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Indoor Sport and Recreation Site Planned for Cannon Hill Homes

Three residential properties on Cannon Hill will be demolished and then redeveloped into an indoor sports and recreation site if the proposal is approved.

Per Development Application A006183301, three lots on Wynnum Road and Ludwick Street will be converted into two storey commercial centre with gym on the ground floor and offices on the second floor. The property will also have two road frontages to ease access to the centre.

Ethos Urban stated in the DA that the building’s design will be of high quality and will incorporate a visual design that enhances the appearance of the streetscape.

“Visual interest is generated via building articulation, varying material types, elevational treatment, breaks in form, use of protrusions, a mix of “soft” and “hard” materials and large sections of glazing,” the planners stated.

“This design is extended around the sides of the building to achieve a consistently appealing façade when viewed from all angles. The entrance to the proposal is located at the ground level along Wynnum Road. The facade has been designed to be visually appealing and focus of the external features to activate the frontage. The entrance is clearly delineated and accessible at-grade.”

Also included in the proposal is a space for 54 cars in the undercroft, as well as an open rear car parking space accessible via Ludwick Street. Pedestrian access will be established on Wynnum Road.

The DA requires no public notification but a couple of residents have opposed the proposal, citing issues with the traffic flow on Ludwick Street.

“Whilst I understand that this is a code assessable application, I wish to ensure that Brisbane City Council is on notice that this development, if it is to proceed with access by a driveway on Ludwick Street, will create unsafe conditions for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians due to the increased traffic flow. It will also significantly impact the efficiency of the street,” the resident said.

“Ludwick Street is regularly reduced to a single lane due to parked cars which results in queuing both at the intersection with Pickwick Street and on the blind corner in Ludwick Street. This is very unsafe and there are regularly near misses.”

Council has yet to decide on the DA, which was filed in late January 2023.

Published 4 March 2023

Developer Submits Plans For Self-storage Facility In Morningside

A seven-storey building for a self-storage facility with office and retail spaces could be built in Wynnum Road, Morningside, if a development application gets approved.

Read: Morningside Picture Theatre, Other Historic Brisbane Theatres We Lost Through the Years

The ground floor will be used for two retail tenancies whilst the first floor will be for two office tenancies. The remaining floors above including a portion of the ground floor will be dedicated for the self-storage facility.

The subject site, located at 495A, 495C & 497 Wynnum Road, Morningside, is currently vacant after the existing single-storey commercial building was demolished.

It’s located on the boundary of Queensland Railways land and within 25m of the Cleveland Railway Line and Morningside Railway Station.

The self-storage facility is conceptualised to include a mix of storage options and sizes, including 350 storage units with an average floorspace of 12sqm. Besides the larger storage units, the building will also have around 200 smaller storage lockers.

“The proposed self-storage facility on-site will realise a unique opportunity for servicing resident and business needs for off-site storage, particularly in the inner-city suburbs and along major transport corridors where high density residential development is encouraged,” planners at iPlan Town Planning stated.

The applicant stated in the planning documents that the facility’s location on Wynnum Road offers exposure for east-west traffic and convenience for residents throughout the broader locality.

View of subject site (Photo credit: Google Street View)

“Self-storage facilities are significant economic generators offering opportunities for business start-ups and small to medium enterprises to grow and develop their businesses within the Brisbane area, and in particular within Morningside,” planning documents read.

Also part of the proposal is a car parking space for 20 vehicles, including one for PWD and two for trailers. In addition, provision is made for end of trip facilities and designated bicycle parking for the new office and retail tenancies.

Read: Queensland Rail Shows Footage Of Near Misses In New Safety Campaign

To learn more about the proposed self-storage facility in Morningside, visit Brisbane City Council PD Online with the reference A006190276.

Morningside Mum Launches Children’s Book Donation Drive to Honour Memory of Her Baby

Photo credit: line Dassel from Pixabay

After Kate, a primary school teacher from Morningside, lost her newly born baby, she turned her grief into something positive and meaningful. Partnering with Riverbend Books, she launched a children’s book donation drive whereby people can donate picture books to the Mater Brisbane Hospital’s NICU.

