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Take Part in Gibson Island Business Clean-Up Day this February

Would you like to be a part of the plant life restoration at Gibson Island? The Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Group (B4C) is mounting a Business Clean-Up Day at the Paringa Road site on Tuesday, the 26th of February, at 9:00 a.m.

The date coincides with the annual Clean Up Australia Day, which enjoins people to take action in saving the environment.

Participants to the said event on Gibson Island will be clearing out weeds and planting more trees in an effort to increase the vegetation to benefit species that live and thrive near the Brisbane River and Aquarium Passage in Murarrie.

Meanwhile, restoration efforts at Gibson Island will continue for the next 18 months as the initiative recently received $30,000 in sponsored funds.

The Pratt Foundation committed $20,000 to the project, whilst Queensland Bulk Handling (QBH) will shoulder $10,000 to rehabilitate the mangrove, the home to a colony of grey-headed flying foxes and other subpopulations of fish.

The grey-headed flying foxes are bats native to Australia. In 2008, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified these mammals as “vulnerable to extinction.”

*Photo Credit: GregTheBusker/Wikimedia Commons*

The B4C and the Department of Natural Resources spearheaded the cleanup and rehabilitation of Gibson Island in 2018 by clearing out the weeds and planting 3,000 trees. The vegetation should provide shade and protection around the waters of the Aquarium Passage. It will also serve as the breeding ground of small birds like the blue fairy wrens.

*Photo Credit: Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Group/Facebook*

On the 25th of January, 56 people returned to this site in Murarrie to plant more trees, which now totals to 3,346. QBH also took this time to hand out the cheque to fund future rehabilitation efforts in the next 12 to 18 months.

Additionally, B4C will be replanting trees and rebuilding the soil around QBH’s 11-hectre land in the Port of Brisbane to also increase the vegetation in the area.

Colmslie Recreation Reserve: Family and Dog-friendly Park in Morningside

Looking for a perfect place to spend the day bonding with the kids but don’t want to leave your fur baby behind? Colmslie Recreation Reserve in Morningside definitely has everything, from picturesque views to great amenities, to guarantee a perfect family day-out whilst having your dog joining in the outdoor fun too.

**Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / Flickr.com**

Located at the end of Col Gardner Drive, just off Lytton Road, Colmslie Recreation Reserve features a spacious dog off-leash area with agility equipment for pooches to play and burn their excess energy off. Now, after all that running and sniffing, cooling down your pooch is not going to be a problem, with the beach just within arm’s reach.

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This pup loves the beach! I'm too nervous to take her off leash in areas too close to roads (gotta work on recall some more first 😂🐶) but a great time is had anyway! 💦💦💦💦💦 #waterpup #bostonstevie

A post shared by Stevie the Boston Terrier (@boston_stevie) on Dec 27, 2015 at 11:03pm PST

More than just a dog off-leash park, Colmslie Recreation Reserve is also a perfect place for the whole family to picnic and enjoy recreational activities. The park is complete with amenities like barbecue, picnic areas, playground, boating and fishing precinct complete with boat ramp and fishing platform, toilet, and water (bubbler/tap/drinking fountain).

**Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au**

Colmslie Recreation Reserve is also where you will find sports facilities to keep yourself fit and active: the State Hockey Centre complete with function room; Colmslie Swimming Pool which features a 50-metre outdoor, heated pool, an 18.5-metre indoor heated programs pool, and an outdoor water play park for the kids; grass hockey fields; cricket facilities; and rowing facilities with change room and wheelchair showers and toilets.

You’ll also be glad to know that there’s a cafe on site, on-site parking, physiotherapy and massage room, ice bath, sauna, and WiFi.

QPS and Morningside Police Station Launched South Brisbane District Operation Wake Up

QPS and Morning Police Station launched South Brisbane District Operation Wake Up last December 2018 through a drink driving educational event to enhance road safety and reduce road toll.

