James Sing

Experienced plant enthusiast with deep knowledge of tropical plants and a passion for sharing botanical knowledge. Skilled in landscaping and horticulture, with a long history of building extensive rare plant collections. Effective public speaker with over 25 years of experience as a lecturer on various subjects. Highly skilled graphic designer with proven talent in creating marketing and educational materials. Excited to leverage an extensive existing network of plant contacts to build collections and help improve the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Strong work ethic and a passion and proven record for contributing to the community. Continuously motivated to expand knowledge in botany and horticulture, eager to make a meaningful impact in this role.

• Was selected and contracted by the Cairns Botanic Gardens to do a full censor of all its back-of-house shade houses. Apart from identifying and counting plants, was asked to recommend how they should be used in the garden.
• Due to my recommendations of plant choice and price structure, increased the Friends of the Botanic Gardens Wednesday trolley sales by about 400% and the large tri-annual sales' revenue record from $4,000 to $13,000 in a two year period.
• Opened and built up an award-winning Australian themed restaurant group in Shanghai in 2007 and sold it to the Modern Media Group, China's second biggest private media company.
• Won the Wine Australia International Wine List Award four times. In our fifth year a Hall of Fame award was created for us so that other venues had a chance of winning the wine list award.
• Won the 2010 Austrade Business Promotion Award at the Westpac Austcham Australia-China Business Awards.
• Organised and hosted a fundraising event in Shanghai in 2011 to raise money for the victims of the 2011 Queensland flood. The event raised $150,000. The Australian ambassador stated that it was the largest gathering of Australian expats ever organised by a private individual.
  

Friends of the Botanic Gardens 03/2018 to present

• Committee member since December, 2022.
• Gardeneer member since March, 2018.
• Identifies plants that have potential demand in the gardening community, propagates them, and sells them at weekly sales and large event sales to raise money for the Cairns Botanic Gardens.
• Designs and creates marketing material for sales.
• Designs and creates informational materials including over nine hundred plant profile cards and posters.
• Has sourced rare plants for the gardens over the past six years.

Cairns and District Chinese Association Inc.  01/2018 to present

• Committee member since November 2018.
• Vice-president since November 2020.
• One of the main organisers for the Cairns Chinese New Year celebrations on the Esplanade.
• Manager and trainer of the CADCAI Lion Dancing team since January, 2019.
• Researches Chinese history of Far North Queensland.
• Conducts talks on Chinese history of the area and Chinese culture to the public, including local schools and museums.
• CADCAI's MC of choice for all events.
• Creates content for the monthly newsletter and social media platforms.

Innisfail Historical Society 03/2019 to present

• Conducts talks on Chinese history of the area.

Tully 100 07/2023 to 07/2024

• Conducted talks on Chinese history of the area.
• Researched prominent Chinese members of the community and created information displays for the local library.

• Aroid Society of Australia
• Cairns and District Chinese Association Inc.
• Friends of the Botanic Gardens
• Heliconia International Society
• Innisfail Historical Society
• International Cordyline Society
• Mission Beach Historical Society
• Palm and Cycad Society of Australia
• Queensland Begonia Society
• Tully Horticulture Club