OUR EXPERT SPEAKERS
Queensland Garden Show offers the largest speaker program of any gardening event in the country. Visit us on any of the three days of the event and you will find free talks on a variety of topics running on 6 live stages.
More than 100 presentations from over 40 speakers promises to deliver anything you need to know about gardening…and more!
JERRY COLEBY-WILLIAMS
JERRY COLEBY-WILLIAMS
Jerry Coleby-Williams is a horticultural botanist, writer, pioneer of sustainability, a Biosecurity QLD Ambassador, a Director of the Seed Savers’ Network, and Patron of H.O.P.E. Australia. Jerry is also the popular Queensland presenter on ABC’s Gardening Australia show and an ABC QLD talkback radio presenter.
Initially trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK), Jerry is qualified in horticultural estate management, soft landscape design, arboriculture, horticultural and botanical sciences.
Jerry has managed nurseries, urban forests, heritage parks, a garden centre, and is a former DJ. Jerry helped establish Mt Annan Native Botanic Garden (NSW). For twelve years, he managed the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. For twenty years, he has been growing food at ‘Bellis’, an award-winning sustainable garden in subtropical Brisbane. Jerry answers 15,000 gardening questions each year and he has been opening his garden to the public since 2005.
SOPHIE THOMSON
SOPHIE THOMSON
Sophie Thomson believes that gardens and gardening hold the solution to the problems we face in our own lives and in the environment around us. Her enthusiasm and passion for plants and gardening inspires people of all ages. She is a strong advocate for sustainable gardening practices, growing organic food, cooking from the home garden and creating backyards where kids can play freely and develop a lifelong connection with nature.
Sophie is an in-demand public speaker whose extensive multi-media career spans ABC’s TV’s Gardening Australia programme, weekly talkback radio plus writing for national print magazines and newspaper columns. Her most recent book ‘Sophies Patch” is a national best seller.
Recent times have seen her receiving public acknowledgement of her ongoing work with fire and flood devastated communities to help provide practical knowledge and information to support their desire to rebuild both their gardens and lives.
As she says…”Gardens connect us to the earth which grounds us, feeds and supports us….and to the first nations custodians who came before us…who knew that everything in this garden of nature is connected.”
COSTA GEORGIADIS
COSTA GEORGIADIS
Costa Georgiadis is a landscape architect who has an all-consuming passion for plants and people – he knows how to bring out the best in both of them, and takes great pleasure in bringing them together.
Costa believes in embracing and celebrating mother nature’s cycles and seasons and nurturing her balance, beauty and bounty organically. His holistic approach is all about gardening the soil and the soul.
Costa is the current host of Gardening Australia and will be in attendance at the Expo on Saturday and Sunday.
PHIL DUDMAN
PHIL DUDMAN
Phil Dudman is the Horticultural Editor of ABC Organic Gardener magazine and regular contributor to ABC Gardening Australia magazine, a gardening talkback host on ABC Local Radio, TV presenter and author for ABC Books.
A trained horticulturist and landscape designer, Phil’s true passion is in organic gardening and teaching others how to enjoy the greatest success when growing their own food.
Born and bred in Brisbane, he now lives in Lismore, Northern NSW.
MILLIE ROSS
MILLIE ROSS
Millie Ross is a horticulturist, garden designer and presenter on ABC TV Gardening Australia.
CLAIRE BICKLE
CLAIRE BICKLE
Claire is well known for her enthusiastic presenting, writing, broadcasting and educating on her favourite topics; gardening, chooks, children and all things related to sustainability and nature.
She has written for many publications and companies over the years and you can currently read her regular articles about these topics in Gardening Australia, Earth Garden and Good Organic Gardening Magazines, Rocky Point Better Earth Secrets and more. Claire is a regular presenter of gardening and sustainability topics on ABC Radio Brisbane.
On her 2acre garden in the western suburbs of Brisbane Claire takes pleasure in creating, enjoying and working her eclectic productive yet ornamental garden for herself, husband and 3 children. This is all combined to blend in with the surrounding native habitat.
And there is of course her collection of various poultry, from chooks to ducks, plus geese and turkeys”
She has over 30 year’s experience in the horticultural industry ranging from, retail, tafe, radio, journalism/writing, judging, presenting, a brand ambassador and taking gardening tours. Claire has a Diploma in Horticulture, a Cert IV in workplace assessment and training and an Adv Cert in Permaculture Design. She is a current member of the Horticultural Media Association of Australia. Claire is also the recipient of the 2025 Joy Harland Photography Award.
