General News
29 April, 2026
Renowned judge for garden awards
RENOWNED Australian plant specialist Peter Radke will serve as judge at this year’s Mareeba and District Lions Garden Awards.
Widely regarded as one of Australia’s foremost specialists in Australian plants, Peter is highly respected both within the horticultural industry and the Far North Queensland community.
A regular guest speaker on the ABC Gardening Talkback program, he also is a respected botanical author, writing several books including Native Plants for North Queensland (1990) and Growing Australian Tropical Plants (1993).
He established Yuruga Nursery near Walkamin in 1985.
Since then, Peter has introduced more than 1800 different Australian plant species to horticulture, with many of these originating from Northern Australia, particularly North Queensland.
“His involvement brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the judging process and adds an exciting dimension to this year’s awards,” Lion Norma Maloney said.
Hosted by Mareeba Lions Club, the annual awards event is now entering its 58th year of recognising the pride, creativity and care that local residents put into their gardens and celebrates the community spirit that helps make the district such a wonderful place to live.
“After last year’s strong community response following the Lions Club taking on the stewardship of the awards, the Mareeba Lions are proud to see the program continue to flourish,” Ms Maloney said.
Applications for the 2026 Mareeba and District Lions Garden Awards will open on 15 May and close on 10 July, with judging scheduled to commence on 15 July.
Residents across Mareeba and the surrounding district are encouraged to start preparing their gardens and keep an eye out for further details on how to nominate.
Winners will be announced and presented at the Lions Metrogaine and Village Fete on 1 August at Arnold Park in Mareeba, where the community will gather for an afternoon and evening of activities, entertainment and celebration.
