About Ipswich Plant Swap

Ipswich Plant Swap is an informal community group run by a team of volunteers. For our community, by our community.

Here are the people that do the work behind the scenes.

Meet the Team

Cameron Lund - Ipswich Plant Swap Founder

Cameron Lund is the founder and driving force behind Ipswich Plant Swap. Growing up on a farm gave him a love of nature and a resourceful mindset. His education in biology underpins the values of sustainability and biodiversity that he enthusiastically promotes. Passionate about the community, Cameron is a tireless volunteer, leading environmental initiatives and bringing people together to create abundant community gardens.

He lives with his wife and two sons in Barellan Point, with an acreage garden planted out with treasured plants swapped with local community members. Cameron enjoys making furniture upcycled from reclaimed timber, and setting an example with a beautiful productive garden that was achieved without having to buy plants. Cameron works with community and environment in his role at Ipswich City Council. His favourite plants are natives and fruit trees, and his favourite garden feature is a giant compost heap.

"Sustainable gardening is free as nature provides everything you need."

Jason Hauser

Jason Hauser is a lifelong Ipswich local with a passion for helping people grow their own food. With a background in health and plant science, he's spent years discovering practical, affordable ways to grow healthy, productive gardens.

A self-confessed food forest fanatic, Jason believes everyone should be able to enjoy fresh home-grown produce, no matter the size of their backyard or their gardening experience. Through his business, Hauser's Horticulture, he loves to share his low-cost gardening techniques and practical advice that has helped countless local gardeners.

“As a dad of three, I love encouraging my kids to get outside, explore the garden and enjoy fresh food straight from the plants. Our food forest is one of their favourite places to play, learn and snack."

Nathene Henry

Nathene Henry is a local mum, teacher and passionate gardener who believes healthy plants begin with healthy soil. Gardening is her happy place, a chance to slow down, reconnect with nature and discover the incredible life hidden beneath our feet. Inspired by her Christian faith and a deep appreciation for the natural world, Nathene loves sharing what she's learned with others.

“Natural, diverse gardens produce healthy, happy plants. I have a keen interest in encouraging life back into the garden to promote optimal growing conditions. Healthy soil is teeming with life, and diversity in our plants and garden structures encourages a range of living organisms that work together to make a resilient and healthy environment. In balance, every living creature serves a purpose, and they are all welcome when it comes to growing healthy, strong and thriving food with my family.”

Tracey Shieldhouse

Tracey Shieldhouse has an amazing garden on acreage out at Walloon, gardening on a large scale with her husband and children all pitching in. Extensive water gardens and native shrubbery provide a scenic rural retreat and the perfect place for BBQs and recreation. Tracey is a native beekeeper and has an enviable collection of beautiful hoyas. She is able to give specialised advice on so many different types of plants.

Maz Kraschnefski

Maz Kraschnefski is an inspiration to all at Ipswich Plant Swap. Maz loves spending time with her grandchildren in the garden, growing heirloom fruits and vegetables, and then bringing this produce to her table to share with her family.

Maz generously shares her love of edible garden crops through simple advice, favourite recipes, and growing tips. Her knowledge is amazing, and she makes it all sound easy. You can follow her blog on our website. Maz is the leader of our Plant Swap meets, happily talking plants and sharing the harvest, come along and say hello.

“From little things big things grow"

Kirsty O'Brien

Kirsty O’Brien is an experiential designer and artist, she creates graphics for Ipswich Plant Swap website and social media. At home she has designed a large garden as a sub-tropical retreat, where she can unwind and relax. Her thriving watergarden is set up as a habitat for native fish, frogs and birds. She has a sweeping area of lawn and a large collection of flowering aloes. Kirsty can advise on garden design, with the outcome being practical and sustainable, while providing an immersive experience in our unique Ipswich climate and geology.

“With storms and flash flooding, garden drainage is so important. Vegetated rock swales look beautiful and serve a very important purpose to divert and slow down the water to prevent soil erosion and property loss. There is a place for them in most Ipswich gardens, and along with the right selection of plants, we can design our gardens to be resilient in the face of extreme weather events.”

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