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Two Different Paths, Two Exciting Destinations at Oxley Creek Common in Rocklea

If you are in Rocklea and you’re looking for a place where you can really get close to nature whilst the birds chirp above you in different colours and aesthetics, the best place for you to go to is the Oxley Creek Common.

If you haven’t discovered it yet, the area has two easy walking trails and picnic amenities, perfect for those who really want to take some time off and just be in peace.

Discover the Secret Forest

The area isn’t just for bird-watching, although the presence of over 180 species of birds is certainly a good reason to do so.

There is actually a secret forest, just a short way from the Red Shed along the main walking path that hugs Oxley Creek. Walk through the main walking path and you will notice more vegetation as you walk further. Consider this a good sign. Whilst there, you might just spot the Eastern Yellow Robin, the Varied Triller or the Fairy Wren here.

As you walk along, the path will curve via the creek and loop back on itself. You will find eventually find yourself at the hoop pine grove, which is The Secret Forest.

Here you can enjoy more peace and see the pied butcherbirds as this is where they live.

Watch Them Fly

Another walking trail that you can go for is the Pelican Island Walk. Depart from the Red Shed also but after 1.3km, turn off to the left to Pelican Island. You will pass by Jabiru Swamp, which is where you can see the Great Egret and the rare urban dwelling Jabilu. The Pelican Lagoon is known for its biggest variety of grassland and waterbirds.

Oxley’s Network Video to Close in March

Oxley’s Network Video is closing, to the dismay of loyal customers of Brisbane’s last walk-in video store.

They announced their decision on social media recently, saying that they will be closing their doors in March, after eight years in business. They thanked their loyal customers for the support.

Establishing the store in 2010 was a risky move for owners of the shop, considering that the industry at that time was slowly declining. In fact,the owner had the business on a three-year timeline, which kept getting pushed back as the shop gained a loyal following. Despite this impending closure, there are still plenty of people renting videos at the store, whose March closure has now been prompted by family issues.

Customers can still rent videos as of February, but later this month, they will start selling off their 14,000 titles. A lot of movie lovers in Oxley have expressed dismay over this planned closure because this is the only place where they can get videos which are not available on Australian streaming services.

Once Oxley’s Network Video closes, Ipswich and Logan will be the go-to places for customers looking for walk-in video stores.

AHPC Encourages Kids to Walk to School; Better Pedestrian Access to Corinda State School Remains an Issue

A mum from Seventeen Mile Rocks is at the forefront of a call for better pedestrian access to Corinda State School. Cliveden Avenue West is steep with no pathways or lighting.

Parents have been calling for upgrades on the avenue for three years already, and even labeled the site as dangerous, with bush on both sides and rocks on the shoulder of the road.

Active Travel

Just recently, the Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC) at Victoria University released a report called “Active Travel: Pathways to a Healthy Future,” that recommended all levels of government to improve active access to schools. A high percentage of kids and young people are not getting the proper amount of physical activity. They have recommended that children should have an average of 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

AHPC is part of a coalition of 34 high-profile groups including the Cancer Council and Stroke Foundation, calling on the Federal Government to set obesity prevention as a national priority.

Three-Part Policy Framework

They also revealed that one quarter of all children and 29% of young people are overweight or obese. One of the reasons for this is the lack of opportunity to get enough daily exercise through the daily tasks that they do, which includes going to school, thus the design of the three-part policy framework to enable Australia to achieve national active school travel.

Building active environments adjacent to all schools that prioritise pedestrians and cyclists
Establish a national target for physical activity
Establishment of virtual knowledge hub for schools, communities and local governments to provide evidence and implementation information for active school travel initiatives

“We are now one of the world’s fattest nations with very high rates of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. We cannot stand by and accept such high levels of risk among Australia’s children when the evidence of what we can do is right in front of us,” said Rosemary Calder, director of AHPC.

Active school travel is one of the easiest ways to incorporate physical activity into the daily life of children.

Response To Cliveden West Avenue Concern

In response to the mum’s plea regarding the avenue, Cr Matthew Bourke plans to fund the works between Blackheath Rd and Ford Rd until boundaries changed, taking it off within the Jamboree Ward.

On the other hand, Cr Nicole Johnston of Tennyson ward said she will talk with the residents about the western section of the avenue.

