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The Gateway Bridge Turns 40 and There Is More to Its Story Than Most Commuters Realise

Did you know that the Gateway Bridge was once regarded as one of the world’s deadliest bridges? It is a sobering piece of history that the hundreds of thousands of road users who cross it on any given day may not be aware of, yet for a period in its early life, the bridge lived up to that unfortunate title.

Read: Over 1,500 Drivers Want Brisbane’s Tolls Gone — Here’s What It Means for Murarrie Commuters

For residents of Morningside and Murarrie who rely on it for the daily commute north to Brisbane Airport or up to the Sunshine Coast, the bridge is simply part of the daily routine. But as it marks its 40th anniversary this year, its story turns out to be one of the most dramatic in Brisbane’s history.

A solution to a city’s traffic chaos

Gateway Bridge under construction, Brisbane, September 1984 (Photo credit: Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 3514)

The idea for the bridge took shape in the 1970s, when Brisbane was struggling under the weight of its own growth. Drivers needing to travel between the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast had no straightforward way around the city. The options were limited to slow car ferries or lengthy detours through congested inner-city crossings. Freight movements were slow-moving and commuters bore the brunt of it daily.

Roads minister Russ Hinze put forward a plan to fix it. A tunnel was looked at and quickly ruled out as too costly, so the focus shifted to a bridge. Engineers designed a structure high enough for ships to clear underneath, while keeping the deck low enough to stay out of the flight paths into Brisbane Airport, sitting just a stone’s throw from the southern end of the bridge at Murarrie.

Construction stretched over five years and the methods used would raise serious concerns by modern standards. Workers operated high above the Brisbane River in shorts and thongs, often without harnesses or hard hats. Yet the project was completed without any major incidents.

A bridge is born

Opening day of the Gateway Bridge in 1986 (Photo credit: Facebook/Brisbane Libraries)

On 11 January 1986, the bridge threw open its doors to the public and Brisbane turned out in force. Around 200,000 people walked across the span in a single day, with blue, yellow and black balloons strung across the structure to mark the occasion. Journalists covering the opening described it as a rare opportunity to experience a world record concrete span up close.

Ordinary Queenslanders were similarly enthusiastic, with many declaring it the finest bridge they had ever seen. Prince Philip arrived four months later to make it official, remarking dryly that he declared the bridge to be more open than usual.

Motorists paid $1.50 for the privilege of crossing. Truck drivers paid $7. Not everyone thought it was worth it. One truckie at the time flatly refused, calling it too expensive.

The years that earned it a darker name

What came after the celebrations was far less uplifting. The bridge had been built with only a low barrier between pedestrians and the drop below, and in the years that followed, it became the scene of more than 120 deaths from accidents and suicides.

A television reporter who broadcast live from the top of the bridge at the time noted for viewers that there were virtually no safety measures in place and that the only thing standing between a pedestrian and a fatal fall was a small wall.

The situation changed in 1993 when proper safety barriers, crisis phones and prevention measures were put in place. Community events including the Bridge to Brisbane fun run later helped welcome people back onto the structure under very different circumstances.

A second span and a new identity

By the mid-2000s the original bridge was struggling to keep pace with Brisbane’s rapid growth. The city had become Australia’s third largest, and six lanes were no longer enough. A second, virtually identical bridge was constructed just 50 metres from the first, opening in 2010 at a cost of around $350 million. The newer span, which includes a pedestrian and cycling path, more than doubled the crossing’s capacity.

Both bridges were eventually renamed the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges, after the German-born public servant who steered Queensland Treasury for decades. Most locals, however, still call them the Gateway.

Electronic tolling replaced the old toll booths in 2009, and the changeover was followed by a notable drop in crashes. The current toll sits at around $5.50 for cars and closer to $18 for heavy vehicles. Daily traffic across both spans now reaches up to 160,000 vehicles, a far cry from the modest 12,000 or so that used the bridge in its early days.

Read: Gateway Motorway Leads Brisbane’s Lost-Load Incident Count

For Morningside and Murarrie locals, it is easy to take the Gateway for granted. But the next time you head north towards the airport or settle in for the drive up to the Sunshine Coast, it is worth a quiet moment to consider just how far this stretch of concrete has come.

