THE SYDNEY HILLS GARDEN COMPETITION 2026 Awards Night
Awards Night 16th of October 2026
The Awards Presentation night was the culmination of the competition and was held in the Harvey Lowe Pavilion, Castle Hill Showground on the 16th of October 2026. It commenced at 7:00 PM with a photo slide show of the gardens for half an hour, and was then followed by the Awards ceremony.
MC John Collignon acknowledged the special guests who were present, namely Mark Taylor MP, Member for Winston ills; Dr. Michelle Byrne, Mayor of The Hills Shire Council; Frank de Masi, Deputy Mayor; and Russell Zimmerman representing our Rotary District. Garden Competition chairman Keith Stapley, said that there were eight more entrants than in 2025, with new gardens coming from Box Hill, Nelson, Northmead, and North Rocks. The garden Competition judges, Lucia Fowler and Felicity McCaffrey then spoke. Lucia is a qualified horticulturalist and garden designer. She currently lectures in Sydney on Garden Design and Garden Care, through the Graham and Sandra Ross Garden Clinic. Felicity is the granddaughter of former Councillor Eric Mobbs, the founder of the competition. She studied horticulture and landscape design, runs a business called Suited Gardens, and has an organic approach to gardening with plantings well suited to their growing conditions. She has organised Open Gardens in Hunters Hill for more than 20 years, as well as helping Hunters Hill Rotary Club set up their Spring Garden Competition.
"The quality of sponsorship this year shows the value of what Rotary are doing," she said. "Keep doing it."
Both judges were thanked by Mayor Dr. Michelle Byrne, who said the garden competition was the forerunner of the
Orange Blossom Festival. "It brought everyone together to celebrate the Garden Shire," she said. She thanked the members of Rotary as well as the entrants. Mark Taylor MP said The Hills was one of the greatest places to live, work and play. "Gardening is fantastic for the environment but it's also great for mental well-being. Congratulations to all who entered."
Following the awards ceremony, a light supper - which everyone enjoyed- was provided by the Baulkham Hills Inner Wheel Club and our thanks go to that Club's members.
Sponsors The major sponsors of the competition were Plants Plus Cumberland Forest, The Hills Shire Council, and Greenspace Partner, backed up by Yates, Evergreen Garden Care/Scotts, Camellia Grove Glenorie, Flower Power Glenhaven, Engall's Nursery Dural, Bunnings Castle Hill, Graham and Sandra Ross' Garden Clinic, Amgrow and Neutrog Garden Products. Their generosity made the competition and presentation night possible, with huge amounts of garden products on the stage to be presented to the category winners.
History of the Garden Competition
The first Garden Competition ran in 1959 as the brainchild of Councillor Eric Mobbs. It became the forerunner of the Orange Blossom Festival, so has a significant place in the cultural history of “The Garden Shire” and continues to be supported by The Hills Shire Council as part of that Festival.
The Rotary Club of the Hills-Kellyville has had a long association with gardeners in The Hills, having run the Garden Competition since early 2000’s and the Hills Open Gardens. The Club proudly opened a Community Garden in March 2021 to mark the 100th year of Rotary in Australia. The Rotary Club of the Hills-Kellyville established and built this garden for the community in conjunction with the Hills Shire Council. Other works of the Club include local community events and the raising of funds for numerous programs far and wide, from the Hills area to outback Australia to overseas communities with specific needs.
To be part of an inspired group that is making a difference, contact the club through the Club's Facebook page.
A project of The Rotary Club of The Hills-Kellyville Inc. ABN 64 861 096 365
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