Oxley State School will attempt to get into the Guinness World Record for the Largest Bush Dance and you can be of help by joining the big party at the school grounds on Bannerman Street.
Happening on Saturday, the 22nd of June, the bush dance is one of the highlights of the Oxley State School Fete organized by the Oxley State School P & C Association. However, there will also be other fun activities and competitions as the school community raises funds to improve the facilities.
The Oxley State School Fete will have a cooking fest and vegetable growing contest. Sports and games will also be underway as the fete runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Market and food stalls will be set up to serve cakes, jams and other delicious snacks for the visitors. Performances and side shows will also happen in a portion of the school grounds.
Aside from the Largest Bush Dance world record attempt, Australian conservationist and host of “Gardening Australia” Jerry Colby will be gracing the event for a Q & A session.
The fair is a free event but the talk with Colby will require tickets. Interested parties may email oxleyssfete@gmail.com for information.
Six existing QR stations including Yeronga, Yeerongpilly, and Rocklea will receive a makeover to meet accessibility standards in time for the completion of the Cross River Rail.
To coincide with the $5.4-billion Cross River Rail project, Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey and Member for Toohey Peter Russo announced the facelift and accessibility upgrade plans for Fairfield, Yeronga, Yeerongpilly, Moorooka, Rocklea and Salisbury stations.
The Cross River Rail will deliver a new 10.2-kilometre rail line extending from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills with four new high-capacity stations located on Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street, and Roma Street.
The rail line includes 5.9 kilometres of tunnel under the Brisbane River and CBD. Along with the construction of new stations, upgrades will also be done on Dutton Park and Exhibition stations.
Brisbane Development / YouTube
“Queenslanders are backing public transport like never before with a record 182 million trips across the South East last financial year,” Mr Bailey said.
“Cross River Rail already includes plans to build an additional platform at these southside stations, so it makes sense that we also invest in accessibility upgrades to the existing station platforms at the same time, so they can be delivered by the Cross River Rail contractor.”
The station upgrades, Mr Bailey said, are designed to minimise network disruption with new platforms also to be prefabricated off-site. He added that the upgrades will make it easier for commuters with a disability, parents with prams, and travellers with luggage to use the public transport system.
“Station accessibility will be boosted with new overpasses, lifts, kiss’n’ride infrastructure and bike facilities included in Cross River Rail’s proposed package of works.
“Cross River Rail’s southside improvement plans will unlock extra rail capacity and deliver the essential infrastructure that can support high frequency services on the transport network.”
The proposed station upgrades would be assessed by the independent Coordinator-General. A community information forum on June 6, 2019 at Annerley Hall, 8 Waldheim Street, Annerley is also planned, according to Mr Russo.
“This is an important opportunity to find out what’s planned for the southside and to have your say on Cross River Rail’s once-in-a-generation transformation of high-frequency transport in our community,” Mr Russo said.
Feedback on the station upgrade plans can be uploaded to the website of the independent Coordinator-General until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 14, 2019.
Old Cleveland Road and Logan Road, Stones Corner (between Montague Street and the O’Keefe Street roundabout)
Oxley Road, Corinda (between Hassall Street and Martindale Street intersections).
The announcement comes after similar speed limit reduction was implemented on Ann Street in the Brisbane CBD last November 2018. Pedestrian scramble crossing was also introduced at the Albert Street and Charlotte Street intersection, and the Albert Street and Mary Street intersection.
Beginning 20 May, variable message signs will notify motorists of the upcoming speed limit changes.
Yet to be finalised is the speed reduction through the intersection of Mains Road and McCullough Street in Sunnybank whilst the construction of a pedestrian crossing on Adelaide Street between Albert and Edward Street is also well underway.
These projects are part of the Citywide Pedestrian Safety Review interim report recommendations announced in September 2018. The Citywide Pedestrian Safety Review is aimed at identifying programs and projects that will help improve pedestrian and road users safety.
Call for separated infrastructure for pedestrians
In response to the Council’s announcement, the State’s peak motoring body — RACQ, called on the Council to consider implementing separated infrastructure for “vulnerable road users and motor vehicles,” in addition to speed reductions.
“Prevention of serious pedestrian incidents by removing the risk is the priority,” Mr Turner said.
