Forest Lake Archives - Page 10 of 12

$1M Allocated to Improve Water Quality, Address Ibis Infestation in Forest Lake

More than $1 million has been committed over a two-and-a-half year period to address ongoing issues in Forest Lake. The funding will be used to improve the lake’s water quality, tackle algae and address the increasing ibis population.

The 10.9-hectare man-made recreational lake used to be an area where family and friends could gather amidst picturesque surroundings. Now the lake’s declining environment is driving locals away.

“The lake was originally one of the reasons people moved and bought here. They proudly took visitors from other suburbs, interstate and overseas for walks and picnics at the lake. Now, instead of walking, locals are driving out to other suburbs for outdoor recreation. This has detrimental repercussions for example on ‘sense of community’ and local businesses,” a local commented in a Change.org petition in hopes of saving the lake.

In January 2019, a number of local residents even formed a group called the Lake Action Group. The group hopes to find a long-term to solution by actively researching, contacting experts in the field of lake restoration, communicating with council and encouraging community involvement.

News about infestation of ibis surfaced in 2017. At the time, there were already thousands of ibises in the area and they were already causing damage to the environs. The Council implemented some rules, such as reducing food sources and installation of signages that warn visitors not to feed the birds.

Algae infestation also contributes to the challenges of maintaining the lake. The blue-green algae bloom that caused some concern to locals in 2011 occurred again in 2017. Residents have been advised not to enter the water due to the high toxicity levels from the algae bloom.

With this initiative to save the lake, the community could see the lake’s beauty that was once lost.

“Brisbane’s natural environment makes our city one of Australia’s best places to live, work and relax and it’s important we work together to protect our waterways to ensure future generations will continue to enjoy them,” Team Quirk wrote on Facebook.

Forest Lake Residents Raise ‘Fighting Fund’ Against The Esplanade Retirement High-Rise Development

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council

Residents in Forest Lake are joining forces against a high-rise developer who plans to build a high-rise retirement village at 5 The Esplanade. The legal battle, which started last July 2018, is expected to cost a substantial amount of money to pay for the services of a barrister who shall contest the developer’s appeal on their behalf.

On the afternoon of 12 Jan, the residents gathered at the ampitheatre for its fundraising meeting. Forest Lake Action Group (FLAG) spokesperson Hamish Krammer hopes that more people will take an active stance against the development.

James Property Group submitted its building plans for the company’s first 8-storey retirement village in Forest Lake to the Brisbane City Council in April 2018. Members of the council, however, blocked the proposal, thus the group’s JRD Number 2 director Jim Dupuis filed an appeal, with some minor changes to the project, with the Planning and Environment Court.

The developer’s modified plan will instead have a 6-storey building. Mr Dupuis emphasised that the retirement village will benefit the community as there are more demands for quality living spaces. He also said that he has a few other developments in mind for the Forest Lake community.

Hundreds of residents have been regularly attending the protest meetings since they have signed on as co-respondents against the appeal. Local solicitor Gregory Huddleston and the town planner Shane Howard have been advising and representing FLAG pro bono. FLAG also has the support of MP for Oxley Milton Dick and Councillor Charles Strunk.

The local community is against the said development since the building “is inconsistent with the Brisbane City Plan 2014 and the Forest Lake Neighbourhood Plan,” the petition underscored. The building will also apparently block the view from the lake, which may impact the residents. The excessive height of the proposed retirement village might also set a pattern for more high-rise developers to construct buildings that may ruin the landscape and architecture of the community.

However, Mr Dupuis downplayed the feedback from the residents by stating that there will always be complaints. FLAG, however, is still rallying up more residents to sign as co-respondents.

The Forest Lake Boardwalk Undergoes Rehabilitation

The Forest Lake Boardwalk will undergo rehabilitation works beginning 21 November and should be completed, weather permitting, by 14 December, as announced by the Brisbane City Council.

For three weeks, the boardwalk (B9791) at the the Lake Parklands in Forest Lake in front of the Amphitheatre will be closed. Rehabilitation works include the replacement of the deteriorated timber components.

*Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council/flickr.com/photos/brisbanecitycouncil*

The rehabilitation works is scheduled to be done Monday to Friday from 7:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. However, should there be a need for these hours to be extended, residents will be notified in advance.

Residents are also advised of the following inconveniences while the rehabilitation works are underway:

A Construction compound
Noise during work hours
Closure of view deck
About The Lake Parklands, Forest Lake

The Lake Parklands is a scenic picnic and playground spot in Forest Lake that offers families a place to picnic, bike, canoe, or to just simply walk and admire the greenery and the beauty of the Lake. It is also home to some wildlife such as swans, turtles, and pelicans.

The Lake is around 2.5 kilometres in circumference or about 45 minutes walk. So, it is a great spot to run or do just about any workout routine.

