Jimboomba Turf Group Scores a World First

Environmentally friendly turfgrass exports (28/8/02)

Jimboomba Turf Group, in conjunction the Department of Primary Industries and the Queensland Horticulture Institute, Redlands, has just completed a world first by exporting an environmentally friendly turfgrass.

The turfgrasses, SeaIsle2000 and SeaIsle1, are the most environmentally friendly warm-season turfgrasses of the 21st century as they can tolerate a wide range of poor quality soil and water conditions.

Jimboomba Turf Group has the exclusive distribution rights to both SeaIsle1 and SeaIsle2000 in Australiasia and it is because of this, they were able to grab the opportunity to be the first in the world to commercially export the grasses.

Jimboomba Turf Group originally imported only 2 square feet of both the SeaIsles from the USA and had to quarantine them for 12 months, under Australian law. They were then taken to the Queensland Horticulture Institute Research Facility at Redlands for propagating due to the fact it was winter and the centre had large hothouses that were more suitable for growth at that time.

While the SeaIsles were being grown into larger quantities in the centre, the Dubai Government was looking to build a golf course and were advised that SeaIsle2000 was the most suitable product for their environment. The only place in the world where it was available in commercial quantities was Australia.

While exporting, Jimboomba Turf Group also developed a new method of packaging and exporting the turf which has meant that the Dubai Government has received all the stock in great condition.

"These are the new wave of turf types" said Mr Lynn Davidson, Managing Director of Jimboomba Turf. "We have been exporting for ten years and in the mid 90's places like Indonesia were building golf courses and sourcing the turf out of either the USA or Australia"

"Dubai is now building golf courses for potential tourist recreation and with their environmental issues they need products such as SeaIsle and because of their political position, they prefer to deal with Australia rather than the USA. This puts Jimboomba Turf Group in a solid position to add to Queensland's horticultural industry exports. "

"We now have SeaIsle1 growing on two of our production facilities and we are hoping to have commercial quantities available by the end of the year. It is actually the most researched turfgrass in the world and we are adding to that research as we propagate the product on our farms" said Mr Davidson.

ENDS

Editor notes : Photo's available of the project

Contact : Amy Henderson, Jimboomba Turf Group

Telephone : 07 3114 8230

Mobile : 0421 281 633