Published 28-April-2026

Hemmant Recycling Facility Fire Contained After Evacuations and Road Closures

Photo Credit: Pexels

A large fire at a recycling facility in Hemmant in Brisbane’s east forced evacuations, triggered smoke warnings, and prompted a major emergency response before being contained within a shed.

Fire Breaks Out Inside Hemmant Facility

Emergency services responded to reports of a structural fire at a commercial recycling site on Lytton Road in Hemmant just after 3 p.m., with the blaze starting inside a large shed within the facility’s storage and processing area.

The site handles scrap metal and various battery types, including household, lead-acid, and smaller quantities of lithium batteries. The fire spread across multiple storage sections, affecting three of the shed’s four bays as flames took hold within the area.

More than a dozen fire crews were deployed to the Hemmant site, with fire trucks and machinery used to bring the situation under control.

recycling facility — *Photo Credit: Pexels*

Thick Smoke Prompts Evacuations

Large volumes of smoke rose from the structure, prompting immediate evacuations of workers at the facility and surrounding businesses. The smoke posed a hazard, leading to warnings for nearby areas including Tingalpa and Wynnum West.

Residents in affected areas were advised to remain indoors and keep windows and doors closed as a precaution. Despite the scale of the incident, the building’s structural stability was not considered at risk during the response.

Road Closures And Ongoing Response

Lytton Road was closed in both directions, including sections near Doboy Bridge and Poppy Street, to allow emergency crews to manage the fire safely. The closure was later lifted as conditions improved.

Firefighters worked to contain the blaze within the shed while using machinery to separate burning debris. Crews remained on site into the evening as they continued efforts to extinguish the fire.

Environmental monitoring was also carried out, with attention given to nearby waterways to ensure no hazardous materials entered surrounding areas.

Fire Contained As Crews Continue Work

By later in the evening, the fire had been largely contained within the affected storage areas, though crews continued operations to fully extinguish the blaze.

One firefighter required treatment for heat-related symptoms, with no other injuries reported.

Fire investigators are expected to examine the cause of the Hemmant fire as inquiries continue into how the incident occurred.

Published 17-Apr-2026

Murarrie Named in Brisbane River EOI for New Riverfront Experiences

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Murarrie is among several Brisbane River locations now included in an Expressions of Interest process seeking tourism and leisure proposals to activate existing river infrastructure.

Murarrie Hub Opens to EOI Proposals

Murarrie Recreation Hub has been identified as one of 11 sites available for new commercial use along the Brisbane River. The Expressions of Interest (EOI) process invites operators to submit proposals for tourism, hospitality and leisure activities across a mix of river hubs, pontoons and jetties.

The sites extend along the river corridor from Northshore Hamilton through to Riverhills, with Murarrie positioned among the recreation hubs now entering the formal proposal stage. Submissions for the EOI close at 12 noon on 15 May 2026, forming the first phase of a broader procurement process.

Access to the EOI requires registration through the designated supplier system, with participation managed through the tender pathway.

Brisbane River EOI — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Concepts Focus on Expanding River Use

The proposal process is aimed at introducing new ways to use existing riverfront infrastructure while maintaining public access. Early concepts identified through prior industry engagement include on-water dining, recreational activities, wellness experiences and guided river tours.

While larger locations such as New Farm Park and the City Botanic Gardens can support bigger vessels, recreation hubs like Murarrie were originally designed for short-term use and are now being considered for expanded commercial activity.

All proposals must demonstrate environmental responsibility, accessibility and measurable community benefit.

Industry Interest Shapes Next Steps

The EOI follows a market sounding phase conducted between late 2025 and early 2026, which attracted interest from operators across multiple Australian states and international markets.

This stage allows businesses to put forward detailed proposals, with shortlisted applicants to progress to a further request for proposal phase as part of the procurement process.

Murarrie Recreation Hub — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Murarrie Part of Broader River Activation

Murarrie’s inclusion reflects a wider effort to increase activity along the Brisbane River by opening existing infrastructure to new uses. The approach focuses on enhancing opportunities for tourism, recreation and local enterprise without requiring entirely new developments.

As part of the EOI process, Murarrie joins a network of river locations being considered for new experiences, contributing to a broader shift in how the river is used across the city.

