Text by Bill Tunstall, photos by Gordon Tait.

On Friday 31st July, one of our local Rare Fruit members, Ray Johnson, had organised to have a tree planting in the grounds of the Gin Gin High School. Much preparation had been done previous to the day. The ground had been worked over by machinery and filter press, donated by Isis Sugar Mill had been worked into the soil. Four banks of soil had been made and the trees were to be planted into these raised banks. Young people from the special class at the school were to be involved with the planting and the ongoing care of the trees.
Our local Rare Fruit group had donated money towards buying some of the trees and Ray had also provided many of them. Some of our local members, Gordon and Jenny Tait, Ted and Daphne Harris, Eddy Dunn and Bill and Dulcie Tunstall went to assist Ray as did a number of the school community, the class members and the Bundaberg Regional Council Deputy Mayor, Wayne Honour.
We measured out distances between the trees and used bamboo poles to mark where the actual holes were to be dug. Ray had already planned on paper where the trees would be placed. Once all had been marked out the hole digging began with sufficient spaces being provided.
In a short time all was ready as the soil had been worked over with the machinery. The trees were put in place
according to the plan with a row of jaboticabas and grumichamas being placed on the bank on the windward side.
Water, which was carried by buckets, was added to the tree holes prior to the planting and again following the tree planting. A permanent watering system was added soon afterwards as was a fence on two sides to complete the enclosure of the area and to prevent the local kangaroos damaging our handiwork. One section of the other three banks was taken up with citrus trees, including K15 pomello, Ruby Red grapefruit, Tahitian lime, Hickson and Imperial mandarins, Valentia orange and Eureka lemon. Other trees planted included, 2 longan varieties, 2 lychees, sapotes including mamey, green, black, yellow and 3 whites, yellow cherry guava, wampi, 2 carambolas and jackfruit.
In all approximately 60 trees were planted.
Before we left, we were thanked for our work and given a Certificate of Appreciation and a tasty morning tea. Our special thanks must go to Ray for all the effort he put in before the day and for his willingness to provide continuing support of this worthwhile project."
Regards,
Bill.