Features facilities of The Lake Parklands:

Accessible toilet
Electric barbecue
booking sites
car park situated at Seabrook Crescent, Alexandrina Circuit, The Esplanade (Jetty Walk), Forest Lake Boulevard, and Freshwater Circuit
fitness station (The Esplanade)
fitness trail (Alexandrina Circuit, Lakeside Crescent)
path and bikeway network (Forest Lake Circuit)
picnic area at the Freshwater Circuit, The Esplanade (Jetty Walk), and Alexandrina Circuit
playground located at the Freshwater Circuit, Grand Avenue, Ibis Circuit, The Esplanade (Jetty Walk), and Wivenhoe Circuit
public toilet (Forest Lake Boulevard)
shared pathway (Forest Lake South, Forest Lake Boulevard)
tennis court and basketball half court (Ibis Circuit)
wi-fi

Forest Lake Pushes for the Trial of the Stormwater Drainpipe Net

To address the litter problems in Forest Lake, Councillor Charles Strunk is calling for the trial of the stormwater drainpipe net that will help prevent rubbish from flowing into the lake.

Net Success In Western Australia

The City of Kwinana in Perth was the first one to try the drainage nets at Henly Reserve. The net, which costs $20,000 each, was placed on the outlet of two drainage pipes located between residential and natural areas.

They installed two nets in March 2018 and by August, they managed to collect 370 kilograms of debris. The city shared its success on their Facebook page, which garnered positive feedback and has reached over 2 million people.

The net is designed to prevent solid waste and gross pollutants from getting into nature reserves.

Reaching Queensland

The success of the net quickly spread that even Bayside councillors called for a trial of the nets. However, Brisbane City Council said that not all councillors are on-board and mentioned the already set up pollutant traps across the city. There are also drainage nets in sites across the city specifically at the Walton Bridge in The Gap.

Currently, Cr Strunk continues to make the suburb litter-free through the Forest Lake Litter Clean-Up team of volunteers. Earlier this month, the team collected numerous bread clips around the area.

Should the trial of the net be approved by the council, Cr Strunk aims to place it on top of the Forest lake cascades.

Jetty Walk Village in Forest Lake Calls For Rezoning

Since last year, Forest Lake residents have been very active in opposing several residential developments in the area. Amidst the protests against the Brisbane City Council and the developers, Cr Charles Strunk has initiated a call for Council to come up with an area rezoning.

Development Woes

One of the most recent developments that elicited protests from the local community is the eight-storey development at 5 The Esplanade. Residents point out that the project does not meet the area’s zoning requirements. Submissions enumerate that the style, visual design, and the bulk of the building clashes with the landscape of the suburb. It also obstructs the lake view of the residents living in the south.

Residents also think that the development will cause traffic congestion and an increase in on-street parking.

Precinct Rezoning

Jetty Walk Village residents have been enjoined to launch a petition asking for the council to rezone the area to low density.

Specifically, the Council is being asked to make changes to the Forest Lake Neighbourhood Plan.

Currently, the area is zoned as medium density, which allows buildings of up to five storeys. Residents have been quick to point out the proposed development at 5 The Esplanade is an 8-storey retirement apartment, so it exceeds even the current zoning.

The precinct is filled with homes that are not higher than two storeys, which is why higher developments in the area are often met with protests from the residents.

Forest Lake Being Monitored After Recent Fish Kill of Unknown Cause

Earlier this month, Forest Lake’s tilapia population took a significant hit after significant quantities of tilapia were seen floating dead in the water, contributing to the putrid smell emanating from the area.

A massive clean up has been done but the investigation as to how these fish died still continues.

Councillor Charles Strunk of the Forest Lake ward said that the Brisbane City Council has done a number of tests on the water quality. There is a strong suspicion that a large drop in temperature could have caused the tilapia to die.

Public Reaction

However, Pest Fishing Adventures (PFA) and the residents of the suburb are not convinced. They think that the health of the lake is also a big consideration. Although considered a pest fish, it is still important to know the cause of the fish kill in order to monitor the health of the lake and help maintain the ecological balance in the lake area.

In fact, following the incident, PFA is calling for the council to put more focus on tilapia. They also said that the city needs more organisations to get involved in raising awareness and removing this type of pest fish.

What The Council Is Doing

For now, Cr Strunk announced that the council will have someone visit the lake daily to properly monitor the situation.

The council classifies tilapia as a noxious fish. They have implemented a management strategy to manage this by:

Spreading awareness about the impacts of pest fish on the natural environment and managing them
Educating the local communities on the risks pest fish brings to the native biodiversity
Providing support to research into biological controls and new innovations to manage pest fish
Containing pest fish and preventing them infiltrating other bodies of water
Managing pest fish by reducing the population density of established species where possible

Grand Avenue State School Ekka Fun Day Is Here Again!

On 15 August, bring the whole family with you to the Grand Avenue State School Ekka Fun Day. Starting at 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the school, you are in for a lot of fun activities and entertainment.