Published 8-Apr-2026

Morningside Seafood Giant Raptis Collapses After 60 Years, Putting More Than 200 Jobs at Risk

Studio Culture

A. Raptis & Sons Group, the Morningside-headquartered company that grew into Australia’s largest wild-caught prawn operation over six decades, will close after administrators failed to find a buyer, leaving more than 200 workers without jobs just hours before the Easter seafood rush.

Administrators took control of the group on 6 March, covering entities including A. Raptis & Sons Pty Ltd, Harvest Seafood Australia and its Karumba-based operations. Despite launching an urgent campaign to sell or recapitalise the business, the administrators did not receive any viable offers. On 31 March, administrator Ben Campbell confirmed the business would wind down over the coming months.

This wind down marks the move into formal liquidation. With no buyer to take over the group as a whole, the focus now shifts to selling off the fleet and assets to cover outstanding debts.

Campbell said, “While there was some interest in the sale process, unfortunately, and despite the best efforts of all parties, there have been no offers for the sale of the business as a going concern that are able to be taken forward.”

A Family Business Built Over Generations

The Raptis story began with Arthur Raptis Senior, a Greek migrant who started working in Australia’s fishing industry in the 1930s. He and his wife Anna later opened a fish and chip shop in Adelaide in the 1950s, and from that modest start the family built what would become one of the country’s most significant seafood operations.

Raptis has been operating for over 60 years — Photo Credit: Raptis

By the time of its collapse, the Raptis group owned and operated 19 commercial fishing vessels across Australian waters and sourced wild-caught seafood nationally. Its headquarters at Morningside in Brisbane served as the nerve centre for an operation that stretched from South Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria, with Karumba in far north Queensland serving as a critical base for the company’s prawn trawling fleet.

The business had been a fixture of the banana prawn season in the Gulf of Carpentaria, with its fleet departing Karumba each April at the opening of the season. This year, 14 of its 17 vessels are expected to sit idle rather than heading out to sea.

Karumba Bears the Brunt

For Karumba, a small Gulf of Carpentaria town already isolated by four months of floodwater, the Raptis collapse has landed at one of the worst possible moments. The company provided a fuel wharf for the commercial fishing industry in the town, along with warehouse infrastructure that smaller operators relied on.

Photo Credit: Seafood Industry Australia/Facebook

Ash’s Holiday Unit and Cafe co-owner Yvonne Tunney said the closure had devastated the community. “It’s extremely sad. It’s tragic because it’s only a little community. There’s not a lot of options for work. I think there’s also that flow-on effect, we’ve got the supermarkets that stock the trawlers, you’ve got all the other agencies and companies that supply services to them.”

Fisher and Malanda Seafood manager Karen Miller described the loss as significant for the broader gulf fishing industry. “Without their infrastructure, it would obviously be a lot harder for us small businesses. We don’t have that manpower and funding behind us to take much further steps forward in that regard.”

Miller connected the collapse to a wider problem facing Australian seafood producers. “It’s like a kick in the guts for the whole industry. With the rising production cost of Australian seafood, it’s never been more important to support local seafood. This is a sign of the times.”

What Brought Raptis Down

The company entered voluntary administration after a failed banana prawn season combined with a 2024 price slump driven by market oversupply. These blows hit harder as global diesel volatility and the end of fuel excise relief sent local production costs soaring. For a fleet this size, an 80% jump in fuel overheads made it impossible to keep the boats in the water without a massive cash injection.

The fallout hits seven subsidiaries across the coast. It is a massive blow to the crews, the transport drivers, and the regional suppliers who relied on the Raptis network to keep their own small businesses moving.

What Comes Next for Workers

Administrators are now working with affected employees regarding their entitlements during the administration process and will continue pursuing the sale of company assets. The wind-down is expected to unfold over coming months.

Workers across Queensland and South Australia facing uncertainty about their entitlements can contact the Fair Entitlements Guarantee through the Services Australia on 13 28 50, or visit servicesaustralia.gov.au. The Fair Work Ombudsman can also assist on 13 13 94.

Published 02-April-2026

Crime Stoppers Launches Copper Theft Campaign at Murarrie Recreation Reserve to Protect Brisbane’s Community Spaces

Crime Stoppers

Crime Stoppers Queensland launched its new Copper Theft Campaign at Murarrie Recreation Reserve on 26 March 2026, targeting a surge in incidents that has stripped lighting towers, irrigation systems and electrical infrastructure from sporting fields, schools and community facilities across Brisbane, often leaving them unusable for weeks or months at a time.

