A new $6 million STEM program will be piloted at 100 preschools in Australia in 2018. The Forest Lake Child Care Centre is one of the preschools that has been selected to take advantage of the program.
The child care centre is committed to introducing preschoolers to new and exciting learning opportunities. The first app will introduce the concepts of sorting, ordering and patterns through activities such as making decorations. The program will begin next year.
Having been selected for the program, the preschool will receive free workshops and be the first to use ELSA apps and resources to incorporate STEM practices into their preschool program. The practices include exploring locations, patterns, making, spatial reasoning and designing.
Even if these activities are based through applications, this program or way of teaching doesn’t mean children will be indiscriminately exposed to technology. In fact, STEM is in action through physical activities, making children future thinkers in an active way.
The 100 selected preschools were selected based on geographical locations and socio-economic backgrounds. This program will include six apps, with four apps focused on playful learning experiences. Children under the program should bring their own devices to school.
Some Forest Lake residents are expressing their disapproval against the Brisbane City Council’s tree-felling plans. They are saying that the trees that are to be removed are native trees and they don’t look like they pose any threats to merit their removal.
Trees marked with a blue “R” are prevalent in the suburb, which means an arborist confirmed indicated removal. A local who lived by the lake voiced out his concerns and said that he has never had problems with the trees that have been marked. He also thinks a simple removal of dead or protruding limbs or trees that really show signs or rot will suffice but most of the marked trees are in pretty good condition.
The council couldn’t confirm the number of trees that will likely be removed, but reports indicate that at least two dozen around the lake have been marked.
The unnamed local also pointed out that marking the trees are vandalism. A council spokeswoman said that that investigation of the trees are ongoing in the area following complaints from residents about the trees in the suburb that are impacting their properties adversely and posing safety risks for parkland visitors. In turn, the arborists were deployed to inspect the trees in the area. Some of the marked trees are subjected for further investigation.
There is no confirmation yet whether the council will replace the trees that are to be removed in the area. According to current procedure and guidelines, there is a one-for-one replacement policy for the removal of hazardous trees.
Queensland is on its wettest October on record yet and the abominable rainfall is set to continue. It’s only the start of the wet season in the state but some towns are already experiencing horrific summer storms. Southeast Brisbane is the most affected region, and this includes Forest Lake.
According to the recent National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA) data, the southeast Brisbane area such as Cleveland, Belmont and Capalaba were the most affected region in the state last financial year. Reports show that close to half of home claims in the state last year were related to storm damage.
Five most storm-affected suburbs in Brisbane
Forest Lake
Capalaba
The Gap
Carindale
Chapel Hill
Forest Lake is also included in the top five most storm-affected towns and suburbs in Queensland along with Proserpine (1st), Cannonvale (2nd), Mudgeeraba (3rd), and Capalaba (5th).
In the wake of cyclone Debbie, the suburb also had a high amount of fallen debris and trees.
Although severe weather is no longer new to Brisbane, the Brisbane City Council continues to work hard to ensure plans and resources are in place. This includes making sure that the communities are prepared for the quick recovery of the city when storms or other disasters hit.
In fact, the council has a communication campaign called “Be Prepared” that informs communities on preparing for severe weather, This promotes public awareness of the council’s online tools such as their severe weather Early Warning Alert Service and Flood Awareness Maps.
An All Hazards Disaster Management Plan is also in place that outlines prevention, preparation, response and recovery arrangements in the communities. You can view more about these guidelines here.
The ibis belongs to one of Australia’s protected species. In the south of Brisbane, specifically in Forest Lake, there is a huge number of them in the suburb’s Bird Island — to the point that they have caused damage to the area.
Due to the thousands of Ibis that have taken residence in the area, Bird Island is now also known as “Bin Chicken Island.” However, despite the jokes about the island, some residents are not happy with how these birds are causing havoc to the area. Trees have been stripped of leaves, leaving other birds with no place to live.
Not surprisingly, bird droppings have also caused an unpleasant smell around the area. Locals who frequently walk by the area have started to avoid it because it has become such an eyesore and the smell can sometimes be too overpowering.
A popular theory as to why these birds have taken refuge in the area is because of the high number of people who feed the lake’s ducks and swans with bread. There have even been sightings of people throwing as much as an entire loaf of bread for the birds. With that amount of food available, a lot of birds, including ibis, have been conditioned to stick around.
The Brisbane City Council is aware of the ibis problem. They are now closely monitoring the growing population of ibis in the suburb. They have also started to implement some rules, such as reducing food sources and installation of signages that warn visitors not to feed the birds. Cleansing of picnic areas has already begun as well.
