Forest Lake has been highlighted as a key area for improvement, as part of a new initiative proposing to expand 40km/h zones in Brisbane to enhance road safety for schoolchildren.
Targeting seven areas across the city, the initiative will benefit approximately 21 schools in its initial rollout. Among them are St John’s Anglican College, Forest Lake State High School, and Arethusa College in the south.
This plan, set to encourage more parents to walk, bike, or scoot with their children to school, involves an increase in funding to around $10 million for the next Council budget, according to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Key components of the proposal include the installation of new pedestrian crossings, widening of footpaths, expansion of 40km/h zones, additional kerbside drop-off and pick-up zones, and creation of school zone gateways that mark safe walking routes for students.
The first phase will focus on four areas, impacting 12 schools and around 10,000 students. Success in these areas will lead to expansion into three more areas, including nine additional schools.
The initiative underscores the importance of detailed planning and community consultation, ensuring that any modifications align with the guidelines set by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
This safety proposal aims to make school commutes safer and more appealing for walking, biking, and scooting and reduce road congestion in suburban areas, thereby enhancing overall community well-being.
As Brisbane approaches its Council elections, this initiative represents a significant point of discussion among candidates, reflecting broader commitments to improving city infrastructure and safety.
Oodles, a delightful mix of poodle and other breeds like Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, or Labradors, are the stars of a monthly play date organised at an off-leash dog park in Forest Lake.
Natalie Pham, a Forest Lake resident and proud owner of two adorable Oodles named Dino and Bambi, is the woman behind this regular event. Natalie’s took inspiration from her frequent encounters with fellow Oodle owners during her afternoon strolls with her beloved pets.
Having to sometimes travel nearly an hour for previous Oodle play dates with people she knew, Natalie decided it was time to create a local hub for Forest Lake Oodle owners.
She kickstarted her initiative by posting about the event on the Forest Lake Community Facebook page and created an official event for like-minded pet parents to join.
The response to Natalie’s event was immediate and enthusiastic. While approximately 20 people had initially indicated their attendance on the Facebook event page, the actual turnout exceeded all expectations.
Surprisingly, over 40 Oodles attended the event, accompanied by their fur families, making the event a delightful and bustling gathering.
As the event unfolded, Natalie discovered that the playdate served a greater community purpose. It provided a safe haven for Oodle owners who had previously encountered negative experiences at other dog parks, leading to anxiety in both their dogs and themselves. This newfound sense of camaraderie and safety has inspired Natalie to envision the playdate as an ongoing monthly event.
The next Oodles Play Date has been set for Sunday, 11 Feb 2024 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Forest Lake & Districts RSL Sub Branch members recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Sub Branch’s first meeting, which was held in late 1998. However, despite enjoying substantial growth then, the Sub Branch had no place to call home for 20 years.
The Forest Lake & Districts RSL Sub Branch boasts a tight-knit community of 127 League members and 61 social members, including two active foundation members. Most recently, the Sub Branch completed the refurbishment of its first clubhouse.
The Vision Behind the Clubhouse
Two of the Sub Branch’s dedicated committee members – District Delegate Dan Baldwin and Secretary Sharron Ford – shared the story of this ambitious project.
Dan joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as an airman in 1969 and served for 22 years. In 1975, he was accepted to undergo a three-year tertiary degree and received his commission in 1977.
Since finishing his military career, Dan has thrown himself into various volunteer roles serving the Forest Lake community. He has been a member of his local RSL Sub Branch for seven years. Dan has been part of the Sub Branch’s assistance dog training program.
Sharron became involved in the Forest Lake RSL Sub Branch in 2017, after her husband Steve (a RAAF veteran) was first elected to the committee. She initially supported him as Assistant Secretary, before stepping up into her current role when Steve became President.
Photo Credit: RSL Queensland
In the past, meetings with the Forest Lake & Districts RSL Sub Branch would usually be held at someone’s house or a golf club or somewhere else. Stemming from a momentous act of generosity from the local Nashos, the Sub Branch was gifted a derelict WWII building in the Wacol Heritage Precinct in 2019.
The heritage site, previously part of the Wacol Army Barracks, is also home to a chapel and hall, which are managed by the Nashos. It also houses the military museum by the Papua New Guinea Volunteer Rifles and Ex-members Association Inc.
Home, Sweet Home
In providing a home for the Sub Branch, a new space for veterans was born.
“For many years we searched for a place to call home. About three years ago, we started the rebuild and our members spent many hours demolishing the buildings’ contents to turn it into our clubhouse,” Dan says.
