Morningside Archives - Morningside News

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

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.

Man Charged Over Alleged Crimes at Morningside Sports Facility

myPolice Queensland Police News

A Carina Heights man has been charged following a spate of alleged property crimes and arson at a Morningside sports facility in the early hours of 6 February.

Queensland Police allege the 33-year-old targeted multiple vehicles in a public car park near a sports facility on Col Gardner Drive during a three-hour period between 12.30am and 3.45am.

According to police, the man allegedly smashed windows and stole property from several vehicles before ramming through the front gates of the facility to access the secured grounds.

Police further allege that once inside, the man broke into another vehicle, stole golf clubs and set the vehicle alight.

Officers from Dutton Park Criminal Investigation Branch and Upper Mount Gravatt Tactical Crime Squad executed a search warrant at a Carina Heights address on 11 February. Police say they located the vehicle allegedly involved in the incident along with stolen property.

The man was taken into custody and charged with several offences, including entering premises and committing an indictable offence, entering premises with intent, wilful damage and arson.

He was remanded in custody and is scheduled to reappear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 2 March.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Policelink via the online suspicious activity form at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or by calling 131 444.

Information can also be reported anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au, quoting reference number QP2600239071.

Published 13-February-2026

Historic Balmoral Cemetery Plaques Vulnerable Amid Theft Rise

BCC

Bronze memorial plaques marking the graves of First World War veterans and early settlers at Balmoral Cemetery are increasingly at risk, as plaque thefts surge across Brisbane and erase pieces of the city’s history.

Plaque thefts across Brisbane skyrocketed 140 percent last year—an increase fueled by record-high global copper prices—with 19 bronze plaques disappearing

The thefts represent more than just missing metal. For Morningside residents, they threaten tangible connections to local history, including at Balmoral Cemetery where bronze plaques mark the graves of First World War veterans, prominent politicians, and early settlers who helped build the suburb.

Between 2020 and 2022, just 11 plaques went missing across Brisbane, according to Brisbane City figures. That number jumped to 31 between 2023 and 2025, with last year alone accounting for 19 thefts. The replacements cost around $8,000, with Brisbane working alongside the National Servicemen’s Association of Australia. The historical value lost, however, cannot be measured in dollars.

Why Bronze Plaques Are Targeted

Waste Recycling Industry Queensland noted that legitimate metal recyclers can identify stolen plaques, as pieces bearing engravings about historical figures or events clearly originate from memorials or public monuments. However, a black market in scrap metal drives these thefts, with bronze plaques valued for their metal content.

Recent incidents at Queensport Rocks Park in Murarrie saw plaques commemorating the Duke of Edinburgh’s opening of the Gateway Bridge and the park’s 2011 opening disappear over the Christmas-New Year period. The Department of Transport and Main Roads confirmed no scheduled maintenance required their removal and is investigating the circumstances.

Balmoral Cemetery at Risk

For Morningside, Balmoral Cemetery represents irreplaceable local history. Established in 1874, the site holds approximately 15,000 interments spanning 150 years, with bronze plaques marking the graves of First World War veterans, prominent politicians, and early settlers.

The Friends of Balmoral Cemetery has worked since 2001 to identify and mark nearly 400 people buried there who served during the First World War. When plaques go missing, the immediate physical link to these stories is severed.

While digital archives may exist, the on-site markers that allow families and historians to identify specific plots are often impossible to replicate once the original commissioning organizations have folded.

Bronze memorial plaques at Balmoral mark individual graves, commemorate collective service, and provide information for families researching their ancestry.

Former journalist Peter Doherty, who drove the Channel 7 Flashback history segment, called the incidents the literal theft of Brisbane’s history. Many plaques will never be recreated because original details and the organisations responsible for them have been lost over time.

The Impact on Communities

Metal theft affects infrastructure well beyond memorial sites across Queensland. During Tropical Cyclone Koji recovery efforts earlier this month, copper wiring was stolen from affected areas, disrupting emergency communications when communities needed them most. While cemetery thefts rob communities of their past, thefts during disaster recovery directly endanger the living.

For cemeteries like Balmoral, the impact goes deeper than infrastructure damage. Each missing plaque represents a family’s connection to their history and a community’s link to the people who shaped it.

Unlike stolen copper wire that can be replaced, historical plaques often contain information that no longer exists anywhere else. In a bid to deter ‘scrap-shopping,’ BCC is increasingly opting for etched aluminum or synthetic composites.

While these materials lack the prestige of bronze, they carry negligible resale value, though the transition still costs ratepayers approximately $8,000 annually.

What These Thefts Mean for Morningside

Bronze plaques were chosen for Brisbane’s memorials because they stand the test of time, creating visible links to the city’s story and places for reflection intended to last for generations. When these markers disappear, the community loses the touchstones of its shared identity.