When Kate learned she was pregnant with her first baby, she totally embraced the idea of her soon becoming a mum. And during her pregnancy, she saw to it that she and her baby would regularly have bonding moments which include reading books and playing music to her growing tummy.

Elsie was born in August 2022 – an extremely happy moment for the family and most especially for Kate. But her joy was short-lived as her baby suddenly fell ill whilst they were still in the hospital.

Elsie was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit whilst she was taken into the theatre to have her retained placenta removed. At the time, she couldn’t think of anything else but her precious baby girl who was in another room fighting for her life.

And whilst she also suffered from postpartum haemorrhage and had to receive numerous blood transfusions, all that ordeal was nothing compared to the heartbreak she felt as she was wheeled to the NICU to see her daughter.

“Mummy is here,” she whispered as soon as she got near baby Elsie. And she recalls seeing her baby lift her tiny arm as if responding to her words, “I love you, darling girl.”

Just seven days after she was born, Elsie passed away.

Amidst her grief over the loss of her precious baby, Kate decided to launch an initiative in honour of Elsie. She partnered with Riverbend Books for her project “Elsie’s Book Club” whereby people can donate picture books that families at the Mater Brisbane Hospital can use during their NICU stay or take home as a remembrance.

If you would like to donate a picture book to Mater NICU, check out the webpage here and browse through dozens of children’s books that you can order for the Elsie’s Book Club.

Published 4-February-2023

Fire Collapses Roof of House on Monmouth St in Morningside

An enormous fire on Monmouth St in Morningside has left a house without its roof and stopped the firefighters from doing a secondary check on the premises because of the risks.

The fire started at about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, 21 January 2023. It took the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services nearly an hour to contain the fire.

Monmouth Street and Thynne Road were closed to traffic as the firemen worked on the hot spots. Witnesses said that at least seven fire trucks rushed to the site whilst there Queensland Ambulance reported no injuries.

Cannon Hill-Based Start-up Raises $2.5 Million in Funding for its Secure Business Software Solutions

Alii Technology Group CEO - Chamil Fernando | Photo credit: Chamil Fernando / LinkedIn

Alii, a Cannon Hill-based start-up, recently raised $2.5 million in a pre-Series A capital round, bringing its total valuation to $10.25 million. The company offers secure business software solutions to schools and other organisations, a must in order to protect sensitive student and financial data, in light of recent instances of cyber attacks and data breaches.

The software company offers web-based accounts payable and business process automation software that caters to schools, legal and other organisations.

Alii was founded in 2018 as an end-to-end accounts payable solution with a fraud detection feature to help schools and other organisations combat cyber-attacks. Throughout 2022, the company added about eight to 10 new schools per month into its client base. The boost comes as several Australian private and independent schools falling victim to cyber hacking, compromising sensitive student and financial data.

In November 2022, Xavier College and Kilvington Grammar School experienced a data security breach that resulted in dozens of sensitive information being stolen by hackers.

At present, Alli’s clientele increased by 240 per cent over the past 12 months which now includes Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Newington College, Mentone Grammar School, All Saints Anglican School and Brisbane Boys’ College. Likewise, its post-funding valuation is now up to $10.25 million, as the company realised a 300 per cent increase in revenue.

Alii chairman Gordon Tan said the company targets to penetrate about 60 per cent of the private and independent school market in three to five years. This is not counting the projected growth in other target sectors including legal services and not-for-profit organisations.

“It’s an exciting time for us at Alii and as an organisation, we are delighted to share our success and growth with our clients. As schools, firms and businesses of all kinds work towards streamlining their operational priorities, Alii clients continue to stay ahead of operational inefficiencies and fraud-related threats that come from legacy software and processes,” CEO of Alii, Chamil Fernando said.

The company intends to use the latest capital injection to boost its staff by 18 across customer engagement, sales, marketing and product development teams. The funding package comes as Alii plans to expand throughout Australia and New Zealand as well as other regions and sectors.

Published 16-January-2023

Morningside Picture Theatre, Other Historic Brisbane Theatres We Lost Through the Years

Photo credit: Facebook / Lost Brisbane

Brisbane lost quite a number of its historic theatres through the years including the Astra Theatre. This 300-seat building was originally opened in 1924 as the Morningside Picture Theatre.