“However, COVID-19 quickly stopped our progress, so we couldn’t start work again until April 2021, and we’ve only been able to complete the final touches like pathways this year,” Sharron adds.
Although it took longer than planned, the finished space is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Sub Branch community. Every part of the clubhouse has been thoughtfully designed for veterans and their families, from the handmade commemorative quilts and artworks decorating the walls to the barbecue lawn and communal hall where regular social gatherings are hosted.
Photo Credit: RSL Queensland
Since 2023, the new clubhouse has been used for many events and meets with the members and their families.
A family’s routine morning in Forest Lake turned alarming due to an unexpected e-bike fire. Emergency services swiftly responded to the incident, showcasing the community’s resilience and preparedness in the face of unexpected dangers.
On the morning of 1 Dec 2023, residents of Oldbury Place in Forest Lake were startled by the sight of an e-bike engulfed in flames. The fire, which broke out early in the day, prompted an urgent call to emergency services.
Queensland Ambulance was quick to the scene, where they assessed the wellbeing of the affected family, including two adults and two children.
Remarkably, all family members were found to be in a stable condition, having been exposed to smoke but not requiring hospitalisation.
“Patients have been exposed to smoke but are in a stable condition,” a spokesperson for Queensland Ambulance confirmed.
As the fire crews arrived, they found the e-bike fire already extinguished. Their focus then shifted to ensuring the safety of the property and its occupants by ventilating the home. A spokeswoman from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) stated that one crew remained on site and investigated the cause of the fire, highlighting the importance of understanding and preventing such incidents in the future.
Grace Forbes, a new mum and a cancer nurse from Forest Lake, faced immense challenges following the birth of her daughter, Harriet. Battling severe postnatal depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), her life took a dramatic turn when she became the first in-patient at Mater’s Catherine’s House for Mothers, Babies and Families.
The South Brisbane facility, which opened in March, saved the life of Ms Forbes, who was under the care of a multidisciplinary team during her stay.
Mrs Forbes is bravely speaking out ahead of Perinatal Mental Health Week (12-18 November) to raise awareness of perinatal mental health issues and spread the message that support is available.
“I was in a really deep dark hole before I came to Catherine’s House,” she said.
“I had had a miserable pregnancy – I didn’t enjoy being pregnant at all.”
Photo Credit: Quinn and Co Photography/Supplied
Grace’s journey was fraught with difficulties, starting from a painful and uncomfortable pregnancy due to Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction, a condition causing pain in the pelvic area. This led to severe sleep deprivation and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. The rapid labour and birth of her daughter on 5 October only intensified her emotional disconnect, leaving her feeling numb and detached from her newborn.
“I hadn’t slept properly since I was 20 weeks pregnant. I couldn’t walk 10 metres and had to use a wheelchair,” she said.
“I was taking truckloads of painkillers just not to cry, I was barely functional.
“I was 100 per cent depressed and felt helpless. I had socially withdrawn and thought that was my life now.”
“My labour was so fast, just three hours. I felt disconnected to Harriet just from the shock of such a rapid labour that I couldn’t process what was happening and that she was real.
“When Harriet was born, she was put on my chest and I felt no connection to her.”
The situation reached a critical point when Grace, struggling with sleepless nights due to Harriet’s colic and her own mental turmoil, contemplated suicide. Recognizing the severity of her condition, her husband, Riley, who is a doctor, sought urgent help. This led to her swift admission to Catherine’s House, where a new chapter in her life began.
“I loved Harriet a lot and I didn’t want to harm her. She had colic and screamed all day and all night, I hadn’t slept properly in months.
“There was a lot going on in my head.”
“I was having trouble finding a psychiatrist and I was running out of steam. My husband Riley, who is a doctor, was on high alert – something had to change,” she said.
Photo Credit: Quinn and Co Photography/Supplied
Her recovery involved receiving daily support from the team at Catherine’s House, including peer support workers, a psychologist and a child health nurse, as well as medication for OCD.
Mrs Forbes also attended ‘Together in Mind’ therapy sessions, which further assisted her post-partum mental health struggles, and she joined a mums’ and bubs’ group with other mums experiencing similar mental health issues.
“The peer support workers have lived experience, so they knew exactly what I was going through,” she said.
“It was reassuring to see that model of care. People tell you all the time that things will get better, but to talk to someone who understood and has been through that experience themselves gave me so much hope.
“One of the nurses took Harriet to the nursery for the first couple of nights, and for the first time in six months I had a full night’s sleep – my brain really needed that.”
