Governor-General David Hurley opens Longreach's centenary garden

General Hurley, accompanied by his wife Linda, opened the Longreach Centenary Garden at the Powerhouse Museum as well as visiting the Longreach School of Distance Education, the local scouting group, and breakfasting with the region's first responders.

He said Longreach was a part of the country they'd been hoping to get to for some time.

"So much of Longreach's rich history is right here in this precinct," he said, acknowledging the disasters that had impacted the community in the distant and recent past.

Saying they would be meeting with people involved in fighting the bushfires on the Western Downs on Thursday and expressing condolences for those who had lost their lives, General Hurley said what he had observed of communities dealing with fire, flood, drought or cyclone made him optimistic for the future of the country.

"That might seem a strange comment given the challenges our nation faces at the present time and the tough time we've had over the last few years," he said.

"But as we saw in the immediate aftermath of previous natural disasters, our communities are strong.

"We see people who are kind and compassionate, who are gritty and determined, who are there for each other in the tough times, and the good times, like this evening's celebration.

"Those are the qualities that I think define us as a nation and that make me optimistic for the future of our country."

He said the sensory garden was a fine example of inclusivity, being accessible to all, whether they were wheelchair-bound, hearing or vision impaired, have anxiety or dementia, or just wanted a lovely place to sit.

The garden, on the site of Longreach's original swimming baths and beside an early flowing bore, was conceived for the Powerhouse centenary two years ago, but was delayed thanks to the COVID pandemic.

Longreach Regional Council mayor Tony Rayner said the Longreach Historical and Archival Group had always wanted a garden to complement the "best kept secret in Australia".

"We got some funding and finished it this year," he said. "The garden is a beautiful mix of sensory and audio touches, mostly native plants, and includes a scar tree that once stood on the Crossmoor Road but which had blown over and was in danger of being burnt or eaten by white ants."

General Hurley said the powerhouse, which first generated power from the site in 1921, was one of the first power stations in Australia to use gas to produce electricity for the town and surrounding areas

"As you can see, an incredible amount of thought and planning and work has gone into the construction and design of the garden. I commend all involved," he said.