Homepage Latest News Archives - Page 26 of 36

Funds Ready for Richlands and Inala Parks

Brisbane City Council is moving forward with plans to develop or upgrade two parklands, located in Richlands and Inala, after the determination of the funds set for park recreation projects.

The Council’s committee for the environment, parks and sustainability revealed that nine suburban parks will be the priority, following a series of public consultations with residents in 2020.

In Richlands, a land area filled with just grass and trees will be turned into the Castamore Way Park. Located by the slope on Progress Road, Council has plans to level off the area to create a junior playground with plenty of green space for family picnics and trees for shade.

A sandstone block will also be built as a retaining wall against the tree line sitting on the top of the site. There are also plans to create a tree grove, which will serve as the entryway to the new park.

In Inala, a series of refurbishing and refreshing will be undertaken on Thrush Street Park since its facilities are quite old.

Last year, Council conducted a study on the feasibility of these suggestions below from the residents:

improve or install facilities such as picnic and barbecue areas, shelters and tables
create an area for informal sports games
improve pathways and connectivity in the park
upgrade the playground with new equipment
improve lighting
provide shade trees
improve park accessibility

Wade Fitzgerald, the Council’s manager for Major Projects and Asset Coordination, said that whilst there are many considerations for this existing park, the redevelopment’s focus will be on the larger playground.

This site could soon get its very own interactive water play area for children to enjoy. The addition of a rock and pebble stream will provide young residents a nature-based playground.

Mr Fitzgerald said that Council is setting aside $2.2 million for the playgrounds, $2.7 million for the facilities upgrades, $5.8 park development and $3 million for maintenance.

Apart from Richlands and Inala, these other Brisbane parks will also undergo development and upgrades:

Blackwood Street Park, Rochedale
Colmslie Beach Reserve, Murrarie
Gus Davies Park, Bald Hills
Grinstead Park, Shand Street Park, Corbett Street Park linking Enoggera, Alderly and Stafford
Keralgerie Park, Morningside

Woolworths’ New Distribution Centre In Heathwood Will Create Hundreds Of Jobs

Photo credit: Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner/Facebook

Woolworths, Australia’s biggest supermarket chain, commenced the construction of its $184m distribution centre in Heathwood in February 2021.

The goal of creating this new facility is to service 260 Queensland and northern NSW stores with chilled and frozen goods. Beyond delivering better service and fresher food to stores, Woolworths aims to take trucks off Brisbane’s roads, and create exciting new career opportunities for Queenslanders with this new development.

During construction, building works are expected to provide around 200 jobs and once done, is set to provide ongoing employment to around 300 Queenslanders.

“In these uncertain times, we need major job-creating projects that will create certainty in job opportunities and economic growth,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

About Heathwood Distribution Centre

Building proposal (Photo credit: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au)

Set to open in the first half of 2022, this facility will be temperature-controlled and will have three levels (ground and two mezzanine) “pick hall” for order assembly. Measuring 42,000 sqm, the facility will be equivalent to more than three times the size of the Suncorp Stadium playing field.

Hilton Foods Australia, which supplies meat throughout the UK, Western & Central Europe and Australia, will be co-located on the site. At full capacity, more than two million cartons a week will move through the Heathwood DC from more than 400 suppliers.

In a media release, Primary Connect general manager for Queensland Dale Acton said: “Over the next five years we plan to inject a total of $500 million into the Queensland economy across our store network and supply chain, e-commerce and shopping centre developments, creating more than 5000 new jobs.”

The company is also aiming to get the Green Building Council of Australia’s Five Star Green Star rating, with its major solar panel system on the roof and charge points for electric trucks.

This new distribution centre is Woolworths’ partnership with LOGOs, Brisbane City Council and Vaughan Constructions.

Forest Lake State School Scraps a Cherished Senior Class Tradition

A cherished and longstanding tradition for Year 6 students at Forest Lake State School will no longer be observed after the school administration decided to scrap senior shirts which have the full list of names of the students on the back.

