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Graceville Realtor Takes Buyers on a Chopper Ride Over their New Home

Luke Moody, a Graceville real estate agent, is a familiar sight at Archerfield Airport, where he delivers a unique settlement gift for successful property buyers. He takes them on a special flyover to their new home and the view from above is always spectacular.

Having obtained his helicopter licence in the United Kingdom at 16 years old, or before he could get a driver’s licence, Luke has been combining both his passions for flying as a former helicopter instructor and the property market, where he gets to negotiate and deal with all kinds of people.

The idea of taking his clients on a chopper ride has generated a positive response. Instead of a bottle of wine, beautiful flower arrangements or scented candles for their new house, the real estate agent gives buyers a unique and exciting incentive to see Brisbane from a new perspective.

The flyover usually takes 20 minutes from the Archerfield Airport and as a bonus, Luke also shows the clients Brisbane’s remarkable landmarks and the CBD.

Meanwhile, at Hauss Realty, Luke specialises in prestige and waterfront properties as well as new developments. As someone who has been in the industry for some time, he also gives fellow real estate agents advice on preparation and styling and has an extensive contact list of buyers and industry experts.

The negotiator values honest advice and constantly communicates with his clients during the process of helping them obtain their dream house or investments.

AntiWave Supplies Yeronga Memorial Park With New Pool Equipment

Yeronga Memorial Park has received new aquatics equipment in the form of a state-of-the-art net and an innovative pool lane perfect for training.

World cups and tournaments such as FINA World Cup events and the South East Asian Games competitions all make use of the aquatics equipment supplier AntiWave’s tried-and-tested nets. The Commonwealth Games deploys their equipment during water polo matches, as does the Yeronga Park Memorial Swimming pool in Ipswich Road, which is home to the FINA-compliant, AntiWave Global Anti Goal (GAG).

AntiWave’s new Global Anti Goal, which can be found in the Yeronga Memorial Park Swimming Pool
Photo credit: Youtube/AntiWave

On top of the GAG, Yeronga Park Memorial houses one of AntiWave’s recent innovations — the Ultimate Swimming Lane, which features a high-floating and extremely durable lane rope fashioned from high density structural foam. This protective piece of equipment has a soft-touch finish that makes it suitable for training and general aquatics lane division and use.

AntiWave pool lane
Photo credit: AntiWave

A Brief History of AntiWave

Starting this year, AntiWave, founded by Anti Kajlich, celebrates 50 years of distributing equipment to pools in over 150 countries, including ones in Australia, with sturdy water polo nets and other high-grade pool equipment.

Anti Kajlich, who was once a professional Water polo goalie and now reigns as the current 2017 FINA Masters 70+ Goalie, first founded the aquatic equipment company AntiWave in 1971. The company’s equipment first came into the limelight when they were used for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, on top of the 1st World Aquatics Championship in Cali, Colombia in 1975.

To this day, Anti continues to play water polo well into his 70’s in the FINA Masters Competitions. His son, Anton Kajlich, works as AntiWave’s General Manager. Like his father, Anton also plays water polo, taking on the position of goalie. Together, father and son have worked to maintain AntiWave’s status as a world-leading and innovative aquatic equipment designer and supplier.

Sherwood Bus Depot: Why Council Spent $132 Million to Buy Back Property

Brisbane City Council spent $132 million to buy back the Sherwood Bus Depot after selling the block to private owners for $21 million in 2009.

Council made the purchase in December 2020, prompting a debate among the councillors during a recent deliberation of the quarterly financial documents. However, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the decision was “financially responsible.”

Mr Schrinner said that Council sold a vacant land 12 years ago, which is now the home to a strategical and significant world-class facility. The mayor said that the Sherwood Bus Depot is an important asset for Brisbane’s bus networks.

Photo Credit: Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner/Facebook

But this wasn’t the first mistake Council made on the same property, according to Councillor Jared Cassidy and Councillor Nicole Johnston.

Ms Johnston said that her ward could use the $132 million for “every project I’ve ever wanted to do.”

After Council sold the land, the owners, Morstem No.1 Pty Ltd, built the bus depot, which was leased to the government in 2012 for 25 years. The latest financial documents showed that rental fees for the depot in 2020 cost Council $6.3 million.

Ms Johson said that this decision was not in the ratepayer’s best interest. In another Facebook post, Mr Cassidy said this was a “strange deal.”

“We can only assume that this means the bus depot will be on-sold to the Council’s private development company, City of Brisbane Investment Corporation (CBIC). That will mean there will still be ongoing rent costs for ratepayers and then some of that rent is paid back to council as a ‘dividend,'” Mr Cassidy wrote.