Catherine’s House was established in Mater’s former convent thanks to $17.6 million in public donations raised by Mater Foundation.
Eight in-patient beds at the centre are available for public patients suffering acute perinatal mental health issues thanks to a funding agreement with Queensland Government.
Since opening in March, 45 new mums have received specialist support in the In-patient Unit.
Mater Young Adult Health Centre Senior Manager Greg McGahan said it was heart-warming to see the impact Catherine’s House had had on new mums and their families since opening.
Photo Credit: Quinn and Co Photography/Supplied
“One in five new mothers and one in 10 fathers experiences mental health problems in the weeks after their baby’s birth, and many struggle to find help, so we want parents to know we are here to help,” Mr McGahan said.
Forest Lake’s Charlie Eggins, 14, competed at the National Speedcubing Championships in Moreton Bay last weekend. In a blistering solve, he set a new world record of 12.10 seconds in the 3×3 blindfolded event.
Charlie Eggins sets new world record by a wide margin
Charlie’s sensational time shattered the previous blindfolded world record by 680 milliseconds. According to the teenager, he did not expect to break the record going into the event.
Here’s his record-breaking solve, as posted on his YouTube channel:
Speedcubing is the art of solving Rubik’s cubes quickly. In blindfolded solving, competitors have only a few seconds to memorise the cube before donning a blindfold to complete the puzzle.
Charlie uses visualisation techniques and his synaesthesia to help him remember the positions of the cubes. He says he trains for at least an hour a day in the run-up to major tournaments.
Friends with national champion Toby Seufert
Charlie’s friend and rival Toby Seufert of Kippa-Ring Ring also excelled at the competition. The 14-year-old took home the national title in the 3×3 non-blindfolded event with an average solve time of 6.69 seconds.
Toby’s fastest individual attempt was 5.71 seconds, making him Australia’s fastest Rubik’s Cube solver. The two boys met at a competition in Townsville in 2021 and have been pushing each other to improve their skills ever since.
Charlie and Toby have turned their passion for speedcubing into budding careers. Eggins earns an income from his popular YouTube channel, Swift Cubing, where he teaches speedcubing techniques. Seufert also coaches others in speedcubing and analyses winning methods on his own channel.
A group of 11 ducklings found themselves in a bit of a quacky situation when they tumbled into a storm drain in Forest Lake; not for long though, thanks to the dedicated fire and emergency officers from the Mt Ommaney Fire and Rescue Station.
The incident unfolded on Friday, Sept 1 when these adorable ducklings strayed too close to the edge of a storm drain and, one by one slipped into the dark abyss.
Fortunately, their worried parents were not about to let their feathery offspring face this predicament alone. Quacking frantically, duck mum and dad attracted the attention of a nearby homeowner who quickly dialled emergency services.
Responding to the call, the Mt Ommaney Fire and Rescue crew arrived swiftly, prepared to do whatever it took to reunite the family.
Equipped with specialised tools and equipment, the rescuers carefully took the ducklings out of the drain. One by one, they scooped up the frightened ducklings and lifted them to safety.
The reunion between the ducklings and their relieved parents was captured on camera, with footage showing the ducklings eagerly waddling toward their mother, who counted each of them as they emerged from the rescue bag, ensuring no one was left behind.
Overjoyed by the successful rescue, the homeowners expressed their gratitude to the dedicated fire and emergency officers.
“She counted them as they came out of the bag. No need to look.”
“Thank you two for your service and for going above and beyond your job god bless and keep you all safe.
“In these times when there is so much bad on fb or the news it is so nice to see this. Thank you to QFES for all that you do. This is so so good to see 💞 🥰”
Several Brisbane suburbs, including Forest Lake have seen an increase in orders for green waste recycling bins after the annual fee was slashed to under $1 per week.
Forest Lake ordered 25 new bins, whilst The Gap and Bracken Ridge ordered 39 and 40 bins respectively.
In total, over 1,300 Brisbane households have adopted new green waste recycling bins since the fee was reduced from $93.68 to $45 annually on 1 July 2023. This is in addition to the 135,000 households that already utilise the bins.
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/Facebook
The fee slash is part of the council’s $80 million cost of living relief package announced in the 2023/24 budget. Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the move aims to encourage recycling whilst easing financial pressure on residents dealing with rising costs.
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/Facebook
“Brisbane already has the cheapest residential rates in southeast Queensland and we’re committed to reducing the burden on households,” Cr Schrinner stated.