The campaign marks the most coordinated community response yet to a problem that has been building across southeast Queensland for nearly a decade. New signage installed at the reserve and other high-risk sites across Brisbane forms the visible part of the campaign, but the deeper ambition is to shift community behaviour by normalising the reporting of suspicious activity around electrical infrastructure before thieves can complete their work.

A Problem That Has Been Escalating for Years

Copper theft across Queensland has grown from a niche criminal activity into a widespread and highly damaging pattern of offending. Energy Queensland reported more than 500 incidents of copper theft on Queensland’s electricity networks since 2017-18, with the number rising from 40 incidents in that year to 170 in 2022-23, an increase of more than 325 per cent. On average, one copper theft incident now occurs every two days across Queensland’s electricity networks.

Copper Theft Campaign — Photo Credit: Crime Stoppers

The problem extends well beyond the electricity network into the community sport and recreation sector. Mitchelton FC lost three kilometres of copper wiring from its sporting fields in 2023, with replacement costs estimated at over $100,000. Northside Christian FC in Bridgeman Downs was targeted four times in a single month, losing five kilometres of copper wiring at a cost of approximately $80,000. These are not isolated cases. Across Brisbane and the Moreton Bay region, junior sporting clubs, schools and community facilities have faced the same pattern: thieves arrive after dark, strip the copper from lighting towers or electrical pits, and disappear before anyone notices. The facility is then out of action until expensive repairs are completed.

The financial and community toll extends beyond repair costs. Stolen copper wiring has caused power outages affecting businesses, schools and hospitals, disrupted telecommunications, and left streets and sporting fields in darkness for extended periods. In the most serious cases, thieves have attempted to cut live high-voltage cables, creating life-threatening risks for themselves and nearby residents.

A Local Space That Brings the Community Together

Murarrie Recreation Reserve is a multi-use facility serving the communities of Murarrie and Morningside, offering cycling and inline skating tracks, a skate park, basketball courts, walking paths, playgrounds and a swimming pool. The reserve draws families, cyclists, skaters and sport groups from across Brisbane’s inner east and sits on the Bulimba Creek Bikeway, making it a well-used active recreation corridor throughout the week.

Choosing the reserve as the launch site for the Copper Theft Campaign reflects both its status as a repeatedly targeted location and its role as a genuinely community-focused space where the human cost of copper theft is immediately apparent. When copper thieves strip wiring from lighting infrastructure, families using the reserve after dark, cycling clubs running early morning sessions and children attending after-school programs bear the consequences.

Stronger Laws Now in Force

The campaign aligns with new Queensland legislation introducing tougher penalties for copper theft offenders, including new offences covering attempted theft and possession of suspected stolen metal. In cases where the theft endangers lives or disrupts critical infrastructure, offenders now face the possibility of life imprisonment. The legislative changes close a gap the state has recognised for several years, bringing Queensland into line with other eastern seaboard states that have reduced copper theft by introducing registered scrap metal trader requirements and banning cash transactions.

Crime Stoppers Queensland CEO David Hansen, speaking at the Murarrie launch, described the community impact clearly: the real victims of copper theft are the children and families who lose access to the sporting fields, parks and schools they rely on, alongside the volunteers and club officials who invest enormous effort into maintaining those spaces only to see them damaged overnight by opportunistic thieves.

How Morningside and Murarrie Residents Can Help

The Copper Theft Campaign rests on a simple premise: that community members are often the first to notice something is wrong. Unusual activity around lighting towers, electrical cabinets, irrigation pits or any other infrastructure containing copper, especially at night or in the early hours, is worth reporting. Crime Stoppers Queensland guarantees full anonymity for every report it receives.

For emergencies or crimes in progress, call 000 immediately. To report suspicious behaviour anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers Queensland on 1800 333 000 or submit a report online at crimestoppersqld.com.au. If you notice exposed wiring or damaged facilities at Murarrie Recreation Reserve or any other Brisbane site, keep clear of the area and call 07 3403 8888.

Published 27-March-2026.

