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.
Hendrika Kwan
Hendrika caught orchid fever while growing up in Singapore at the age of 18, following a failed tropical fish hobby venture. She saw the potential for a long-term career in orchids and horticulture due to the strong demand for orchid cut flowers. Her journey led her to be mentored by iconic Singaporean breeders such as Koh Keng Hoe, How Wai Ron and Law Moi Hwa, who were generous in sharing tips and information about orchid culture and breeding.
This inspired her to study horticulture at the University of Queensland, Gatton, in her 20s. She returned to Singapore to begin her career, where a major highlight was serving as the final curator of Singapore’s oldest orchid garden, Mandai Orchid Garden. Although the garden eventually closed, its spirit lives on in her work. In 2015, she returned to Brisbane with a vision of preserving vintage and historical orchid varieties.
She now runs her own small landscape gardening business with a focus on orchids, gradually moving into horticultural therapy. One of her recent accomplishments is graduating from the Orchid Judging Course in 2024. Her favourite orchids are Sun Vandas, also known as Papilionanda, and related genera.
Inspired by her tenure as the final curator of the Mandai Orchid Garden, Hendrika envisions a rebirth of the garden’s concept in Southeast Queensland. This new space will celebrate significant orchids and the individuals who shaped modern orchid hybrids. Her presentation will outline a vision for an event venue that includes an orchid centre, showcasing a diverse collection of plants, art, literature and more — honouring the lives and contributions of orchid enthusiasts and plant experts. The project aims to share their stories with a wide audience, both locally and internationally.
For more information on her orchid work, visit her Facebook page: The Orchid History Project.
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.
Peter will talk about plant nutrition.
Charlie Truscott
Originally from Townsville, I have been growing orchids for approximately 37 years. During that time, my plants have received many awards, including four FCCs (First Class Certificates) for four different genera from the AOC, as well as two Australian Orchids of the Year and three Queensland Orchid of the Year awards.
I have been an orchid judge for many years and a student judge trainer.
I’ve received numerous awards for my Dendrobium canaliculatum crosses in North Queensland and have loved growing them for their small, compact size and prolific flowering. Some plants have produced up to 19 flower spikes.
With my canaliculatum crosses, I’ve won Grand Champion at the TQOC Conference in North Queensland three times.
I joined the Nambour club in July 2024 and would like to share some of my knowledge with members of the local clubs.