Noosa’s Native Plants website has been re-built. The first iteration of Noosa’s Native Plants website came on the scene around 15 years ago, sometime after the book launch in 2004. It met the basic awareness raising and community education aspects identified in the Noosa River Catchment Management Strategy
Since that time it had one major upgrade, but over time technology has overtaken it. So NICA applied to Noosa Council for a grant to migrate the data and functionality of the existing Noosa’s Native Plants website onto a modern platform with improved access via smart phones, tablets and personal computers, and in the process of migration incorporate up to date search capacity.
The website is an important resource used frequently and freely by members of the public and NRM practitioners throughout South East Qld. A primary purpose is to demystify and raise awareness of local native plants with colour photographs and basic botanical information on over 1,300 plant species in Noosa Shire. It also includes traditional and cultural uses of the plants by aboriginal people and early European settlers. There is landscaping advice, and species lists for many localities within the Noosa Shire and the facility to scroll through these and select plants to obtain information about them. The website is an excellent reference and freely available on the internet.
The site’s data base was created and has been regularly updated by NICA volunteer Stephanie Haslam, and Joan Heavey has now joined her.