“In addition to looking at reduced speed limits in high pedestrian risk areas, we want to see a greater focus on safety measures such as pedestrian fencing and a review of on-street parking which would better separate pedestrians and vehicles.
“Prevention of crashes is better than having them occur at a lower speed. Separation can keep traffic flowing while also protecting pedestrians,” RACQ spokesperson Paul Turner said.
Three different markets open every weekend at Sherwood Road in Rocklea and if you’re looking for fresh food, clothes, home items, and unique gifts, especially this coming Mother’s Day, it’s high time to clock a visit to the Brisbane Marketplace. You may even get a chance to win a swag bag worth $200 for yourself or for your mum.
From the 5th to the 12th of May 2019, visitors to any of the markets taking place at the Brisbane Marketplace can enter the Mother’s Day Giveaway contest. Just fill out an entry form at the Information Booth for the draw.
The swag bag contains the following delightful prizes:
Flowerlovers voucher ($50)
30-minute massage from Healing Hands Thai Day Spa ($35)
fiddle leaf fig from My Plants ($75)
Brisbane MarketPlace “Market Money” ($50) to be spent at the markets before the 12th of August
The Brisbane Marketplace has been around for years but there’s always something new to see from the different vendors participating during the night market for Friday, the fresh market for Saturday and the discovery market for Sunday.
The Brisbane Night Market is at 385 Sherwood Road, where at least 40 food stalls offer every gastronomic delight to satisfy your cravings, including alcohol. It opens from 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. A live band performs during this event, which may be a great way to kick off a relaxing weekend with a group of friends.
Across the street at 250 Sherwood Road is the Saturday Fresh Market which opens from 6:00 am to 12:00 p.m. Here, you’ll find an assortment of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat, as well as other produce from over 380 stalls.
Every Sunday morning, the fresh market becomes the Sunday Discovery Market where you can score antique items, homewares and collectible, vintage clothing and other second-hand goods. Artisanal craft stalls offer wonderful knick-knacks that you can gift to every member of your family, including your furry pets.
There’s something for everyone at the Brisbane Marketplace. Drop by with the whole family and enjoy the food, shop and meet the local vendors of your community!
Contrary to the common notion that the Brisbane property market has yet to take off, many suburbs have already shown signs of growth, including Graceville, the latest suburb-by-suburb analysis from Hotspotting’s Terry Ryder said.
Sandgate tops the list of higher-end markets with annual house price growth of more than 10 percent with a median of $755,000 or a rise of 19 percent. Graceville recorded a 13% price growth with a median house price of $950,000. Other suburbs in the list include Bardon (11%), Hendra (13%), Kenmore HIlls (10.5%), Norman Park (10%), and Paddington (11%)
Whilst most sources show misleading generalised figures — indicating either little to no growth —many suburbs in the Greater Brisbane area, in particular, are performing very well, the report said.
Street View | Graceville, Qld
An analysis of the quarterly and annual price data of 269 suburbs show that 83 recorded more than five percent growth with 20 of them posting double-digit increases. On the other hand, 100 suburbs record less than five percent growth whilst 47 posted less than five percent negative growth and the remaining 39 suburbs dropping more than five percent.
Of 39 suburbs that posted declines of more than five percent, 27 were considered as units market, led by Bowen Hills (-20%), Bulimba (-15%), East Brisbane (-15%), Woodridge (-10%), Greenslopes (-11%), Hamilton (-11%) and Woody Point (-18%). These figures indicate that the supply glut for the past years has not been confined in inner-city areas alone.
The analysis suggests that things are already starting to lookup for the Brisbane housing market, contrary to what many might think. Affordability and better rental yield as compared to other big cities will be the main drivers for growth.
Beginning 13 May 2019, customers of Queensland Rail coming from Darra Station, Chelmer stand to benefit from the extra train services that will be added to the Springfield line and six other train lines to carry more passengers during the busy hours.
The additional weekly train services was announced ahead of timetable improvements planned this 2019. These changes will be available in the TransLink Journey Planner beginning mid-April.
The extra 32 weekly services to the Redcliffe Peninsula, Cleveland, Springfield, Shorncliffe, Ferny Grove,Gold Coast, and Airport lines would add 14,000 seats during peak hours in the morning and afternoon.
