On Monday, 7 November 2011, Glen McGrath from the McGrath Foundation, Matt Kilby from Global Land Repair, Aboriginal Elders Beverly Hand and Agnes Shea and breast care nurse Kerryn Ernst joined Ms Gai Brodtmann MP, Member for Canberra, in planting two Bunya trees in the Bunya pine forest at the National Arboretum Canberra. ACT Minister for Women Ms Joy Burch MLA officiated at the ceremony.
The planting of these trees marked the creation of 'Plant Pink Friendship', a partnership between the McGrath Foundation and Global Land Repair which will raise funds for specialist breast care nurses to support women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Matt Kilby presented Glen McGrath with a cheque to go towards providing more specialty nurses.
The two Bunya trees planted represented the last two breast care nurses placed around Australia. The Bunya pine is a species native to two small populations in south eastern Queensland. Although it is not considered to be a threatened species it has been a sacred tree for the indigenous people for a long time and its conservation is important.