Morningside Retail Freehold Sells for $1.56 Million in Sharp 2026 Result

Real Commercial

A retail freehold at 600 Wynnum Road in Morningside has sold for $1.56 million, setting the sharpest commercial yield recorded in Brisbane so far in 2026 and confirming strong investor appetite for well-located inner-east retail assets.

The 232 square metre building, which sits on a 405 square metre site, achieved a 3.48 per cent net yield. The transaction was agreed in less than four days on the market, with a local private investor securing the fully leased asset following an expressions of interest campaign managed by Colliers. The sale was handled by Shaun Seeto and Xavier Cooke from Colliers on behalf of St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland.

The property is occupied by Bicycle Riders, a long-standing local bicycle retailer that has operated at the Wynnum Road site for more than 20 years. The new owner intends to renew the lease with the existing tenant, meaning Bicycle Riders will continue trading at the Morningside location it has called home for over two decades.

A Result That Speaks to Morningside’s Investment Appeal

The speed and sharpness of the result reflect the underlying strength of the Morningside retail market and the specific qualities of the 600 Wynnum Road site. The property sits less than 400 metres from Morningside railway station, with approximately 10 metres of frontage along one of the inner east’s most heavily trafficked arterial roads and direct access to major motorway links. That combination of public transport proximity, main road visibility and motorway connectivity gives the site a locational profile that appeals to both tenants and investors.

Retail freehold at Wynnum Rd — Photo Credit: Real Commercial

The expressions of interest campaign generated a cash-unconditional offer on the second day and fielded six offers within the first nine days online. Contracts were executed on day ten of the formal marketing period, a timeline that Colliers’ Seeto described as reflecting the strength of competition for the asset. Cooke noted that the buyer was specifically attracted to the property’s prominent road exposure and the security of a long-term, established tenant.

The site carries district centre zoning, which allows for a broad range of future uses beyond retail, including office, medical and professional services. That zoning flexibility adds a layer of long-term optionality that investors in the current market are prepared to pay for, particularly in a suburb undergoing the kind of steady transformation that Wynnum Road has seen in recent years, with several development applications lodged along the corridor for mixed-use residential and commercial buildings.

Bicycle Riders and the Local Retail Landscape

Bicycle Riders has been a fixture of the Morningside retail strip for more than 20 years, operating as a full-service bicycle retail and repair shop stocking brands including Specialized, Avanti and Raleigh alongside e-bikes, clothing, accessories and components. The shop positions itself as more than a standard suburban bike store, offering product expertise, test rides and personalised service to customers ranging from daily commuters to recreational riders and cycling enthusiasts.

The fact that the new owner intends to renew the lease provides continuity for the Morningside community. Long-standing local businesses are part of what gives a suburban retail strip its character, and Bicycle Riders’ two decades of trading at the Wynnum Road site have embedded it in the fabric of the neighbourhood in a way that a newly arrived tenant could not replicate immediately.

Why This Matters to the Morningside Community

For Morningside residents, the sale of 600 Wynnum Road is a signal about the suburb’s commercial trajectory. A 3.48 per cent yield on a retail freehold is not achieved by accident. It reflects a buyer’s confidence that the location, the tenant and the suburb’s fundamentals justify paying a sharp price for a long-term hold. That confidence is grounded in observable trends: the Wynnum Road corridor is increasingly active with development interest, Morningside’s proximity to the Brisbane CBD and the Cross River Rail network positions it well for continued growth, and the suburb’s district centre zoning supports the kind of mixed-use intensification that tends to drive commercial property values over time.

For residents who use and value local businesses like Bicycle Riders, the practical takeaway from the sale is simple: the shop stays, under a new owner who has made clear their intention to keep it there. In a retail environment where independent local businesses face constant pressure, that outcome is worth noting.

Bicycle Riders at 600 Wynnum Road, Morningside, is open Tuesday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm, Saturday 8.30am to 3.00pm and Sunday 10.00am to 2.00pm. Further information is available at bicycleriders.com.au or by calling (07) 3899 8232.

Published 17-March-2026.

Colmslie Wharves Marina Takes Shape in Morningside, Promising $100 Million Tourism Boost

Construction is advancing on Colmslie Wharves in Morningside, set to become Brisbane’s only dedicated commercial marina when it opens in mid-2026, with the project forecast to inject more than $100 million annually into the local economy and create 337 ongoing jobs.

