A beautiful garden of native plants at Sarina Hospital is helping traditional custodians teach the community about bush medicine, healing and reconciliation.
The traditional medicine garden, called Yinha Gurubila Ganya, which means ‘here medicine place’, was officially opened today during NAIDOC Week.
About 66 native trees, including species such as noni fruit, cocky apple, hop bush, sandpaper fig, red ash, monk’s pepper and native peanut tree, were planted on the Brewers Road site in November. More than 40 volunteers assisted with planting the garden including representatives from Landcare, Yuwi Rangers and Sarina primary and high school students.
The garden is a small sample of the knowledge which had been passed through generations of the Yuwi, the traditional custodians of this land on which the hospital sits, Mackay Hospital and Health Board member Maude Chapman said.
The garden concept was progressed by the Sarina Hospital Medicinal Garden Group which comprises Yuwi elders, Sarina hospital staff and Sarina Landcare, she said.
First Nations or bush medicine referred to ancient and traditional Aboriginal use of native Australian botanicals for physical and spiritual healing, that has been in practice for thousands of years, Sarina Hospital director of nursing Pauline Maude said.
“It’s through this community collaboration, the garden will grow into a place of healing and reconciliation,” she said.
The traditional medicine garden was originally the brainchild of hospital volunteer Karen Dawe who has worked tirelessly with Landcare and Yuwi elders including Mackay HHS cultural practice co-ordinator Philip Kemp and his brother Stephen to see the vision come to life, she said.
“It is through Karen’s incredible passion for the project as well as her dedicated physical hard work including weeding, mowing and watering, combined with Uncle Phil’s cultural knowledge and connections that the traditional medicine garden has become a reality,” Ms Maude said.
The official opening of the traditional medicine garden included a Welcome to Country, smoking ceremony, blessing by Torres Strait Islander elder and a cultural performance.
NAIDOC Week, held annually in the first week of July, is a celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the bright future of community ahead.
Yuwi elder Philip Kemp said the opening of the traditional medicine garden during the 50th year of NAIDOC Week celebrations was especially significant given the 2025 theme of Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy.
“This garden will serve as a meaningful space for preserving and sharing Indigenous knowledge and offers opportunities for the land’s traditional custodians to teach the community about native plants, their healing properties and cultural significance, fostering deeper understanding and reconciliation,” he said.
The committee was grateful to the Mackay Hospital Foundation for financial assistance and the Mackay Regional Council for helping to excavate and propagate the site along with Harris Hauling, Sarina Mini Excavators and Cush-it Rocks.
