By Evan Reid
My reason for choosing Tasmania for the Hazel King Memorial Scholarship was Dr Tonia Cochran, owner of the Inala Jurassic Garden on Bruny Island. Tonia had previously inspired me during an online BGANZ Collections Management presentation through my employer at Mayfield Garden. The passion and enthusiasm in her voice were clear when speaking about the plight of the Widdringtonia whytei, one of the world’s most threatened conifers. I knew I had to learn more.
After that online meeting, we stayed in contact, sharing emails, and I said, “If I ever win a scholarship, I’m coming to Bruny Island,” so that’s what I did. I flew down to Hobart early in January and caught a ferry over to Bruny Island. Tonia and her kind staff welcomed me with open arms and guided me through the incredible range of unique plants that make up the living collection of the Inala Jurassic Garden.
The 1500-acre Inala Nature Reserve provides a habitat for a large range of wildlife, which includes the endangered 40-spotted pardalote. The 5-acre Botanical Garden within the Reserve houses a stunning variety of plants with ancient lineages. The ancestors of these plants existed when the supercontinent Gondwana began to break apart roughly 180 million years ago. Walking through, you notice that the garden is separated into plant families and exhibits over 750 plant species.
The garden is underpinned by a strong premise of conservation. Tonia’s vision and passion for wildlife were equally shared amongst the extremely experienced Inala staff. I had a bird watching master class with our tour guide, Cat Davidson, who last year won the “Australian Tour Guide of the Year Award”. Her ability to distinguish each tone and whistle of any bird that passed by was remarkable.
Bori, the Property Manager of Inala, showed me what routines are needed to look after such a special place. I was very impressed with his invaluable onsite plant knowledge. Thrillingly, I was also able to gather a collection of rare, threatened, endangered or endemic Tasmanian seeds and plant specimens. I hope to successfully grow on these selected specimens at Mayfield Garden through the creation of a Gondwanan-themed bed, showcasing conservation, uniqueness and history.
I was also able to participate in a “BioBlitz” at Tonia’s property called Orana. This was a biological survey that utilises scientists, naturalists, and volunteers to collaborate, identify and record as many living species of plants, animals, insects and fungi as possible within a specific area. This was a fun and fascinating experience for me!
During the Blitz, I got to meet Jonno, the owner of “Silver Banksia Nursery”, a gold standard wholesale nursery based in Margate, Tasmania. Tonia and I decided to visit Jonno’s nursery to have a guided tour. Amazingly, there wasn’t a weed on the ground, and the nursery exhibited a flawless display of picturesque, healthy plants. It was a benchmark all nurseries should strive towards! I was even treated to a vial of local Lamatia tinctoria seeds from Jonno, which I will grow on at Mayfield.
Finally, Tonia and I took a trip to meet Adam Joseph, the Team Leader and Nurseryman of the Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens. Adam was incredibly knowledgeable and gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of the gardens. The layout and scale of the Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens were breathtaking and a definite horticultural destination for any plant lover in Tassie.
Thank You So Much to The Australian Institute of Horticulture, Stephen and Mary from the Berry District Garden Club, Tonia Cochran and everyone at the Inala Jurassic Garden, Jonno from Silver Banksia Nursery, Adam from the Royal Tasmanian Botanic Garden, Harry from Plants of Tasmania, and Emily Marskell, who was my photographer, videographer and travel buddy.
Videos and photography by Emily Marksell www.adventurewithemily.com
Visit Inala https://inalanature.com.au/
Learn about AIH Scholarships https://aih.org.au/aih-scholarships/
