Specialist revegetation nursery Wallum Nurseries is expanding with the help of funding from the Queensland Government's Rural Economic Development (RED) Grant scheme.
The new nursery at Palmwoods called 'Eudlo Native Trees' will expand on the already 340 current species of native plants including additional rainforest and Sunshine Coast species. The nursery currently supplies eucalyptus trees to government, councils and private landscapers for revegetation including maintaining koala habitats and is also involved in international vegetation projects.
Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton says the nursery is one of 16 businesses to receive a grant of up to $200,000 in round four of the scheme.
"There's nothing better than seeing rural enterprises in Queensland grow and go from strength to strength," Mr Skelton said.
"These grants are about supporting businesses to do just that. The project that Wallum Nurseries will undertake is going to generate six new full-time good jobs in the long term and an estimated 16 jobs in the construction phase."
Managing Director of Wallum Nurseries Peter Long said the funding will be used to build a new sorting and dispatch shed at the Eudlo Native Trees nursery.
"The grant funding will help us move this project forward 24 months due to increased demand for our product.
"The sorting and dispatch area are considered best practice in nurseries for material handling. This will improve efficiencies and reduce workplace, health and safety risks in material handling.
Mr Long also said the project will help the business further establish itself as an international supplier of plants to major development projects.
"It's not just a benefit to us, but a benefit to the Sunshine Coast community and local economy here."
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said Wallum Nurseries is one of 16 businesses approved in the fourth round of the Rural Economic Development (RED) Grants program with total funding of just over $3 million.
"Overall, these 16 projects are expected to create more than 217 direct long-term jobs across regional Queensland," Mr Furner said.
"The initial three rounds of the RED Grants Program have seen funding of $10 million over three years to support more than 30 projects which have created 1,800 jobs across regional Queensland.
"The Palaszczuk Government has continued its investment with a further $6.6 million to be delivered in two rounds over the next two years to generate even more jobs, expand agricultural supply chains and provide significant economic benefit to rural areas."
