The new Australian Centre for Lifestyle Horticulture (ACLH) in Redlands would boost the State's economy and improve the lifestyles of Queenslanders, Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Gordon Nuttall said today at the launch of the new centre.

"Queensland, with its rapidly-growing horticultural lifestyle industry and strong government backing for the project, has successfully attracted support to develop this national facility at Redlands,'' Mr Nuttall said.

"Lifestyle horticulture is one of Queensland's fastest growing primary industries with a projected gross value in 2005/06 expected to exceed
$1.5 billion.''

"The Australian Centre for Lifestyle Horticulture is a unique partnership between the Department, lifestyle horticulture industry and other industry stakeholders.

"Nothing like this centre exists in any other state. No other government in Australia has made such a commitment to this growth sector," Mr Nuttall said.

"The ACLH, as an incorporated body, brings together key state and national lifestyle horticulture associations to work hand in hand with Government and other organisations all under the one roof.

"This centre will strengthen the State's horticultural industry by placing key personnel from the many industry groups together to facilitate networking opportunities - this should result in many long-term benefits for Queensland.

"It will help boost the State's economy and also increase our capacity for research and development.

"Key ACLH priorities remain export development, R&D coordination, labour and training issues, association funding and sustainability and environmental management issues such as water," Mr Nuttall said.

He said the new $3 million Industry Services Building combines offices and conference facilities for lifestyle horticulture representatives and facilities to assist businesses efficiently gather information and obtain services.

It promotes a closer working relationship between industry and horticulture researchers and staff at DPI&F Redlands Research Station.

To demonstrate what can be achieved by these closer linkages, DPI&F and over 40 industry businesses and associations, community and educational groups have collaborated together on a large-scale multi-stage landscaping project that will surround the Industry Services Building.

It will showcase Queensland and Australian plants and flowers and provide an ongoing valuable resource for the industry and the public to display innovative water efficiency technology, landscaping design and installation and turf selections.

Mr Nuttall said lifestyle horticulture included Queensland businesses involved in the production of non-food horticulture products and planting stock for the fruit, vegetable and forest industries, including ornamental, fruit and forestry plants, cut flowers and foliage and turf grass.

He said the industry also delivered services such as landscape design, landscaping contracting and maintenance, wholesale and retail sales in a number of the sectors, irrigation, parks gardens and golf course maintenance, indoor plant establishment, and the provision of technical horticulture advice, information dissemination and project management.

Mr Nuttall said Queensland lifestyle horticulture includes over 4300 businesses employing nearly 10,000 people and selling around $120 million of products and services to overseas and interstate markets each year.