retail garden centre
OPEN 7 DAYS
OUR STORY
FROM THE BEGINNING
From one man's childhood love of bamboo to becoming Australia's leading supplier...
HOW IT STARTED
The entire business of Bamboo Down Under and our love for bamboo all originated from Rick Warwick, the visionary Owner and Company Principal of Bamboo Down Under. Growing up, Rick had a great passion for plants and created many fond childhood memories of playing amongst bamboo. In later years, this inspired him to plant many bamboo varieties in his backyard for his two young daughters to enjoy. He came to learn that many people shared his love of bamboo, in particular the clumping, non-running varieties. He started inviting people to view his gardens and was inundated with visitors who couldn’t get enough of “all things bamboo”. Being an entrepreneur, he started to think of ways he could make a business out of bamboo. A few ideas were considered, like selling the edible bamboo shoots or even the hardwood poles for construction. Eventually however, he discovered the gap in the market for a reputable seller of CLUMPING bamboo for ornamental and screening/hedging purposes, with a plant nursery outlet to explain and showcase the different species. Bamboo Down Under was born in 1996 in his backyard, before expanding and moving in 2003 to its present site at Wongawallan, in the beautiful Gold Coast hinterland.
​
THE EARLY YEARS
The name Bamboo Down Under came as a flicker of inspiration from Rick's wife Lisa, as she was brainstorming business name ideas and the famous Men at Work song 'Down Under' came on the radio! The name was perfect. Planting the beautiful display bamboo was priority #1, to showcase the colour, variety and versatility of this wonderful plant, as well as building new shadehouses and a Giftshop, transforming the property into a wonderful destination for all things bamboo. With a dedicated Retail Garden Centre at the front, and a variety of unique experiences for visitors to enjoy in the grounds, visitors marvel at the Land of the Giants, the peace, tranquility and atmosphere that has been created. Spread over approx. 5 acres of strollable grounds, it borders our Production & Wholesale nursery at the back of the property.
THE BUSINESS WAS GROWING
Over the past 20 years, the site has literally “grown” in so many ways, incorporating privacy hedges, a Rainforest Walk along our creek, for visitor enjoyment, as well as a Mystical Labyrinth, a Meditation Garden, a crazy Bamboo Maze, a Bamboo Tunnel as well as species gardens of bamboos, several undercover shadehouse areas which house tropical & sub-tropical plants for sale, as well as the largest variety of clumping bamboo species in Australia. Phew!
​
Bamboo Down Under started as a small family business that has expanded to be the leading supplier of bamboo in Retail and Wholesale within Australia. We have proudly been awarded the “Best Specialist Garden Centre in Queensland” at the Nursery & Garden Industry Awards! Our nursery will almost constantly change with an ever evolving range of gardens, exhibits, displays, and bamboo forests.
INTO THE FUTURE
​
Our newest attractions, our Bamboo Teepee & Sensory Garden, created for the youngsters to enjoy once they’ve completed the Bamboo Maze, will delight and enchant you. Our newly established Butterfly Garden together with our Avenue of Sunflowers is also now ready to explore.
We encourage everyone to experience our Retail Garden Centre and display gardens at 930 Tamborine - Oxenford Rd, Wongawallan, open 9am - 5pm, 7 days a week. You can spend many enjoyable hours strolling through the Rainforest Walk, Enchanted Forest, Crazy Bamboo Maze, Meditation Garden and Bamboo Tunnel. Shop for all your garden needs in our Garden Centre and a browse through our unique Giftshop is a must. Think all things bamboo, think Bamboo Down Under.
Proudly Australian owned & grown.
​
Eco-friendly and Green business practices.