Acting Chief Superintendent Virginia Nelson launched the QPS program through the QPC Drink Rite event and was attended by Local Queensland MP the Honourable Di Farmer and key stakeholders.

*Photo Credit: Queensland Police Service / mypolice.qld.gov.au*

Drink Rite is a Queensland Police Service initiative aimed at helping educate people about alcohol consumption and drink driving, and promote the message to the public — “If you are going to drink alcohol – do not drive.” The program involves an activity that will have participants consuming alcohol and breath tested by a police officer, and discussing the results and educating the participants and audience members about alcohol content, standard drinks, and drink driving.

“By conducting road safety enforcement operations and engaging in education activities we are ensuring the safety of members of the public that drive on the South Brisbane roads,” Acting Chief Superintendent Virginia Nelson said.

Road safety stakeholders who participated in the event were representatives from the office of Federal MP, the Honourable Terri Butler, local school principals and deputies, Queensland Ambulance Service, Port of Brisbane management, sporting club management representatives, and NHW representatives.

The result of breath tests surprised a number of participants who turned out to have exceeded the 0.05 alcohol limit after just a drink or two. The results proved the fact that a person’s breath alcohol concentration is affected by one’s body size, food intake, fitness level, mood, and hormones.

After the activities and reading the results, participants agreed that regardless of the amount of drink they consumed, they should always have a designated driver, or make arrangements to get home.

“All participants walked away with a better understanding of the effects of alcohol and the many different factors that can also affect your breath alcohol concentration,” Officer in Charge Morningside Police — Senior Sergeant Jackson said.

Morningside State School Fire: Community Gathers Together To Help the Historic Site Rise Again

Two months after the devastating fire that destroyed a large portion of Morningside State School, fundraising efforts have been getting an enormous amount of support from individuals, businesses, and community organizations.

The blaze that broke out in the early morning of 16 October, gutted a number of buildings of the 92-year-old school on Pashen Street; police investigators describing the blaze as “well-involved”.

Photo Credit: MORNINGSIDE STATE SCHOOL / give.everydayhero.com/au/mssbuildingfund

A teenage boy, who was on bail and well-known to police, has been arrested and charged with arson and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. The sixteen-year-old was arrested after police gathered evidences linking him with the Morningside State School fire and the carnapping of a white dual-cab Toyota HiLux.

The motive behind the alleged arson is still being investigated and authorities believes that there are more than one person involved. Six classrooms and facilities, including a music room, were destroyed by the fire along with its almost a century of history.

A fundraising drive was launched by the School P&C for the building fund to help with the reinstatement of the burnt down buildings and improvement of the security infrastructure on the site. The amount of support and offer of help has been overwhelming so far.

For the Fangtastic Fete event which was held on the Balmoral High School grounds, people and organisations gave donations from cash to memorabilias (intended for the auction), as well as volunteering work and talent.

*Photo Credit: Queensland Government / qld.gov.au*

Established in 1926, Morningside State School was entered into the State Heritage list in 24 April 2018 for its significance in “demonstrating the evolution of state education and its associated architecture in Queensland.”

“The Sectional School Buildings are good, intact examples of their type. Principal characteristics include: their timber-framed construction; highset form with play space underneath; Dutch-gable and gable roofs; blank end walls; connected northern verandahs with single skin verandah walls and double-hung windows; large banks of south-facing casement windows (replaced in Block D); projecting teachers rooms (Block C); hat rack enclosures; timber joinery; and coved ceilings, with metal tie rods and square lattice ceiling ventilation panels. The original classroom sizes are still readable, due to the surviving nibs and bulkheads,” citation said.

FareShare Brisbane Opens Super Kitchen in Morningside

Just in time for the holiday festivities, FareShare Brisbane has opened the doors of its super kitchen in Morningside.

Comparable to the size of a basketball court, FareShare Brisbane’s kitchen facilities is currently southern hemisphere’s largest charity kitchen. This massive kitchen is capable of cooking 5,000 meals per day with the help of local volunteers and experienced chefs.

