Col Campbell honoured at Roma Street Parkland

Renowned and respected garden guru Colin Campbell will be honoured with his own lush space and memorial plaque inside Roma Street Parklands, following his death from cancer on August 23.

The colourful Spectacle Garden will be renamed ‘Colin Campbell Place’ with a special tribute unveiling ceremony to be held on November 3.

Premier Campbell Newman said ‘Col’ was an inspiration to gardeners during the water shortages experienced earlier in the decade.

“He was an extremely knowledgeable and well-respected man, and I admire the way he encouraged people to work with their gardens throughout the drought,” Mr Newman said.

“Colin’s influence in the horticultural industry spread over many decades, and he will be sadly missed.”

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the naming of the garden was a perfect tribute.

“Colin was one of the early major players in making Brisbane a greener, cleaner city; he was the one who proposed the Roma Street Parkland that is now enjoyed by so many residents and visitors to the city,” Cr Quirk said.

“It’s fitting that he will now have his own special place in the parklands, in memory of his extraordinary contribution to our city.”

New Zealand-born Colin Campbell arrived in Brisbane in 1977 and became heavily entrenched in the horticultural industry.

He shared his gardening expertise on television, radio and in print for almost 30 years, including as a presenter on ‘Gardening Australia’, radio talkback shows and through newspaper columns, making him a well-known personality throughout the country.

Mr Campbell was awarded an Order of Australia Medal on Australia Day 2007 for his services to horticulture.

He received many accolades and awards for his contribution to the industry that he dearly loved, including the Gold Wattle Award by the Australian Institute of Horticulture in October 2011 – only the second time the award was made available in the 51 year history of AIH

A public picnic will be held in the park following the tribute ceremony and the Premier and Lord Mayor encourage Queenslanders to come along.

Unveiling Ceremony and Picnic

Date: 3^rd November

Time: Ceremony 10:30am – 11:30am, followed by picnic.

For more details on the event, please visit www.4bc.com.au

[ENDS] 22 September 2012

Premier’s Media Contact:                  Premier’s Office 07 3224 4500

Lord Mayor’s Media Contact:          Mandy Mauloni 0478 308 318