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[QLD] Free - 2 (up to 4) Native Plants Per Financial Year for Ratepayers @ Brisbane City Council

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[QLD] Free - 2 (up to 4) Native Plants Per Financial Year for Ratepayers @ Brisbane City Council
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Taegukgi on 04/09/2018 - 05:49 brisbane.qld.gov.au (931 clicks)
Last edited 04/09/2018 - 11:22 by 1 other user

A great way to help green up our beautiful city. You may also be get four free native plants if you have built a brand new home in one of the eligible suburbs.

Available plants - thanks @azvc

Free Native Plants Program
""Brisbane City Council offers the Free Native Plants Program to residential ratepayers, schools, clubs, body corporates and registered community groups within Brisbane City to plant on their properties. The native species provided through the program are designed to help grow our city's urban forest and support local wildlife.

Residential properties
Brisbane ratepayers, Housing Commission and Defence Housing residents are entitled to claim two free native plants, once per financial year (July to June).

NOTE: Only current paid financial year rates notices will be accepted in exchange for a voucher. Any rates notices presented from previous years will not be honoured.

If you rent or lease a property, your body corporate or the property owner must make the application.

Owners of unit properties must make an application through their body corporate.

How to apply for residents
To claim your free native plants you will need to get your Free Native Plants voucher:

Visit Council or go to a Council library or ward office and present your paid rates notice from this current financial year or for Housing Commission and Defence Housing residents provide evidence of a recent rental payment.
You will be provided with an approved stamped Free Native Plants voucher.
Visit a participating nursery and exchange your voucher for two free native plants.

Let's do our bit for the environment and the generations to come.

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closed Comments

    • Andoes on 04/09/2018 - 07:36
      +9

      designed to help grow our city's urban forest and support local wildlife

      • whooah1979 on 04/09/2018 - 07:42
        -2

        does this mean that non-native trees can't contribute to urban forests and may repel local wildlife?

        • Slo20 on 04/09/2018 - 07:46
          +7

          I’d say it’s also for their drought resistance and lower maintenance

        • whooah1979 on 04/09/2018 - 07:48
          -2

          @Slo20:

          ps this isn't a troll question. i'm trying to understand why they're only offering natives trees. what's wrong with 4 pine, palm, oak, maple, blossoms, fruit trees, roses, etc.

        • Gandalf the Thrifty on 04/09/2018 - 08:22
          +4

          @whooah1979: Native tubes are cheap, fruit and roses are not.
          Most pine and palms are high maintenance with annoying leaves & seeds.
          Oak and maple can be massive trees.

          If they gave non-native, green groups would probably complain lol

        • whooah1979 on 04/09/2018 - 08:26
          -6

          @Gandalf the Thrifty:

          Native tubes are cheap, fruit and roses are not.

          it's a shame. native plants are dull with no fruits.

          green groups would probably complain

          they're probably hitting the neg right now.

        • INFIDEL on 04/09/2018 - 10:46
          +5

          @whooah1979:
          Native trees are those native to the local environment, adapted to the Brisbane environment over a very long time. Native birds, bees, insects are best suited to what has grown here for a very long time.

          Exotics have often proven troublesome, some becoming pest species destroying environments, requiring huge resources to remove. Such a waste of taxes!
          Lantana was once a popular introduced garden plant, now choking so many landscapes. Birds & water flow spread the seeds. https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/lantana

          Native stock is very cheap. That's one reason why these are free! People can choose exotics, they just need to pay for them at Bunnings or nurseries.

          But by what you think would grow in Brisbane, I don't think you understand this local environment. This deal is for trees to grow in Brisbane to improve the native habitat, not for likes of ornamental rose bushes that look good for you.

          Just learn about your local area, what grows in it naturally. It's much easier to maintain, uses far less water, & costs less. It's better in so many ways. Sure if you choose imported plants - you need to pay for them yourself. Why should ratepayers pay for your choices?

        • INFIDEL on 04/09/2018 - 10:47

          @whooah1979:
          You really are showing your lack.of knowledge of indigenous food!

        • whooah1979 on 04/09/2018 - 10:57

          @Infidel:

          I prefer plants that provide either fruits, shade, flowers or coloured leaves. I’m more than happy to go with natives that have it.

        • INFIDEL on 04/09/2018 - 10:59

          @whooah1979:
          If that's your preference.. Well buy them yourself. No one is stopping you! But why should Brisbane Rate Payers pay for what you want??