Collectively, over 36,600 tons of organic waste was diverted from landfills through the green bin program. Cr Schrinner expressed eagerness for more adoption as the city looks to expand food waste recycling initiatives.
What can you put in the green waste bin?
According to Brisbane City Council, acceptable items that can be placed in your green waste bin include:
grass clippings
small garden prunings from shrubs and trees
Palm fronds, twigs, small branches, leaves and loose bark
flowers and foilage
weeds, ivy, creepers and vines.
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/Facebook
Homeowners can order a green bin online, by phone, or at a council customer centre using their rate number. The council says new bins can typically be delivered within three working days depending on demand.
The man-made lake at Forest Lake is among the most polluted lakes in the world when it comes to microplastic pollution, according to a new global study published this month.
The research, coordinated by the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON), tested microplastic levels in 38 lakes across six continents. Forest Lake was found to have concerningly high levels of microplastic contamination, though lower than the worst polluted lake tested, Lake Lugano on the border of Switzerland and Italy.
“Plastics and microplastics affect lakes and reservoirs on a global scale, including the most remote lakes”, said co-author Professor David Hamilton, Director of Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute.
Photo credit: TheKvuke2/Google Maps
“In addition to negatively impacting drinking water, plastics pollution has harmful effects on aquatic organisms and ecosystem function. Plastics don’t break down, they mostly break up into smaller and smaller particles, with increasing potential to be absorbed by living organisms, including humans.”
Prof Hamilton
Forest Lake (Photo credit: Picture Purrfect/Google Maps)
The man-made lake was completed in 1994 and is heavily used by local populations. The high microplastic levels are likely driven by stormwater runoff from surrounding urban environments, according to Professor Hamilton.
Some of the most contaminated lakes are vital sources of drinking water for nearby communities, including Lake Maggiore in Italy, Lake Lugano on the border of Switzerland and Italy, Lake Tahoe in the United States, and Lough Neagh in the United Kingdom.
Lake Lugano (Photo credit: CC BY-SA 3.0/MarkusMark/Wikimedia Commons)
The findings highlight the need to urgently review pollution reduction strategies and waste management to tackle the microplastics crisis, experts believe.
Veronica Nava, a research fellow at the University of Milan-Bicocca’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Plastics that accumulate on the surface of aquatic systems can promote the release of methane and other greenhouse gases.
“These results demonstrate the global scale of plastic pollution. No lake, not even those furthest from anthropogenic activity, can be considered truly pristine,” Ms Nava said.
Brisbane City Council previously implemented the Forest Lake Management Plan, but it’s stated in Council’s website that general maintenance and routine inspections continue at the lake. These include continuing the Ibis management plan, testing and analysis of the lake water quality, treating weeds around the lake, collecting litter, clearing silt trap, and monitoring and managing any changes to the lake environment.
Three men have been accused of a violent confrontation in Forest Lake, resulting in the death of a family’s dog over an e-scooter and intensifying concerns over the community’s safety. The identities of the alleged attackers were revealed as they appeared before the respective magistrates’ courts in connection with the harrowing incident.
Alex Edward Deng, 20, Aron Nsengiyumva, 21, and John Wal Wal, 24, face charges of two counts of wounding, one count of serious animal cruelty, an attempt to enter premises, and threatening violence. Additionally, Deng and Nsengiyumva have been charged with possessing counterfeit money.
The terrifying incident unfolded on the afternoon of 2 July 2023 when two of the men arrived at a property in Forest Lake, responding to an advertisement for an e-scooter posted on social media. Their attempted purchase turned violent when they allegedly tried to pay with counterfeit cash, leading to a confrontation with the sellers.
As evening fell, the two men returned to the Forest Lake property with another accomplice, armed with machetes, knives, and what appeared to be a black handgun (later identified as a gel-blaster).
Scaling the back fence, they demanded the e-scooter and resorted to smashing the rear glass doors of the residence, in a bid to coerce the occupants to come outside. Tragically, during their vile act, the attackers fatally stabbed the family’s dog.
The brave residents, faced with an escalating threat, armed themselves with shovels and engaged in a fierce struggle in the backyard of their Forest Lake home. Amidst the chaos, two residents, ages 30 and 33, suffered stab wounds, while a 20-year-old man sustained minor injuries.
In their courageous defense, the residents managed to inflict injuries on the attackers, forcing them to flee the scene.
Nsengiyumva and Deng appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court, their faces bearing visible signs of the violent encounter. Both men opted not to apply for bail and were subsequently remanded in custody. Nsengiyumva’s case was adjourned until July 24, along with Deng’s.
