Find out what’s happening in Forest Lake this week.
Wednesday, 12 July 2017 (6:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.)
Origin 3: The Decider
Photo Credit: Forest Lake Hotel/Facebook
Colour yourself maroon and enjoy a $40 drinks package. The offer is inclusive of half a kilo of wings, three hours of beers and wine, waitresses in bikinis, raffles, and a QLD jersey giveaway.
Business Booster Breakfast – Increase Sales, Revenue and Profit
Photo Credit: Featured image from http://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out
Connect with corporate movers and shakers to expand or boost “yourself, your business or your organisation.” This business breakfast aims to help you see an improvement from your business tax return this financial year.
Photo Credit: Featured image from http://www.aroundyou.com.au/whats-on
The new Aveo Durack retirement community home has been opened. They’re inviting everyone in for an afternoon of delicious food, wine, cheese, and other special treats. Don’t forget to bring along your families and friends!
Got any plans yet for the upcoming school holiday? For residents of Forest Lake and nearby areas, the Brisbane City Council (BCC) has come up with a “Chill Out” program. This is a set of FREE recreation activities for young people aged 10 to 17-years-old, that will have them spending time in the cool, great outdoors. Here is a rundown of activities for two full days of fun, fun, fun!
Fitness Bootcamp
An active and healthy lifestyle should start at a young age.Photo Credit: Featured image from https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
For the active youth and those aspiring to be active, prepare those rubberized mats and get sweaty during the “Fitness Bootcamp” on 26 June (Monday) at 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The “high and low intensity interval training” is guaranteed to kick-start your energy and keep you pumped throughout the day.
Attendees will also get to do “bootcamp type” activities in this hour-long fitness session. Surely, this is one “Chill Out” event that encourages an active lifestyle among today’s “millennial” (and quite digital) generation of young people.
Bookings are essential in this free school holiday bootcamp. To confirm your attendance, contact 0487 070 174 and look for Nadia, the organiser. Bootcampers are to meet up on the oval by the Settler’s Circuit entrance. Fitness and well-being activities will be held in the Forest Lake Sports Fields, which is located at 310 Forest Lake Boulevard. The BCC strongly advises young people to wear proper exercise clothes and shoes, put on sun protection, and bring water bottles.
Fish Wise™ Recreational Fishing Instruction
Let your kids learn how to fish wisely with Fish Wise™. Photo Credit: Featured Image from https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
For kids and teens who literally want to “Chill Out” with a more laid-back activity, head over this 2 July to 55 The Esplanade at Forest Lake for a worthwhile activity under the sun. Join the “Fish Wise™ Recreational Fishing Instruction” workshop where they will teach you how to fish responsibly and sustainably. Aspiring anglers will learn the art of knot tying, bait presentation, and rod casting.
There are many native fishes in the water but locals need not worry as the targets for this fishing session will be pest species. This way, young ones will also learn the importance of keeping the waters clean for beloved native species of fish.
The event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. As bookings are essential, contact Sam, the facilitator, to confirm your place on 0403 713 820. You may also email him at sam@2bentrods.com.au. Attendees will meet near the playground of the stated address.
BCC recommends wearing “shoes and clothes that can get wet or muddy.” Putting on sunglasses and sun protection is also highly advised. And of course, don’t forget to bring your own trusty water bottle.
Rock Climbing — just one of the few BCC-sponsored “Chill Out” activities for youths. Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council/Facebook
BCC’s “Chill Out” is one of the most appreciated youth programs in Brisbane. Events vary from free to low-cost recreation workshops. Activities also vary to fit the needs and interests of the local youth. These include water sports, rock climbing, skateboarding, circus skills, as well as music and dance. For bookings, cancellations or general inquiries, simply contact the organiser for the specific event.
The festival is scheduled on Sunday, 4 June at The Lake Parklands, 5 Alexandrina Circuit, Forest Lake.
Photo credit: 2015 Parkinson Multicultural and Dragonboat Festival/Facebook
The main highlight will see more than 15 Dragon Boat teams racing on Forest Lake. Attendees from in and around Forest Lake can also enjoy live cultural performances by participating groups. The Dragon Boat Festival will also see heaps of delicious rice dumplings and other traditional Chinese food and drinks.