$120K Chelmer Queenslander Sells for $3.3M

Time plus investment paid off big time as a heritage home in Chelmer sold for $3.3 million. That’s a huge leap from the property’s price of $120,000 when it was bought back in 1990.

Known as ‘Arcadia,’ the property is a grand and majestic Queenslander built around 1905. It sits on a 2,704-square-metre lot and has its own tennis court and swimming pool.

The property is at a prime location at 56 Victoria Avenue in Chelmer and is one of the few large blocks of land that are left in the suburb. Many of the other large lots have either been sold or redeveloped.

Chelmer properties such as the Arcadia are in high demand mainly for their proximity to top quality public and private schools, including St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School in Corinda, Graceville State School and Brisbane Boys’ College.

The suburb also provides easy access to Indooroopilly Shopping Centre and the train station, plus a good number of restaurants, cafés and boutique grocers.

Sold in an auction on 19 January, the Arcadia sale was easily the biggest sale that week.

Queenslander with Modern Features

Not only is the Arcadia a large property with gorgeous amenities. The design is also something to be desired. It manages to effectively combine old, classic Queenslander style with modern convenience and comfort. The home boasts huge rooms with views of the outside. The dining area opens up right to the veranda, which surrounds the entire house.

The Arcadia offers several large spaces that have been well-maintained by the former owner. It has a second living room with an ornate fireplace that’s perfect for a relaxing retreat.

Downstairs are large air-conditioned areas that should be perfect to use as work-from-home office able to accommodate up to five workstations. The property also provides a garage for two cars and generous space for storage.

Get the App for This Year’s Kerbside Collection Day in Rocklea

Less than a month to go and the 2018 Kerbside Collection is coming around once again, this time for Rocklea, on the 5th of February.

Before you start taking out your things (and remember you can only leave your stuff by the kerb a week before the collection day!), why don’t you use the app to get you in the swing of things this year? Yes, there is an app.

The Brisbane Bin and Recycling app provides Brisbanites with important tips and information on recycling and waste disposal.

Instead of waiting around for the notice from the Brisbane City Council regarding the collection day, the app makes it so much easier for you.

It includes a bin collection calendar, which will allow you to set reminders so they don’t forget.

An alphabetical list of materials and how to discard or recycle them is also featured in the app. Information about the council’s waste facilities is also available.

Get the app here!

Now that you’ve got that sorted out, don’t forget the rules!

You can:

Photo credit: Photo credit: www.1coast.com.au

Put out items less than 1.5 metres of wood products
Bikes and other sports equipment are acceptable
Discard small appliances you no longer use
Get rid of rugs & carpets
Leave by the kerb computers and televisions

You can’t:

Put out garden waste
or car parts
or glass or mirror
or food craps, commercial or building waste & hazardous materials or gas bottles

Have a peaceful Kerbside collection, folks!

Continue the Aussie Tradition in Oxley For Australia Day

On the 26th of January, take a dip and celebrate Australia Day in Oxley! Head on over to the Oxley Bowls Club for their Australia Day Pool Party. The event will start at 12:00 p.m. and end at 10:00 p.m.

There will be plenty of activities that you and your family will definitely enjoy such as backyard cricket, gumboot and thong throwing championship, barefoot bowls, plus games for kids to keep them entertained.

There will be drinks and BBQ all throughout the day and an open bar as well.

Rides are available and a huge splashing kids’ pool will definitely keep you cool.

Starting at 6:00 p.m., enjoy the Hangi put up by the local Samoan Church whilst live music plays. There will be a magnificent display of fireworks as well and special guests Romony Rogers and Gemma Johnson with Dekades will keep you company throughout the night.

2,000 people are expected to attend this year. This event really attracts bigger and bigger crowds each year. It’s the perfect place to enjoy Australia’s National Day.

Oh and here’s the good part: this event is FREE.

Gas Espresso Adds ‘Hip’ To Sherwood’s Cafe Scene

If you are looking for the best coffee place in Sherwood, stop by at Gas Espresso located at the junction of Sherwood and Oxley Roads to fill up your leisure tank with something hip and trendy.

The cafe is hard-to-miss. Its astro-turfed facade and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee will make you stop and stay awhile.

