19 July 2013

Yarralumla Nursery under the knife

| johnboy
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Fresh from his comedic turn on In Canberra Tonight Mayor Rattenbury has announced a restructure plan for the iconic Yarralumla Nursery:

As the Yarralumla Nursery heads towards its 100th birthday next year, Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Shane Rattenbury, today announced new plans for the historic nursery to consolidate and improve its viability.

“The heritage-listed Yarralumla Nursery holds a special place in Canberra’s history,” said Mr Rattenbury.

“It was established in 1914 and has played a crucial role in the development of Canberra by growing the trees seen in our streets, parks and gardens, as well as the National Arboretum.

“The Government will offer the Garden Centre for public sale as an ongoing business. The sale is expected to be concluded in 2013-14. The Garden Centre has been part of the nursery since 1994.

“The drought of the last decade, along with competitive pressures, mean the Nursery needs to reposition itself to ensure it continues to play an important role in the history of the ACT.

“The Nursery will return to its original focus of being a wholesale nursery which provides cool-climate plants for Canberra’s public parks and streets as well as to landscaping contractors and retail outlets in the surrounding region.”

The Nursery’s small tree farm at Pialligo, which has focussed on tree production, will close from 31 August 2013 as it is located on land owned by the Australian Government and is being returned in 2014 in preparation for the Canberra Airport runway extensions.

“There will be no loss of permanent staff in the changes and the disability employment program through Koomarri and vocational program with Black Mountain School will continue without impact. The Heritage Nursery next door, which is privately run, will not be impacted.”

Mr Rattenbury said that these changes to the Nursery’s operations were part of a suite of initiatives to improve the Nursery’s viability and preserve its heritage. Other improvements include improved plant propagation techniques, new sales, production and marketing plans and onsite improvements.

The free plant issue scheme, which has operated since 1930, will continue with the same conditions. It is planned that sessions will be arranged regularly for people to book in and visit the wholesale section of the Nursery to talk to staff and choose their plant selection.

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kakosi said :

P.S. the drought’s been over for several years now.

Indeed it has, but take a look around town and see how many houses don’t give a flying rats arse about the appearance of their yards since the drought. Maybe the price of water has a lot to do with it.

kakosi said :

So they’re selling it to private enterprise which will operate it and sell plants back to local government to use.

Idiots!

Read the article and you may see you are the idiot. What they are selling is the retail side, they are keeping the growing (though closing one site) and wholesale bit.

P.S. the drought’s been over for several years now.

So they’re selling it to private enterprise which will operate it and sell plants back to local government to use.

Idiots!

dungfungus said :

Our first toll road?

I wouldn’t put it past the Snow family. But of course they will have the government build it first.

EvanJames said :

dungfungus said :

HiddenDragon said :

RedDogInCan said :

in preparation for the Canberra Airport runway extensions.

Say what?!?!

The secret plan to be Sydney’s second international airport, linking up with the fantasy VFT?

Apparently it is a second parallel runway to comply with international ILS standards so even the biggies can land in the fog.
Build it and they will come.

That snippet jumped out at me too. That area is the one at the end of the current runway (I think Hardy’s had it for a while, for growing grapes?).

But um, what are they going to do with the major arterial ROAD that goes between that and the current runway? Pialligo Avenue?

Our first toll road?

EvanJames said :

That snippet jumped out at me too. That area is the one at the end of the current runway (I think Hardy’s had it for a while, for growing grapes?).

But um, what are they going to do with the major arterial ROAD that goes between that and the current runway? Pialligo Avenue?

Bury it.

dungfungus said :

HiddenDragon said :

RedDogInCan said :

in preparation for the Canberra Airport runway extensions.

Say what?!?!

The secret plan to be Sydney’s second international airport, linking up with the fantasy VFT?

Apparently it is a second parallel runway to comply with international ILS standards so even the biggies can land in the fog.
Build it and they will come.

That snippet jumped out at me too. That area is the one at the end of the current runway (I think Hardy’s had it for a while, for growing grapes?).

But um, what are they going to do with the major arterial ROAD that goes between that and the current runway? Pialligo Avenue?

GardeningGirl7:18 pm 20 Jul 13

JC said :

It certainly doesn’t help when the ABC news has a picture of the commercial nursery at Yarralumla despite talking about the government nursery which is behind the fence on the right.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-19/retail-arm-of-yarralumla-nursery-to-be-sold-off/4830124

I have seen so many inept attempts on the ABC website to provide a matching photo to accompany a story!

JC said :

It certainly doesn’t help when the ABC news has a picture of the commercial nursery at Yarralumla despite talking about the government nursery which is behind the fence on the right.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-19/retail-arm-of-yarralumla-nursery-to-be-sold-off/4830124

I am starting to feel better already.