CHARLIE ALBONE
CHARLIE ALBONE
Charlie Albone is one of Australia’s leading landscape designers and a familiar face on Selling Houses Australia and Better Homes & Gardens. With 20+ years of experience, his work spans private estates to international showcases like the Chelsea Flower Show, where he’s won two Silver Gilt medals. Passionate about sustainable living and outdoor connection, Charlie designs gardens that inspire joy and togetherness. He’s also an industry ambassador, award recipient, and recent garden designer at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. Charlie lives with wife Juliet Love, their two boys, and two dogs.
MATT GOLINSKI
MATT GOLINSKI
Matt Golinski is a professional chef with a love of cooking that began as a child and has only continued to grow over a lifetime spent in kitchens. His passion for knowing the provenance of the ingredients he uses and the people who grow them has defined him as a cook and is the driving force behind his creativity and unending enthusiasm for food.
Well known as one of the original team members of the popular ‘Ready Steady Cook’ television series, Matt has worked as executive chef at some of Queensland’s leading restaurants over his 35-year career.
Based on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Matt now enjoys working as a consulting chef to restaurants, being a regular guest chef at regional festivals and events and writing food articles for InNoosa and Hello Sunshine magazines.
Matt lives with his wife and two young daughters on their property in the Noosa hinterland, where his focus has turned to learning about growing the food he loves to cook.
PETER KURUVITA
PETER KURUVITA
Peter Kuruvita an acclaimed chef, restaurateur, author, and television presenter, currently serving as the Culinary Director of The Curated Plate, Queensland’s premier food and drink festival. With over 40 years of experience in the culinary world, Peter is known for his dedication to promoting local flavours and fostering a deeper connection between producers, chefs, and the community. Come and see Pete’s cooking demonstration at the Queensland Garden Show which is sure to spice up your life.
TOM HITCHCOCK
TOM HITCHCOCK
Tom Hitchcock is a commended Australian chef and the Head Chef at Spirit House, a renowned restaurant in Yandina, Queensland. In 2023, Tom was honoured with the prestigious title of Australian Chef of the Year by Foodservice Australia, marking him as the first chef from Queensland to receive this national recognition. Tom will be showcasing his culinary style that blends traditional Southeast Asian flavours with modern techniques.
SOPHIE PHIPPS
SOPHIE PHIPPS
Sophie Phipps is a celebrated culinary talent renowned for her innovative approach to modern Asian fusion and her deep commitment to local produce. Recently Sophie has embraced a new opportunity as Head Chef at Alsahwa Estate, a venue that aligns with her values of sustainability and community.
CAMERON MATTHEWS
CAMERON MATTHEWS
Cameron Matthews is a renowned culinary professional celebrated for his commitment to sustainability, local sourcing, and innovative cuisine. Cameron focuses on zero-waste principles and regenerative agriculture, partnering with The Falls Farm to transform the historic Mapleton Public House into a premier paddock-to-plate dining, crafting dishes that showcase freshness and quality of local produce.
DALE CHAPMAN
DALE CHAPMAN
“Chef and the Gardener Crafting Delicious Dishes from Australian Native Ingredients, Straight from Your Own Backyard”
Aunty Dale Chapman Founder of My Dilly Bag
Aunty Dale Chapman is a Kooma, Yuwaalaraay woman from western Queensland. Regarded as a leader in her field, Aunty Dale is the founder of My Dilly Bag, a celebrated and award-winning chef, cookbook author, public speaker, television personality, YouTuber and lecturer. Active in Aboriginal affairs, Aunty Dale is a member of the Queensland Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, Slow Food International and Director of Stepping Black Indigenous Australia.
Aunty Dale is a qualified chef who has crafted culinary experiences from French to contemporary Australian cuisine in southeast Queensland for 35 years. She is passionate about sharing the oldest food in the world which takes her overseas to deliver keynote addresses, showcase flavours, explain nutritional and medicinal benefits, and teach key cooking techniques.
ARNO KING
ARNO KING
Best known for his articles in Subtropical Gardening Magazine, Gardening Australia and Garden Drum, Arno King is a Brisbane based registered landscape architect and registered horticulturist. He works on a varied range of landscape projects and teaches horticulture and landscape design in both Australia and overseas. Arno’s passion is planting design and the innovative use of plants in subtropical gardens.
