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Take Your Kids Out This Winter School Holiday Around The Walter Taylor Bridge

Let your kids enjoy nature and the outdoors during this winter school holidays. Check out these places around the Walter Taylor Bridge where you can take them. The good news? They’re all free!

BJP Physique

Ideal for girls, let them learn a great combination of dance and sport this upcoming holidays. Let them dance to fun and upbeat pop music whilst learning new moves that combine yoga, aerobic dance, ballet, hip-hop, and many more. They have classes for little girls and adults.

You can click here to learn more about their classes.

Address: Oxley State School, Bannerman Street, Oxley QLD 4075

LifeTime Tennis

Indulge your kids to the wonderful sport of tennis this school break. LifeTime Tennis works with several schools across the state. You can book a free trial here.

Address: Corner Erinvale St & Rolfe St, Corinda Brisbane, QLD 4075

Walter Taylor Bridge

Take your kids with you on a walking tour through the Walter Taylor Bridge, Australia’s only inhabitable bridge. The historic suspension bridge is built by Walter Taylor.

What sets it apart from the other bridges in the country is that the two towers of the bridge house are residential accommodations. It is also one of four bridges in close proximity to each other. Simply being on the bridge whilst cars pass by below is a great experience that your kids will enjoy.

The walking tour is free but bookings are essential. You can book here.

Faulkner Park

One of the biggest parks in Brisbane, this is a great place for your kids to simply let loose and have fun. Take away those gadgets and let them play with the other children. Expose them to the beauty of nature whilst covered up in layers during the winter school holidays. You can also let the dogs tag along.

Address: 80 Waratah Ave, Graceville QLD 4075, Australia

Francis Lookout Burial

Go on an interesting walk around the cemetery and visit the Lychgate with your kids. You can also see a great view of the Brisbane skyline from here.

Address: 157 Dewar Terrace, Corinda, Brisbane

Oxley Creek Catchment Area

Let your kids see different birds at the Oxley Creek Catchment Area. Different kinds of water birds can be seen here and it is recommended that you go during the mornings.

Address: 9 Macdevitt St, Coopers Plains QLD 4108, Australia

Get Rare and Unusual Plants at Oxley Nursery

Oxley Nursery is one of Brisbane’s go-to places for rare plants at the best price. The expansive garden centre houses a vast selection of cacti, succulents, fruit trees, palm trees and exotic flowers. The centre also sells unique pots, terrariums and sculptures that are perfect for that zen garden.

Rare type of succulent, Crassula elegens. Photo credit: Facebook/Oxley Nursery

Aside from selling a variety of plants, Oxley Nursery is also popular as a place for hiring plants for events and exhibitions. Owners, Andy and Caitlin Roy have over 20 years of experience in the field of “Show Plants” prior to transforming their business into a retail nursery.

Heliconias Photo credit: www.oxleynursery.com.au

As avid gardeners and collectors of plants for years, the owners wanted to have plenty of rare and exotic plants to make homes and gardens stand out. Oxley Nursery’s rare plants are priced from $5 up to $1,500.

Malay Dwarf Bamboo Photo credit: www.oxleynursery.com.au

Oxley Nursery boasts a wide range of plant options, particularly species that thrive in Brisbane’s subtropical conditions. For gardeners looking for new plants to add to their garden, the garden centre gets new stocks almost every week.

For more information, visit Oxley Nursery’s website or check out their Facebook page for updates.

Brisbane Housing Company Set to Enter the Retirement Village Market at Sherwood

Brisbane Housing Company (BHC), a leading provider of innovative affordable housing in Queensland, will be providing an affordable senior’s vertical community at 14-22 Hood Street, Sherwood.

Photo credit: pdonline.gov.au

The retirement village called Arbor aims to facilitate inclusiveness and socialisation. Plans for the development were already finalised and it will include a number of communal spaces, with recreational levels provided at each level, thus encouraging interaction and socialisation within the development.

