Boulders moved into place in new garden

A crane was used to move several large boulders into place in a new garden at USQ Fraser Coast.

The placement of the sandstone rocks just about finishes work on the Olga Miller Memorial Garden, which commemorates the life and literary works of the late Butchella Elder.

The garden is located between the newest campus building, C Block, and the existing B Block.

It was designed to depict the stories of Aunty Olga's children's books and will contain artworks by local artist Aunty Joyce Watson.

The landscape design incorporates a storyline created with a swale (dry creek bed) and a spiral aggregate border housing bronze plaques.

Each of the plaques will have a design created by a local Elder or community member.

The focal point of the garden is a large sandstone rock representing Mt Bauple. It, and the newly-placed boulders, were quarried from a site near Toowoomba. The smaller rocks will provide seating.

The concrete border, which snakes its way through the garden, forms a spiral with the Buallum Jarl-Bah pelican emblem at its centre. Buallum Jarl-Bah is the USQ Fraser Coast Indigenous studies support unit. It was named by Aunty Olga, and its name means ‘pelican place of learning'.

Adjacent to the spiral will be a stage and area for story telling.

It is envisaged that the garden will be used for teaching and classes as well as a place of rest and relaxation for students and members of the community.

Aunty Joyce said the garden would be an icon for the university and local community.

'It will show how the university is very supportive of the Butchella People,' she said.

Media Contact:  Katrina Corcoran, USQ Media, +61 7 4194 3167