Recycled timber furniture makes for functional counters and tables inside with a dash of yellow and browns, making the cafe interestingly industrial.

Although coffee is a specialty in the cafe, they also offer delicious breakfast and lunch. They are dedicated to delivering delicious gourmet food.

Breakfast is always a treat. Try their Eggs Benedict served with either ham, bacon, salmon or mushroom. Their spiced savoury mince, poached egg and avo will delight your palate as well.

For lunch, try their Nasi Goreng Indonesian style fried rice with chicken.

When it comes to their coffee, they roast their own coffee in-house. So, it’s going to be a great experience.

They also have delicious desserts available daily, if you’re looking for something to pair with your coffee.

Address: 7/637 Sherwood Rd.

Fire Broke Out At An Abandoned School in Oxley, Residents Warned of Asbestos Exposure

On 7 January, fire ensued at an abandoned school in Oxley. Police officers were able to tackle the fire but now fear of asbestos inhalation has put the neighbourhood on edge.

When the fire broke out on Sunday afternoon, police officers warned residents to close their windows and stay inside their homes due to the possibility that the derelict building contained asbestos, which is harmful when inhaled.

However, some residents took matters into their own hands after smelling smoke coming from the fire similar to burnt plastic to evacuate and just come back when the smoke clears.

A report about a small group of people starting a small fire and burning a chair was caught on video. Due to this, the building has been declared a crime scene and the police are treating the incident as suspicious.

The Dangers of Asbestos

Asbestos exposure does not cause any immediate symptoms, which makes it easy for a person to inhale or swallow asbestos dust without realising it. Once it is in the body, they don’t dissolve and the body also will have a difficult time expelling them, leading to the asbestos fibres being trapped in the body, which later on can cause inflammation, scarring, and damage to the body’s cells.

Usually, illnesses related to asbestos take 20-50 years to develop. It can cause malignant diseases such as lung cancer.

From Derelict To A Green Space?

There has been an ongoing debate regarding what to do with the derelict building for months now. Some residents want to see the area transformed into a park.

Monkton House in Corinda Is Symbolic Of a Woman’s Great Work

In Corinda, the Monkton Detached House is one of the few surviving examples of the work of early women-architects in the state, and one of only three in Brisbane.

The house is symbolic as it marks the entry of women into the local professions in Queensland, specifically in the architectural industry. It is designed by Elina Emily Mottram, also known as the first woman to build her own architectural practice in the state.

Located on Ardoyne Road, it was built in 1925 for William and Margaret Dunlop. The name comes after the Monkton Farm, the name of Mr. Dunlop’s parents’ farm on Oxley Road. The house was built as a wedding gift for the couple.

The house depicts a “home” instead of just a house due to its comfortable ambiance. Historian Judith Mckay also described the details of the house as those which “only a woman can understand.” Such details include built-in joinery cabinets present throughout the house, cupboards, pantry/broom cupboard, wardrobe with storage cupboards and a cupboard in the parlor.

Ms Mottram also designed various houses in Brisbane such as a block of four flats in New Farm on Moray Street. Another one of the two remaining pieces of Mottram architecture that still stands today is the Scott Street Flats in Kangaroo Point.

Ms Mottram also designed public and civic buildings. She also became the first woman architect to work with the Queensland Railways for the design of the Eagle Junction railway station.

3 Red Bikes in Rocklea Offers Great Treasures

Christmas is almost here but if you have to do some shopping and you want to skip the crowds at shopping centres, check out 3 Red Bikes in Rocklea instead and get to score some unique finds!

There are three red bikes on the lawn outside the cottage, which won’t make it hard to find. Once you step inside, you will find yourself locked in time capsule as you browse through items that date back from many years ago.

Photo credit: 3 Red Bikes Vintage • Retro • Restorable • Recycled / Facebook

There are knick knacks that you can find as well as homewares. Recycled furniture can also be found here and artwork.

Another room in the cottage is dedicated only for clothing and other fashion items.

Step outside if you’re looking for items to decorate your yards with such as rattan plant stands, bird cages, and many more.

For the kids, there are also vintage tricycles and scooters that you can find.

The backyard shed holds more furniture so don’t miss out on this. You are in for some awesome surprises!

Address: 149 Granard Rd

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