It’s not an Ekka Fun Day without the rides such as the Kamikaze, Dodgems, and the Hurricane MK1. You can now get your tickets here.

Photo credit: Grand Avenue State School Ekka Fun Day / Facebook

Hungerball Brisbane will also be there for the kids and they will surely have a lot of fun. Aside from that, there are also plenty of activities that adults and kids can participate in.

There’s a long line-up of food stalls at the event:

That Greek Truck
Mr America Hotdogs and Fries
i heat calamari
Roam’In Pizza-Woodfired Pizza
keys Mini Pancakes
Potato Twisters
Quality Turkish Food
Zoe’s Brownies – North Brisbane
Churros de Oro
Burman’s Bronuts
Luv a Cookie
Popcorn Man

Entry to the event is FREE.

Address: Grand Avenue State School, Centennial Way & Grand Avenue, Forest Lake QLD 4078, Australia

Events In And Around Forest Lake

Experience great live Science shows, or perhaps a musical night with talented students? Don’t miss out on an icon playing in August in the suburb! Here are some of the events that you can look forward to in and around Forest Lake!

26 July

St John’s Anglican College 25th Year Community Concert

Celebrate the St John’s Anglican College’s 25th year anniversary starting at 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The event will be headlined by James Morrison. Other entertainers will be the school’s performing arts students.

There will be a bar with some food available on-site.

Tickets are now available. You can get it here.

Address: College Ave, Forest Lake QLD 4078, Australia

8 August

Signature Music Night – Heroes

Presented by the Forest Lake State High School (FLSHS), enjoy a musical night starting at 6:30 p.m. at the FLSHS Hall. There will be a concert band, jazz band, drumline, and string orchestra.

Entrance is free.

Address: High St, Forest Lake QLD 4078, Australia

11 August

Brisbane Science Festival 2018

Street Science and other Queensland Science communicators, educators and research institutes will be present during this big National Science Week event. There will be a lot of activities as well as live Science performances.

This event will have two sessions within the day.

First session – 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Second session – 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Each session will feature these hands-on exhibits:

Forces, Fuels & Flight
Chemistry Chaos!
EXTREME Liquid Nitrogen
D.I.Y. Science
Street Science Mega Show

Kindly note that free general admission ticket allocations are no longer available. You can get your VIP tickets here instead.

Address: South Bank Piazza, 410 Stanley Street, South Brisbane

Forest Lake Kerbside Collection 2018: The Unspoken Rules

On 18 June, Forest Lake will have its kerbside collection. This annual service by the Brisbane City Council helps residents dispose of large household items.

There are certain rules that must be followed to ensure that all of the items you place outside will be taken by the council.

Here you can find the acceptable and unacceptable items. You can also download the Brisbane Bin and Recycling App on your smartphones to keep up-to-date and at the same time, be fully informed when it comes to recycling, kerbside collection dates, and other relevant information.

Now, let’s talk about the unofficial rules. These rules also promote efficiency for kerbside collection.

If you think an item is still useful, you can donate it to an op shop instead.
You can get items from other people’s piles before collection time, but make sure to keep kerb tidy.
Should you get an item from other people’s piles outside of their homes, you are not allowed to knock on their front door and ask them questions about the items.
Keep your kerb as neat as possible.

Have a great kerbside collection!

Forest Lake’s FLAG Gathers Community Support Against 5 The Esplanade Development

Forest Lake Active Group (FLAG) is determined to fight off development applications that don’t meet community standards. The current development application for the retirement facility, 5 The Esplanade, is in hot water as locals joined forces and gathered support to put a stop to it.

The development proposal was submitted in April to the Brisbane City Council. Upon learning about the application and the negative implications to the community standards, FLAG immediately planned their course of action.

An e-petition was launched protesting the eight-storey facility. So far, it has garnered over 500 signatures and it will be closing on the 10th of July. The petition is supported by Federal Labor MP for Oxley Milton Dick and Councillor Charles Strunk.

MP Milton Dick spoke in parliament on behalf of local Forest Lake residents against the planned high rise development by the lake.

Issues Raised

The residents’ concerns include the project not meeting the zoning requirements, the style, visual design, and the bulk of the building is non-compliant to the suburb’s landscape and architecture, obstruction of lake view for residents on the south, traffic congestion, and an increased on-street parking.

What angered the residents more is that they feel they got blindsided by JRD Number 2, based on the community meeting held in February in which the developer said that their plan is only a six-storey building, only for it to change upon the submission of the DA to the council.

With the e-petition ongoing, residents are determined to battle for this development not to proceed. FLAG continues to gather support and funds for a protest against this specific development. The group consists of real estate agents, solicitors, and residents who are determined to preserve the beauty of the suburb.

Also Read: Forest Lake Action Group Adamant To Fight For Their Suburb Against High Density Residential Developments

See details of the Development Application (A004909754).