About Us
Our mission: To unite all segments of the Lifestyle Horticulture Industry through influential representation to government, consumers and the community to achieve environmental sustainability and to advance common issues that commercially impact members.
The Australian Centre for Lifestyle Horticulture (ACLH) operates from, the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries (DPI&F) offices at the Redlands Research Station, in Cleveland, Queensland.
ACLH which was incorporated in 2004, are investigating and developing strategies to promote and foster the industry. The industry sectors include turf suppliers and producers, flower growers, nurseries, parks, irrigators and landscapers. The industry provides products and service that are of great social, economical and environmental benefit.
While the times are challenging for the lifestyle horticulture industry due to drought and water restrictions, there are also many opportunities. Governments are listening to the voice of public opinion about issues such as water, climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. The lifestyle horticultural industry can capitalise on these opportunities and will not only survive, but thrive.
Don Scotts - ACLH Chair
Jim Vaughan - ACLH Vice Chair
Jim has been a member of the ACLH Management Committee since its inception initially as treasurer and now holding the position of vice-chair. Jim was a member of the original Nursery Industry Development Council and the Lifestyle Horticulture Industry Development Council since 1996 prior to the development of the ACLH in 2005. He is the Chief Executive Officer of both the Landscape Queensland Industries and the Queensland Turf Producers Association.
Jim's background is from General Management and Director level of a number of well known multinational public companies and the owner and Managing Director of his own Management Consultancy Vorn Australasia, responsible for the two associations detailed above as well as the Australian Landscape Industry Association. Vorn Australasia is a tenant of the ACLH Redlands facility.
Jim believes strongly in the Lifestyle Horticulture 'supply and demand chain' and its huge effect on the GDPQueensland. For this reason he has committed his time, energy and expertise to forwarding the objectives of the Australian Centre of Lifestyle Horticulture in Queensland.
Brian Shannon - ACLH Treasurer
Tony Cross - ACLH Industry Representative
Tony Cross is the president and member of the Queensland Turf Producers Association (QTPA) and the director of Turf Producers Australia (TPA.) A graduate of the federal program Young Rural Leaders run by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries he has been recognised as one of Australia’s best young rural leaders.
Tony started his career in the construction industry and become a carpenter. He now runs a bobcat and landscape operation and merged his company to take a share in his parents company Caboolture Turf in 2002. Now as managing director of Caboolture Turf and his own farm Southern Pacific Turf he is responsible for the all aspects of the 120 acre production facility from growing turf to sales. He still has close alliances within the construction industry via numerous domestic and industrial projects.
Tony’s vision for the industry is that of sustainability and the need to address generational change in business through succession planning. As farms become closer to development, purposeful plans need to be made to ensure the lifestyle horticulture industry stays viable and provides an income for generations to come.
David Aldous - ACLH Industry Representative
David is the industry representative for Parks and Leisure Australia and has been a board member for 6 months. David's background, qualifications and industry experiences include being an Associate Professor in Environmental Horticulture, Faculty of Food and Land Resources at the University of Melbourne-Burnley campus until his retirement in July 2007. He brings to the Board his experiences in research, teaching and extension in environmental horticulture. His areas of expertise include sports turf and amenity grasslands, therapeutic horticulture, lifestyle horticulture and urban park management. His research profile has covered areas such as turf managed under stressed environments, the economic analysis of the horticultural service industries, measuring the benefits of green space, and the sustainability of green space undergoing climate change.
David's vision is to recognise and advance the sector of parks, recreation and tourism within the lifestyle horticulture industry