Slipstream Celebrates Brand New Look After $1.5M Revamp

Photo credit: Slipstream Brewing Co/Instagram

Yeerongpilly’s iconic craft brewery Slipstream Brewing Co has undergone a $1.5-million renovation to appeal to a wider audience, particularly customers who love to dine out with their children.

When owners Deale and Elisa Stanley-Hunt first opened Slipstream in 2017, most of their customers were young people who love to unwind. But as the business grew, they noticed that the craft brewery has become a go-to venue for families.

Hence, they submitted a development application to Brisbane City Council in August 2020 to renovate the place and finally, after getting the approval and weeks of construction from January to February, Slipstream reopened on 19 February 2021 with a bigger venue and a brand new look.

The brewery’s regular food trucks were replaced by an enormous kitchen. In addition to new signage and some colourful furniture, the place also comes with new paint and awnings. Interior design studio Charlie & Rose were in charge of updating the property while retaining its signature industrial feel.

Also part of the overhaul is transforming the old front carparking area into an outdoor seating space. The indoor and outdoor dining can now accommodate up to 250 guests.

To make the pub more family-friendly, Slipstream added a shaded farmhouse play area for children in the beer garden. When you come with your little ones, be sure to ask for the new kids’ menu which includes options like Cali cheese breads, fish bites, and cheeseburger, all served with a choice of fries or a fresh mix of cucumber, tomato and celery.

Slipstream when it first opened in 2017 (Photo credit: Slipstream Brewing Company/Facebook)

The pub’s new outdoor seating space after a major renovation (Photo credit: Slipstream Brewing Company/Facebook)

At first, a few neighbours opposed the application because of the noise it might bring to the adjoining residential block, but the owners assured the staff would monitor the car park to ensure customers were considerate of neighbours.

In addition to monitoring the place, the owners also built a 2.2m high acoustic fence, positioned the extensions away from the nearest neighbours and ensured light pollution was minimised.

The brewery will be offering 20 taps, including exclusive beers such as a Hazy IPA and Banoffee Pie Pastry Stout. Other than beer, they will have wine, spirits and a menu that will surely appeal to both kids and grown-ups. If you’re a regular, one of the new things you’ll notice here is the authentic Italian pizza oven and smoker in the middle of a large kitchen.

Slipstream opened in February 2021 with new trading hours of 11:00 am to 10:00 pm from Wednesday to Sunday. Bookings are highly recommended, especially on weekends. For more information, visit Slipstream Brewing’s Facebook page or follow them on Instagram @slipstreambrewing.

Plans To Refurbish Sherwood Heritage Home Met With Criticism

Photo credit: heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Plans to refurbish the heritage house at 31 Linda Street in Sherwood to make way for a family home have been given the go-ahead despite opposition from locals living nearby. One couple living close to the subject site is planning to take legal action against the renovation.

The development application lodged by Steffan Town Planning on behalf of new owners Genevieve and William Prowse stated that they purchased the property with the intention to to create a family house. While it would undergo refurbishment and renovation, they wanted to keep its original integrity and features.

Original window and french door inside the Sherwood heritage house (Photo credit: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au)

In the plans submitted to the Council, it was stated that the Prowse family is planning to have a bathroom, ensuite and kitchen, repair walls, and reconstruct the internal layout of the home, as well as refurbish “traditional features” of the home, and demolish a recently-added carport. Also part of the plan is to add a single-storey garage and studio at the lot’s southeast corner, next to the railway line at the building’s “front.”

A report by Steffan Town Planning stated that “the proposed development is consistent with the Assessment Benchmarks of the applicable zone, neighbourhood plan and overlay codes” and “is compatible in scale with the adjoining dwelling houses and will maintain a suitable level of amenity and privacy to adjoining dwellings.”

Photo credit: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Issues Raised

Scott Moorhead and Catherine Moorhead of 27 Linda Street appealed to the Planning and Environment Court at Brisbane against the respondent’s decision to approve the development application.

The Moorheads, whose house share a common boundary with the heritage house said that the plan will severely impact the comfort and amenity of the adjoining residence, contrary to Character residential zone code, Sherwood-Graceville District Neighbourhood Plan, and Dwelling house code.

“We implore Council to thoughtfully consider our opposition to the current proposal, including the attachment, which includes substantial support material, to come and personally view the site from Linda Street, and allow the applicants to pursue their first proposal (with garage and studio sited to the south east) or another of suitable position and scale,” the Moorheads stated in their submission.

Heritage House

According to the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register, this former farmhouse is believed to have been built some time before 1890 for George Jimmieson, who had worked land in the district 1866. The house later passed to two other local farming families, the Martindales and the Nosworthys. The house still sits on its original 1890 subdivision and survives as a good example of a late nineteenth century farmhouse.