Located on the Brisbane River just nine kilometres from the CBD, the marina will offer 50 berths capable of accommodating vessels up to 50 metres in length. Leasing for the first berths is already underway ahead of the expected mid-2026 opening. The project is being delivered by Raptis Investments, with $4 million in support from a Queensland tourism infrastructure fund.

The marina fills a long-standing gap in Brisbane’s marine infrastructure. For years, tourism and commercial vessel operators on the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay have faced a shortage of overnight berthing options, with many forced to work around inadequate facilities or redirect their operations to other ports. Colmslie Wharves is designed to provide the permanent, purpose-built solution that operators have been waiting for.

What the Marina Will Offer

The 50-berth facility will provide crew amenities, fuel services, waste management systems and ample parking, giving commercial operators a fully serviced base for river and bay tourism. Its position on the river provides quick access to key pick-up and drop-off points across the broader south-east Queensland marine network, including the bay islands and Moreton Bay.

Construction of the Colmslie Wharves — Photo Credit: Supplied

Developers designed the marina with environmental safeguards to minimise its impact on the Brisbane River and surrounding ecosystems. The approach reflects growing recognition of the river corridor’s tourism and recreational potential ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Leasing interest has already come from existing local operators, new entrants to the market and major interstate marine businesses looking to establish a Brisbane presence. The Australian Commercial Marine Group has pointed to the shortage of long-term berthing options as a factor that has historically pushed potential operators to other cities, with the Olympics now accelerating demand for river and bay-based tourism infrastructure in Brisbane.

Operators Ready to Expand

The infrastructure gap has had tangible consequences for businesses already operating on the river. The owner and operator of luxury river cruise provider Yot Club described having to put expansion plans on hold, including new vessels, additional staff and wider supply chain activity, despite strong customer demand. Colmslie Wharves completing construction is the trigger that allows those plans to move forward.

The Australian Commercial Marine Group also highlighted the untapped potential of Moreton Bay as a tourism destination. Thousands of visitors travel north to Hervey Bay each year for whale watching, despite Moreton Bay hosting whales on Brisbane’s doorstep. The absence of suitable berthing infrastructure has been a key reason that potential has gone undeveloped. With Colmslie Wharves providing the launching pad, operators anticipate a range of new offerings including boutique cruises, eco-tourism experiences, adventure sports and private water taxi services.

Why This Matters to Morningside and Murarrie

For residents of Morningside and Murarrie, Colmslie Wharves represents a significant change to what has historically been a quietly industrial stretch of the riverfront. A new commercial marina will increase activity along the waterfront, attract new businesses to the area and bring the foot traffic that follows well-placed tourism infrastructure.

The forecast of nearly 110,000 additional visitors to Brisbane per year translates into real local economic activity. Visitors arriving by vessel need accommodation, food, transport and services, much of which will flow through the suburbs closest to the marina. For a community like Morningside, which sits between the river and some of Brisbane’s busiest inner-east corridors, that kind of economic activation has the potential to strengthen local businesses and support long-term growth in the area.

With the 2032 Olympics on the horizon and the Brisbane River increasingly central to how the city presents itself to the world, Colmslie Wharves places Morningside and Murarrie at the start of something the river corridor has needed for a long time.

For leasing enquiries or more information, visit colmsliewharves.com.au.

Published 16-March-2026.

Behind the Braces: Billy Wong of Cannon Hill

Photo Credit: DiFarmerMP/ Facebook

Families across Cannon Hill are sharing their favourite memories of Billy Wong, the beloved restaurant owner whose kindness was as famous as his signature Peking duck.

The Cannon Hill community is mourning the loss of Billy Wong, the charismatic founder of Billy’s Pine and Bamboo who transformed a quiet industrial pocket into a premier destination for authentic Cantonese dining.

From Hong Kong to Brisbane

The Wong family moved to Australia in the early 1990s with a background in food manufacturing. Taking over a restaurant in an industrial area was a gamble at the time, but the patriarch remained clinical in his confidence even as the suburb shifted from industrial sites to commercial hubs.

His son, Kim Wong, noted that his father’s persistence paid off as local diners began to move beyond basic takeaway options to explore a more complex menu featuring hundreds of different dishes.