          Native plants are so cheap - that's why they can be given away!

          Many native trees provide many of those attributes. Did you even look at the beautiful flower at the start of the list of available plants??

          Just been admiring my native bottlebrush - in full bloom, attracting so many birds, bees, & positive comments. As it sweeps in an arch across the footpath, the blossoms hang above those walking past & the tree provides good shade & the sweet blossoms a lovely scent.

        • whooah1979 on 04/09/2018 - 11:04
          -2

          @Infidel:

          The ratepayers of Brisbane city is paying for this. Some of them may want a more diverse selection of plants other than natives plants.

        • INFIDEL on 04/09/2018 - 11:06

          @whooah1979:
          You just wont understand the reason for this is to replace native trees removed in developing new housing in Brisbane. It's to replace destroyed native habitat, not to beautify your garden according to your requirements.

          Providing expensive introduced species means very few trees can be bought with the same budget. Buy those yourself & save Brisbane City Council ratepayers money.

          ps this isn't a troll question. i'm trying to understand why they're only offering natives trees.

          Certainly seems that way. Learn rather than just complain. Ask the Brisbane City Council those questions - if you even live in Brisbane! Your only post (SYDNEY) & comments (referring to NSW) suggests you may not even qualify for this deal?

        • INFIDEL on 04/09/2018 - 11:41
          +1

          @whooah1979:
          You are expecting ratepayers to pay for - introduced species planted for your enjoyment over the native species for the benefit of the local ecosystems. (Funding probably comes from the Environment Levy in Brisbane rates.)

          That's pretty much what colonists have been doing to this country for over 200 years.
          Without appreciating the values of native species or understanding the unique attributes of this country. Instead you want to transform this place into another place - foreign to this country, without thought or understanding of what is already here.

          Unfortunately, people from other places usually want to change this place to what they are used to, rather than appreciate what has always been here😢

        • whooah1979 on 04/09/2018 - 12:06
          -2

          @Infidel:

          Major cities turning into urban concrete jungles is inevitable. A few natives plants here or there isn’t going to change that. Not offering a more diverse section of plants to ratepayers that may not want native plants is unfair for them.

        • whooah1979 on 04/09/2018 - 12:13

          @Infidel:

          I expect all ratepayers to be treated equally as much as possible. A council deal funded by ratepayers should benefit as many ratepayers as possible and not only a select minority.

        • INFIDEL on 04/09/2018 - 12:19

          @whooah1979:
          When rose bushes are bulldozed to make way for housing… Come back then for a free rose bush😉

          Until then, pay for your own rose bushes. What you want are so much more expensive than these cheap natives.

        • INFIDEL on 04/09/2018 - 12:23

          @whooah1979:
          Equally - you all have can get the same choice of plants. More plants are provided for those on homesites recently cleared of native plants. That's the purpose of this program.

          As this falls under the Environment budget, the funding is for the Environment, not for pretty rose gardens.

          Don't maintain your ignorance😉 Come back after you've learnt about the BCC Environment funding, Bushland Preservation Levy & the Australian environment. No rose bushes there.

        • Price Jack on 04/09/2018 - 15:31

          @whooah1979: Wow, are you really that ignorant?

        • INFIDEL on 09/09/2018 - 13:54

          @whooah1979:

          A few natives plants here or there isn’t going to change that.

          Are you going for the record of number of times wrong in a deal?? Come back when you understand, not just this whingeing.

          A few…?? BCC has provided over 600,000 plants in this program, which has been running for a long time.

          Major cities turning into urban concrete jungles is inevitable.

          It's not inevitable. Many Brisbane suburbs used to bare grass & concrete in the past - a hot dry uninteresting place. Massive plantings of trees has rebalanced that. Council works with developers to retain vegetation & offset losses by planting & conservation elsewhere in the City.

          Interest generated by the scheme means people buy their own native plants as well. Waiting another year for 2 free plants is not worth the wait for many. But the long queue for free shrubs & trees today show there is interest in this scheme. Lots of discussion of where they were planting & why, while waiting.

          A suburban school I passed last week warned of the koalas in their trees. Considering it is on a main road, with only a few large Eucalyptus, it is interesting how a small number of trees can provide a valuable corridor to larger areas of trees.

