Mackay Natural Environment Centre

 

Mackay Regional Council’s Mackay Natural Environment Centre plays an important role in supporting local sustainability and biodiversity initiatives.

As Council’s nursery, the centre cultivates a wide variety of native plant species used across council projects, community events and revegetation efforts throughout the region. It also supports residents by providing free native plants through Council’s native plant programs, helping to enhance home gardens while encouraging the use of locally suitable species. This facility not only strengthens environmental outcomes but also fosters community involvement in creating a greener, more resilient Mackay.

Each year the Mackay Natural Environment Centre nursery propagates more than 100,000 plants!  These are local to the Central Queensland area and are used for rehabilitation, revegetation and water-sensitive urban design projects. The centre is run by a dedicated team of council staff and volunteers and supplies a wide range of native plants for:

• Various council projects across the region
• Community events like National Tree Day
• Sale for revegetation projects and home gardens
• Council’s free native plant programs

What we grow

The nursery grows a variety of native plants available, from grasses and strappy plants, climbers, ground covers, shrubs and trees.

Stock availability changes throughout the year. Have a look at "What we grow" for an idea of what plants are currently available.

What we grow

How to acquire plants from the nursery

Native plants grown at the centre are available through free plant programs or by purchasing them directly.

1. Free plant programs

Council has a number of different free programs that encourage residents (ratepayers), community groups and schools to incorporate native plant species into their gardens and on their rural properties.

Free plant programs

2. Purchasing plants

If you don't meet the requirements of the free plant programs (ie. not a ratepayer) or require additional plants above the free allocations, plants can be purchased from the centre. Contact the nursery to arrange your order or use the online click and collect service.

Volunteering at the MNEC

Many hands make light work and we welcome anyone with an interest in gardening or conservation to join our volunteer days.

These are held each Tuesday and Thursday and offer a range of activities including seed collection and sorting, propagation, weed control and field trips to key sites to learn about and get involved in land management activities such as revegetation.

For more information or to register your interest in volunteering please, visit our Volunteering page.

Mackay Urban Greening News

Mackay Regional Council has adopted a strategy to increase vegetation in urban areas.  Not only does this improve the amenity of the area, it also helps reduce ambient temperatures and provides an opportunity for residents get a daily dose of nature close to where they live.

By subscribing to Mackay Urban Greening news you will get regular updates about native plant giveaways and sales and tree planting projects and activities.

 

Mackay Natural Environment Centre
6 Swayne Street, North Mackay
nursery@mackay.qld.gov.au
1300 MACKAY (622 529)