In an email sent to parents of the senior students, the Forest Lake State School administration cited privacy, consent and inclusion as some of the deciding factors for doing away with this tradition.

The school explained the need to be conscious of protecting the identities of the students and realised that they have to get the parent or guardian’s consent before printing the names on the back of the shirt.

As for inclusivity, the school explained that completely scrapping the names will avoid feelings of alienation or not belonging to the community from the most vulnerable students, whose parents might not consent to have their names on the shirt.

A suggestion to use just the first names was also turned down because there are a number of Year 6 students with unique names and spelling, which would clearly identify their cultural background.

Some students have been disappointed with this decision, especially those who have older siblings from Forest Lake State School, as they have been looking forward to getting their Year 6 shirts.

One mother said that she understood that victims of domestic violence might prefer not to have their children’s names on the shirt but she also felt that rest of the school community shouldn’t “suffer” from this.

Another parent said that they were not consulted before the school administration made the call.

In place of the names, the school said that the Year 6 shirts will have a unique design that will serve as a valuable memento.

Turning the Screws on Crime with Forest Lake Men’s Shed’s New Event

A collaborative event between the police and members of the local Men’s Shed at Forest Lake, appropriately titled “Turning the Screws on Crime”, led to a total of 92 number plates being changed and secured with one-way screws.

Members and volunteers from the South Brisbane District Crime Prevention Unit worked alongside handymen from the Men’s Shed at Forest Lake on the 13th of February to secure a series of automobile number plates with one-way screws to prevent theft.

*Members of Forest Lake Men’s Shed* posing with handmade possum and bat boxes.
*Photo credit: Supplied*

“Turning the Screws on Crime” ran for a total of three hours, with 92 turnups all in all. Members of the Men’s Shed, in tandem with the police, worked hard under the sun to guarantee the safety of the Forest Lake populace. Fortunately, the event came with free food, as well as free coffee supplied by a coffee van from Cafe2U.

Cafe2U coffee van supplying attendants and volunteers
Photo credit: Facebook

What makes license plates a prime target for thieves is the fact that offenders can attach stolen plates to stolen cars, allowing them to drive through tolls, evade fines, and speed away after committing other crimes such as petrol drive-offs without being caught. All fines and offences will be traced to the victim, causing them a great deal of grief and difficulty.

With the installation of one-way screws, thieves are greatly deterred for they’ll have a significantly more difficult time trying to steal license plates from vehicles. With the event’s sizable turn-out, coupled with the presence of the police, many would-be offenders in Forest Lake would think twice.

Development Set for New Retail Centre with KFC in Richlands

A new retail centre with a separate KFC fast food restaurant will soon be developed at a large parcel of land in Richlands.

Located on 29 Garden Road and 205 Government Road, the project, designed by POWE Architects, will entail the construction of four single-story buildings, with a maximum height of 8.2 metres, in two stages.

Three of these buildings will be a mix of retail outlets and food and drink shops with several outdoor dining spaces, whilst KFC will take up the fourth building’s space fronting Garden Road. The layout presented for KFC includes a two-lane drive-thru section.

The retail centre will also have a pedestrian plaza, pedestrian crossings and an open car park for 78 vehicles, including four PWD spots.

“The proposed development has been architecturally designed with a lightweight and contemporary built form responsive to the site constraints and the location of the site,” the developers, Land Partners, stated in its submission. “The buildings are to be low-rise and highly articulated featuring a variety of skillion roof form, openings and doors and outdoor spaces with an extensive range of high-quality material and finishes”. “

Stage 1 of the project comprises the construction of KFC, which Council approved in mid-2020 (DA A005278387). Stage 2 (DA A005654380) covers the retail centre’s construction and is awaiting Council approval.