Photo credit: pdonline.gov.au

The development will also have elevated outdoor spaces to provide an integrated building that is enjoyable and usable all year round. Semi-outdoor spaces will cater to the subtropical environment and foster the connective indoor and outdoor nature of many Queensland style homes.

Arbor will have 52 apartments with 14 1.5 bedroom apartments and 38 2 bedroom apartments. BHC will offer market competitive apartment living priced at $350,000 – $450,000 and can go as low as $200,000 for true needs clients in a community where the local median home value is $800,000 – $850,000.

Photo credit: pdonline.gov.au

BHC designed Arbor’s DMF (Deferred Management Fee) contract to minimise the impact of regular fees on the pension. They are also working with Hynes Legal to deliver a range of financial options which will include strategies to deliver rental support.

BHC is focused on building and maintaining quality affordable homes for people in need and engaging with and supporting people to sustain their tenancies. They were able to build and manage 1,300 apartments for affordable rental. BHC also manages a further 250 properties under the NRAS (National Rental Affordability Scheme) investment plan and has sold 300 homes into the market.

Established in 2002 with a QLD Government and Brisbane City Council funding of  $40 million, the BHC provides inner and middle ring housing for essential service workers.

Graceville State School Joins Active School Travel Program

Graceville State School (GSS) is among the new schools to participate in the Brisbane City Council’s Active School Travel (AST) program in 2018.

The Active School Travel (AST) program encourages primary school students and their families to keep an active and healthy lifestyle by actively travelling to school.

AST is not just about letting the kids walk to school for healthier and more active students, but the program also promotes road safety and sustainable travel modes via cycling, walking, carpooling, scootering, or public transport. This will also help reduce traffic congestion on busy streets and school zones.

The program is tailored to each school with a dedicated officer, passports, rewards, active maps, and many more.

Schools under the program will have direct access to a range of free resources, tools and incursions. To help students joining the program, GSS offers an Active Travel Map that students and parents can easily see the active travel routes here.

The map provides detailed public transport routes, walking, and cycle paths. It also highlights public facilities that are useful for program participants.

It also allows parents and students to know the distance from their house to the school through the measuring scale. This is also a great way to discover nearby bikeways and walking paths for those who plan to walk around during the weekend.

The pink polygon or the “no excuses zone” on the program map shows homes that are within a ten-minute walk from the school, challenging residents of that zone to stay active and walk to school.

Chelmer Station Community Kindergarten Celebrates Fifth Annual Lantern Parade

Now in its fifth year, the Chelmer Station Community Kindergarten will be hosting Lantern Parade 2018 and everyone is invited!

This tradition has become a favourite for many families in Chelmer and nearby suburbs such as Sherwood, Graceville, and Corinda. The parade is inspired by Germany’s lantern parade held on Saint Martin’s Day when children from community Kindergartens come together to walk with their lanterns after dark.

In Germany, the celebration happens every 11 November, however, in order for the event to be done in the most successful way possible, the date has been tweaked according to the city’s climate and season so participants can fully enjoy the celebration.

Children are invited to create and bring their own lanterns to show off during the parade. It will be a great way to keep children busy and creative.

The event will be on 22 June at the Faulkner Park Netball Courts. It will begin at 4:30 p.m. and end at 7:00 p.m. The actual parade will begin at 6:00 p.m.

There will be delicious German food, music, and drinks available at the event.

Address: Faulkner Park, Waratah Avenue, Leybourne St, Graceville QLD 4075, AU

Oxley & Inala Included In Top 10 Suburbs For Vehicle Theft in Queensland

Brisbane suburbs such as Oxley and Inala are among the top suburbs when it comes to car theft in the state. This is according to data released by The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ), ranking the top suburbs with the most number of claims for car theft in Queensland from 2015-2017.

In the past three years, the RACQ received over 50,000 claims for stolen vehicles. The worst place in Queensland for car theft is in Southport.

