This Saturday (7 Sept 2024), I'll be joining the Townsville Camera Club to capture the stunning beauty of Natalie and Robert Pace's award-winning garden. 

Opening their garden for the last time to raise money for Childhood Cancer Support, visitors can explore the grounds from 9am to 4pm. Entry $5. Food and drinks available for purchase -  all proceeds going to the charity.

It’s a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of nature while supporting a meaningful cause. - Vicki K

Article Reads:- 

GARDEN OPENS FOR SICK KIDS by EVAN MORGAN 

A Rollingstone couple are opening up their award-winning garden for the last time to the public this Saturday to help raise money for a children’s cancer charity.

Natalie and Robert Pace’s garden won the Townsville Bulletin’s Best Garden Competition and a trip to New Zealand more than 20 years ago and the their garden has also been featured by the now defunct Australian Open Garden Scheme.

The Pace family are well-known for growing pineapples and pumpkins but Mrs Pace grew up with a love of gardening inherited from her mother. Previously the garden has been opened five times, but the couple decided to open it one more time to support the charity Childhood Cancer Support after family members had a child diagnosed with cancer.

“It’s just all about giving back. I’ve raised money in the past for the Queensland Cancer Council,” Mrs Pace said. “I just thought I’ll do it one more time. I wasn’t going to do it again because it’s such a big job.”

Mrs Pace said they did originally not think their garden was that unique. “I didn’t think it was all that special until someone gave my name to the Australian Open Garden Scheme. They came out and had a look, and they said they would like to put it in and that was the first time I opened it for the public.”

She describes her garden as tropical meets country cottage. “You’ve got your palms and all your under-planting, crotons and cordylines and all those sort of real tropical plants. Then I’ve got the roses and the gerberas and all the other annuals, petunias, impatiens, marigolds and a lot of orchids flowering in the garden.”

She said the garden was spread out around the house for half a hectare and visitors could make a day of it.  “We’re going to do tea, coffee, scones and a sausage sizzle and a raffle for a handmade table and chairs,” she said. There is a $5 entry price all the proceeds including from the tea, coffee, sausage sizzle, and raffle go to childhood cancer support.

The garden is open this Saturday from 9am to 4pm at 16 Balgal Beach Rd, with a sign on the driveway between a field of pumpkins and a field of pineapples.