In 1946 the house transferred to William Albert Brandes. When William Brandes passed away in 1980, the title was transferred to his wife Jean Allison Brandes. The place is understood to be owned by the Brandes family until 2018, when the current owners purchased the property.

Inspiring Corinda Boy with Cerebral Palsy Takes Up RaceRunning, Dreams About Paralympics

Max Bailey-Jensen, a resident of Corinda, is no ordinary 12-year-old. As someone with cerebral palsy, Max doesn’t let his limitations stop him from doing unexpected things, including competing in his dream sport: RaceRunning.

The young south western Brisbane local was hooked on RaceRunning when he saw the competition in Denmark, his birth country. Also known as Frame Running, this is an athletic discipline for Paralympians.

Back home in Australia, his family explored the possibility of their son joining the race with the help of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Even with no independent hand function, the determined 12-year-old participates in various sports activities, such as a triathlon, weekly Crossfit sessions and Judo training with the help of assistive technologies. He’s also quite adept in designing and drawing using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and like a lot of the kids his age, Max is a digital native, who loves the Xbox, iPad or Garage Band.

Max’s family applied for an NDIS grant when the special RaceRunning bikes were imported to Australia and he became the first RaceRunner participant to receive the first frame. He was also the first to receive a national classification in the sport after joining the University of Queensland’s PARASTART RaceRunning program for people with high needs cerebral palsy.

“Max is now training up to five days a week RaceRunning, swimming, and he’s in the weights room developing his physical skills and abilities,” his mum, Samantha, said.

“The benefits we are seeing from a physical, mental and emotional level are really positive, and it’s great to see Max so empowered and fitter.

“With the support of the NDIS, we are able to send Max to training with support workers, which is helping to create independence and providing him the opportunity to make more individual choices for his life.”

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A post shared by Max Bailey-Jensen (@mbjv8)

Max recently secured his second plan with the NDIS, which opens more possibilities for the young athlete.

“Max’s first plan was very equipment-focused; it was incredible when he got his first power chair at 11 and to see him have independence in his mobility.

“When the NDIS approved his assisted speech technology equipment in just three weeks so he could start high school with a voice; that was another great day.”

In 2024, RaceRunning will debut at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

“Who knows, maybe Max will be on the track running for Australia,” his mum said with optimism.

For enquiries about NDIS funding, contact a Carers Queensland’s NDIS Local Area Coordination Partner at 1300 999 636, or cq.enquiries@ndis.gov.au.

Paradise Lakes Willawong: Construction of New Residential Site Begins February

Work on the first group of homes at Paradise Lakes Willawong, an emerging residential precinct at the former sand mine in Oxley Creek, will soon begin after a decade-long wait for the approval of the development.

Stage 1 of this project will cover 37 blocks of dwelling spaces ranging from 405 to 830 square metres in size. Of these blocks, 33 have reportedly been sold whilst Uniland Pty Ltd also applied to build a six-metre sculpture at the main entrance of Paradise Lakes Willawong on Leroy Road.

By the middle of 2021, the display village will be ready for other interested buyers as earthworks for Stage 2 gets underway as well.

Paradise Lakes is envisioned to be “a tranquil lakeside sanctuary” surrounded by natural bushland. Just 16 kilometeres off Brisbane CBD, the site is a short drive to schools, shopping centres and lifestyle or dining precincts in suburbs like Sunnybank, Algester and Calmvale.

“This exclusive community will integrate with an existing natural habitat to provide a variety of premium homesites, some of which offer views of the adjacent lakes and bushland surrounds,” the developers said.

Uniland Pty Ltd bought and rehabilitated the 55-hectare land in 2009 and proposed to build a 280-housing site that will complement Brisbane City Council’s $100-million Oxley Creek Transformation.

The project will also feature the following facilities:

a 20-kilometre recreation trail from the Brisbane River to Warril Parkland in Larapinta
a world-renowned birdwatching destination at Oxley Creek Common
a regional parkland at Archerfield Wetlands
progressive improvements to habitats, vegetation, waterway stability and water quality

Incidentally, Stage 1 of Warril Parkland, a nature-based adventure playground on 1059 Paradise Road, has been completed and opened for recreational use.

Village Centre With Supermarket Proposed at Yeerongpilly Green

A plan for a village centre with a supermarket, shops and restaurants, offices, healthcare facilities including veterinary services, has been lodged with the Council for Yeerongpilly Green, the major urban renewal project in southwest Brisbane.

Dubbed the Yeerongpilly Green Village Heart (DA A005635771), the centre will rise on a vacant lot surrounded by Queens Way, King Arthur Terrace and Fig Tree Street.

