What was it all about?

This investment provided the Australian nursery industry with reliable information on production, employment, business performance, market channels and industry trends.  

Over five years, the project collected data from 1,435 production nursery surveys, creating a detailed picture of how the industry is performing and changing over time. It also demonstrated the nursery industry's ongoing economic importance, with annual production values exceeding $2 billion.  

Greenlife Industry Australia, Down To Earth Research and ACIL Allen conducted annual industry surveys between 2020/21 and 2024/25. Results were also validated with retail nurseries and landscape businesses to strengthen confidence in the findings. Alongside annual statistics reports, the investment provided growers with practical tools and resources, including a benchmarking tool, facts at a glance publications, data validation reports, industry trend analysis, webinars and an interactive online dashboard for exploring industry data.  

Access to accurate national data has long been a challenge for the nursery industry. By providing trusted information, the project has given growers and other stakeholders greater confidence when planning, investing and making business decisions. The benchmarking tool also helps businesses compare their performance against industry averages and identify opportunities for improvement.