Event Details:
When: Sunday, 4 June 2017, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Where: The Lake Parklands, 5 Alexandrina Circuit, Forest Lake Cost: Free
Photo credit: 2015 Parkinson Multicultural and Dragonboat Festival/Facebook
Story Behind the Festival
Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated across the globe and is one of the biggest holidays in China. The festival commemorates the life and death of the famous Chinese poet and scholar Qu Yuan. In China, it is also called Poet’s Day in honour of Qu Yuan, known to be the country’s first poet.
Statue of Qu Yuan in Jingzhou (Photo credit: Popolon/Wikimedia Commons
He served in high offices during the Chu Empire. But he was soon banished and sent to exile. Stories are varied as to the politics behind his banishment.
Some say that the emperor banished Qu Yuan for opposing the emperor’s alliance with the state of Qin. Others say that his intellect antagonised some court officials, who threw false accusations at him leading to his exile.
While in exile, Qu Yuan wrote a huge amount of poetry. When Qin captured the Chu capital, Qu Yuan was driven to desperation and committed suicide by attaching a heavy stone to his chest and throwing himself in the Miluo River.
It was believed that the people who believed in him raced out in their boats to try to save him or at least retrieve his body. This is believed to be the origin of the dragon boat race tradition.
When the people could not find his body, they dropped balls of rice into the river so that the fishes would eat the rice and not Qu Yuan’s body.
Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar. This date fell on 30 May 2017.
Although it has been a cultural holiday in China for a long time, it was not until 2008 that it became a public holiday.
Roaming dogs have become an alarming issue in Forest Lake recently. The Brisbane City Council reports that the suburb is ranked third among suburbs with the highest incidence of unleashed dogs in the streets of Brisbane in 2016. The BCC issued a total of 74 fines to residents of Forest Lake in 2015/16. Inala received 82 fines, while Bracken Ridge is at the top of the list with 125 fines.
According to Charles Strunk, Labor Councillor of Forest Lake, among the “biggest complaints” from various residents was that a number of dogs were being walked off-leash, something that apparently becomes a problem when the dog “… sees something of interest – say a cat, bird or another dog.”
In January this year, Forest Lake resident Monica Miller was deeply heartbroken when her beloved 17-year-old cat, Marcus, was allegedly killed by a stray husky. She and her husband reportedly awoke at 4:00 a.m. and found two huskies barking at the front door. They gave them water and dog biscuits while waiting for the dog pound. According to Ms Miller, one of the huskies vomited animal innards and the biscuits that she gave. Alarmed, the couple then looked for their house cat. Sadly, they found Marcus already dead in the front yard.
The couple voiced their disappointment in other pet owners for not securing their dogs. They also expressed their concern and apprehension that people could be victimised, such as a child or an elderly person.
A spokeswoman from the city council said that reports of dog attacks are taken “very seriously” and investigations are conducted immediately. With the mandated fines for pet gripe, the council hopes that dog owners will become more responsible so that no further dog incidents might occur. According to Mr Strunk, the owners usually shape up once they are levied with fines for endangering public safety, which could reach up to hundreds of dollars. The concerned Forest Lake Labor councillor also plans to push for the establishment of more dog parks in the suburb.
Meanwhile, other suburbs with similar issues on a high number of roaming dogs include Woollongabba with 70 fines, Holland Park (56 fines), Aspley (50 fines), Acacia Ridge (48 fines), Moorooka (46 fines), and Stafford (44 fines). Chairman Matthew Bourke of the Lifestyle and Community Services explained that there are already 120 dedicated off-leash parks. Within these parks, dogs without a leash are safely allowed to mingle and roam, with clear rules for use.
Locals who find roaming dogs in the streets are encouraged by the Council to call 3403 8888 and make the appropriate report.
Photo Credit: Forest Lake Off-Leash Dog Park/Facebook
Did You Know That Actress Ashleigh Brewer (Kate Ramsey In “Neighbours” And Ivy Forrester In The “Bold & The Beautiful”) Went To Forest Lake High School?