Monday to Friday additions
Line
Departing station
Departure time
Arrival station
Arrival time
Redcliffe Peninsula
Kippa-Ring station
7.10am
Central station
8.05am
Cleveland
Cleveland station
6.39am
Central station
7.34am
Cleveland
Central station
5.09pm
Cleveland station
6.05pm
Monday to Thursday additions to the services already running on a Friday
Line
Departing station
Departure time
Arrival station
Arrival time
Springfield
Springfield Central station
6.51am
Central station
7.32am
Shorncliffe
Shorncliffe station
7.39am
Central station
8.16am
Shorncliffe
Central station
6.58am
Shorncliffe station
7.35am
Friday additions to the services already running Monday to Thursday
Line
Departing station
Departure time
Arrival station
Arrival time
Ferny Grove
Ferny Grove station
7.25am
Central station
7.56am
Gold Coast
Varsity Lakes station
5.55am
Central station
7.14am
Airport
Central station
7.16am
Domestic Airport station
7.40am
Airport
Domestic Airport station
7.49am
Central station
8.13am
Cleveland
Central station
5.32pm
Cleveland station
6.35pm
The additional train services is Queensland Rail’s response to customer feedback, and was the result of analyzing patronage data, wait times, and operational efficiencies.
Have you ever wondered where Francis Lookout in Corinda got its name?
One of Corinda’s local landmarks, Francis Lookout is a parkland at the corner of Dewar Terrace and Hilda Street. Its prominent hilltop location offers fantastic panoramic views of Brisbane, especially towards Mt Coot-tha.
If you have already visited the heritage site, you might have noticed a few graves within the park. This is because the park was initially a private cemetery.
History of Francis Lookout
Panoramic view from Francis Lookout, Corinda, across the Brisbane River towards Mt. Coot-tha, 1931. Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Negative number: 59074
The Francis Lookout got its name from the Francis family, one of the first families to settle in the Corinda area. In 1862, the family bought 21 acres of land in the area which extended from the Brisbane River to the present location of the park.
The establishment of the burial ground was similar to the story behind God’s Acre Cemetery in Archerfield. The family also established the private cemetery as a memorial for their youngest son, Clement, who died in 1863.
The Francis family dedicated one acre for this purpose since there was no municipal cemetery in the district at the time.
Today, the burial grounds contain memorials from 1863 to1966. The last member of the family to be buried on site in 1937 was Mary Francis. She was the wife of the Francis’ eldest son, Dick.
Apart from the Francis family, other graves of early Corinda residents are also in the cemetery. These include the Jones grave, the Dunlop grave, the Clarkson grave, the Walker grave, the Gray grave, and two unlocated burials.
The Lychgate
Francis Lookout lychgate from E (2016). Photo credit: Vic Bushing/Queensland Heritage Register
In 1902, Angela Francis erected the private cemetery’s intricate lychgate for her husband. The ornate barge boards were carved by her friends and a small bronze plaque that reads ‘ERECTED BY ANGELA FRANCIS 1902’ can be seen on the structure.
In 1934, the Brisbane City Council took over the cemetery and carried out several improvements and repairs in the subsequent years.
The heritage-listed Francis Lookout is currently amongst the significant landmarks in the suburb, currently home to 10 known graves and two unlocated graves.
Francis family graves (2016). Photo credit: Vic Bushing/Queensland Heritage Register
The five graves of the Francis family are situated together, surrounded by a white painted fence. Meanwhile, the other graves are randomly scattered to the north of the family’s gravesite.
Francis Lookout in Corinda offers a great picnic spot for those who want to have a quiet time under the shade of eucalyptus trees. Visitors can enjoy the scenic views of the city coupled with a piece of the suburb’s history.
Oxley and seven other Brisbane south suburbs have surprisingly upstaged blue chips to make the list of hottest suburbs for price growth in 2019.
Eight suburbs from Brisbane’s south have managed to post consistent rise in sales, according to the latest Price Predictor Index from Hotspotting’s Terry Ryder, growing from last report’s five: Oxley, Sunnybank, Corinda, Forest Lake, Mansfield, Mt Gravatt East, Parkinson, and Salisbury.