A Home Away from Home

For many residents, the restaurant was more than a business; it felt like an extension of the founder’s own home. Patrons who first visited as children in the 1990s remember him as a true gentleman who ran through the dining room with a constant smile. He was known for his meticulous standards, believing that only the freshest authentic food was good enough for his guests. Whether he was toasting every table during enormous Chinese New Year celebrations or chatting about his love of golf, he made every visitor feel like a member of the family.

Signature Flavours and Community Ties

Known for his signature suspenders and energetic personality, the restaurateur became a local icon. The restaurant gained a reputation for traditional Peking duck, which requires days of preparation and is carved at the table in the traditional style.

This dedication to quality earned the respect of prominent chefs across the city and created a loyal following of families who have visited the establishment for over three decades. Regulars often recalled his humorous interactions, including his tendency to light-heartedly advise customers against over-ordering.

Tributes from the Dining Room

The news of his passing brought a wave of grief from the community, with many patrons describing him as a legendary figure in the local food scene. Long-time customers shared stories of visiting the restaurant for over 30 years, often considering a meal at Billy’s a staple of their family life.

One particular memory shared by diners involved his playful personality, such as the time he jokingly told a pair of friends they were ordering too much duck for just two people. Others expressed their sadness at missing the chance for one last chat with the man they considered an iconic presence in the dining room.

A Private Farewell and a Future Promise

While the founder faced a long battle with cancer, he maintained a positive outlook and continued to visit his staff even when he could no longer work on the floor. He requested a small, private funeral to avoid causing distress to his many friends and customers. In response to the news, the family plans to host a special memorial evening at the restaurant to allow the community to pay their respects. His son confirmed that the business remains a central part of the family’s future and will continue to operate as a tribute to his father’s hard work and character.

Published Date 12-March-2026

Neighbouring Suburbs, Different Lifespans: The 15 Year Life Expectancy Gap Between Cannon Hill and Murarrie

Did you know that, despite being neighbouring suburbs, Cannon Hill and Murarrie are separated by one of the starkest health divides in Brisbane? Women living in Murarrie are dying, on average, 15 years younger than women in Cannon Hill, according to new University of Queensland research.

Read: Murarrie Recreation Hub Set To Open For River Taxis And Dining Ahead Of 2032

What the Research Found

The UQ study, led by health geographer and Associate Professor Jonathan Olsen from the University of Queensland’s Institute for Social Science Research, used train station catchment areas as geographic markers to collect and compare health data across Brisbane. It is an approach that has previously been applied in Glasgow, London and New York, and the results for our corner of the city are confronting.

On the Cleveland line, the Murarrie and Cannon Hill comparison produced one of the starkest disparities in the study for women. But the finding is not isolated. On the Redcliffe Peninsula line, men in Zillmere had a median age of death of 72, a full decade below the median for men in nearby Geebung. South of the CBD, men in the Inala Richlands area were found to have a life expectancy of just 70 years, eleven years less than men in Darra Sumner. For women in those same areas, the gap was 12 years.

It’s Not Just About Money

The instinct might be to chalk this up to income, to assume that Cannon Hill is simply wealthier. But the census data complicates that narrative. Murarrie actually records a higher median household income than Cannon Hill. So what is driving the gap?

According to Professor Olsen, the causes are layered. Access to income matters, but so do housing stability, education, employment, local services and green spaces. “There’s also the types of services that you have in the local place and access to parks and green spaces,” he told the Brisbane Times.

For Murarrie specifically, census data points to higher rates of divorce, unpaid care work and female single parent households compared to Cannon Hill. These pressures, disproportionately carried by women, are identified in the research as contributors to worse health outcomes. Murarrie’s history as a former rural outpost that evolved into a largely industrial area also matters. Access to parks, bike paths and local services is among the factors Professor Olsen identifies as shaping health outcomes in areas like Murarrie.

What It Means for the Community

Professor Olsen is deliberate about how the research should be used. The goal is not to brand any suburb as Brisbane’s unhealthiest. It is to hand planners and governments a sharper tool.

Prof Olsen was clear that the research is not intended to label any suburb as Brisbane’s least healthy. Its purpose, he said, is to make the variation in health outcomes visible, and to give policymakers the evidence they need to ask where intervention is needed and what form it should take.