It certainly doesn’t help when the ABC news has a picture of the commercial nursery at Yarralumla despite talking about the government nursery which is behind the fence on the right.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-19/retail-arm-of-yarralumla-nursery-to-be-sold-off/4830124

HiddenDragon said :

RedDogInCan said :

in preparation for the Canberra Airport runway extensions.

Say what?!?!

The secret plan to be Sydney’s second international airport, linking up with the fantasy VFT?

Apparently it is a second parallel runway to comply with international ILS standards so even the biggies can land in the fog.
Build it and they will come.

HiddenDragon12:03 pm 20 Jul 13

RedDogInCan said :

in preparation for the Canberra Airport runway extensions.

Say what?!?!

The secret plan to be Sydney’s second international airport, linking up with the fantasy VFT?

JC said :

dungfungus said :

Well, how many thousands of young trees did they sell to the National Arboretum then?
I mean, if they can’t make money out of one Govt. enterprise selling to another Govt. one then what hope does their business model have?

You clearly don’t get it. What they are selling is the RETAIL side of the nursery. You know the small shop next to the green gold nursery, it more or less only sells what they produce, so mostly natives.

As said before many people don’t realise that the green gold nursery is NOT the government one, the government one is right next door.

The government nursery is still going to be trading and owned by the government, but it will stick to wholesale and supplying the government and new land owners who get free plants.

You are correct about everything you have said. I am getting it now.
I have been to the “nursery precinct” at Weston Park many times but like lots of others you have cited, I never knew there were two retail nurseries there. Then again, I have only lived in Canberra 30 years and I am a slow learner (also a whackjob according to others on this blog).
The fact that not many knew it was there speaks volumes for the fact that it has lost millions.
I repeat, “When are Governments going to learn that they are not, and never will be, business people?”

dungfungus said :

Well, how many thousands of young trees did they sell to the National Arboretum then?
I mean, if they can’t make money out of one Govt. enterprise selling to another Govt. one then what hope does their business model have?

You clearly don’t get it. What they are selling is the RETAIL side of the nursery. You know the small shop next to the green gold nursery, it more or less only sells what they produce, so mostly natives.

As said before many people don’t realise that the green gold nursery is NOT the government one, the government one is right next door.

The government nursery is still going to be trading and owned by the government, but it will stick to wholesale and supplying the government and new land owners who get free plants.

JC said :

dungfungus said :

Ironic that the ACT Government, by allowing the retail giants (and thier nursery sections) to proliferate all over the ACT, have scored an own goal by sinking one of their own businesses.
No one will buy “an on going business that is losing millions of dollars” especially in the remote area that it is.
When are Governments going to learn that they are not, and never will be, business people?

That’s funny because I thought the nursery next to the government retail nursery was doing ok, despite all this competition you speak of and being in the middle of nowhere.

You do realise there are two separate retail nursery’s out there?

I put it to you that the reason the government retail nursery isn’t making money is because it has a very limited range and is fulfilling a niche market where there is little money to be made, but it IS providing a semi essential service to the residents of the ACT. What would make sense is for the Green Gold Heritage Nursery next door to take over the retail sales aspect of the government nursery.

Well, how many thousands of young trees did they sell to the National Arboretum then?
I mean, if they can’t make money out of one Govt. enterprise selling to another Govt. one then what hope does their business model have?

dungfungus said :

Ironic that the ACT Government, by allowing the retail giants (and thier nursery sections) to proliferate all over the ACT, have scored an own goal by sinking one of their own businesses.
No one will buy “an on going business that is losing millions of dollars” especially in the remote area that it is.
When are Governments going to learn that they are not, and never will be, business people?

That’s funny because I thought the nursery next to the government retail nursery was doing ok, despite all this competition you speak of and being in the middle of nowhere.

You do realise there are two separate retail nursery’s out there?

I put it to you that the reason the government retail nursery isn’t making money is because it has a very limited range and is fulfilling a niche market where there is little money to be made, but it IS providing a semi essential service to the residents of the ACT. What would make sense is for the Green Gold Heritage Nursery next door to take over the retail sales aspect of the government nursery.

in preparation for the Canberra Airport runway extensions.

Say what?!?!

Ironic that the ACT Government, by allowing the retail giants (and thier nursery sections) to proliferate all over the ACT, have scored an own goal by sinking one of their own businesses.
No one will buy “an on going business that is losing millions of dollars” especially in the remote area that it is.
When are Governments going to learn that they are not, and never will be, business people?

Secateurs, not knife.

Green Fingers would also have been a good pun to work in.

I am available for hire.

IP

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