Australia Day 2019: Des Whitby blooms as shire’s Senior Citizen of the Year

Thanks to Des, the roundabout gardens in Pambula village are always well tended, blooming and the pride of the town.

Whether it’s weeding, pruning, planting or watering, Des does most of the work and has been doing it since 1991!

When the roundabout was constructed, the plan was to make it all concrete. Des owned the local florist shop and suggested that if the roundabout was filled with dirt, he would maintain it as a garden.

Well, 28 years later and Des is still hard at work. He’s dedicated untold hours of volunteer work to making sure the main Pambula roundabout and the twelve corner gardens contribute to the charming aesthetic of the town. His contribution helps to make Pambula a pleasant place to live and visit and supports local businesses.

He re-plants the roundabout gardens three or four times a year and organises annual sponsorship from Pambula businesses for each of the corner gardens.

Des is a Pambula man, born and bred. He says he has a great love for Pambula and he enjoys making sure the village looks good for everyone to enjoy.