AusBonsai

Open to all Australian bonsai artists, the Bonsai Open is an annual premier “Australian” bonsai competition.

To ensure exceptional bonsai are exhibited alongside the Central Coast Bonsai Club’s annual show, a significant prize pool is being offered:
1st Place $3,000
2nd Place $1,000
3rd Place $ 500
Best Australian native tree bonsai $ 500 + $200 Native yamadori voucher from “Tree Makers”

Refer to the attached Guideline and Entry Form for application details.

A superb display of bonsai, demonstrations (Tony Bebb, Andrew Edge and Hugh Grant), vendor sales areas, club members & guest sales tables, raffles and sponsor sales tables are sure to draw large crowds of bonsai enthusiasts.

Accommodation (Discounted prices & complimentary bus transport to and from the venue) will be announced shortly.

So….be part of the fun and enter a tree, or two, or three……….

If you do not intend to enter a tree, make sure you pencil the date in your calendar, - it’s a “date not to be missed”.


Proudly brought to you by the Central Coast Bonsai Club
(Bonsai Society of the Central Coast Inc)

Excellent idea, I've already put 7 September into my diary.

Wow, that sounds like fun. I'll be there for sure.

That's great, ok to share this with Qld clubs?

Hi Watto
Thanks for your interest and diary note. I think you "Goulburnites" sometimes travel in a car convoy, but if you garner enough support, there is heaps of bus parking available.
Not only is the bitumen available in the red marked areas, but there is also a fair bit of grass if it comes to that.
The Mingara club is without doubt the best on the Central Coast and will rank with literally anything in Australia. Great restaurants and facilities.

Hi MelBrackstone,
Absolutely….please share with the Qld clubs.
We will share info shortly with as many clubs as we can.

Compared to Watto, coming from Qld you may be interested in nearby accommodation, some of which included free shuttle bus connection to / from the Mingara club. We will be advising details shortly.

We are in process of finalising a diverse, interesting and relevant range of vendors in addition to the normal type that will be found at Bonsai shows.

The idea is to promote the fantastic art of bonsai and increase awareness within the wider community.

To do so we are hoping to get a significant number of applications / entrants from outside our club. So far we have a few, but are hoping for an awful lot more….

Thanks for your support also Rory.

Regards
Steve

Cheers Steve!

Hi There

What a fantastic idea of possibly bringing some awesome bonsai out of hiding that some people own that may not be in clubs

Hi,
We now have entries rolling in for the Bonsai Open which is fantastic news – thanks to those who have already entered.

The hall we are using is extremely large, so don’t hold back on your entries.

Separately, we have been approached to confirm that owner confidentiality will be maintained for all tree entries.

Please refer to attached Entry guidelines (Clause 2) and we trust this satisfies any concerns.

Regards
Steve

Hi Everyone
The Bonsai Open is shaping up to be a great event with the opportunity to see some fantastic bonsai and purchase your bonsai needs from a variety of vendors (details to be announced in the coming week)

The exhibition hall is massive, so if you would like to enter the competition and have a chance to win one of the significant cash prizes, there are only 4 weeks remaining until entries close.

1st Place $3,000
2nd Place $1,000
3rd Place $ 500
Best Australian native tree bonsai $ 500 + $200 Native yamadori voucher from “Tree Makers (Hugh Grant)”


To enter, take a couple of photos, complete the attached form and send an email.

Application is free. If your application is accepted there will be a $20 administration cost.

That’s all you have to do until September………..

Some people have asked who will be judging the competition……It will be Tony Bebb, so it will be impartial and based on a huge amount of experience.

So get cracking, take some photos and send your application form(s) to us.

Regards
Steve

Hi,
Just a quick update ….. there are only three weeks remaining to enter your trees in the Bonsai Open.

All you have to do is take a couple of photos, complete the entry form and email it to: bonsaiopen@centralcoastbonsai.org.au

You have to be in it to win it….

Accommodation
A diverse range of accommodation is available on the Central Coast with many offering 5 star experiences. However, there are a couple of economical alternatives close to the venue as shown in the attached brochure.

The Mingara Recreation club has kindly offered to pick up and return Bonsai Open guests who stay at any of the nominated accommodation venues. Re-Potting
Several people have expressed their intention to repot their tree entry prior to the show - in other words the tree as photographed in your application will be different at the time of exhibition. That’s OK – just mention it at the time you enter the tree.

I don't know if my tree is good enough to enter
During the Melbourne convention last week, the most common comment made by people was “I don't know if my tree is good enough to enter”.

As individuals we all have that concern. We encourage you to put it to one side….the only way to be sure is to enter the show and see how you stack up against those trees entered on the day.

So get cracking, take some photos and send your application form(s) to us.

Regards
Steve

What a brilliant opportunity for Australian bonsai!
Well done to the Central Coast Bonsai Club and especially to the organising committee.
I'm really looking forward to this event and I hope that everyone on the East Coast gets involved and submits some bonsai. With participation from the bonsai community I'm sure this will go on to become an annual event and will be instrumental in helping elevate bonsai in Australia.

Regards,
Steven

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick reminder that there is only two weeks left until entries close (15 June).
Looking forward to this competition, it should give all contestants a good feel for how their tree is performing.

Regards
Steve

Hi
If you are considering entering the Bonsai Open and taking home a bucket load of cash, there is only 1 Public Holiday and five (5) subsequent days to take a couple of photos, fill out a simple form and email it to us.

Bonsai Open Entries close 5pm on 15 Jun 2019.

Why not be part of what must be the first club competition of its kind in Australia.

It would be pretty sad to see you visit and realise your tree would beat the winning tree hands down and you miss out on the prize money......

Contact me if you have any queries, otherwise get your entry in soon

Regards
Steve

Bonsai Open entries have closed and you will be able to view approximately 150 beautiful bonsai on 7th September.

It is going to be a full and interesting day as follows:
9am Exhibition opens in “Showroom”
9.30am – 12.30pm Tony Bebb demonstration in “Tasman Room”
12.30pm – 2.00pm Hugh Grant** demonstration in “Tasman Room”
2.00pm – 3.30pm Andrew Edge** demonstration in “Tasman Room”
3.45pm Raffles drawn
4.00pm Auction – Tony Bebb, Hugh Grant & Andrew Edge demonstration trees
4.15pm People Choice Winner Announced
5.00pm Exhibition closes

** During Andrew & Hugh’s demonstrations, Tony Bebb will provide a critique of some of the beautiful trees.

All day there will be sales from the following vendors:

• Ray Nesci Nursery

• Bonsai Ceramics (pottery by Denise Allen)

• Tree Makers (Hugh Grant)

• Mudlark Pottery (Penny Davis)

• Ken Poole - Akadama, Kanuma and Pumice substrate sales

• Club members sales table

Demonstration material has been sourced from Ray Nesci bonsai nursery and depending on the demonstrator’s choices may include:
• An extremely mature advanced black pine
• A very mature Juniper squamate “Prostrata”
• A mature Juniper procumbens “Nana” as outlined in the following photographs.

One of the demonstrations will likely be a Saikei (landscape setting) – more on that later.

Some examples of the raw demonstration material are:
Demonstrations are included in the $3 entry fee and you may come and go throughout the day as you wish.

We will include more details as we get closer to the event date.

For those clubs contemplating bus transport, please remember that the Mingara parking area is enormous and you will not have issues parking buses.

I hope to see you there – it is going to be an exciting and enjoyable event.

Regards
Steve

Great demo material!
The Bonsai Open is shaping up to be something spectacular. I'm really looking forward to it

Regards,
Steven