Council to Offer Free Plants to Residents

Free Plants Day is happening again this year and Council is excited to be able to give away plants to the community.

You can now register your interest in receiving free native plants by signing up at www.surveymonkey.com/r/X6Q2GSP. Registrations will be open until Friday, April 8, 2022.

Please note that only one person per household can apply, and applicants must be a resident of Mount Isa or Camooweal to register.

Further details – such as pick-up days, times and location – will be emailed to participants closer to the event day, which is anticipated to be held in May or June 2022. Camooweal residents will be contacted separately to pick up their plants from the Camooweal Depot.

Every property in the Mount Isa City Council area – residential or business, including schools and childcare centres – is eligible to register. Renters are also encouraged to apply but are asked to ensure permission is sought by the property owner or real estate agent prior to planting in the ground.

Mayor Danielle Slade said last year’s inaugural Free Plants Day initiative was a success and its popularity in the community was evident.

“Last year we ended up distributing close to 1600 free native plants, trees and shrubs in the community, in both Mount Isa and Camooweal, and the feedback has been very positive,” Cr Slade said.

“There are lots of green thumbs in the community and I know they will be happy to hear we’re doing Free Plants Day again. The popularity of last year’s initiative was undeniable.

“Perhaps you missed out on getting a plant last year or would like to take part in it again this year. You have to be in it to win it, so I definitely encourage you to put your name down and register to secure your allocation.”

The benefits of planting native plants are enormous and include:

• Providing habitat areas and feed trees for native wildlife;
• Native plants are resilient and generally require less care and less water than exotic varieties;
• Native plants increase biodiversity, which is especially important in our urban areas;
• Plants reduce the risk of dust, as their root systems bind the soil and stabilise an area; and
• Plants contain a variety of mental, physical and social benefits.

Free Plants Day aims to encourage the use of native and waterwise plants by individuals and businesses within the community.

This project is funded by the separate Environmental Charge which is included with the annual rates for Mount Isa and Camooweal properties.