THE Woolgoolga District Orchid Society (WDOS) is hosting the 23rd Australian Orchid Council International Conference and Show in October.
Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh and City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams will officially open the show at the Wiigulga Sports Complex around 8.45am on Friday 3 October.
It will remain open to the public until Sunday afternoon, 5 October.
“This is the first time this prestigious triennial landmark event has been held in a regional area”, said WDOS President Nev Anderson.
Orchid Societies from every state will be presenting displays along with individual exhibitors.
There will be 199 separate classes of orchids and 63 qualified orchid judges and associates.
Woolgoolga’s Indian heritage and Sikh community will be celebrated through a special display of Indian Orchids, while in tribute to the area’s First Nations peoples, there will be an interactive Bush Tucker display and a collection of Indigenous artefacts.
A sales area will feature 22 of Australia’s premier orchid nurseries, giving visitors the opportunity to take home rare and unique species.
“A dedicated educational wall of over 250 photographs of native local orchids growing in our area will look amazing, and there will be additional photographic displays highlighting West Australian native orchids along with orchids from Vietnam and India.”
Mr Anderson’s pictorial booklet showcasing the region’s native orchids will be launched and on sale.
There will also be a trade alley and food alley and children will be catered for with a colouring-in corner.
Preceding the show, the International Conference will be held at the Woolgoolga High School hall and will feature four international speakers along with five Australian world-renowned speakers.
The event is expected to attract up to 4000 visitors with registrants signed on from Canada, USA, New Zealand, China, Vietnam, India and Ecuador.
These include Professor Promila Pathak from India, along with one of her students, and David Banks, who will launch his encyclopaedic tome of global orchid species titled “Orchid Species of the World”.
For further information, visit aoc2025.org.au.
By Andrea FERRARI
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