Other efforts being done by the Council that are also applicable to other suburbs are the installation of covered ibis-proof litter bins, implementation of a bird management program in problem urban areas, and adopting a coordinated approach to ibis management with other councils in the city.
BCC also urges residents to make an effort to contribute to the reduction of the numbers of ibis in their properties. The guidelines to follow are listed here.
A Forest Lake resident has renewed the call for tolls to be removed from the Logan Motorway. Residents are demanding the removal of the toll because motorists are clogging up residential streets in the area just to avoid paying it.
To make things worse, the toll increased by 5c and now many motorists are using Forest Lake Boulevard to avoid paying. Congestion has become worse, even posing a risk to children playing in the streets.
This is not the first plea regarding the removal of the Logan Motorway toll. Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale also called for the removal of the toll in April, a move which gained plenty of support.
However, it seems that the toll at the motorway in not likely to be be gone until 2051, much longer than the original plan, which supposedly would only last until next year. This development follows after a set of complex and expensive ownership shuffles, which privatised the motorway in 2011.
Just this June, the $512 million Logan Enhancement Project started, which involves the upgrading of the Logan and Gateway Extension motorways to help improve congestion and safety.
The motorway tolls are managed by Transurban Queensland. They have recently come up with a new idea to lessen the traffic in motorways through express lanes. Toll fees will fluctuate depending on the hour, with different rates for peak and non-peak hours, giving motorists the option to take a faster route depending on their preference.
Illegal dumping in Brisbane has become a prevalent problem in several suburbs over the years. In the financial year of 2016-2017, the Brisbane City Council has tallied 900 reports of illegal dumping in its various areas. Household furniture are being illegally dumped on the side of the road and in bushlands. Although 900 is less than last year’s 1,450, it is still quite a high number.
This year, Forest Lake has had 22 reports of illegal dumping. Runcorn and Inala received the most complaints with both having 27 reports.
Council Tries to Resolve Illegal Dumping Through…
To resolve the issue, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said that portable surveillance cameras are being introduced in several suburbs to catch the dumpers red-handed. Last year, more surveillance cameras were installed.
Illegal dumpers will be fined if caught in the act.
The council also holds annual kerbside collections to help households get rid of their unwanted items. The next Kerbside collection for Forest Lake is next year, on the 18th of June.
Aside from the surveillance cameras, the council also holds waste reduction services for general household items on a weekly and household recyclables are collected fortnightly. You can view the acceptable items that the council picks up on bin collection days here.
To report illegal dumping in your area, you can fill up the form found here.
Whether you count it as contemporary art or urban eyesore, graffiti in Brisbane is on the upswing and that includes the once tidy suburb of Forest Lake.
Between 2009 and 2016, there has been a decline in graffiti tags in Brisbane and its suburbs but a sudden spike in 2016 and 2017 has broken the downtrend. The Brisbane City Council recorded that over the past two years, inner-city suburbs and other suburbs such as Forest Lake, Fortitude Valley, and Greenslopes have recorded a rise in graffiti.
An Eyesore for the Council
The Council sees these tags as an eyesore. They have funded $3 million per year for the prevention and removal of graffiti. The next three years have an even bigger budget with an additional $500,000 to allocate for the review and upgrade of the graffiti intelligence system that they use.
Matthew Bourke, the Council’s Lifestyle and Community Services Chairman, revealed that there were 119 offenders with 3774 graffiti charges last year. In light of this, they are now putting a graffiti vandals on notice, and people caught will be charged. They also have 11 dedicated removal crews to monitor over 400 graffiti hot spots in the city.
Spotless No More?
For the suburb of Forest Lake, this came as quite a surprise. In 2010, it was named the city’s tidiest suburb during the Spotless Suburb competition in partnership with Keep Australia Beautiful. The suburb was a clear winner when it came to litter and graffiti control as well as environmental awareness.
Still, Forest Lake residents have been very proactive in reporting graffiti in the area. With their efforts, it may not be long until we see the suburb graffiti-free and a tough competition for others as the most Spotless Suburb of the year.
As part of its effort to reduce crime incidence in the neighbourhood, Forest Lake will be the first Brisbane suburb to implement the Community Camera Alliance program of Queensland Police Service (QPS).
Photo credit: CC-BY/Mike_fleming/Flickr
Community Camera Alliance is an initiative by the QPS to allow Forest Lake residents to take part in safeguarding the community.
Under the program, the police will have access to a greater number of closed circuit television (CCTV) systems to help them solve crimes and ultimately prevent criminal activities in the suburb.