Morningside Picture Theatre

Originally built as The Morningside Picture Theatre in 1924 for Schodel Bros. The theatre was located at 98 Lawson Road on the corner of present-day Wynnum Road in Morningside and has a seating capacity of 300 people.

By 1928, the building reportedly underwent some renovations costing about £1,500 and was executed by Warendorp and Pipe.

In 1930, the building sustained fire damage valued at £785 after a lit cigarette caused the screen to catch fire which spread to the rafters. Although the property was insured for £1,200, only £685 was paid out by the insurance company as some Morningside Athletic Club items were not covered by the insurance.

The theatre hall was used by the local Air Raid Precautions committee during World War II to hold meetings and fundraising concerts. Then circa 1941, Morningside Picture Theatre was renamed Astra Theatre before it was sold in 1965.

Astra Theatre remained open until 1977 when it was acquired by Stipan (Stjepan, Steve, Steven or Stefan) Došen and Pero Vidaković for the Croatian Community. The building was later destroyed by fire.

Wintergarden Theatre

Wintergarden Theatre opened in 1924. The theatre housed the biggest organ in Australia and was dubbed as the one of “most modern theatres” at the time.

Closed in 1973, the Wintergarden Theatre’s foyer was turned into a retail space then later a bank. And by 1981, the auditorium was demolished followed by the rest of the building to facilitate the construction of a shopping centre.

Her Majesty’s Theatre

Adjacent to the Wintergarden Theatre was His Majesty’s Theatre which opened in 1888 as Her Imperial Majesty’s Opera House. It was renamed His Majesty’s Theatre (1901-1952) following the death of Queen Victoria but again changed its name to Her Majesty’s Theatre.

The largest theatre in Brisbane during its time, Her Majesty’s theatre was renowned for its facade that combined Italian Renaissance architecture and Corinthian styles. It was demolished in 1983 to make way for the Hilton Hotel despite community opposition.

Other historic theatres Brisbane lost through the years include the Albert Hall (replaced by Suncorp building) and The Tivoli Theatre – Brisbane (1914 – 1963).

Published 8-January-2023

Queensland Rail Shows Footage Of Near Misses In New Safety Campaign

The viral video of a young woman walking across the path of a train in Murarrie Station back in May 2022 was among the footage shown by Queensland Rail as part of its new safety campaign.

Read: Now Complete! Cannon Hill Station Accessibility Upgrades to Deliver Safer and Faster Service

The young woman almost faced death as she walked across the path to hand something to a man who was on the other side of a platform. This incident, captured by CCTV, contributes to the rising cases of railway trespassing incidents in the State, which led Queensland Rail to release the footage.

The new safety campaign called A Hole Lot Of Regret, targets all trespassers, but particularly teenagers.

Video screenshot of railway trespassing incident in Murarrie Station (Photo credit: Queensland Rail/Vimeo)

Queensland Rail Senior Manager Security and Emergency Preparedness Drew Brock revealed that the common motives for trespassing include taking short-cuts across railway tracks and between station platforms as well anti-social behaviour such as vandalism.

Mr Brock said there were nearly three thousand trespassing incidents (2913) on the Queensland Rail network in the last financial year (2021/2022).

“Our message is clear: Stay off the tracks! Trespassing is not worth risking your life,” Mr Brock said in a media statement.

“The number of people who trespass on the network is extremely concerning and has increased from last year, which is why Queensland Rail is urging customers to keep safety at the forefront of their minds.”

Mr Brock revealed that in the last financial year, trespassing incidents resulted in 3,006 delays to their train services in South East Queensland.

Captured in Altandi station (Photo credit: Queensland Rail/Vimeo)

Trains on the network can travel at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, can take up to two kilometres to stop, and can’t swerve to avoid cars or people.

“Please think not only about yourself but about the impact your behaviour is having on others who need to get to work, school and appointments on time,” he said.

Read: Morningside Train Station Final Design Out Soon

Queensland Rail hoped the campaign would serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of the unsafe behaviour, which not only puts lives at risk but causes thousands of delays to train passengers each year.

