All about Utopia

Utopia Palms and Cycads Nursery is tucked away in it's own little valley of 24 acres, which is situated approximately 1 1/2 hours drive from the international airport - 100 kms north of Brisbane on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. The property is facing north east, 20km from the coast from the coastal town of Coolum Beach - approx 10 minutes drive. We have ocean views that look out north to Double Island Point north of Noosa and Mount Cooroora then East to Mount Coolum and West to Mount Eerwha just north of Yandina the home of Buderium Ginger - "The Ginger Factory".

In a subtropical climate we receive an average rainfall of about 1700 mm. We do not irrigate our gardens and rely on heavy mulching. Our planet is producing an ever changing climate and unpredictable weather. We should all approach gardening in a different light. Utopia Palms and Cycad is unlike regular nurseries. Our stock is hardier because of our restricted watering program, a heavier medium plus a few other factors make our plants require less water and therefore adjust more readily to the landscape situation.

Summer temperatures reach plus 43.C Winter minimum around 4.C The gardens have been slowly built up over the past 23 years to include many rare plants - palms - cycads - orchids - bromeliads - tillandsia's - alocia's - heliconia's - gingers - costus - host of native trees and exotic flowering trees tropical plants. A real tropical paradise. Utopia Palms and Cycads Nursery started out with an over grown property of 8 acres with groundsel, lantana, molasses grass all as tall as 4 metres. A real jungle of weeds. Over the century our farm previously was logged for timber when they first settled in Queensland - then grazing for cattle - banana farm - sugar cane farm - orchard for citrus. When we purchased it was overgrown with a few remnant trees of eucalyptus - box, turpentine, ghost gums and black wattle and enough rock to give The Great Wall of China a run. Over the years we have tamed that jungle of weeds and re vegetated with exotic and tropical species of all sorts to turn our Utopia into the oasis it is today. We purchased the adjoining property of 16 acres to allow us to grow.

Utopia Palms and Cycads Nursery is situated in a valley, all roads, paths and level areas have had to be cut in and retained with rock walls - over 6000 m of rock walls run through and cris cross the property. We have covered now approximately 10 acres in gardens. We have developed our own microclimate and able to grow a variety of temperate, subtropical and tropical plants. In addition to the nursery of 2 acres, the gardens cover around 10 acres, we have approximately 4 acres of natural bush land, and approximately 8 acres of grazing land for a small herd of miniature goats which do a magnificent job of maintaining a large area.

Utopia Palms and Cycads Nursery supply a wide range of tropical plants to include many rare plants - palms - cycads - orchids - bromeliads - tillandsia's - alocia's - heliconia's - gingers - costus.