That could mean upgrading a park, extending a bike path, or directing additional health services to areas where the data shows people are struggling. The research is intended to guide where those investments should go.

A Question Worth Asking

For those of us who live in Morningside, Cannon Hill, Murarrie and the surrounding suburbs, this research lands close to home. We share the same roads, the same school catchments, the same weekend farmers markets. Yet the data tells us that where you live within this small pocket of Brisbane can quietly shape how long and how well you live.

Read: Gateway Motorway Leads Brisbane’s Lost-Load Incident Count

The research has been done. The gap has been mapped. The question now is whether local officials, state health planners and community advocates will act on it and how soon.

Published 4-March-2026

Iconic Brisbane Paddleboat Kookaburra Queen I Found Partially Submerged at Hemmant

A piece of Brisbane river history is in danger of being lost forever after the Kookaburra Queen I was found partially submerged at her mooring in Hemmant, raising urgent questions about the future of one of Queensland’s most recognisable vessels.

Read: Historic Kookaburra Queen I Paddleboat Sells for $550,000 at Murarrie Auction

The beloved paddleboat, a fixture on the Brisbane River for nearly four decades, is sitting on the bottom near her dock on the eastern stretch of the river, not far from the Morningside and Hemmant foreshore. Efforts to pump water from the hull were reportedly underway, but those familiar with the vessel say the task ahead is daunting, and time may already be running out.

Mystery deepens over how she came to sink

Photo credit: Facebook/Aussie Vibes Daily

Last September, she was listed for auction through Grays auction house and sold for $550,000 to a Gold Coast buyer. Her new owner’s plans for the vessel were never made widely known. That sale, completed just four months ago, is part of why those close to the vessel are so puzzled by what has happened.

A previous owner of the Kookaburra Queen I said he was shocked by the vessel’s condition, telling the media the boat had a solid, quality hull and that he had been on board as recently as a month before the sinking. He said caretakers had been living on board and keeping watch over her, and everything had appeared to be in order. The sudden appearance of the vessel sitting on the riverbed, having apparently been moved from her regular berth, struck him as deeply mysterious.

He described the situation as sad and costly, suggesting that once a wooden hull like hers becomes fully submerged, recovery becomes an enormous and expensive undertaking and may not be feasible.

Maritime Safety Queensland also announced that the vessel was unlikely to pose a threat to other river traffic and was not expected to sink any further. However, authorities had not yet confirmed what kind of salvage operation, if any, might be possible, leaving the boat’s fate firmly up in the air.

About the Kookaburra Queen I

Photo credit: Google Maps/Kookaburra River Queens

Built at Bulimba in 1986 and launched in 1987, the Kookaburra Queen I was originally purpose built to serve as a floating attraction for World Expo ’88, the landmark world’s fair that put Brisbane firmly on the international map. She quickly became a favourite on the river, spending the following decades hosting weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and tourist cruises for Queenslanders and visitors alike.

At 30.5 metres in length, she was no small operation. The vessel could accommodate more than 300 guests across two main decks, with an observation deck for a further 30 passengers. She boasted two independent dance floors, a commercial grade kitchen with cold room, eight bathrooms, and a PA system, everything you needed for a proper Brisbane celebration on the water.

Read: Hemmant Riverfront Set for Major Change with New Marina Village

The Kookaburra Queen I proved resilient over the years. She survived the catastrophic 2011 Queensland floods and continued operating in the years that followed. But the 2022 floods dealt a more serious blow, and the vessel was forced to cease commercial operations following that damage.

A community landmark in uncertain waters

For residents of Morningside, Hemmant, and the surrounding suburbs, the Kookaburra Queen I is more than a boat. She is a memory, the venue for a first date, a wedding reception, a retirement party, a school formal. Seeing her partially swallowed by the Brisbane River is difficult to watch.

Her sister vessel, the Kookaburra Queen II, features a classic paddlewheel more reminiscent of 19th century Mississippi and Murray River steamers. Its current operational status was not confirmed at time of publishing.

Whether she can be salvaged, restored, or whether this week marks the quiet end of a forty year chapter on the Brisbane River, remains to be seen. For now, she rests on the riverbed at Hemmant, and the community is waiting for answers.

Published 24-February-2026