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Michael Hill International Undergoes a Resilient Transformation as a Premium Brand with a Heart

Amidst the challenges of the pandemic, Michael Hill International, a Cannon Hill-based jewellery brand, has emerged as a shining example of perseverance and growth. For over four decades, Michael Hill has played a crucial role in the lives of many Australians, providing high-quality jewellery to help people celebrate their milestones.

The company has undergone a makeover under the direction of CEO Daniel Bracken, rebranding itself as a luxury brand that emphasizes the emotional connection with its clients. Michael Hill is committed to making every moment that matters extraordinary for its clients by improving the customer experience.

In late 2022, the business relocated to a specially constructed global headquarters, manufacturing, and distribution centre in Cannon Hill, where its master jewellers developed new goods. Additionally, the company has stepped up its recruitment to acquire casual workers in Australia and New Zealand.

That same year, Michael Hill achieved a record year, with an increase in operating revenue and gross margin, driven by strategic initiatives across product, stores, digital, and loyalty.

The company’s digital sales have soared, comprising 7.1 per cent of its total revenues, highlighting its ability to adapt to changing consumer behaviour.

This success has been a testament to its commitment to providing handmade, natural products, with every piece created by its master jewellers. Their dedication to in-store training and development has resulted in a loyal customer base that values their expertise and personalized approach.

Founded by Sir Michael Hill, the company’s legacy continues under the leadership of Mr Bracken, who is passionate about the product and dedicated to taking the brand to new heights.

By remaining true to its values and dedicated to its customers and staff, Michael Hill is poised for even greater success in the years to come.

Published 10-May-2023

Low N Slow Meat Co in Morningside Closes Without Warning

After 18 months in operation, Low N Slow Meat Co, the upmarket and innovative BBQ retailer, unexpectedly announced its permanent closure at the Rivermakers precinct in Morningside.

The decision to shut down came just two days after Rivermakers had over thousands of visitors for a food and music festival, where Low N Slow Meat Co was one of the purveyors.

In an Instagram post on 23 April 2023, owner Brent Poulter disclosed that they were not forced out of the precinct and the decision to close the restaurant was their own. The owners also cited “many factors that went out of control” leading up to their decision.

“Any good BBQer will understand if you starve a fire from oxygen it will go out, unfortunately, due to many factors out of our control the oxygen in our fire has been very limited and the fire is just about out, it’s an impossible situation,” he said.

“Low N Slow started 6 years ago in Tingalpa, it was a passion project that bought a love for great quality meat and live fire cooking together in the one spot. It changed the shape of butchers in general with many implementing a low n slow style into their operations, ultimately lifting the awareness of this style of cooking and eating for the greater good.

“It’s been an awesome 6 years of Low N Slow Meat Co, from back in the early days in Tinglapa all the way until now. We have taught and hopefully improved hundreds of people’s BBQ skills and opened the door for many more to venture down the rabbit hole of BBQ.

“Customers have become friends and experiences had that won’t be forgotten.

“In the recent couple of years since being at Rivermakers, the Bulimba, Morningside, and Hawthorne locals have been so supportive and we are appreciative of their patronage.”

The closure comes following reports that Rivermakers landlord Balfour Irvine has been wrapped up in a legal tussle with Council over the butchery since 2021. Enforcement notices were sent to the landlord to stop the butchery from selling meat until the precinct received “all relevant approvals.” The venue was also not supposed to be used as a meat warehouse for the goods sold at Low N Slow.

However, planning experts representing Rivermakers insisted that the storing, processing and distribution or selling of meat products were considered “ancillary use.” The representatives filed a separate development application (DA A005804996) in early 2022 for Material Change of Use of the site a food and drink outlet. The DA, which received nearly 5,000 submissions, is currently on appeal.

Published 2-May-2023

Rock Out to AC/DC With Riff Raff At The qp

Love AC/DC ? Check out the cover band Riff Raff for your AC/DC fix at the qp Tavern in Hemmant.

Happening on April 22 – 7 pm in the Beer Garden, it will be an evening spent paying tribute to the iconic rock anthems and hits that AC/DC is known for. True to form, the band itself is named after the 1978 hit, Riff Raff.