Join the BMX Skills Open Day at the Murarrie Skate Park

Bring the whole family to the fun and exciting BMX Skills Open Day at the Murarrie Skate Park to witness and interact with Australian Olympian Natalya Diehm and other BMX champions.

The BMX Skills Open Day will take place on Saturday, 17 December 2022, with slots for kids between six to 17 years old to learn and train from the best!

If you have BMX enthusiasts at home, the open day is a chance for them to develop some new skills as Natalya and the BMX experts will be conducting workshops and demonstrations at different sessions throughout the day. The workshops will also include a “girls only” session, as well as free bike safety checks from Traction.

Eager participants to the workshops are asked to bring a safe and suitable BMX bike, helmet, closed-in footwear, water bottle and if possible knee pads, elbow pads and gloves. However, there will also be limited BMX bikes for loan, thanks to the Council’s Cycling Brisbane Program.

Aside from the BMX workshops, attendees may also try out the ninja course or enjoy various foods whilst watching the activities. Someone may also get the chance to win a brand-new BMX bike during the raffle draw.

Booking is essential or email RampFest at Chris@rampfest.com.au to learn more about this event.

Total Fusion Morningside Sets Opening Date After 2-Year Court Battle

A date finally has been set for the long-awaited opening of Total Fusion Morningside, two years after a court battle with Australian Country Choice. Not only that, they’re recruiting 100 new staff members!

Advertisements for job openings have started running as Total Fusion Morningside, the largest and most highly advanced gym in East Brisbane, plans to hire 100 staff members to serve its clientele beginning the 1st of February 2023.

The gym was granted the approval to open in August 2022, after Judge Nicole Kefford dismissed the appeal of Australian Country Choice (ACC), to stop the gym’s operation at the transformed Rivermakers precinct.

Total Fusion Morningside, Morningside, — *Photo Credit: TotalFusion Morningside/Facebook*

ACC was against having a gym close to its manufacturing facility, citing that there could be frequent complaints from gym members about the noise and odour from its neighbouring meat manufacturing plant. ACC was also concerned about the size of the gym in an industrial precinct.

However, Total Fusion head Leon McNiece said that the plant is not even visible from the carpark at Rivermakers. Thus, gym goers are likely not going to complain about the meatworks.

Mr McNiece said that the court decision has reaffirmed that the community wants to have a premium fitness and wellness facility in Morningside. In preparation for the opening, tours to the facility will be underway in the coming weeks.

Aside from the fitness areas for yoga, pilates and other group workouts, the wellness site will also have saunas, compression booths and massage areas, a cryotherapy section (cold temperature therapy), recovery tools, and an on-site nutritionist.

The gym is set to operate daily from 5:00 a.m. to late evening.

Don’t Miss Out! Stunning Hologram Zoo to Open in Cannon Hill

Did you know that the Hologram Zoo is now open, on a limited run until Christmas Eve? Featuring more than 50 laser-generated lifelike animals such as dinosaurs and whales, plus the latest in smell technology, this exhibit is a must-not-miss treat!

The Hologram Zoo will feature more than 50 laser-generated 3-D animals on display that visitors could view using special glasses instead of Virtual Reality (VR) headsets.

The zoo will also incorporate smell technology of rain, flowers, waterfalls, and the desert so that visitors will enjoy a full experience. Axiom Holographics has tapped Luxaroma, another Australian company, for the smell technology.

Axiom Holographics is launching the unique zoo for a limited run at the Cannon Hill Plaza on Wynnum Road. It will be trialled from the 10th until the 24th of December but could become a permanent destination for families.

Axiom Holographics founder Bruce Dell — who has done holograms for science organisations, the government and military — is thrilled to be launching his first Hologram Zoo after years of learning about the technology’s development.

Holograms are notoriously expensive and operational expenses for a hologram zoo could easily run up to an exorbitant amount but Mr Dell has developed a cost-effective way to use the technology, earning himself a tech award in Silicon Valley, California in 2019.

After the trial run in Brisbane, Mr Dell might also take the Hologram Zoo on a roadshow to the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

Tickets to the Cannon Hill run are now up for grabs and selling fast. Check the official site for more info.