About Us

Bamboo Land - History

The original bamboo man Klas Nilsson (1993)

Bamboo is all things to some people and some things to all people.
Chinese proverb

With sayings like this, it's no wonder that we want to know more about this plant. The origin of Bamboo Land is based on exactly that curiosity.

Bamboo Land was started as a hobby by Klas Nilsson in 1990 on a riverfront property purchased in 1987. The property used to be a citrus orchard which was abandoned by the former owner several years before. To Klas Nilsson, it became a question of "ok, so I have the land - now what am I going to do with it?" The very first bamboos and original inspiration was a couple of clump divisions of Bambusa Multiplex and Bambusa Balcoa. Over the years, more and more species have been added to the collection and the once neglected land land transformed into the tropical paradise and fascination that Bamboo Land is today. The original property remains to this day the original home of Bamboo Land. Bamboo Land now has a collection of over 100 species of the world's finest clumping bamboo varieties. In recent years, Bamboo Land has also been collecting a large range of gingers and heliconias, as a way of complementing the bamboo and providing a colourful addition to the display gardens.

In 2006, Klas's son Janne Nilsson, joined the family business. A few turns in Janne's career path led him from his career as an Engineer, to carpenter and builder and now to bamboo nurseryman. Having grown up around bamboo, bamboo is nothing strange to him. A few years after, Janne took over the business leaving his Father to enjoy his well deserved retirement* (*retirement is not really a well chosen word when speaking about Klas - he always keeps busy, with his latest past-time being cutting and polishing gem stones and gold fossicking. He is also the go-to 'Mr-Fix-It' for anything around Bamboo Land that needs repair).

In 2009, Janne met Tarissa Beilby (now Tarissa Nilsson), who soon after took charge of the retail side of the business. Tarissa comes from a strong nursery background, having worked in numerous garden centres and tree farms around QLD - plants are her passion!

In 2011, Bamboo Land bought the neighbouring riverfront 10 acre property, doubling the size of the gardens and allowing room for expansions which are now underway. Bamboo Land is currently in the process of building a new purpose built retail garden centre, featuring a reasonably large cafe with serving area overlooking the Burrum River. It is expected that these expansions be open in 2025.

Anyone who has been exposed to the wonderful world of bamboos would understand that bamboo can become somewhat of an addiction. This addiction has taken a tight hold on everyone at Bamboo Land- it becomes a part of everyday life.