Protecting these sites now requires a combination of community vigilance and stricter oversight of the scrap metal trade to ensure Brisbane’s history isn’t sold for parts.

Published 29-January-2026.

94-Place Childcare Centre Planned for Lytton Road in Morningside

Photo Credit: DA/A006889566

A development application has been lodged for a childcare centre on Lytton Road in Morningside, proposing the conversion of an existing commercial building into a 94-place early education facility.

Repurposing an Existing Site

The application relates to 350 and 360 Lytton Road, where an existing two-storey commercial building is proposed to be adapted for childcare use. The site has a total area of 23,960 square metres and is located within an established industrial setting.

The proposed development retains a two-storey form, with a maximum building height of 10 metres.

iPlan Town Planning — Photo Credit: DA/A006889566

Design and Layout

The proposal has been designed by Marlowe Architecture and includes six internal activity rooms supported by three outdoor play areas. Landscaping is proposed to improve the streetscape and provide separation from surrounding industrial uses.

Internal pathways connect building entries with outdoor areas, while circulation within the site separates staff, visitor, and service vehicle movements.

Access and Parking Arrangements

Vehicle access is proposed via existing crossovers on Lytton Road. The development provides 19 car parking spaces, including 10 visitor bays and nine staff bays secured through easements.

Pedestrian access is facilitated through internal walkways linking the building and outdoor play areas.

Morningside childcare centre — Photo Credit: DA/A006889566

Planning Context

Town planning advice has been prepared by iPlan Town Planning. The site is zoned IN2 Industry (General Industry B) and is located within the River Gateway Neighbourhood Plan area, as well as the Temporary Local Planning Instrument 01/25 for the Colmslie Road Industry Precinct.

The application was lodged on 23 October 2025 and is identified under reference number A006889566.

Next Steps

The proposal will be assessed against the applicable planning controls. No approval timeframe or construction schedule has been identified at this stage.

Published 9-Jan-2025

Morningside Streets Come Alive with Vibrant Artworks on Signal Boxes

Photo Credit: Google Maps

The streets of Milton have been transformed into an open-air gallery, with local residents painting vibrant artworks on traffic signal boxes throughout the suburb. These eye-catching installations celebrate everything from local stories to community connections, turning everyday street furniture into conversation starters.

Caring for Our Heritage

Artist Debra Hood’s design, completed in August 2025, features three of Morningside’s most significant historical buildings: the Morningside School of Arts, Georgina House (formerly Georgina Hostel & Nursing Home), and Rossiter’s House, recognised as the oldest house in Morningside. The architectural illustrations sit against segments of pink, cream, blue, and lilac—colours that mirror the nearby mosaic mural work in the adjacent Anzac Memorial. Hood added lilac sections as a nod to the jacaranda blossoms that bloom around the School of Arts hall each October. The entire composition is wrapped in a painted white crepe bandage pinned with a red poppy, honouring the hall’s history as a Memorial Hall in the 1920s. Hood worked alongside members of the Morningside School of Arts Inc Association to bring this tribute to life.

100 Years, 100’s of Stories

Also celebrating the Morningside School of Arts, this design marks the hall’s upcoming centenary on 19 February 2026. The artwork, completed in June 2025, came about after the Morningside School of Arts Inc Association committee discovered original architectural plans from the 1920s during a major clean-up. Artist and member Olivia Dean Jones incorporated these historical designs into the box, with the Brisbane River meandering around the traffic signal box and a vibrant, stylised depiction of the Art Deco hall. Association president Debra Hood collaborated on the project, which aims to honour both the landmark building and the artistic spirit within the community.

Morning, Morningside

Lin Wang’s artwork, created in March 2021 with Jun Zhang, captures the essence of how Morningside got its name—from the morning sun catching the banks of the river. The design features a bridge connecting to the cityscape, symbolising the suburb’s proximity to the city and convenient public transport. A plane flies towards the sun, acknowledging the 24-hour aircraft noise that has become another characteristic of the area. Close-up images of plants commonly found near the riverbank complete the scene, serving as a greeting and welcome sign for viewers passing this prime location.

Freedom

Tahlia Pearce’s February 2021 design uses kites as a symbolic visualisation to create a playful narrative encouraging families to come together. The abstract interpretation of Morningside emerged from Pearce’s personal experience searching for a new home in Brisbane. Through the artwork, she aims to reflect the suburb’s serene, welcoming character whilst inspiring locals and visitors to dream big and achieve their goals.

