Guest Speakers
John Roberston
John has been growing and breeding orchids since 1991 - some 10 years after his nursery, Robertson Orchids, commenced business. The recipient of more than 40 AOC quality awards and the registering of numerous hybrids across many genera, John’s specialty is Paphiopedilum.
Rick Emmerson
Rick has been growing orchids since his early 20s. His passion for orchids began after he bought one as a gift for his wife, Bronwyn. That simple gesture sparked a lifelong fascination with the plants, prompting him to join the Lockyer Valley Orchid Society to learn how to care for them properly.
Over the course of his 40-year career in banking, which involved transfers across Queensland, Rick remained actively involved in various orchid clubs wherever he was based. He retired from banking five years ago to focus full-time on running a nursery business - Pacific Beach Orchids in Welcome Creek, just outside Bundaberg, Qld.
Rick is a past President and Treasurer of the Toowoomba Orchid Society and is currently a member of the Bundaberg Orchid Society. With over 30 years of experience as an orchid judge, he has judged shows throughout much of Queensland and continues to do so today.
Specialising in the Vanda family of orchids, Rick’s nursery also features a wide range of Cattleya and Catasetum varieties.
Peter Young
Peter Young grew up in Maroochydore and Coolum Beach in the 50s & 60s.
Peter’s horticultural interest started at age seven growing veggies with his Pop in his backyard. Peter also became very keen & inspired with orchids because of a magnificent specimen of Dendrobium aphyllum syn (pierardii) growing wild in a huge red cedar tree on his parents’ cane farm at Coolum Beach.
Peter joined as a junior member North Coast Orchid Society, Nambour, 1963-65 where he learnt the basics of growing orchids from then members Aub Coombes, Jack Harrison, Graham Willesdorf and Jess McClintock.
Peter was educated at Nambour HS and Gatton College in the 1960s after which he joined QDPI in 1968-80 as Horticulture Extension Officer.
Peter established Birdwood Nursery wholesale fruit trees in 1978 which was his principal interest and focus until sale of the nursery and retirement in 2015.
Since retirement Peter rejoined Nambour Orchid Society and later Maroochydore Orchid Society and has managed to successfully grow Phalaenopsis orchids and has given a few talks sharing knowledge at orchid societies throughout SE Qld.