About Us
Hi, I’m Chelsea 🌿
Plants weren’t actually my grand master plan… but business always was.
I grew up in a family of business owners. My parents, my sisters, and my grandparents all ran their own ventures, so building something of my own was never really a question of if, just what.
My grandparents played a big role in shaping that world for me. They owned one of Queensland’s early wholesale nurseries, and my grandfather in particular lived and breathed nature his entire life. He was a vet, worked on initiatives supporting Indonesian rainforest conservation, helped preserve Bill Mollison’s original permaculture farm, and ran pot stores supplying growers across Australia.
At the time I didn’t realise how much of that would rub off on me. But looking back, he’s absolutely where my green thumb comes from.
Ironically, teenage me still couldn’t have been less interested in plants. My dad used to pick me up from school in the trucks and I'd whinge couldn't he pick me up where we couldn't be seen?! It's social suicide!
Fast forward to my early twenties. I bought my first plant and fell completely down the rabbit hole and had to swallow my pride when I told my family I actually loved it and could have potentially been just a spoilt teenager sorrrrry. I was living in Dubbo at the time and the plant scene felt a bit uninspiring. Nothing available matched the creative energy I wanted.
But I’ve always loved building things online. Back in the MySpace and Piczo days I was that kid making websites for fun. So I started playing around again, photographing plants with my roommate and listing them online just to see what would happen.
That experiment accidentally turned into Western Jungle Co the first online nursery in our state that wasn't Ebay ... and potentially Australia from what was around at that time before covid.
Our first online drop sold out.
So naturally… I kept going. We where getting enquiries around Aus and I was only 22 with no idea of the concept I'd created.
Alongside building the business, I completed my horticulture qualifications so the passion was backed by real plant science and industry knowledge from watching my family before me. That combination still drives how I source, grow, and teach today. I've learnt a lot of lessons as I've grown up alongside my business. When covid hit and my model started getting duplicated I was devastated but at 31 I wish I could go back in time and tell myself how much of an honour it is to create something people want to join in on and develop further. We are a far cry from the only online nursery now- but there was a time.
Life eventually brought me to Cairns, and after relocating I repeated the model under Northern Jungle Co — and watched it grow again. Over time the journey expanded:
🌿 Western Jungle Co evolved into a physical store run with my parents
🌿 Eastern Jungle Co launched in Brisbane
🌿 Northern Jungle Co continued developing in Far North Queensland
Running multiple operations taught me exactly where I thrive as a business owner. When circumstances shifted, I didn’t see consolidation as loss — I saw opportunity.
Instead of spreading thin across locations, I pivoted toward investing in infrastructure and property so we could fully expand and stabilise in FNQ. That decision led to securing industrial space where plants could move efficiently each week and the business could grow intentionally.
That evolution became what you see today:
The Jungle Plant Co
This business reflects how I love to work — hands-on, personal, creative, and community driven. I enjoy helping people succeed with plants, teaching practical knowledge, and making greenery accessible whether you’re a collector or someone convinced they can’t keep anything alive.
I’m far more interested in connection, education, and joyful spaces than building a retail empire. Cairns and our plant community mean the world to me, and I genuinely love showing up here every day. There is nothing better to me then lighting a scented candle in a room full of plants and logging in to talk to my plant people.
When I’m not in the jungle, I’m usually with my dogs, my friends, or dreaming up the next colourful idea.
Thanks for being part of this wild ride, it's been 9 years let's see what 10 brings! 💚
Chelsea
Founder, The Jungle Plant Co