Top 10 suburbs for stolen cars (1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017)

  1. Southport
  2. Red Hill
  3. Harristown
  4. Caboolture
  5. Inala
  6. Sunnybank Hills
  7. Zillmere
  8. Oxley
  9. Fortitude Valley
  10. Arundel

Source: RACQ

RACQ also noted that Toyota Landcruiser, Ford Falcon and Toyota Corolla are the vehicle models that tend to be appealing to thieves as well.

Police Warning

The number of car theft in the Centenary and south Brisbane areas also grabbed the attention of local police.

According to the Centenary Police, the vehicles that have been targeted over the past contains valuable belongings inside the vehicle.

The alarming number of car theft in Oxley and Inala prompted the Centenary Police to remind residents to always secure their vehicles in a locked garage if possible. For those who park on the street or open areas, always take your valuable with you. Parking in a well-lit spot is highly-recommended as well.

Should you notice any suspicious activity, report it at 131 444.

Upcoming Kerbside Collection for Sherwood and Surrounding Suburbs: the Do’s and Dont’s for Scavengers

Brisbane City Council’s Kerbside Collection is coming to Sherwood and its surrounding suburbs including Chelmer, Graceville, Sherwood, Corinda, and Oxley on Monday, 4 June 2018.

The Kerbside Collection may be an annual event, but it still pays to check some of the good old advice on getting ready for the collection day. You can even get the Council’s free Brisbane Bin and Recycling app to help you prepare for the event.

Read: Kerbside Collection for OWT Bridge Areas Upcoming: 4 Tips on How to Get Ready  

Scavengers are not new to Kerbside Collection since they have been “operational” for years now. As they say, one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure, so who wouldn’t want to get useful stuff for free?

Photo credit: CC-BY/sergejf/Flickr

For creative scavengers, some of the stuff that is thrown out the kerb can easily be repurposed or upcycled into something new. Like this old television that has been upcycled into a fish tank.

Photo credit: CC-BY/Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar/Flickr

Or this fridge that has been transformed into a chic dog house.

Other scavengers also scour piles on the kerbside for copper that they can get from the discarded electronics. This is where some things get really dirty.

Photo credit: CCO Public Domain / Alexas_Fotos / Pixabay

In the past, residents have been complaining about scavengers who pry their discarded electronics open in search for the money-making copper which can be sold for up to $7 per kilo. Whilst there is no problem with people trying to make money out of trash, the problems start when scavengers leave the pile of discarded metal they just opened scattered all over the place.

For scavengers who are ready to go out there for their loot, here are some friendly reminders for you before you hit the kerb.

Know when to go

Check the dates for the Kerbside Collection online so you can be updated with the collection dates for your area.

Come prepared

Take a ute or a truck so you can have room for the awesome stuff you might find.

Be considerate

Even if you’re only scavenging for copper from a pile of electronics and appliances, make sure to leave the pile as tidy as you can. There might be children running around the place and anything that’s broken can pose some serious hazard for them.

Keep other scavengers in mind

You might be inclined to only take what you need and break some stuff, but there are scavengers out there who might be able to repair those stuff and actually use them.

Scavenging can be helpful to a community since it is a great way to recycle unwanted things. Just remember to be mindful of your manners as you go about scavenging and have fun, you’ll never know what surprises could be out there.

Oxley’s Abandoned School Might Be Turned Into An Aged Care Facility, Locals Encouraged To Attend Information Sessions This Month

Earlier this year, the site of the abandoned Oxley Secondary College caught fire in an accident that later on triggered fears of asbestos inhalation around the neighbourhood. The building has been abandoned for years and locals fear the possibility of asbestos infiltration.

Even before the fire, the building had been under an ongoing debate about what to do with it and now, there finally seems to be some clarity on the fate of the derelict building.

Also read: Fire Broke Out At An Abandoned School In Oxley, Residents Warned Of Asbestos Exposure

Ongoing Work

Currently, rectification works are ongoing to resolve critical issues on the site. A huge percentage of the locals want the area to be transformed into an area for public use.

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick is psyched about planning and implementing something for the benefit of the locals at the building site.