How It Works
The Community Camera Alliance allows the police to get more eyes on the scene with the help of registered CCTVs.
Any resident or business who owns a CCTV can join the program by registering their CCTV system with QPS. Police with then get access to footages from these CCTVs in case they will need them for their investigative work.
Investigators have used CCTVs from private individuals and businesses in the past. However, it is time-consuming and resource intensive to locate security cameras. With private CCTVs registered, the police can easily find the necessary cameras they will need for crucial investigations.
Photo credit: Queensland Police Service/Facebook
If the police see that a registered security camera can be helpful in an investigation, they will contact the owner to ask for help. CCTV footages may also be used for court procedures.
Participants in the program can rest assured that the information they have provided during registration will be kept secure.
In case the CCTV owner decides to be de-register, they can do by notifying QPS.
Registration
To jumpstart the program, QPS is working with the Salvation Army and the Forest Lake Community Safety Working Group for Village Connect. Village Connect will be a gathering of Forest Lake residents to discuss the voluntary CCTV registration program. Officers from the Centenary patrol will be on hand to explain the program.
Village Connect will be held on Saturday, 15 July 2017, starting 2:00 p.m., at the Claremont Parade Park, Forest Park. Initial registration of private CCTV systems for Community Camera Alliance will be held on that day.
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.
Many people have fallen in love with the lakeside views and lush greenery of Forest Lake. Residents have always considered this scenic suburb to be one of Brisbane’s best suburbs, with its picturesque, Instagram-worthy places and laid-back suburban vibe. Here are five things you can do in Forest Lake this Easter weekend.
1. Go dragon boating.
Photo Credit: Hampstead Heath/Facebook
Join one of the open sessions held by the Lakes District Dragon Boat Association (a.k.a. The Lakers). They regularly conduct trial sessions where anyone can come and try the activity for free. Check out their website to learn more about when and where to join their sessions.
Modern dragon boat racing started in Hong Kong in 1976. The Lakers, established in 2006, is a member of Dragon Boat Queensland. They are always on the lookout for new members for the team. Who know, if you like it, you might even be tempted to apply for the team.
2. Take a walk or run around The Lake.
Photo Credit: Vivien Kells/Facebook
On a bright sunny day, there is one place where you absolutely must go: The Lake. Some residents often take The Lake for granted as they are used to constantly seeing the area. It’s time to look at the lake through the tourist’s eyes. This is a perfect place to take photographs, go for a walk, run around, sit under a tree with a good book or just enjoy the view while having a picnic. You can even go canoeing. Interesting people, lush greenery, and some wildlife. What’s not to like?
3. Skate to your heart’s content at Inala Skate Park.
Photo Credit: skateboard.com.au
The name of the place speaks for itself. For a fitness activity that’s also a lot of fun to do, try skating at Inala Skate Park. It is a good place to be active and to connect with other people skating in the park. The place is open daily to the public and admission is free.
4. Book a visit to the Inala Library.
Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland
The Inala Library is a hub for many worthwhile indoor activities that will help you learn more, relieve stress, and be inspired. Activities are usually free to attend but bookings are essential. Some of the upcoming events to be held in Inala Library include Explore Collage Art (on 6 April), Youth Unite @ Youth Week (7 April), Meet Joy Rhoades (12 April), BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby Book Club (2 May), and Meet David H Earley (3 May).
5. Take a sumptuous food trip around the suburb.
Photo Credit: Forest Lake Hotel/Facebook
They say the best way to fully enjoy a good place and feel like you belong there is to experience their local food culture. Forest Lake has a variety of restaurants where you can enjoy eating international cuisine. A few noteworthy establishments would be Forest Lake Hotel, Burger Institute Forest Lake, Punjab Curry Club, Red Chili Thai, Tandoori Mahal, and The Red Door Chinese.
EASTER BONUS!
This Easter weekend, an exciting bonus activity awaits. For this month’s community highlight, watch a vibrant cultural show. The Tamil Indian New Year is drawing near! On the 15th of April (Saturday), a special show to celebrate the yearly occasion will be held at 5:00 p.m. in St. John’s Anglican College. The Varnam Cultural Society of Queensland sponsors the said event with a slogan that says, “Bringing Colour in to Your Lives.” There will be noteworthy performances featuring Mimicry, Tamil Indian Classical, Folk, Concept and Bollywood dances. Members of the audience will also be given the chance to join the dancers onstage.
Whether you are a local looking for things to do, or have friends from out of town who would like to check out Forest Lake this Easter weekend, you can never go wrong with Forest Lake’s unique and eclectic mix of nature, adventure, and culture. Enjoy!
