Capacity:
Bandicoot
Nursery is a partnership
business owned and managed by Bill and Liz Hollingworth.
We have
been growing plants commercially
since 1985. Seed propagation into cell trays has been our main method
although
we have developed the clonal propagation capacity in large numbers
since
1998.
The
nursery is located on the
Albany Highway 7.5 Kms South of Mt
Barker in the South Coastal Region of Western Australia.
Infrastructure &
Resources:
- NIASA
accreditation since
1997
- Capacity
of 6,500 000 cell
plants
- Water
supply from on-farm dams
(TSS 20ms) as
well
as mains supply (TSS 100ms)
- One
frost day per annum with
sensor activated
frost
protection system
- Overhead
automatic sprinkler
system with
fertilizer
injection
- Raised
steel bench system
- Seedlings
supplied in 50mm
x 125mm Forestry
tubes,
with root-trainers and airpruned
- Soil
mix is composted pinebark
from Depiazzi of
Dardenup
- KW
Engineering 100EM pneumatic
seeder, prefer to
seed end Nov, early Dec
- Seed
treated is requested
- Trays
are shrink-wrapped and
stacked post seeding.
- Coolroom
available for germination
as required.
- Stack
time depends on ambient
temperature
monitoring, checked twice daily.
- Trays
laid out under shade
mesh to germinate.
- Fertilising
begins twice weekly
once germination
complete.
- Germinating
will be into Colmax-type
trays initially,
tube-out into final container on a continuing basis finishing by the end of March
- Daily
inspection to check
for weeds, pathogens
and
overall status
- Final
grade begins mid-May
or earlier depending
on
anticipated
dispatch dates.
- Plants
checked prior to dispatch
- Owner/managers
with 20 years
experience in
cell
production techniques. Member of Nursery and
Garden Industry WA
– constant update
skills and
information
- Full
time Production Manager Tania Bishop was
appointed
in January 2005
- School
based trainee
staff are encouraged
and fully
supported to
build
the future knowledge base in the industry
- NIASA
accredited since June
1997 - Current
Certificate
available for inspection
- Follow
Nursery Industry ‘ Best Practice’ with updates as
required
- Several
permanent staff with
flexible working
hours
to cover all contingencies
- Casual
staff employed seasonally
when required
- Long
term employees providing
continuity of skill
levels
and providing industry knowledge for Trainees
- Staff
undertake certification
courses. E.g
Chemical
handlers Certificate where required
- Most
nursery functions mechanized
where possible
- Last
minute and urgent dispatch
orders are covered
easily as a matter or routine.
- We
always have excess numbers
of most common
species to cater for last minute and adjusted orders
Control
Systems : Trace
back
- Seedlots
numbered on each
tray and recorded in
Daily
Log book
- System
based on NIA best Practices
- Seedlots
kept together in cool
room for germination.
- Location
of each seedlot noted
on main nursery
plan and documented
in daily log book
- Performance
monitoring carried
out regularly and
information
spreadsheet sent to seedlot owner
on a regular basis by email
- Plants
graded by seedlot before
dispatch to ensure
only
plants meeting specification are delivered.
- Numbers
recorded on dispatch
book and cross
referenced
to actual received numbers
