The Longreach Botanic Walkway, a 2.5km linear garden between the town centre and the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, was designed by landscape architect Lawrie Smith, with inspiration drawn from the natural environment of the region. The garden displays and interprets the native plants of the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion and demonstrates the potential of local dryland species for use in landscape and horticulture in the town parks, streets and home gardens in the region. A particular feature of the garden is a focus on water wise techniques for maintaining the plantings in the often hot and dry conditions of western Queensland. The garden not only showcases native plant species, but provides a landscape with a regional ‘sense of place’. Soil, rocks and plant material from surrounding areas were brought into Longreach to create the garden. The first section from Rotary Park to Bower Road was commenced in 1989 and the second section from Bower Road to the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame was completed in 1994. A network of botanic gardens across Australia displays the plant species that are suited to the climate and soils of particular bioregions. We hope you enjoy your visit to
the Longreach garden. There are several key themes which recur throughout the garden which can be applied in
the home garden too:
• Creating a vegetation structure which is similar to a natural system is important, both for the plants themselves, but also for the creatures (birds, insects and reptiles) which depend upon the plants.
• Plants which grow well are those which are adapted to local climate and soil conditions – choosing plants from the local bioregion and the land types within it ensures success.
• Thoughtful garden design saves water and reduces the time spent on garden maintenance.