MEGG MILLER
MEGG MILLER
Megg Miller OAM is the editor of Grass Roots and Australasian Poultry magazines and a long-term contributor to Good Organic Gardening and Talking Birds.
Based in Victoria, she has been involved in rare breeds since the 1980s, breeding and showing poultry.
She is a leading speaker and judge on eggs, turkeys, guineas and jungle fowl.
Megg loves her range of purebred chooks and with great effort keeps them from destroying food and flower gardens.
ANNE GIBSON
ANNE GIBSON
Anne Gibson, The Micro Gardener, is a speaker, organic gardening coach, educator and contributing writer for Garden Culture Magazine. She’s authored numerous eBooks and gardening guides and is the founder of The Micro Gardener, an award-winning consulting and online education business, helping people design and grow nutrient-dense food gardens in urban spaces.
Anne is passionate about inspiring people to improve their health by building healthy soil and growing minerally-rich plants. With a focus on easy sustainable practices, working with nature and Permaculture design principles, she shares organic gardening tips and tutorials to save time, money and energy on her popular website TheMicroGardener.com.
KATE WALL
KATE WALL
Kate Wall is a gardening coach and award-winning gardening author, with formal qualifications in environmental biology, whose mission is to empower gardeners to create their own beautiful, healthy gardens.
Kate takes a very holistic approach to gardening, working with nature to create gardens that are eco-friendly, resilient to problems and climate change, and where plants thrive, giving gardeners back time for living life and a fabulous garden to do that in.
Kate is an experienced horticulturalist, with a passion for weed management, edible weeds, and sustainable gardening. Kate has also worked with hundreds of gardeners to help them recover their gardens after severe flooding.
Kate is the author of three gardening books: Working With Weeds, Earth Repair Gardening, and Gardening After a Flood.
Kate is also the creator of numerous online gardening courses, details of which you can find at www.katewall.com.au
SARAH HEATH
SARAH HEATH
Sarah is passionate about growing and using culinary plants in her daily life. Growing herbs alongside her mother since 2002, Sarah brought and relocated Basilea Living Herb Farm to her property in 2013; building a one of a kind production spray free, reticulated hydroponic and organic herb and edible flower farm, with markets in to Brisbane’s fine dining Restaurants, Café’s and Bars.
One of Sarah’s many focuses have been Basilea’s ‘Eat today, Plant Tomorrow’ seedling range, encouraging people to grow their own kitchen garden; increase health and well welling. Recently Sarah open her Urban Farm up to monthly for direct sales to the public and educational workshops.
Sarah obtained her Production Horticulture Certificate via Prior Recognise Learning and dedicated to learning more about the wide world of edible plants and sharing this passion with others.
PETER HEATON
PETER HEATON
Heatons Nursery is a three generation family owned and operated indoor plant nursery that was established in 1976 based upon an extensive private collection of ferns. The collection included some 100 varieties of Adiantums (Maidenhair fern) and several of these plants had passed through the family for generations. Peter joined the business in 1989, and Anthuriums joined the nursery’s plant mix in 2005, complementing the ferns nicely and has continued to grow in popularity. The nursery is continually expanding varieties from all over the world.
ROSLYN MCCARTHY
ROSLYN MCCARTHY
Before embarking on farm diversification, Roslyn held a deep appreciation for the unique taste of cumquats. Recognising the necessity for agricultural versatility, she established a Cumquat Orchard, delving into the intricacies of cultivating cumquat trees for their sustained productivity.
In addition to growing cumquats, Roslyn value adds by creating various cumquat-based products. Eager to explore innovative uses for cumquats, she recently journeyed to the historic Greek Island of Corfu, renowned for its longstanding tradition of cultivating these citrus fruits.
LEONIE SHANAHAN
LEONIE SHANAHAN
Leonie Shanahan is a passionate advocate for organic gardening and the power of fresh, homegrown food to boost health and well-being, focusing on permaculture and organics. Leonie founded the Edible School Gardens program in 2004, teaching thousands of children the joy of growing their own food.
In tough times, with food prices soaring, growing your own is an empowering act of taking back control – providing nutritious, affordable food straight from your garden to your plate.
