Myhorizon’s team of gardeners have been the driving force behind the prettification of the Cleveland Cemetery in recent months in preparation for the reinterment ceremony for Warrant Officer Class II Kevin George Conway.
Officer Conway, a Wellington Point local who became the first Australian Officer to be killed in action during the Vietnam War on 6 July 1964, was today returned to Australia and laid to rest in his native home of Redland City. Officer Conway’s family, military officials, political dignitaries, chaplains, and members of the public were all in attendance to pay their respects to the fallen soldier.
For our gardeners, the last few months have involved meticulously replanting, weeding, barking and mulching the gardens, as well as laying and maintaining the lawns to prepare the cemetery grounds for the special occasion.
Supervisors of our gardening service, Anne Blakeway and Gary Toovey said our team had shown great dedication to the task of revitalising the graveyard, the maintenance contract for which they secured earlier in the year.
“We have a committed team of 11 people and we all take pride in the work we do. Attending the ceremony this morning it was so rewarding for everyone involved to see the difference we had made to the cemetery over the preceding months. It was wonderful to have transformed the grounds so that they were befitting of such an important event,” Ms Blakeway said.
Anne-Maree Sankey, Project Officer at Redland City Council, said she couldn’t have been more pleased by the talented team of green thumbs.
“The cemetery looks fabulous! I was there to get a photo of the plot beforehand and I could not believe the difference!” she said.
Ms Sankey said a representative from the Canberra War Graves and the family of Officer Conway had visited the cemetery last month and were also impressed by the site’s appearance.
Myhorizon’s gardening enterprise Horizon Horticulture has been working in partnership with Redland City Council since 2009. We will maintain our contract with Cleveland Cemetery into the near future.