FareShare Brisbane

Credit: FareShare/Facebook

FareShare Brisbane aims to cook more than one million free and nutritious meals in its first year of operation and further scale up to five million meals a year thereafter.

To help achieve this goal, around 400 Brisbane locals have already registered to be a volunteer in the charity kitchen since its official launch in October 2018. This number is still increasing as more individuals, schools, and groups of volunteers sign up to lend a hand.

FareShare is currently working with Foodbank Queensland, the largest food relief organisation in Queensland. Foodbank is the one supplying the kitchen with surplus meat and vegetables. They also distribute the cooked meals to vulnerable Queenslanders through their existing network of 280 registered charities.

The collaboration between the two organisations helps tackle both problems with food insecurity and food waste problem in Australia.

FareShare Brisbane is always open to more volunteers. Visit their website to register as a volunteer or to donate.

Seven Hills | Competitive Entry-Level Homes In The Suburb

Amongst Brisbane’s suburbs, Seven Hills has remained under the radar, but this quiet, leafy suburb has been steadily experiencing surprising price growth especially in the entry-level homes market.

Domain reported that Seven Hills has experienced an increase of 7.4 per cent in 12 months for a new median of $870,000. The report said that entry-level homes are in short supply, and buyers—who are mostly young couples or couples with one small child— had to compete for a handful of houses.

Such is the case of a property in Ferguson Road which had 16 written offers at its first open house. Its marketing agent described it as phenomenal given that the property has no garage, yet buyers were not put off. The house sits on a 549-sqm parcel of land and has three bedrooms and one bathroom. Buyers seemed to love it and the fact that it is located close to the city. This cute and charming cottage was sold for an undisclosed price last 24 October,

Another property in D’Arcy Road was said to have been sold for $749,000, which is already considered a bargain. The realistic entry-level price, the report said, is about $700,000 whilst a buyer may get one that is somewhere in the $500,000s or $600,000s, although, that could be a property which is a little less desirable like one that is sitting on a busy road, for example.

CoreLogic and homesales.com.au are also showing quite impressive numbers for Seven Hills. CoreLogic shows the median sale price for houses is at $940,000 with a one-year price change of 10.46 per cent, whilst homesales.com.au reports a three-year houses price growth of 4.74% and 1.88% from May last year with the median house value at $802,873.

So, what makes Seven Hills so desirable for home buyers?

Marketing agents believe that people who live here like that this place is unknown to many. There are no huge commercial precincts nearby which make this quiet suburb a desirable place to live in. The local Seven Hills State School, which boasts of impressive NAPLAN results, has also been attracting many home buyers to Seven Hills.

New $1-M QFES Appliance in Cannon Hill Improves Fire and Chemical Emergency Response Across the State

Brisbane’s Queensland Fire and Rescue Special Operations Centre in Cannon Hill received a new $1-million QFES appliance. The new vehicle is part of the $702 million QFES budget for this financial year.

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford said the million-dollar Scientific Two appliance can respond to fires and chemical emergencies around the state more efficiently.

“Boasting flexible storage and specialist equipment, the new appliance features detectors that can find and identify liquids, solids and gases; as well as specialist mitigation equipment,” Mr Crawford said.

“It is one of 61 Fire and Rescue appliances to be delivered this financial year under our record $702 million QFES Budget, which will also supply 119 appliances to the Rural Fire Service,” he added.

Moreover, the government targets to deliver 180 new urban and rural fire appliances in 2018-2019. The new vehicles will further help boost firefighting efforts across Queensland.

QFES Research and Scientific Branch

The Fire and Rescue Special Operations Centre Research and Scientific Branch in Cannon Hill has already provided guidance and expertise at more than 200 incidents across Queensland and New Zealand in the past six months.

QFES Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the RSB had seven permanent scientifically qualified staff. They have supported 53 volunteers across Queensland.