          Met a woman today who was taking home a Hoop Pine she'd bought. Now that is a huge tree - growing to a height of 60 metres. It is for the school, to accompany another & an equally tall Bunya Pine. Lucky kids🌲

      • asa79 on 04/09/2018 - 12:13

        So council can knock down more park land for more housing estates and state that now existing houses will attract the wildlife

  • tissue on 04/09/2018 - 07:30
    +5

    Can also go to the green heart fair at Carindale on 9 Sep to get them. A bit easier than getting your rates notice stamped at the library then going to a nursery to get the plants.

    Keep in mind too that they are only tubestock as well i.e. in a 50mm pot, so only worth a few dollars.

  • azvc on 04/09/2018 - 07:46
    +3

    Here's the list of plants you could get

  • zqipz on 04/09/2018 - 07:51
    -1

    They’re usually worth $8 at the nursery I went to, used my parents rates too to get more. Very tiny plants, fine if you have decades to grow them.

  • c64 on 04/09/2018 - 08:46

    what about if you get your rates electronically?

    • Taegukgi on 04/09/2018 - 08:47
      +1

      Print out a copy.

  • TazR on 04/09/2018 - 09:09
    +1

    This offer has been around for years (15 years maybe?). A lot of people just dont know about it.

  • lovepub on 04/09/2018 - 09:21

    Carindale one sounds good.
    Do they check if your names match rate notice ?
    Want to get some extra from my parents notice and works.

    • TazR on 04/09/2018 - 09:42

      No they dont (or they never used to). I've got vouchers for my mum using her rates notice plenty of times.

  • Hinee on 04/09/2018 - 09:44
    +3

    This is a great initiative. It's been going since as long as I can remember but everyone should know about it.

  • Dont Care on 04/09/2018 - 10:26

    Cr Amanda Cooper will also have trees available this Saturday morning at carseldine markets.

  • drycleanonly on 04/09/2018 - 11:31
    +1

    Did this a couple years ago, bought a house and soon after we got the 2 plants voucher and then the offered rolled and we got 2 more vouchers. But the pain of getting the voucher, and finding a participating nursery nearby made getting the tinny plants not really worth it. We just go local and pay our $5-6 and not worry about the voucher unfortunately. At the very least it gets people thinking about planting native species rather than foreign.

  • asa79 on 04/09/2018 - 12:19
    +1

    Guess you need to get something from your rates money

  • FirstNameLastName on 04/09/2018 - 14:08

    if they are going under powerlines check energex guide: https://www.energex.com.au/about-us/our-commitment/to-the-en…

    gives an idea i suppose of trees that will still thrive after energex do their occasional haircut.. depending on that area..

    (edit Actually.. ignore that list.. it seems to be overly prohibitive and doesn't contain anything of decent size.. google for local advice)

    • INFIDEL on 04/09/2018 - 14:23
      +2

      Ground covers, grasses, & small shrubs are also available free.

      List of available plants is by height when fully grown.

      But a good reminder about the future size of some plants. Don't plant too close to house of it's a large tree. Also consider root size, if planting near house, drains & sewers.

  • INFIDEL on 09/09/2018 - 13:25

    Had a great time at the Green Heart Fair this morning. Beautiful sunny day🌞 Spent nothing😁

    Picked up 2 free packs of 2 plants each (Supposed to be 1 per address, but I was friendly.):
    SHRUBS (Melaleuca Thymifolia - to 1m, Leptospermum Pink Cascade (Thyme Honey Myrtle - TeaTree) - in bloom, to .8m)
    TREES (Callistemon Wildfire (red flowering Bottlebrush) - to 5m, Syzgium Elite (Lillypilly) - to 6m, but can prune to 1.5m as hedge & good topiary plant).

    Quite impressive plants in flower, & nice foliage. Attract native birds.

    Also free: basic LED torch with 3 AAA batteries, nice 1.25L water bottles, various material tote bags, etc.

    Interesting talks & demonstrations (enjoyed the backyard chooks talk). Information & sales of native plants. Picked up a free poster of introduced plants that have gone feral & now are invasive weeds.

    Lots of kids activities & billycart races

  • INFIDEL on 11/09/2018 - 06:39

    Picked up voucher for 2 free trees from local Councellor's Office. Easy. Rates notice is recorded & stamped as voucher issued.

    Not so easy for some, as pointed out by drycleanonly above… distance to pick up plants. Transport cost & inconvenience may be more than buying 2 plants locally. (My good local nursery with these trees & great information - closed after Bunnings set up with crap plants😢) Check what is available before going.

    There are only a few nurseries - Windsor, Aspley, Willawong, East Brisbane, Morningside, The Gap, Kenmore. Vid & instructions there on how to plant.

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