IT was a glorious spring day chosen by Queanbeyan City Council to officially unveil the mosaic artworks created by local community members for the new Federation Garden in Waniassa Park.

In a prelude to the Queanbeyan River Festival coming this Saturday, Mayor Tim Overall, the team of volunteers who created the mosaics, Parks and Recreation workers and members of the public joined in the celebration of a garden barbecue area featuring a large eight point star, each point embellished with a triangular mosaic showing floral emblems every Australian State and Territory.

As Debbie Sibbick, technical officer with the council, explained the low-lying landscape concept chosen by gardens staff, guests enjoyed a barbecue lunch and tried to remember which flower belong to which state. We will only show readers those of which we can be sure, but we expect to see some signage in due course.

Describing the project as “so exciting,” Queanbeyan Mayor Tim Overall praised the Parks and Recreation staff who are taken the Federation garden idea, first floated in the late 1990s, and turned it into “a wonderful family recreational space.”

According to Mayor Overall, it was the local Lions Club and the late Queanbeyan identity Hope Marland who came up with concept, which had more recently resuscitated by Councillor Trudy Taylor.

Artist Freya Jobbins, he said, had worked hard with community members to create the mosaics. He noted that the Sensory Garden and park immediately adjacent to the new Federation Garden had, since opening last year, become a hub of community activity. By his own estimate there were 60 to 80 people in the Park when he had driven past the area last weekend.

Queanbeyan’s inaugural River Festival will take place on the banks of the river, midday to 7 PM Saturday, October 11 stop the inaugural Clearwater sculpture prize, also on them banks of the river, will be held from October 10-12. All welcome.