Heathwood Archives - Forest Lake News

Makeovers and Improvements Set for Heathwood Parks and Recreational Spaces

Heathwood residents can look forward to improved recreational spaces, with improvement works for Rotary Park approaching completion and the eagerly anticipated transformation of Dunvegan Street Park about to commence.

Read: Calamvale District Park Named One of Brisbane’s Most Popular Parks

Dunvegan Street Park

Dunvegan Street Park will soon boast a brand-new multi-use games arena. The park currently features a playground equipped with a fort containing five swings and a shaded area, offering children the opportunity to swing, slide, and engage in play activities.

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/Facebook

Construction for the multi-use games arena is scheduled to commence in early June 2023. The addition of this state-of-the-art facility aims to create a safe environment for locals to engage in basketball and soccer, promoting active and healthy lifestyles.

As preparations for construction get underway, Brisbane City Council advises residents to anticipate minor detours or temporary closures in the vicinity of the park.

Furthermore, limited parking availability, as well as noise and dust associated with construction activities, may be experienced by those in the vicinity.

Rotary Park

Rotary Park, another well-loved green space in Heathwood, has received a notable enhancement of its own after it was retrofitted with a sun shade cover.

Photo credit: Rajeev Raveendran Nair/Google Maps

Previously known as Stapylton Park, Rotary Park features various amenities including tables with benches, a small playground, convenient bins for waste disposal, and ample on-street parking.

The installation of a playground shade sail at Rotary Park marks its inclusion in the city’s Sun-safe suburban playgrounds program.

This program aims to create shaded areas in playgrounds, enabling the community to utilise these spaces more frequently, particularly during the scorching summer months.

Read: Green Light For Pallara Shopping Centre: Development Application Approved

As part of this initiative, more than 50 shade sails will be installed across Brisbane, providing ample shade for residents and visitors. Additionally, numerous trees will be planted in parks throughout the city by the end of 2023, further contributing to the overall appeal and greenery of these outdoor spaces.

Published 25-May-2023

Pallara State School Bus Adds New Forest Lake and Heathwood Stops

Did you know that the 803 school bus service to Pallara State School has expanded, extending to service areas such as Sanctuary Pocket and Chain of Ponds estates in Forest Lake and Heathwood?

The 803 school bus service to Pallara State School extended its services on the 12th of July 2021, utilising existing bus stops in Old Blunder Rd and Wadeville St as well as additional bus stops in Sanctuary Pocket and Chain of Ponds estates to expand the existing 803 route.

Councillor Angela Owen encourages parents to give their children the opportunity to use this school bus service as less cars on the road means reduced congestion around the school. The 803 school bus service brings children all the way from Heathwood Estate to Pallara State School and back.

Morning		Afternoon
7:55 a.m.	Parkwood Dr near Juniper Street	2.42 p.m.	Vied Rd near Landel St
7:55 a.m.	Parkwood Dr near Acacia St	2.44 p.m.	Esky Rd near Kraft Rd
7:55 a.m.	Parkwood Dr near Coolibah St	2.46 p.m.	Laxton Rd near Esky Rd
7:56 a.m.	Parkwood Dr near Laurel St	2.50 p.m.	Ritchie Rd near Wadeville St
7:58 a.m.	Ritchie Rd near De Vries Rd	2.53 p.m.	Parkwood Dr near Juniper St
7:59 a.m.	Ritchie Rd at Ritchie – Van Dieren	2.54 p.m.	Parkwood Dr near Coolibah St
8:00 a.m.	Laxton Rd near Ritchie Rd	2.55 p.m.	Parkwood Dr near Laurel St
8:05 a.m.	Vied Rd near Landel Rd
8:08 a.m.	Sweets Rd near Ritchie Rd
8:11 a.m.	Kraft Rd near Esky Rd
8:13 a.m.	Ritchie Rd at Palla

Pick-Up Rules and Regulations

Drop-off and pick-up areas have been marked with passenger loading zone signs, and passengers who wish to enter or leave the bus have a maximum of two minutes to do so. Parents are allowed to leave their vehicles to help their children enter safely, however they are not allowed to stray and walk too far from their vehicles.

Parents can also stay in the signed area for a maximum of two minutes, and taking any longer will result in a fine. In the event that a student is not ready to enter the vehicle, parents will have to drive around and queue once again. Children should only enter and leave vehicles at the signed area as it is unsafe to let them in or out while waiting in a queue.

