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FITTING TRIBUTE: Paul Mazourek with a plant from last year's National Tree Day in Whyalla.
This year’s National Tree Day will once again be special for Whyalla resident Paul Mazourek.
Last year Paul took home two native shrubs as a special gesture from the first Whyalla National Tree Day giveaway. Paul put these plants in his backyard to remember his partner Vicki Davenport who had passed away six months previous.
Last year was a change in direction for National Tree Day in Whyalla with Council giving away native plants for people to take home and put somewhere special.
That was certainly the case of Paul as he can now look out of his kitchen window every day and see a beautiful, flourishing native plant that will forever remind him of his beloved partner.
“They do have a special significance after Vicki passed away last year,” Paul said.
“I wanted something else to remember Vicki, something in tune with nature … it’s like life starting again.”
Together with a little plaque, Vicki’s native is certainly growing beautifully next to Paul’s plant. The plants are scientifically known as Eremophyla maculate and more commonly as spotted emu bush or spotted fuchsia-bush.
“I thought the best plant to put in would be an Australian native but even I’m surprised by how quickly Vicki’s plant is growing,” Paul said.
“She’s growing much better than me (Paul’s plant).” he laughed.
GROWING WELL: Vicki's plant (left) and Paul's plant in Paul's Whyalla backyard.
Paul, who works for Council as a Tourism Assets Development Officer, is encouraging everyone to collect a free native plant or groundcover this Saturday (July 27) at the library carpark on Ekblom Street for National Tree Day in Whyalla.
It will be a carnival atmosphere from 9am to 1pm at the City of Whyalla event where kids can enjoy a free hands-on activity and plant a seed in a compostable pot with Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula. The Whyalla Apex Club will be there cooking a free sausage sizzle and there will be half-priced coffee from the Mobile Coffee Van.
Council has sourced 600 native shrubs and ground covers to give away this year so it’s first-in, first-served with each family member allowed one tree. Another 250 have been distributed to schools and another 160 have been set aside for the Lions Club of Whyalla to plant at the Jim Pollock Whyalla Wetlands.
“It’s not only an opportunity to get a beautiful native for your garden, it is great chance to do something for our environment,” Paul said.
“These shrubs and ground covers love the Whyalla soil so by planting these natives we are doing something to help green Whyalla.
“I’ll be going down there to get a tree for our dog Fergus so I’ll have the whole family there in my backyard to watch grow and admire for years to come.”