The 4,200 square metres supermarket will serve as the anchor tenant and above it are spaces for offices and other shops. Also proposed in the plan are slots for 292 car park spaces in the basement with Queens Way as the main vehicle access.

BVN, the project’s architect, has worked on the village centre’s design for the last three years.

Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council

“From inception, the brief has been to design a contemporary mixed-use development that responds to commercial development requirements while contributing to Brisbane’s architectural and public realm design. This is consistent with the outcomes sought by the Yeerongpilly Green Transit Oriented Neighbourhood Plan,” BVN said.

“The proposed development involves a mix of uses that will operate at different times of the day and night. Small-scale active tenancies are proposed on the primary frontages of the development and adjacent to pedestrian spaces within the development. This will facilitate the creation of a highly activated and vibrant centre.”

In 2019, Acting Premier and Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said that supermarket giant Woolworths could be a major tenant of the emerging retail hub, potentially generating 100 jobs.

“With new parklands, new pedestrian-friendly pathways and new roads complete, Yeerongpilly Green is already putting on a show, and this highly-anticipated retail precinct with the new Woolworths will form the heart of the project and provide the shopping experience an urban renewal project of this scale merits,” Mr Dick said.

Queensland Police Academy in Oxley Welcomes 117 New Recruits

The largest intake of new police recruits in nearly a decade has started their comprehensive training program at the Queensland Police Service Academy in Oxley .

Of the 164 new recruits, 117 intakes from Brisbane will be trained at the Oxley school, where they will be taught skills to develop their capabilities to become a world-class police officer. The other 47 recruits will be trained in the Townsville academy.

The training is a six-month course that will assess the recruits on their physical and mental strength, as well as first aid proficiency.

This year, the Queensland Police Service Academy will also conduct distance-based learning for the theory-based elements of the curriculum for the very first time.

Commissioner Katarina Carroll personally welcomed and congratulated the recruits on Monday, 4 Jan 2021, alongside Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, the Honourable Mark Ryan MP.

“Today they will begin a world-class training regime to prepare them with the skills required to face a range of policing scenarios,” the commissioner said.“I know that their time at the Academy over the coming months will be exciting, challenging and ultimately very rewarding and I am extremely pleased to be here today to share this experience.”

“The strength of our frontline services has never been more important to the safety and security of our state and I am confident that each person here today will play an important role in keeping our community safe,” Mr Ryan said. “The training each of these recruits will embark on today will equip them with skills to ensure they are well prepared to handle future challenges with professionalism and dignity.”

Upon completion of their training, the intakes will be inducted into the First Year Constable program where they will further learn from the job.

More details about the Queensland Police training program is on the official site.

Your Feedback Needed for the Graceville Riverside Parklands Precinct Plan

A major regional parkland is up for development just seven kilometres from the CBD and the plans for this massive green space, covering the Graceville Riverside Parklands Precinct, is in the advanced stages.

Residents have a chance to share their feedback and suggestions for the Graceville Riverside Parklands precinct plan’s draft, which will help transform Oxley Creek into a premiere recreational site to be enjoyed by the community.

Aside from the Graceville Riverside Parkland, this development will also cover Simpsons Playground, Nadine Street Park, Graceville Avenue Park and Bert St Clair Oval.

Photo Credit: Graceville Riverside Parklands – Precinct Plan

Once completed, these sites will boast of wonderful picnic and play areas for groups, kids and families, as well as improved parking spaces and better boating club ramps.

This project’s objectives are aimed at:

Improving visual and physical connections to the river and creek.
Upgrading the existing picnic and play facilities
Improving the parkland’s vehicle entry and parking
Acknowledging the possibility of flooding in the design and delivery of new Parkland infrastructure
Maintaining and, where possible, supporting the enhancement of the existing local Club lease facilities
Celebrating the mature trees located within the Parkland
Supporting corridor-wide improvements to water quality, bank stability and riparian habitat

“The upgraded Parklands will take advantage of the site’s easy access to water and give visitors more ways to enjoy Brisbane’s relaxed outdoor lifestyle. Existing spaces and facilities will be revitalised and reimagined so people of all ages and abilities can experience canoeing, kayaking, dragon boating and sailing. Expanded greenspaces will create the perfect setting for picnics and gatherings,” Nigel Chamier, the chairman of the Oxley Creek Transformation, said.

The short online survey will run until Sunday, 6 Dec 2020 but residents may also send an email through info@oxleycreek.com.au or via regular mail addressed to Oxley Creek Transformation, GPO Box 1434, Brisbane 4001.

Residents’ comments and inputs will be considered in the finalisation of the precinct plan, which will be released in 2021.