusual and rare breeds on display as
Lovers of chickens beware, as the girls and boys in the ‘Poultry Spectacular’ display and show may just steal your heart. It’ll be the finest
Then there’s the Kitchen Garden where you’ll learn about sustainable gardening; the Living Backyard showing you how to make your place more wildlifefriendly; garden clubs and societies will fill the pavilion with colour and action; and there are free kids activities
galore spread across the site all day every day. Be inspired at the Expo. Tickets at the gate are $29 adult / $25 conc. / kids under 15 free. Tickets prepurchased bought online are $26.50 adult and $23.50 concession.
Sunday (July 12) is a ‘locals day’ where Sunshine Coast residents gain entry for just $21.50 (proof of address needed). If you’re a gardening tragic, a 2 day (Saturday and Sunday) pass
is $45; a 3 day pass is $65. Onsite parking is $10 per car or if you take the train to Nambour, there are free regular shuttle buses to the Showgrounds. A free multi storey car park is available in Mill Street, which is a short walk to the Nambour Station to catch the free shuttle bus. Visit www. qldgardenshow.com.au for more information and to book your online tickets. Hope to see you there.