Love AC/DC ? Check out the cover Band Riff Raff at The qp Tavern. April 22 - 7 pm in the Beer Garden. — Photo credit: Supplied

“Expect plenty of interaction with “Angus”. It’s almost impossible to keep him on stage. Among the action on the dance floor is his natural habitat.”

“lead vocalist, Mark Thomas Smith is a bona fide legend of the industry and has lent his vocal skills to many and varied pursuits. Not the least of which include ACCA DACCA and the Bon Scott experience.”

The set list on the evening itself may not include all of these but it’s fair to assume you will be able to rock out to most of these anthems.

Thunderstruck
Hells bells
Riff raff
Shot down in flames
Hell ain’t a bad place to be
Sin City
Gone Shootin’
Live wire
If you want blood
Back in Black
Dirty deeds
Problem child
TNT
Gimme a bullet
Whole lotta Rosie
Jail Break
Shoot to thrill
High voltage
Touch too much
Witches spell
The jack
Let there be rock
You shook me all night long
Highway to hell
For those about to rock
Walk all over you
Its a long way to the top
Bad boy boogie

Here is a sample of Riff Raff’s work here:

Published 31-March-2023

Invocare Support Centre: New Funeral Services Facility in Morningside

Photo credit: carolynabooth / Pixabay

Did you know that a modern funeral services facility, the largest centre of its kind to open in the state, is now in Morningside? InvoCare Support Centre offers families the highest quality end-of-life care.

InvoCare Support Centre currently caters to clients of George Hartnett Metropolitan Funerals, Simplicity Funerals, Value Cremations and White Lady Funerals. The facility provides a place where the deceased can be taken and prepared instead of being taken to individual local funeral homes.

There’s a special washroom available for families to wash and dress their deceased loved ones for funeral services. There’s even an option to customise the casket or coffin.

Once ready for final presentation, the deceased will be loaded into one of the 12 custom-made hearses, to be transported to the site of the funeral service. Each hearse is worth up to $500,000 and is already equipped with LED lighting (with a disco lighting option) and a sound system.

The built-for-purpose facility also features lifts that can carry up to 500 kilograms and other safety features meant to reduce manual handling and potential injuries.

About InvoCare

Sydney-based InvoCare is the leading provider of funeral services in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. They also operate private memorial parks and crematoria in Australia and New Zealand as well as pet cremation services in Australia.

Currently, InvoCare has 300 funeral locations, 17 cemeteries and 29 crematoria across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, and employs around 1,855 people globally.

In Australia, InvoCare has three national brands, over 40 funeral brands and 15 cemeteries and crematoria including White Lady Funerals, Simplicity Funerals and Value Cremations.

Published 26-March-2023

SecondBite, Two More Food Rescue Organisations In Morningside Get Funding Boost

Morningside food rescue organisations SecondBite, Foodbank Queensland, and FareShare Australia, have all received grants which would be used to feed more people in need and also save food from landfill.

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

The three are among the 10 food rescue organisations selected for the second round of the Food Rescue Grant program, which aims to help organisations across the state stop good food from ending up in landfill, and instead help Queenslanders in need.

The funding will help organisations purchase or upgrade infrastructure and equipment as well as hire important staff to help collect and distribute food.

SecondBite

SecondBite, a national food rescue organisation with a location at Riverside Place in Morningside, will receive $491,639 to upgrade freezer infrasructure and purchase a 14-pallet truck to increase the distribution of meals in south-east Queensland.

The organisation estimates that by June 2024, some 1701 tonnes of food will be saved from landfill with this funding.

Foodbank Queensland

The organisation, which is currently based at Beverley St, will receive $408,096 to purchase a 6-pallet refrigerated vehicle and upgrade their coldroom, giving them the capacity to collect more food from their donors and distribute it through member charities and school breakfast programs.

By June 2024, it’s estimated that some 141 tonnes of food will be saved from landfill with the help of this grant.

FareShare Australia

SecondBite — Photo credit: FareShare/Facebook

Non-profit organisation FareShare, which has a location in Brisbane’s Morningside aside from the one in Melbourne, will receive $360,000 for specialised equipment, food ingredients and staff costs, to enable them to produce foods with an increased shelf-life, for distribution to south-east and regional Queensland.

Read: What’s Next For Brisbane’s 98-year-old Tugboat Forceful?

FareShare estimates that by June 2024, they will be able to save around 75 tonnes of food from going to landfill with this funding.