8 Sites Visited by the Mobile Library, Including Forest Lake

Did you know that the Council has a mobile library that visits eight spots across Brisbane, including Forest Lake, regularly? The custom-built vehicle provides locals access to a collection of more than 1.4 million books or magazines to read and DVDs to watch.

The mobile library does not require a membership so interested individuals may simply come down and browse, show their ID, sign up and check out a book. A librarian and staff drive and set up at these locations during the fixed schedules below:

SUBURB	LOCATION	OPENING HOURS *excluding public holidays
Aspley	Corner Gayford and Albany Creek Roads, Aspley	Monday fortnightly from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Bellbowrie	Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza carpark, off Birkin Road, Bellbowrie	Thursday weekly – 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Brighton	Decker Park car park, 25th Avenue, Brighton	Monday fortnightly from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Ellen Grove	Carole Park State School, 260 Waterford Road, Carol Park	Wednesday fortnightly from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Forest Lake	Forest Lake Village Shopping Centre, Forest Lake – outside Australia Post	Tuesday weekly – 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Manly West	Mayfair Village Shopping Centre, Manly Road, Manly West	Friday fortnightly from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Mt Crosby	outside Mt Crosby State School, Mt Crosby Road, Mt Crosby	Wednesday fortnightly from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The Gap	Ashgrove Golf Course main car park, 863 Waterworks Road, The Gap	Friday fortnightly from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Visitors may stay for the duration of the service as the mobile library has a covered deck, extension pod, a lift for wheelchairs and prams, solar panels, internet computers and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The Council’s mobile library has been by around since the 1970s and has had several incarnations. As before, the custom-built vehicle is a single aisle with ample lighting and works just like a typical city library, albeit smaller.

Ellume: Brisbane-Made COVID-19 Rapid Home Tests Delivered to the US

Ellume, the Brisbane-based biotech company with a facility in Richlands, has fulfilled its first shipment of COVID-19 home testing kits to the United States. The company aims to make 20 million testing kits for America, which has the highest number of cases in the world.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Steven Miles recently visited the Richland production laboratory, where more than 300 workers have been ramping the manufacturing process of 200,000 testing kits a day.

The government has helped fund Ellume under the Essential Goods and Supply Chain program, allowing the biotech firm to develop export quality testing kits and procure state-of-the-art equipment for its production line.

“The funds from the State Government will greatly assist in upscaling manufacturing to meet the growing demand for Ellume’s products, providing greater supply security,” Dr Sean Parsons, the company’s CEO and Founder said. “This is world-leading and life-saving diagnostic testing technology, created and manufactured right here in Queensland.”

In December, the diagnostic kit received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is the first of its kind to be granted the EUA in this pandemic.

“Ellume is another successful Queensland manufacturer rolling up its sleeves to fight the global pandemic and employing hundreds of Queenslanders to do so,” Mr Miles said. “We have the best manufacturers in Queensland, and we will always back them, as we continue our economic recovery and create jobs.”

After the U.S. deal, the company plans to expand its manufacture and distribution to Europe in late 2021 and has been exploring a partnership with another local company focused on medical diagnostic technology.

15 South Brisbane At-Risk Youth Graduate from QPS Boxing Program with Jeff Horn

The Queensland Police Service (QPS) held the graduation of 15 at-risk young people from its QPS boxing program with mentor, boxing champ Jeff Horn, on 22 Dec 2020 at the Police-Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) Inala.

Sergeant Jim Bellos, the South Brisbane District Bail Co-ordinator, advocated for this early intervention program, under the Community Based Crime Action Committees, to help vulnerable and disengaged young people develop their confidence, self-belief, health and fitness, and respect.

The highlight of the graduation was two exhibition fights with Horn against Senior Sergeant Virginia ‘Ferocious’ McLean, a First Nations elder from New South Wales, and Senior Constable Tom ‘Knuckles’ Archer, a Filipino-Australian war veteran.

Ferocious also gave an inspiring talk to the graduates about her experiences as a recovering alcoholic who became an accomplished policewoman in the Northern Territory Police Force. She said boxing helped her work hard on her physical and mental transformation.

