Sunshine Coast
Monthly Meetings
We meet on the second Sunday of each month except December & January.
Many of our meetings are excursions to explore some of the beautiful natural places in our region, usually led by an expert in the flora of that location. We also visit private local gardens and enjoy talks from experts on various topics.
Native Plants Sunshine Coast
Did you know that the Sunshine Coast is home to over 2000 different species of locally occurring Native Plants and is located within one of Australia’s internationally recognised Biodiversity hotspots? Our flora and their respective ecosystems are truly amazing and unique and Native Plants Sunshine Coast is committed to education, conservation, and cultivation of this amazing floristic diversity.
Native Plants Sunshine Coast is working to achieve:
- the planting of our native flora in local private and public gardens;
- the expansion of national parks and reserves to conserve local species and habitats;
- continued research and education about our local flora; and
- the diversification of commercial nurseries to provide garden stock of Australian species.
Activities include:
- regular informal meetings including exchange of information, guest speakers, assistance in identifying plant specimens and exchange of propagation material;
- excursions and garden visits to see Australian plants in their native habitat and in cultivation;
- participation in appropriate shows and exhibitions, conferences and workshops;
- undertaking projects and supporting study groups on plant groups of particular interest;
- liaison with like minded organisations; and
- developing resources including plant lists and research.
Membership
We are a friendly group and most of us are enthusiastic amateurs. Some of us are plant experts who share their enormous store of botanical and horticultural knowledge with the group. Above all, we are all keen to promote the growing of Australian plants and learn more about these plants and their habitats.
Through meetings and presentations we offer the opportunity to get to know and appreciate Australian native plants, learn how to identify them, what their uses are, and learn and practise how to grow them, all in a fun environment of friends and natural beauty.
Members of any age and level of expertise are most welcome!
You can join us by becoming a member of NPQ, of which we are a branch. This entitles you to attend branch meetings anywhere in the state and receive a quarterly full colour Journal.
Your Garden
There are native plants to suit any style you care to imagine for your own garden design.
The following brochures include native plants which in the experience of members grow well on the Sunshine Coast.
We hope you find these useful for your garden.
Native Plants for Sunshine Coast Gardens
Cottage Gardens
Rainforest Gardens
Bush Gardens
Creative Spaces
Water Plants in Containers
Australian Plants for Containers
Native Plants for Native Bees
Native Plants for Native Birds
Events
The branch meets in the mornings on the second Sunday of the month, excluding December & January. Details for each event will be emailed to members a week or two prior to these dates. You can find the list of upcoming meeting dates on the NPQ Calendar.
2025 State Conference YABBA
In August 2025 we will be hosting the Native Plants Queensland State Conference on the Sunshine Coast. It will be based at the Maroochy Waterfront Conference Centre from 22 to 25 August 2025. Details will be emailed to members when available.
Sunshine Coast Native Plant Market
On 11 October 2025 we will be hosting a Native Plant Market at the Maleny Showgrounds with a huge variety of native plants available from a range of growers. Please follow us on Facebook to keep updated with all the details or send an email to npscsec@gmail.com.
Study Groups
There are several Australian Native Plant Society Study Groups active on the Sunshine Coast. All NPQ members are welcome to join any Study Groups of interest. The groups operate nationally but each of the following have a number of locally active members or a particular interest due to the location of plant communities or habitats on the Sunshine Coast. Please visit the Study Group pages below to join a group or to learn more about their leaders, focus and current activities.
Wallum & Coastal Heathland Study Group
You will also find a complete list of Study Groups on the ANPSA website.
Where to Buy Native Plants on the Sunshine Coast
Native plants are available from a wide range of Community Nurseries, Commercial Nurseries and Community & Farmers Markets on the Sunshine Coast. Please click through to our list below to find a nursery convenient to you.
In October 2025 we will also be holding a Native Plants Qld Market on the Sunshine Coast at the Maleny Showgrounds. See the Events section above for details.
Branch propagation
Pink Euodia melicope elleryana
History
In June 1984, an Affiliated Organization was formed in Nambour and was called Sunshine Coast Society for Growing Australian Plants. The inaugural President was Tony Bean with Ann Wardell as Secretary. In 1988, it became the Sunshine Coast Branch of SGAP. In 2002, the branch went into recess.
The branch was reactivated as the Sunshine Coast Branch at a meeting at Maleny in late 2007.
Branch Excursion