“The staff and volunteers have technical experience and operational expertise to provide support and advice to emergency responders for the effective management of unidentified hazardous materials, contamination incidents, fires and toxic emissions,” Ms Carroll said.

“Making sure QFES personnel have the best equipment for the job will help them respond to hazmat emergencies more efficiently.”

Although the QFES is now using a cutting-edge equipment, prevention will always be more effective in firefighting.

Morningside Median House Price Hits $766,000

The REIQ recently reported the latest housing market statistics which showed Morningside median house price at $766,000, sliding by -0.8% over the last 12 months but increasing by 32.1% over the last 5 years. Seventeen homes were sold during the 2nd quarter of 2018 in Morningside.

World Food Day Cocktail Fundraiser In Morningside

On 13 October 2018 from 6:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Foodbank Warehouse in Morningside, be a part of the World Food Day Cocktail Fundraiser by Foodbank Queensland.

Foodbank Queensland is a not-for-profit organisation and the state’s biggest hunger relief program that serves as a pantry to charities and community groups who feed the hungry.

At this event, the city’s most iconic restaurants will be serving great food at the event such as:

Moda Restaurant

Offering popular Spanish staples — tapas and wine, Moda Restaurant is owned by Javier Codina. They are located on Petrie Terrace. Aside from tapas and wine, they also offer steaks and a delectable line-up of main dishes.

Click here for the menu

Enoteca

Situated in the heart of Woolloongabba’s antique quarter, the restaurant is renowned for its Italian cuisine. They offer traditional hand-made pasta served with authentic Italian wines.

Click here for the menu

Harvey’s

Located in Fortitude Valley, Harvey’s serves up bistro-style meals on James Street. Tapas and their popular breakfasts and well-known, making them a total must-try!

Click here for the menu

Other boutique brews will also be there from Newstead Brewing Company, MOET champagne, and a selection of fine wines.

The Havana Tropical Party Band will also be there to entertain you throughout the night. Get your dancing shoes on for some fun salsa dancing!

The funds raised at the event will be used to buy more food for Foodbank Queensland.

Tickets are priced at $150 each. You can get it here.

Proposed Morningside Development to Become Largest Independent Only Tap Garden in Australia

Following the approval of its $15-million Brewing Collaboration Centre, Brisbane Brew Partners’ proposed Morningside development is set to be the largest independent only tap garden in Australia.

Brisbane Brew Partners has acquired an additional 2,500 sqm site adjacent to their already approved brewing collaboration centre. They have already submitted a development application for the construction of the said project.

The current DA seeks the Council’s approval for a High Impact Industry, Shop, and Hotel. The development will serve as an extension of the previously approved application.

Plans for the Proposed Morningside Development

The existing approval for Brisbane Brew Partners involves a 200,000-litre capacity production for the facility.

In the current High Impact Industry application, Brisbane Brew Partners is hoping that the Council’s will allow the facility to produce more than 200 tonnes of products per annum.

Proposed Morningside Development — Photo credit: Brisbane Planning and Development Online

According to a town planning assessment report, the hotel part of the application is best described as a Taphouse that also serves meals to the general public. Such business is becoming more common in Brisbane’s burgeoning beer scene.

Although the DA involves an application for a hotel, the proposed development does not include any accommodation.

Plans for the expansion include the construction of a kitchen, bar, shop, amenities, and an outdoor dining area.

Local Support

Residents are supportive of the said development saying that Morningside and surrounding areas are growing and suburban breweries are great for the locals.

Previously, Council has approved a large-scale operation similar to the proposed development at 77 Metroplex Ave, Murarrie. Just like Brisbane Brew Partners’ application, the applicant for this project also sought Council’s approval to replace the approved Food and Drink Hotel component.

Council has allowed this application to proceed straight to public notification, without Information Request or similar. This means that the Council supports such a use in the Industrial Zone.

To learn more about the proposed Morningside development, check out the Application Details for A004990322.