To see the full list of the organisations which have received the funding for the second round of the Food Rescue Grant program, visit Queensland Government’s website.

Published 21-March-2023

What’s Next For Brisbane’s 98-year-old Tugboat Forceful?

With the maintenance of ‘Forceful’ already costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, the Queensland Maritime Museum Association (QMMA) board has decided that the 98-year-old tugboat should be dismantled and recycled in early 2023.

Read: Queenslanders Move to Save Cairncross Naval Graving Dry Dock in Morningside

Forceful, the last coal-fired steam tugboat in Queensland, has reached its fate after the QMMA board agreed that “it could no longer afford” its maintenance and storage costs. Over the last 20 years, the association has reportedly spent nearly $1 million on the tug.

Queensland Maritime Museum is one of the largest maritime museums in Australia operated by volunteers for more than 50 years now. However, they only rely on grants, sponsorship, fundraising, venue hire and membership and entry fees to operate.

Forceful’s arrival at The Yard (Photo credit: The Yard Brisbane/Facebook)

The tugboat is currently at The Yard in Murarrie, but QMMA is already in talks with a company who will dismantle and recycle the ship by April or May 2023.

When it arrived at The Yard in January 2021, it’s announced that it would be assessed to determine the cost of repairs it will take to bring her back to working condition.

However, because of the flood-risk concerns raised by the Maritime Safety Queensland, the association was not able to bring her back to the river. MSQ believes the vessel would cause significant risk to downstream infrastructure and maritime safety, especially during a flood.

History

Forceful was built by Alexander Stephen & Sons on the famous River Clyde in Scotland in 1925 and served the port of Brisbane for 45 years. Besides its coal-fired boilers, its triple-expansion engine is a rare surviving example of the ships of its era.

In 1941, she was drafted into the Navy and served in Fremantle and Darwin, conducting top secret missions, before returning to civilian duties in Brisbane in 1943.

Forceful’s service gradually decreased by the 1960s, when more efficient diesel engined tugs were introduced in Brisbane. She retired from service on 28 September 1970 following frequent idle periods.

Read: $200-M Rivergate Superyacht Facility, Marina, And Shipyard Expansion In Murarrie Approved

Her life as a museum ship began in 1971 when she was handed over to the QMMA. Upon being donated to the museum, she was preserved as a working vessel, making regular trips down the Brisbane River to Moreton Bay.

Published 15-March-2023

Work Starts on the Brisbane International Cycle Park in Murrarie

Photo Credit: CrLisaAtwood/Facebook

Construction has begun for Queensland’s very own Olympic-standard Brisbane International Cycle Park at the Murrarie Recreation Reserve.

In February 2023, Brisbane’s cycling enthusiasts had their last ride at the old cycling track before the fences went up to close part of the site in preparation for the upgrades. Per Cr Lisa Atwood, the construction of the bigger facility is expected to be underway for at least 12 months.

The Brisbane International Cycle Park project came together with the cooperation of three levels of government, according to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. It will link to the existing cycling track, spanning 1.4 kilometres, at the Balmoral Cycling Clubhouse, as well as the shared cycling tracks on Wynnum Road and the Bulimba Creek bikeway.

The project is also expected to deliver:

international level criterium tracks and a 500-metre inline skating track
a new multi-purpose clubhouse for events
an upgraded car park which will formalise the car park and install up to 200 spaces, re-purposing the existing track to a multipurpose shadow track to allow for multiple recreational users and uses
new fencing, walkways and planting
new multi-level, multi-purpose clubhouse for various community use

During the construction, the Bulimba Creek Bikeway, the Wynnum road connection and the Northcliffe Street bridge connection to the Avenue pathway will still be accessible.

“The Brisbane International Cycle Park project aims to establish the reserve as a premier destination for international cycling, enhance the capacity of the reserve to meet sporting and recreation needs, and provide the community with safe pedestrian access, and cycle links to the wider Brisbane bikeway network,” Council stated.

“Once complete, the Brisbane International Cycle Park at Murarrie Recreation Reserve will support Brisbane’s cycling community in the lead up to and long after the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games.”

Published 9 March 2023

Indoor Sport and Recreation Site Planned for Cannon Hill Homes

Photo Credit: DA A006183301/BCC

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