Previous Plans

In 2016, a panel of eight residents talked to Economic Development Queensland about the best approach for the disposition of the building. The main concern of the residents was that the area is not suitable for a residential property as the site is prone to flooding and landslides. However, they are not entirely averse to the idea of residential development. Should a residential development ensue, they would like to see the land developed safely.

The site was acquired from Education Queensland by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines in 2002. At the time, it was used as a police dog training facility. In 2001, it was declared surplus to government needs. Currently, the site occupies 19.28 hectares of land but the average lot size proposed for the site should the aged care facility pushes through is 800 square metres.

Current Plans

Plans for turning the building into an aged care facility is currently on the discussion table. It will be pitched to the community at various information sessions at the end of May. The information sessions will tackle a combination of residential and community outcomes with the intent to preserve open spaces.

The plans will also involve the relocation of an existing C&K child care centre to the site. Also, 60% of the site will be for public use.

Have your say on 31 May at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on 2 June at 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Oxley Bowls Club. Register here.

Oxley Creek to be Turned into World-Class Open Space under Draft Plan, Local Feedback Sought

Brisbane City Council has unveiled the draft master plan that will transform Oxley Creek into a world-class green, lifestyle and leisure open space.

The council has earmarked $100 million for the project, which is expected to bring about environmental, social and economic benefits to the community.

Managing the ambitious project is Oxley Creek Transformation Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary company of the BCC formed specifically to realise the vision for the waterway. For a long time, Oxley Creek has suffered from industrial pollution and contamination. Through the project, the council will revitalise the waterway and resolve existing issues.

The Plan

Under the draft master plan, the Oxley Creek corridor will be turned into a massive parkland complete with leisure and recreational facilities. More importantly, the plan would address environmental issues around the waterway extending from the Brisbane River at Tennyson up to Larapinta.

Photo credit: www.oxleycreek.com.au

The future Oxley Creek parkland will run through the suburbs of Graceville, Sherwood, Rocklea, Corinda, Oxley, Archerfield, Willawong, Acacia Ridge, Pallara and Heathwood.

Several opportunities will be explored under the draft master plan. These include:

  • improving flood resilience and water quality;
  • restoring wildlife habitats;
  • reuse of stormwater and other measures that allow the natural environment to thrive;
  • creating new open spaces for people to gather, relax, play and connect with others;
  • improving north-south and cross-corridor pedestrian and cycle connectivity along the creek and its open spaces, and;
  • supporting and enhancing the local economy through commercial opportunities, new facilities and activation.

View the full draft master plan.

Public consultation for the Oxley Creek Transformation draft master plan is currently open and will run until Sunday, 27 May 2018.

Have your say by:

After the public consultation period, community feedback will be reviewed and considered for inclusion in the final master plan.

The final master plan is expected to be completed in late 2018.

Graceville Croquet Club Gets $98k Council Grant

As part of the Building Stronger Communities Grants Program  of the Brisbane City Council, Graceville Croquet Club has received $98,065 to help improve its facilities.

Graceville Croquet Club is one of the Building Stronger Communities Grants 2017-18 grant recipients who received funding to help in developing their facilities and improving their governance and long-term organisational sustainability. A total of 69 organisations were granted a total funding of $2,509,597.66.

The Council’s Building Stronger Communities Grants Program focuses on helping community-based, not-for-profit organisations in linking residents to recreation and promoting their wellbeing.

It supports community facilities that promote community sport, recreational, cultural and social activities that help in strengthening the physical, cultural, mental, and social well-being of the community.

Photo credit: www.croquetqld.org

The program has three categories comprised of Community Facility Maintenance, Community Facility Development, and Organisational Development.

The funding granted to Graceville Croquet Club will be used to improve their facilities. Specifically, it will help in replacing the flooring and facilities in the kitchen, toilet, and storage area of the clubhouse to improve safety and accessibility of their facilities. This will also help in increasing the use of the facility at Graceville Memorial Park.

The program is part of the Council’s efforts to achieve Brisbane Vision 2031. Organisations that qualified as recipients under the Building Stronger Communities Grants Program help in creating an active, healthy, safe, and friendly community.