Jobs project to refurbish Innisfail’s Chinese Temple gardens

The gardens and grounds around Innisfail’s Lit Sung Gung Chinese Temple – damaged during Cyclone Larry – are being refurbished with the help of 10 participants who will receive paid work thanks to the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.

Member for Mulgrave Warren Pitt said that Lifu Australia would receive $212,750 to assist long- term unemployed people back into career pathways while benefiting their community.

Mr Pitt said the 26-week project now underway would see participants focus on restoring the gardens and grounds around the Temple while expanding their skills base.

“Although unemployment is at a 30-year low in Queensland, there are still people out there who are having difficulty finding work,” said Mr Pitt.

“Programs like this under our Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative are helping to give people the skills they need to participate meaningfully in the workforce.”

Lifu Australia’s Managing Director Peter English said the Lit Sung Gung Chinese Temple custodians and Friends of the Temple had a six-year refurbishment plan, which included the Temple grounds Chinese gardens, a tea house and a pavilion open for community access.

“They will clear vegetation, remove vines, spray weeds around the heritage Logan tree and around the boundaries and fence, and propagate plants,” Mr English said.

“They will also be working with the Johnstone Shire Council on other Cyclone Larry affected sites gaining skills in revegetation, seed collection, plant propagation, tree planting and maintenance of plants and land management.”

Mr Mickel said the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative – together with its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative – had helped create more than 124,000 jobs for Queenslanders since 1998. It is part of the State Government’s $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan which aims to provide individuals and industry with the skills and workforce for the 21st Century.

Media contacts: Minister Pitt’s Office 3235 4280; Minister Mickel’s Office 3224 7349