General News
3 October, 2025
Garden contest returns
The Maryborough and District Garden Club is once again encouraging residents to enter their gardens for a chance to win the 2025 Central Goldfields Shire Garden Competition.
Maryborough and District Garden Club president Rick James is thrilled to announce the much-loved event is returning.
“It’s open to all members of the area and it’s a great promotion for the town. This competition has been going on for nearly forty years,” he said.
The club’s Bev James echoed Mr James’ comments, stating gardening in the Central Goldfields can be an exciting and riveting challenge.
“It’s a great avenue for new people in the town. Maryborough has a different soil and climate to Melbourne. So people come up and it’s been a learning curve for them to adapt,” she said.
Mr James agreed that locals should take up the fulfilling contest.
“New members and those who come to the area do get a lot of advice from club members,” he said.
In previous years, the competition has seen entrants awarded for the best school or community garden, best veggie garden, and even the best-kept street.
Mr James said there are various categories local green thumbs can get creative with.
“There’s about seven different sections, Crameri’s will present the best overall garden for the shire, best country garden, to best town garden, all the other little towns in the shire will have a best street,” he said.
“Mitre 10 is our major sponsor, but the shire is involved as well, they finance a lot of the cost.”
Mr James urges the floral fray is a challenge for anyone in the broader community, including first-time and younger contenders, as no two gardens under assessment are ever the same.
“We are always looking for new people to give it a go. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month. New members are always very welcome,” he said.
Entries for rural towns close Friday, October 31 for Maryborough and Friday, October 17 for other rural towns in the shire.
Entry is free and is open to all residents in the Central Goldfields Shire.
For more information about the competition, call the Maryborough and District Garden Club on 0458 284 927 or 0409 456 699.