IndigiScapes Environment Education Centre set to expand

Redlands Coast will be home to a unique environmental education experience, with expansion plans for Council’s IndigiScapes Centre.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the expansion plans included major refurbishments to the centre’s popular Bush Tucker Café, additional native landscape gardens, new environmental interpretation space and education spaces and conference facilities, plus an exciting new skywalk facility set for the 2019/20 financial year.

“IndigiScapes already attracts to the naturally wonderful Redlands Coast more than 40,000 visitors a year, including tourists and those with environmental interests,” Cr Williams said.

Division 7 Councillor Murray Elliott said the exciting suite of improvements were supported by a multi-million dollar investment by Council and $900,000 funding from the State Government, and would cement the centre’s place among the most unique and popular environment centres in Queensland.

“Work will begin in the coming months, with the centre to temporarily close the first half of next year to allow the work to be completed safely and efficiently,” Cr Elliott said.

“We are certain the sacrifice will be worth it when the newly refurbished centre reopens again to the public.”

Cr Williams said the expansion plans built on the newly co-located Horizons Centre and the IndigiScapes nursery centre expansion.

“The IndigiScapes nursery plays an important role in helping to transform the IndigiScapes educational messages into reality, supplying low-cost, locally indigenous seedlings for planting,” she said.

“The nursery will continue operating during the refurbishments work.

“Council will be clearly advising the community of the pending changes and closure times.

“We will also be looking at how best to ensure the continuity of the many environmental extension services delivered from the IndigiScapes Centre by staff members who will be relocated during the temporary closure.”

Cr Williams said Redlands Coast offered an abundance of naturally wonderful things to do during the IndigiScapes upgrades.

“Venman Bushland National Park at Mount Cotton, Bayview Conservation Area at Redland Bay, Redlands Track Park and the many coastal or hinterland parks are just some of the wonderful, back-to-nature activities available here,” she said.

“Of course, the new, expanded IndigiScapes nursery will still be open, and people can continue to receive advice and purchase plants.”

Redlands IndigiScapes Centre will be closed for the construction work from 28 December, 2018.

For information on naturally wonderful hidden treasures and little adventures, visit the Redlands Coast website.