{"id":12409,"date":"2025-07-30T09:25:31","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T23:25:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/?p=12409"},"modified":"2025-07-31T12:55:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T02:55:17","slug":"tpch-new-gathering-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/news\/tpch-new-gathering-garden","title":{"rendered":"New Gathering Garden opens at TPCH to support healing and connection"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-stretch fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:89.44rem;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column fusion-flex-align-self-stretch\" style=\"--awb-padding-top:20px;--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><h1>New Gathering Garden opens at TPCH to support healing and connection<\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_12411\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12411\" class=\"wp-image-12411 size-fusion-600 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo-600x331.jpg\" alt=\"Staff, Elders and community members at the official opening of the new Gathering Garden.\" width=\"600\" height=\"331\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo-200x110.jpg 200w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo-266x147.jpg 266w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo-300x166.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo-400x221.jpg 400w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo-600x331.jpg 600w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo-768x424.jpg 768w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo-800x442.jpg 800w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-group-photo.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/331;\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12411\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Staff, Elders and community members at the official opening of the new Gathering Garden.<\/p><\/div>\n<h4>A new outdoor garden space recently opened at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH), is providing a culturally safe place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers, families and communities to rest, connect and heal while at the hospital.<\/h4>\n<p>The new Gathering Garden was formally opened during National Reconciliation Week with a traditional Smoking Ceremony performed by Aboriginal Elder Aunty Kathryn Fisher, on behalf of the Turrbal People of Brisbane.<\/p>\n<p>TPCH staff, Elders and community members attended the opening, reinforcing TPCH\u2019s commitment to caring, connecting and strengthening community, culture and Country, while delivering holistic, culturally appropriate care to patients from across Queensland.<\/p>\n<p>The Gathering Garden, delivered as part of TPCH Expansion Project, was developed in consultation with landscape architects, Elders, staff and community and complements the existing Healing Garden.<\/p>\n<p>It will serve as a place for cultural ceremonies and practices, including Sorry Business, Sad News and bereavement.<\/p>\n<p>TPCH Indigenous Health Liaison Officer Nicola Carkeet said the new Gathering Garden provides a comfortable place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and families away from clinical areas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe garden offers a safe outdoor space for patients to reflect and connect, beyond their treatments,\u201d said Nicola.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s about acknowledging and respecting culture, and coming together on Country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The opening ceremony coincided with this year\u2019s National Reconciliation Week theme, Bridging Now to Next, which reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future.<\/p>\n<p>All who visit the space are reminded to remain respectful of cultural practices and provide time and space for healing.<\/p>\n<p>The Gathering Garden, located beside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services building, stands as a lasting symbol of TPCH\u2019s ongoing work to support reconciliation, cultural safety and community connection.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12410\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12410\" class=\"wp-image-12410 size-fusion-600 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-225x150.jpg 225w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/07\/tpch-gathering-garden.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/400;\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12410\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gathering Garden with shaded seating, sandstone blocks and a central artwork, creating a space for cultural reflection.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The new Gathering Garden at The Prince Charles Hospital offers a culturally safe space for rest, reflection and connection to Country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":12410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,1473],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-tpch-redev-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/77"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12409"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12426,"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12409\/revisions\/12426"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/tpch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}