Healing garden opened

Uncle Peter Bird, who delivered the Welcome to Country at the opening of the Redcliffe Hospital Healing Garden, checks to see if the damper is ready. Damper, Indigenous food and drink were served following the opening ceremony.

A Healing Garden designed to provide a quiet space for staff and visitors has been opened at Redcliffe Hospital as part of the hospital’s 50 anniversary celebrations.

The garden has been designed to be particularly welcoming to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visitors and patients.

The central snake design is a pathway through the garden, which will be lined with river stones with natives planted throughout the garden to attract native bird and other wildlife.

Plants were sourced from local native nurseries and it is hoped that, as they mature, they will produce edible fruits and beautiful flowers.

Ngul Galang, or Good Spirits Healing Garden, tells the story of the snake Gabool, who was guardian of the area when it was a burial ground of the Ningi Ningi people.

The Redcliffe Hospital Auxiliary donated $25,000 towards the construction of the garden, which was designed by Gene Blow and constructed by the Redcliffe Hospital Gardening team of Anthony Curtis and school-based trainee Shane Kincaid.