TULIP TIME 2008 TO SHINE LIGHT & COLOUR ON DEPRESSION & MENTAL ILLNESS

Tulip Time has become Australia’s oldest and most beautiful flora festival. Now in its 47th year, Tulip Time will commence Thursday 25 September and conclude Wednesday 8 October. Tulip Time will showcase a spectacular display of over 100,000 tulips and 25,000 annuals in Corbett Gardens, Bowral and some of the best private gardens in Australia. Former, Southern Highlands resident and media personality Maggie Tabberer will be this year’s Tulip Time Ambassador and help promote the festival both domestically and internationally.

Tulip Time 2008 has this year partnered with the Black Dog Institute to promote the theme of mental illness and depression. TULIP TIME WILL SHINE LIGHT AND COLOUR ON DEPRESSION AND MENTAL ILLNESS! Special guest and former Olympian swimmer, John Konrads will be speaking in Corbett Gardens about his experience living with a mental illness. Corbett Gardens will feature two magnificent display gardens depicting the Black Dog’s logo not in paint but in masses of tulips.

Margaret Olley, Australia’s most prized still life painter has kindly donated a commissioned painting of orange parrot tulips to be auctioned at the Tulip Time Gala Dinner to raise funds for Tulip Time and the Black Dog Institute. Limited prints will be available for $50 during Tulip Time. Margaret Olley said, “depression which includes alcoholism is so common and the Black Dog Institute does a wonderful job helping people and I am very pleased to be able to support this cause”. The Black Dog Institute’s mission is to advance the understanding, diagnosis and management of mood disorders by raising awareness, clinical research, education and training standards.

The Southern Highlands community will directly benefit from its association with the Black Dog Institute with the establishment of, two new Mood Assessment Program Centres (MAP) to open in Bowral and Mittagong to help doctors diagnose mental illness more effectively.

Also supporting this year’s Tulip Time Festival is the Sydney Cycling Club, who will have over 100 riders undertaking a ride from Centennial Park, Sydney to Bowral (via Macquarie Pass) on Saturday 27 September, to be part of the Tulip Time Street Parade in Bowral. ‘The Black Dog Challenge’ cycle ride will directly raise the awareness of mental illness whilst raising valuable funds for the Black Dog Institute to continue research into this often misunderstood illness.

The highlight of the Tulip Time Festival will culminate in the staging of the Tulip Time Gala Dinner on Saturday 27 September at the Mittagong RSL Club. Bookings are essential and should be directly to the Club on 02 4871 1411.