As an engaging speaker and workshop facilitator, Leonie empowers people to grow abundant, vibrant food in any space – from pots to acres – while exploring how gardens can nurture grief, enhance health, and build resilience. Whether growing with children or building a food forest, her infectious enthusiasm and practical advice inspire audiences to dig deep and enjoy the rewards of homegrown nutrition.
Leonie is the author of Eat Your Garden, Lyme Disease Sucks, and Elevate Your Energy, produced the Edible School Gardens DVD, and writes for ABC Organic Gardener Magazine.
DOMINIQUE LIVKAMAL
DOMINIQUE LIVKAMAL
Dominique Livkamal is an award winning Naturopath based in SE QLD.
She develops and formulates medicinal herbal remedies and is the author of three books. Dom loves sharing academic information for wellness in a practical and doable way believing that food is our first medicine and we are all able to help ourselves with herbs, diet and education. www.medicineroom.com.au
MARTIN DUNCAN
MARTIN DUNCAN
Martin Duncan AKA ‘Sunshine Coast Foodie’ has a passion for showcasing the Sunshine Coast’s restaurants, cafes, producers and products. He is a former chef and restaurateur, and a true connector of people in food agribusiness, including the plant nursery and hospitality industries.
Join Martin and foodie friends in the Cooks Garden Stage at the Queensland Garden Show! Going to be a hoot!
Psst… Martin’s other passion is Sconetime – a wonderful opportunity for older people, along with their carers, companions and family, to establish social connections and come together with other people from the community over scones!
TERRY STOKES
TERRY STOKES
Terry Stokes was introduced to the benefits of balanced microbial and nutritional systems in humans over 40 years ago as the founding president of one of the most successful branches of the Natural Health Society. Making the transition to those same systems in plant, soil and animal health came easy due to his previous experience.
Terry has worked in the field of organic, regenerative garden and land management for the past 14 years and has helped develop a leading Bio Organic Sustainable Solutions business in Queensland, educating farmers and gardeners alike on how to grow more naturally and more productively.
MATT CARROLL
MATT CARROLL
Matthew Carroll (aka Hortiman) is a regular at national gardening events where he shares his passion for all things plants, gardening technologies and innovation . In 2012 he was named Australian Institute of Horticulture’s ‘Young Horticulturist of the Year’and has also been recognized with awards for his prolific online work with several garden focused websites (Hortiman.com ; GardenEvents.com.au ; Hortipedia.com.au), social media accounts and podcasts. Matthew also works with the Nursery & Garden Industry of Australia where he spreads the message of the benefits of a good Plant/Life Balance. Find and follow him online @hortiman
PETER HEATON
PETER HEATON
Peter Heaton is a second generation fern grower, from the hinterland on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The family nursery has been in operation since 1974 and Peter and his wife Maree took over the family business in 1996.
Two decades ago the nursery expanded into growing Anthuriums and other indoor lines.
Under Peter’s leadership the multi award winning nursery has continued to use cutting edge technology in developing new growing techniques.
Peter and his family have been regular exhibitors at Qld Garden Show and he has been a regular speaker sharing his extensive knowledge of how to care for ferns anthuriums and other indoor plants.
RACHEAL PASCOE
RACHEAL PASCOE
Racheal Pascoe lives a Homesteading lifestyle on the Sunshine Coast. Growing fresh foods and raising healthy animals is part of each day. As is keeping happy chickens, swapping produce and of course troubleshooting issues along the way. Trading family recipes, swapping life notes with others and always learning brings much joy.
Homesteading is a wonderfully colourful life. It is often so much more than the smell of fresh bread baking in the kitchen! It can be watching ducklings as they take their first swimming lesson in your laundry sink. One day it was being a vet’s assistant when an emergency c-section was necessary on a ewe in the paddock!
This lifestyle has seen Racheal and her husband Gavin raise 3 daughters who have all thrived on learning about their food sources and delighting at what Mother Nature can teach them.
While university educated, it is the homesteading lifestyle and journey of life which has taught Racheal so much more! Racheal is the author of a Homesteading column in the Sunshine Valley Gazette and also the President of the Nambour Grown Community Garden.
“The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder
YANA SCHIFFERMULLER
SCHIFFERMULLER
ALSO TALKING GARDENING
But wait there’s more! Keep an eye on this page for Speaker updates.