“Even though I may be old, even though I might have put on a few kilos, today I have proven that if you train hard you can achieve anything,” Ferocious said.

Knuckles, on the other hand, discussed his recovery from depression and post traumatic stress disorder after his deployment in Afghanistan with a lot of help from the mental health organisation Maladjusted Monkeys.

On the ring, Knuckles joked that he really wanted to avenge Filipino boxer Manny Pacquio, whom Horn beat in 2017.

The ringside judges ruled both exhibition matches as a draw.

“It’s all in good fun and the kids and their families were certainly entertained,” Horn said.

The graduation was witnessed by Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd, District Officer South Brisbane District Chief Superintendent Bill Graham and Detective Superintendent Denzil Clarke.

Meanwhile, PCYC Inala offers boxing sessions every Monday through Friday. Boxing helps kids develop discipline, learn teamwork, and have fun.

Follow PCYCY Inala on Facebook for its various activities aimed at youth development.

Doolandella Neighbours Team Up to Sell Acreage Properties to Developers

A pair of neighbours from Doolandella have decided to team up to sell their acreage properties to interested developers, amidst the housing boom in Forest Lake and its surrounding suburbs.

Wally Wrona and Nora Cerneaz, the homeowners of 53 and 55 Crossacres Street, have agreed to list their land on the market together, offering more than 20,000 square metres of flood-free space primed for housing or other future developments.

After 30 years of living next to each other, Mr Wrona and Ms Cerneaz believe it’s time to pack up as the surroundings around them continue to change.

Ms Cerneaz said she doesn’t want to stay and witness more tearing down. Mr Wrona, on the other hand, understands that their combined lands could be valuable to a community as it’s near all the conveniences of a burgeoning residential hub.

In the last few years, 21 new houses were built on the hectare block next to Mr Wrona’s property. He said that both his land and Ms Cerneaz’s site will really help with the volume housing developers are looking for.

According to realestate.com.au, their lands are conveniently accessible to:

Richlands railway station is 10 mins drive
TAFE Qld Inala campus and nearby shopping Plaza
Brisbane CBD accessible by motorway in under 40 minutes
Serviceton South State School (3 minutes)
Oxley Bunnings or the Home Superstore (9 minutes)
Forest Lake recreational parks and shopping centres
Logan motorway & Centenary Highway entry points
Springfield Orion shopping & commercial centres

Mr Wrona lived on Crossacres Street since the 1980s. The son of Polish World War II immigrants, his family is friends with the Palaszczuks. Ms Cerneaz’s family, on the other hand, acquired their Doolandella property in the 1990s after leaving Texas.

Inala Art Gallery Presents ‘Collections 2020’ from Year 11 and 12 Students

Year 11 and Year 12 students from the Forest Lake State High School and the Glenala State High School have come together to collaborate on an art showcase at the Inala Art Gallery.

For the second year in a row, the students are presenting their 2D, 3D and other media works in “Collections 2020.” They used their creative talents to express and reflect on this challenging year.

The students hope that this will be an annual collaboration to strengthen and grow the local community’s creative industry.

Collections 2020 opened on 27 Nov 2020 but the affair didn’t have an official opening ceremony due to the pandemic. However, for anyone interested in discovering emerging talents and sharing in the success of these students, the free exhibit will run until 30 Jan 2021.

Inala Art Gallery is open every Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The staff will take a holiday break from 17 Dec 2020 to 12 Jan 2021. Phone (07) 33728208 before your visit.

Members of the gallery recently elected a new committee following its soft re-opening post-COVID in June.

“The first thing to be faced was to make the Gallery an attractive workspace which has appeal to exhibitors, visitors, classes and the community generally. With these goals largely achieved, now it is time not only to maintain what has been gained but to look ahead to the next stages in making Inala Art Gallery the place to be in 2020/2021,” Rowena Solomon, the new president said.