A successful community planting day was undertaken as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Celebration. Native trees of Kurilpa, as well as some productive trees and a variety of shrubs were planted by residents on Sunday the 25th of JUNE 2023, in Beaconsfield reserve at Highgate Hill, Queensland.
A Queen’s Jubilee plaque and a community plaque were unveiled and presented by the representatives from all three tiers of government.
Smooth sounds flowed over the planting and the event, thanks to local jazz legend Cliff!
Residents will continue to water and take care of the trees and gardens.
Jubilee of trees
One day
A fig tree arrived.
Plonked himself in the middle.
Unannounced.
He was all alone.
Up there on the hill.
But he held his ground,
and he convinced the gods,
that grass was better,
than a road.
He sent out a call,
In the old style…
Roots sending out,
slow and meandering calls
to his friends
Her Majesty got the message!
sent out a regal call for trees,
all round the world
to stand up
and be counted,
for the Queen!
Up there on the hill
The ground was hard,
but the first trees arrived,
and stood in a line,
like the Queen’s soldiers
Then
A flurry of messages
And more trees!
Kauri
Our grandfather
King of kurilpa
Mischievous Young Mulberry:
waiting,
for the purple stains
on laughing faces
Miss lilly pilly
a little bit silly
But clothed with red berries.
Mrs. Tulipwood
dependable
friend of the birds
gentle lady of the forest
Mr. Paperbark
Worries a bit about water…
solid provider for the many along the river
harvester for the insects
And our old mate
Tucker Roo
Has come too…
He needs no hat,
Tough as an old nail.
They have come to stay:
Along with their other mates,
To shade us
in our time of need
To give us hope.
To harbor creatures
In a time of change
We salute you.
Even as the towers clammer,
Rise by the curving river,
their glass reflecting greed.
Even as these towers seek to rise even higher.
We will plant trees,
One for each tower
And maybe one day
The trees will forgive us.
We celebrate Kurilpa
Home of the water rat
Place of verdant forests and gullies
Our community is bound together,
and in this ground
We make home for the trees,
so, in time,
They will hold Kurilpa steady.
They will continue,
beyond us
They will remember us,
when we are long gone.
We salute you,
The trees!