Morning Rays

Andi Spark’s June 2020 creation was nominated for Overall Winner in the Artforce Brisbane awards. The design reflects on the poetic inspiration behind Morningside’s name—the morning sun catching the river banks. Spark’s painting depicts soft purple ethereal early morning light amongst tussocky grasses beneath paperbark trees, transformed by strong sunbeams. The artwork also acknowledges the creeks and waterways around the area that, though largely hidden beneath concrete and tarmac, form part of Brisbane’s critical water catchment system.

Scream Saver

Daniela Tikel’s May 2021 artwork features the Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus novaehollandiae), a usually shy bird that becomes fiercely protective of its eggs and chicks. The design captures the bird’s distinctive “kekekekek” scream and defensive behaviours, including feigning injury or attempting to spear intruders with wing spikes to prevent their young from being mowed down. The artwork includes a hidden challenge: ladybirds are scattered throughout the design (with none on the EPT cap), inviting viewers to count how many they can find.

Frenchie Silhouette / Frenchie Rainbow

Heidi and Damian Cox’s April 2019 design is refreshingly straightforward in its inspiration. The couple loves their French Bulldog, Mr Bones, and believes the world would be happier with more French Bulldogs. Their artwork was nominated for Overall Winner and brings a touch of playful personality to the intersection.

About Artforce Brisbane

These artworks are part of Artforce Brisbane, an annual community art programme run by Brisbane City Council since 1999. The initiative invites Brisbane residents of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to paint original artworks on traffic signal boxes throughout the city’s suburbs. More than 5,000 volunteers have painted over 1,200 boxes across Brisbane, celebrating local characters, cultures, histories and landmarks while reducing graffiti and vandalism. The programme is managed by Artfully, a Brisbane-based arts consultancy specialising in public art and placemaking. Each year, approximately 80 painting opportunities become available as the council upgrades intersections and replaces old cabinets.

Residents interested in participating can register at the Artforce Brisbane website or email info@artforcebrisbane.com.au for more information.

Published 26-December-2025

Morningside Man Dies After Cannon Hill Carpark Collision

Photo Credit: Google Maps

An 82-year-old Morningside man has died following a collision in a Cannon Hill carpark on Saturday morning.

The incident occurred around 10am in the shopping centre carpark off Creek Road, near the Bunnings store.

According to Queensland Police, the elderly pedestrian was struck by a grey Mitsubishi Triton utility driven by a 24-year-old Carindale man. The pedestrian sustained head injuries and was transported to hospital in critical condition, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The driver was not physically injured in the collision.

Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are continuing.

Queensland Police are appealing for anyone with information, dashcam footage, or CCTV from the area at the time to come forward. Witnesses can contact Crime Stoppers to assist with the investigation.

The tragedy has affected the local Cannon Hill community, with the incident occurring at a popular shopping precinct on a busy Saturday morning.

Published 30-November-2025

Cairncross Dockyard Redevelopment Progresses in Morningside

Photo Credit: JarrodBleijieMP/Facebook

A $2.5 billion redevelopment aimed at restoring the Cairncross Dockyard as a functional shipyard is progressing in Morningside after receiving prescribed project status.

Background of the Morningside Site

The Cairncross Dockyard was established in 1942 to support naval operations during World War II. The site later declined in use and has been largely dormant in recent years.

In late November 2025, the project was declared a prescribed project, enabling streamlined approval processes for redevelopment works at the Morningside location.

Planned Infrastructure and Site Upgrades

The redevelopment involves a privately funded $2.5 billion investment. Plans include a large-scale graving dock, a 6,000-tonne hydraulic chain-jack vertical ship lift, a 1,200-tonne crawler crane and new and expanded wharves. Critical power and water infrastructure will also be developed to support operations.

Once completed, the upgraded facility will allow both on-water and out-of-water vessel maintenance.

shipyard redevelopment — Photo Credit: JarrodBleijieMP/Facebook

Expected Economic Impact

The redevelopment is projected to create more than 1,000 direct jobs within the shipyard and thousands of indirect jobs across steel production, advanced manufacturing and logistics.

Interest in the proposal has come from stakeholders in Australia and overseas, including from the United States, Japan and South Korea. The project is being led by Cairncross Dockyard Brisbane Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Texas Tea Queensland.

Brisbane River industry — Photo Credit: JarrodBleijieMP/Facebook

Community Sentiment in Morningside

Public responses varied, with some comments expressing interest in the dockyard’s restoration. Others noted its historical significance, the need for workforce development and comparisons with other maritime projects in Australia.

Next Steps for the Redevelopment

The prescribed project status allows coordinated assessment and approval processes. The Office of the Coordinator-General will oversee compliance with environmental and social requirements as redevelopment progresses.

Once operational, the upgraded shipyard is expected to strengthen maritime sustainment capabilities and support industrial activity in the Morningside area.

Published 28-Nov-2025