It is also important to remember that parking and stopping across pedestrian crossings is a criminal offense that could lead to fines as it endangers the crossing supervisors, students and parents who make use of the crossing. The Pallara State School has a large parent car park next to the drop off/pickup areas, and parking on the road outside of the grounds is not permitted and could result in fines.

The Pallara State School can be found at 39 Ritchie Rd, Pallara. For more information, visit their website here.

Two-Way Access Near 7-Eleven Heathwood Approved

The corner of Stapylton Road and Wadeville Street in Heathwood will be busy with construction work soon as Council has approved plans to build the needed two-way access near the 7-Eleven site.

Residents are advised to expect some impact on the traffic flow in the area once road works and stormwater drainage preparation get underway. The Council, however, will still announce the start date of construction following the approval of the development application on 13 Nov 2020 (DA A005554097).

This Heathwood corner has a shopping centre as well, which has seen traffic problems since its establishment in 2014. Drivers that come in and out of the complex apparently ignore the traffic signs.

“Stapylton Rd wasn’t upgraded to its current level when the shopping centre was originally built,” according to Councillor Angela Owen on Facebook. The two-way access work was also not part of the $18 million Stapylton Road upgrade works in December 2015.

Ms Owen also said that the Council is working with the police to address the issue of erring drivers that visit the shopping site.

New $280-Million Meat Processing Facility Opens in Heathwood

Hilton Foods Australia has unveiled its new state-of-the-art meat processing and distribution facility in Heathwood set to provide around 650 new jobs and supply 450 Woolworths stores.

“This is one of the most innovative facilities of its kind in the world and a real showpiece of advanced food manufacturing in Queensland,” Minister for State Development and Manufacturing Cameron Dick said.

“Workers will operate robotics and man 23 state-of-the-art production lines to provide packaged meat and vegan products to Woolworths supermarkets locally and interstate.

“Brisbane’s central location, excellent transport network and Queensland’s highly trained workforce were all factors in HFA’s decision to bring their operations to Heathwood.

“Our government is pleased to have worked with HFA to help facilitate the move, and we welcome the jobs that have come with it.”

New $280-Million Meat Processing Facility Opens in Heathwood — *Phil Heffer (Hilton Foods Aus)Ziggy Kwarcinski (Woolworths Group)Charis Mullen MP (State Member for Jordan)Cr Angela Owen (BCC)Pat McEntee (Hilton Foods)Robert Watson (Hilton Foods, Chairman)*
*Photo credit: The State of Queensland (Department of the Premier and Cabinet) 1997-2019 / statements.qld.gov.au*

The new facility, which will be in full production in 2020, features solar installation capable of generating 2,800MWh per annum that can supply about 50% of the site’s total energy needs.

Hilton Foods Australia – Heathwood will also be able to save 170MWh of energy a year by utilising its refrigeration compressors to harness heat with an automated heat recovery system that will see 100,000L of water heated per day.

“It will boast the second largest rooftop photovoltaic solar installation in Australia, consisting of 6000 solar panels,” Minister for Environment and Member for Algester Leeanne Enoch said.

“This facility is not only setting new sustainable building standards but is bringing jobs to our region with potential for more, which is fantastic.”

“The majority of workers here live locally, so they will shop local and support great local businesses along the supply chain,” Member for Jordan Charis Mullen said.

“This is another great manufacturing facility in Queensland that will help strengthen the sector and shore up our state’s economic future.”

Describing the new facility as a big milestone, Hilton Foods Australia CEO Pat McEntee said that they are “proud to be joining the local community in Heathwood and contributing to economic growth with new employment opportunities and service contracts.”

Underpinned by its long-term supply partnership with Woolworths, the facility will produce top-quality fresh meat products and improve stock availability for more than 450 Woolworths stores from northern NSW to Far North Queensland.

“We value our partnership with Woolworths and look forward to assisting in developing a faster and fresher supply of high-quality meat and value-added products.

“We also wish to acknowledge and thank both Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Government for their support in commissioning our Heathwood site,” Mr McEntee said.

“It’s really pleasing to see our long-term supply relationship with Hilton Foods Australia underpin this important new investment and job creation in Queensland,” Woolworths Director of Fresh Food Paul Harker said.

“We’re fortunate to source our fresh meat from the best Australian producers, and it’s important we uphold the quality of their product from paddock to plate.

“The opening of this state-of-the-art facility in Heathwood will help us deliver a consistently great fresh meat offer.

“It will also improve stock availability for our Queensland customers each and every day.”