Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
The 2026 Tropical Plant Expo. Photo credit: Victoria Velton
By Victoria Velton
Plant lovers flocked to Cardwell for the annual Tropical Plant Expo on Saturday, 3rd October, with the event showcasing everything from orchids and bromeliads to cacti, ferns and unusual tropical plants rarely seen.
Held by the local SES and Coast Guard, the expo brought together growers and sellers from across North Queensland, with a steady stream of visitors filling up trollys and baskets as they browsed the stalls and chatted with growers throughout the day.
The event has a long history in Cardwell, first beginning in 2016, before growing to the wide range of tropical plants and sellers seen today.
Organiser Louis has been involved since the beginning and has now taken over running the event, following the retirement of original organisers Tina and her late husband Anthony.
The expo was forced to take a two-year break during COVID-19, making this year’s event its ninth show.
Louis said he hoped to continue building the expo in coming years, with plans to welcome more garden-related stalls alongside the usual growers stalls, but keeping the focus firmly on plants.
The event also highlighted the camaraderie among growers, with sellers helping each other when circumstances made it difficult for someone to attend.
“You help each other out. That’s the way I look at it,” Louis said.
With sellers travelling from across the region, the expo has also become an opportunity for growers to reach new markets, with some varieties commanding significantly higher prices in southern cities.
From collectors searching for unusual specimens to families simply looking for something new for the garden, there was something for every level of plant enthusiast.
As Louis looks towards next year’s expo, the aim is to keep growing the event while maintaining its relaxed, gardening-focused atmosphere.
“It’s calm and it’s quiet. Everyone’s selling, so everyone’s doing well,” he said.
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