WINGS OF WONDER
Good Organic Gardening|Good Organic Gardening #10.6
THE BRIBIE ISLAND BUTTERFLY HOUSE ISN’T JUST HOME TO THOUSANDS OF LEPIDOPTERA; IT’S ALSO THE BEATING HEART OF A VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY.
Claire Bickle
WINGS OF WONDER

The Bribie Island Butterfly House is in sleepy Bongaree, a suburb on the west side of the Island in Queensland’s Moreton Bay. On a sunny day you can expect to see 50,000 to 100,000 butterfly takeoffs and landings.

This fast-growing tourist attraction is the brainchild and passion of Ray and Delphine Archer. It’s run 100 per cent by volunteers and all profits — currently around $10,000 a month — go to charity.

Its objectives are not just about butterfly conservation and education but humanitarian reasons as well, creating a sense of community among local volunteers proud to be part of this wonderful venture. And visitors are responding, with 4000 through the doors in the month before we called in.

ALL ABOUT THE ARCHERS

The Archers sold their successful Olives Australia farming enterprise in the Lockyer Valley in 2012 and headed off to settle on Bribie Island, a favourite holiday location.

Once there, says Ray, they thought they’d “better do something to keep us a little occupied in our retirement”. Married for 51 of their 71 years, Ray and Delphine set about learning all there was to know about the breeding and rearing of butterflies and what they required in the way of host and nectar providing plants.

The project soon outgrew its initial backyard setup but the local council was so impressed with the volunteer-driven project it offered the Archers an 800m2 block of land with a 100-year lease to properly set up a butterfly house and laboratory.

Ray sent out 1000-plus flyers to get community involvement in developing the new location. The response was phenomenal: 160 people, including painters, builders, electricians, gardeners and community folk, all wanting to help.

“It was fantastic,” says Ray, adding that some days were chaotic but it was nonetheless heartening to find so many keen to lend a hand.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Good Organic Gardening #10.6 من Good Organic Gardening.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Good Organic Gardening #10.6 من Good Organic Gardening.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من GOOD ORGANIC GARDENING مشاهدة الكل
Glamour girls
Good Organic Gardening

Glamour girls

EVERYONE LOVES A HARDWORKING ISA BROWN BUT GET A LOAD OF THESE CHIC CHICKENS AND FEATHERED FASHIONISTAS

time-read
5 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
FRIED VEG
Good Organic Gardening

FRIED VEG

IT’S POSSIBLE TO ENJOY A FRY-UP IN A DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY WAY BY TURNING TO SOME FRY-FRIENDLY PLANTS

time-read
4 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
BEYOND BIG RED
Good Organic Gardening

BEYOND BIG RED

TOMATOES COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES AND COLOURS, SO NOW’S THE TIME TO EXPLORE THEIR INFINITE VARIETY

time-read
4 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
EVEN MORE TROPPO
Good Organic Gardening

EVEN MORE TROPPO

ANOTHER SENSATIONAL SIX TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR GARDEN — OR YOUR FRUIT SALAD

time-read
5 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
LET'S STALK RHUBARB
Good Organic Gardening

LET'S STALK RHUBARB

JUST AS TOMATO IS A FRUIT USED AS A VEGETABLE, RHUBARB IS A VEGETABLE COMMONLY CONSUMED AS A DESSERT

time-read
5 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
FOOD OF THE GODS
Good Organic Gardening

FOOD OF THE GODS

THE FLESHY FRUIT OF THE FICUS WAS MUHAMMAD’S FAVOURITE AND BUDDHA FOUND ENLIGHTENMENT UNDER A FIG TREE

time-read
5 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
MAKING GOOD BETTER
Good Organic Gardening

MAKING GOOD BETTER

THE IRREPRESSIBLE TV PRESENTER WRITES ABOUT HOW SHE, WITH HUSBAND ANTON AND DAUGHTER FRIDA, TURNED A STEEP HOBART BLOCK INTO A PRODUCTIVE GARDEN

time-read
7 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
True lily
Good Organic Gardening

True lily

MANY PLANTS ARE CALLED LILIES BUT IT’S THE MEMBERS OF THE GENUS LILIUM THAT ARE THE REAL DEAL

time-read
5 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
SALTY BUDS
Good Organic Gardening

SALTY BUDS

THE CAPER BUSH PRODUCES TWO DISTINCT BUT EQUALLY DELICIOUS, TANGY MORSELS: CAPERS AND CAPERBERRIES

time-read
5 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.5
Ducks on duty
Good Organic Gardening

Ducks on duty

BUSY, VIGILANT, HARD ON GARDEN PESTS AND GENEROUS LAYERS — YOU’VE GOTTA LOVE A DUCK!

time-read
5 mins  |
Good Organic Gardening 12.4