Over the past 12 months through 31 December 2018, there have been a total of 135 houses sold, spending an average of 52 days on market.This translates to a median sale price of $580,000 and a 3.57 percent annual increase, according to CoreLogic’s propertyvalue.com.au. Still, Oxley’s median house price has been steadily rising from $416,000 in 2012 to $573,750 in 2018, according to realestate.com.au.
Also, seven Brisbane north suburbs have shown steady rising demands according to the report: Newmarket, Alderley, Bald Hills, Brighton, Geebung, Gordon Park, and Stafford Heights.
In all, 33 Brisbane suburbs were found to have sales that are consistently rising, especially in the Moreton Bay region which now ranks second in the country in terms of growth.
Based on sales activity, the Price Predictor Index predicts which suburb will likely see future price growth as well as find out which are showing weakening sales. Markets that have shown consistency in sales growth are likely to remain steady and deliver good price growth.
The latest survey has revealed that more suburbs are showing rising sales activity which is a good indication that the Brisbane housing market is growing stronger in 2019.
Graceville Community Center opened last
Sunday, 17th February 2019, as Brisbane’s 20th Community
Composting Hub.
Brisbane City Council has been working hard to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. Reducing waste to landfill prolongs the life of our landfill site, decreases the cost of waste disposal, and contributes to a cleaner, greener city.
In order to reduce waste, the Council has resorted to setting up waste and recycling facilities.
Photo credit: Ben_Kerckx/Pixabay
Food Waste Reduction
But food waste being a big part of what goes into Brisbane’s bins, the Council started the community composting hub initiative in October 2016. The program encourages residents living near community composting hubs to regularly contribute their kitchen scraps to the community garden compost bin.
In just over two years, the Council saw an unbelievable effort from communities to minimise food wastage as more than 4,100 participants and volunteers signed up to be involved at the community composting hub nearest their homes. Brisbane saved an equivalent of about 1000 wheelie bins full of scraps from landfill, which means that more than 245,000 litres of organic waste has been composted since that time.
Photo credit: Graceville Community Garden/Facebook
Graceville’s Community Composting Hub
The Graceville Community Garden was officially established in May 2010. It operates as a shared space, aiming to strengthen communities and grow food.
Last 17th February 2019, it officially joined Brisbane’s growing community composting network. The composting hub is run by volunteers with the support of the Council.
Anyone can get involved by bringing their kitchen scraps to GCG. Composting scraps significantly cut down the amount of trash sent to landfill since the compost can be used as fertilizer in the community garden.
Photo credit: Graceville Community Garden/Facebook
With the addition of Graceville Community Garden to the community composting network, we can expect more residents to embrace the scheme to compost kitchen scraps and green waste.
Let us all support GCG and do our part in keeping Brisbane clean, green and sustainable.
Beginning 2020, the Brisbane International — an annual professional tennis tournament held at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson — will have a new format, as Brisbane secures the rights to the all-new ATP Cup.
The best international players will continue coming back to Brisbane every year and draw local and international fans with the introduction of the new ATP Cup men’s team competition. Featuring teams from 24 countries, the ATP Cup will be played over ten days in the lead to the Australian Open across three cities: Brisbane, Sydney, and a yet to be named third Australian city.
Alongside the ATP Cup men’s team event, the Brisbane International will continue as an elite women’s competition. Brisbane will host key preliminary rounds of the new men’s team competition with the finals to be held in Sydney.
“The iconic Brisbane International attracts tens of thousands of visitors and injects close to $10 million into the state’s economy each year,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
“The ATP Cup will have a bigger international following ensuring we continue to attract tennis fans from around the country and the world to Brisbane to cheer on their favourite players.
“On top of that, the Brisbane International will continue to host the world’s best female players at Tennyson which will be the only women’s tennis event in Australia that week which means we’ll see the best action on court right here in Brisbane,” the Premier said.
The new ATP Cup is expected to attract more high-profile players from around the globe with more prize money and higher ranking points.
“In 2020, the Brisbane International will continue to grow with the world’s best male tennis players beginning their season in Brisbane in the all new ATP Cup which will see the players teaming up to represent their country for a share in 750 ATP Ranking points and $15m USD in prize money,” Tennis Australia Head of Major Events – Cameron Pearson said
The ATP Cup is scheduled to begin in 3 January 2020.
