Spring Orchid Expo 2025

On the 6th and 7th of September 2025, the Nambour Orchid Society will be hosting the STOCQ Orchid Expo as part of their Platinum Jubilee at Venue 114 in Bokarina. This will be a wonderful opportunity for people interested in finding out more about orchids and how to grow and flower them.

The aim of the Expo is to bring orchids to people who would not otherwise see them. This will be a fantastic opportunity to view orchids native to Australia and exotic orchids from Asia, South America & other areas.

Please join us in 2025 for a weekend filled with breathtaking displays, community engagement and the chance to take home your own orchid! Let's make this a memorable event that honours the legacy of the Nambour Orchid Society and STOCQ and fosters a love for orchids among all visitors.

At the Expo

This year’s Expo will feature a huge variety of orchids and foliage, both for judging and for sale. There will be an arts & crafts display courtesy of Palmwoods Arts and Crafts, with many works available for purchase. Guest speakers will also be sharing their expertise on orchid care and cultivation. Cafe style refreshments will be available to purchase on the day.

To view the full list of vendors, click here.

For more about the guest speakers, click here.

Getting to the Expo

Making your way to the Sunshine Coast is easy, wherever your starting point. All major Australian airlines fly directly into the Sunshine Coast Airport at Maroochydore or, if you prefer to drive, the journey from Brisbane Airport is about 100km. 

Trains and buses also run daily from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast. If you’re planning on catching public transport please visit Translink Journey Planner to view available options.

The Expo is being held at Venue 114, 114 Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina, 4575. If you’re planning to drive to the event, parking is located behind the venue. Taxi/uber drop-offs are also welcome.

 

Bus Groups

Bus trips are most welcome. Any group that is planning on organising a bus, we would appreciate if you could notify us of the time and day you plan on visiting so our caterers can plan for your arrival.

To speed up your entry into the venue, ticket purchases can be organised ahead of time by emailing us here.

Exhibitor Information

Schedule

For anyone looking to exhibit plants for judging at this year’s event, the show schedule is available to view here.

Conference Dinner

A conference dinner will be held on Saturday night at the new Bli Bli Hotel. Please email us here for dinner bookings and details for direct deposit no later than Friday, 15th August 2025.

FAQs

  • The aim of the Expo is to bring orchids to people who would not otherwise see them. This will be a fantastic opportunity to view orchids native to Australia and exotic orchids from Asia, South America & other areas.

    The Sub-Tropical Orchid Council Queensland partner with an orchid society every three years to put together this exhibition.

    As Nambour Orchid Society is celebrating its 70th year in 2025, we were delighted to partner with STOCQ for this event, celebrating our anniversary and the beauty of orchids in a vibrant exhibition.

    This collaboration promises to showcase an incredible variety of orchids, highlighting both local Australian species and stunning exotic varieties from around the world.

    Attendees will have the chance to engage with expert growers, attend informative talks and participate in hands-on workshops. Our aim is not only to celebrate these remarkable flowers but also to inspire a greater appreciation for their diversity and ecological significance.

  • The Nambour Orchid Society is partnering with STOCQ to host the 2025 Spring Orchid Expo over two days on Saturday, 6th September & Saturday, 7th September 2025.

  • The Nambour Orchid Society Spring Orchid Expo 2025 is being held at Venue 114, 114 Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina.

  • The Sub-Tropical Orchid Council Qld was formed in 1967 by a group of Orchid growers who agreed that the area needed a governing body  to enable them to form a local judging panel. Queensland Orchid Society from Brisbane was the only Southern panel at that time. 

    Society representatives were invited by Dave English from Gympie to attend a picnic at Wappa Dam. This is where Sub-Tropical Orchid Council Qld (STOCQ) was formed. 

    The first official STOCQ meeting was held at Palmwoods. Wally Upton from Brisbane spoke on Paphiopedilums & Pat Mann from Nambour on Pterostylis.

    Societies that joined to start the group off, were Caboolture, Caloundra, North Coast Orchid Society (Nambour), North Coast Native Orchid Society, Gympie, Maryborough & Bundaberg.

    QOS judges that belonged to societies in the newly formed STOCQ were Dave English (Gympie), Emily & Bill Williams (Maryborough), Jess McLintock (Caloundra), Athol Bennett (Maryborough), John Maughan (Bundaberg), Bill Patterson (Gympie), Lester Radcliffe (Caboolture), Brian Pearce ( Maryborough), Bill Matthews (Maryborough), Beatrice Vicini (Gympie), Graham Willisdorf (Nambour), Bert Richardson (Nambour), Ben Matthews (Caboolture) and Bill Alcorn ( Nambour)

    These people formed the first panel then set about training other members. Some Brisbane judges offered to assist, including Wally Upton and Les Lobley.

    Beryl Robertson from Nambour was the first judge who completed her training. 

  • Combined STOCQ affiliated societies applied to the Qld Government four years out from Expo 88 to host a show on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Expo. Permission was granted and three years out planning started. Meetings were held every week to plan this great event with a view to showcasing Orchid growing in Qld to the world. The show was held at Caloundra Cultural Centre.

    Societies in STOCQ at the time who participated were: Maroochydore, Noosa, Glasshouse, Hervey Bay,  North Coast(Nambour) Caboolture, Caloundra, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gympie and Bribie Island.

    This show was on at the same time as the Australian conference in Sydney, and was regarded as the biggest & best Orchid show ever held in Australia. Today, it is still is regarded as one the top shows Australia has ever had. It was the only part of Expo 88 held outside Brisbane.

    Some years later based on the success of Expo 88, STOCQ affiliates made a decision to hold an Orchid conference open to all growers in Australia hosted by one or more societies each time under the STOCQ banner. This is a large event attracting growers and visitors from all over Australia and is well supported by all STOCQ affiliated clubs. This was held every two years until 2004 when it was decided to hold the event every three years. This tradition still remains today. Most clubs volunteer to host if they have a special anniversary to celebrate.

    Shows that have been held are:

    • 96 Fraser Coast Maryborough, Hervey Bay 

    • 98 Caloundra, Maroochydore  

    • 2000 Coral Coast Bundaberg/Childers

    • 2002 Mountains to Coast (Glasshouse, Bribie, Caboolture)

    • 2004 Nambour, Gympie, Noosa  (NGN) Golden Sands to Golden Hills

    • 2007  Bribie 20th Anniversary Island Orchid Fantasy

    • 2010 Caloundra Golden Anniversary

    • 2013 Gympie Golden Orchid Spectacular

    • 2016 Nambour 60th Anniversary Diamond Festival of Orchids

    • 2019 (postponed due to Covid)

    • 2020 Rockhampton

    • 2023 Hervey Bay

    • 2025 Nambour Orchid Society 70th Anniversary