OUR INSPIRATION
“To create a garden is to search for a better world…”
Marina Schinz
Seeding an idea
‘An opportunity to celebrate and share Australia’s incredible natural environment and culture,
with the world’
the inspiration for australis
1
Mega Garden
The evolution of ‘Mega Gardens of the World’, like Singapore’s ‘Gardens by the Bay’ and the UK’s ‘Eden Project’. Spectacular gardens, full of rich and engaging experiences both everyday and extraordinary, captivating millions of visitors, year round.
2
International Garden Festivals
International Garden Festivals, which originated after the second world War as countries come together to support war torn cities to rebuild their Central Parks and Gardens, stimulating economic activity and urban renewal.
These international, aspirational events have been held almost every year since the inception of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in 1948, though only ever in the Northern Hemisphere.
The idea of synthesising a Long Term International Event with a Legacy Ecotourism Attraction was germinated as a ‘unique opportunity’ to celebrate and share Australia’s incredibly diverse natural environment and culture with the world, was born.
the fallow years
1985International Garden Festival /Queensland Zoological /Botanic Centre - Brisbane
1993International Garden Festival Brisbane ‘GROW’
1996International Garden Festival Brisbane
1996International Garden Festival Melbourne
2000‘Planet Earth 2000’ – Gosford (Sydney)
2000‘Botanica 2000’ – Brisbane
2009Australia’s International Garden Festival – Brisbane
2014Australia’s International Garden Festival – Brisbane 2014 / AIGF – Gold Coast
After several failed attempts to secure the rights to host a World Garden Expo by the Australian Government over 30 years, it seemed a new approach was needed.
Could the private sector ‘step up’ to play a more significant role in supporting the Nation secure and deliver a major international event?
The Australis Story begins
Australis founder Steven Haggart, set out to develop a more collaborative public private partnership approach to sharing the responsibility of delivering this world class event; to deliver a greater degree of leadership continuity and financial support, thereby reducing the burden on Government / the taxpayer.
Australis funded the bid to secure the licence to hold a World Green Expo from the ‘International Association of Horticultural Producers’ (AIPH) and received a unanimous approval from the 26 member countries at the AIPH World Congress in Italy, in October 2015.
As such Australia holds the potential to deliver 3 firsts for Australia: –
