Emerald airport beautification competition winner announced

Central Highlands Regional Council and CQUniversity are proud to announce horticulture student Anyssa Mason as the winner of the Emerald Airport entrance beautification competition.

The two organisations partnered to involve horticulture and landscape students in the Works for Queensland supported Emerald Airport entrance beautification project.

The competition encouraged students to submit design plans for gardens beds and creative landscaping to blend with the existing stone walls in the airport entrance area.

Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor Kerry Hayes congratulated Ms Mason and said the competition gave students the opportunity to see their idea grow from a plan on paper to reality.

‘Ms Mason’s proposal includes a casual arrangement of rocks, native shrubs and grasses with a path at the centre of the arrangement,’ Mayor Hayes said.

‘Taking into consideration soil types and existing infrastructure, council will now assess and fine-tune the proposal and begin construction of the garden beds.

‘Due to the current circumstances of water restrictions, council will obviously not carry out planting itself until such time that water resources allow for this to happen.’

Ms Mason said she is proud to win the competition and that her designs are influenced by her own and other gardens she has seen around Central Queensland.

‘It’s great, especially considering this was the first time I’ve entered a gardening competition,’ Ms Mason said.

‘I live near Calliope and used trees and plants that would grow locally, especially native trees and shrubs.

‘I have always liked rock gardens as well and my husband comes from Winton, so I’ve seen lots of arid-type gardens with hearty plants through Queensland.’

CQUniversity Pro Vice-Chancellor for VET Operations and Growth Peter Heilbuth congratulated Ms Mason on her success and said he looks forward to seeing her design come to fruition at the Emerald airport.

‘CQUniversity prides itself on providing its students with real-life industry experience, and many of our courses have practical placement embedded into their training,’ Mr Heilbuth said.

‘It’s fantastic that our horticulture students were given the unique opportunity to combine the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired – and their imagination – for this competition.

‘The fact that the Central Highlands Regional Council chose to give our students this opportunity also shows just how highly regarded CQUniversity’s vocational training is.

‘We hope to continue to partner with other organisations in the future to offer our students a true CQUniversity experience.’

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