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CSIRO Pullenvale’s Robotised Cherenkov Viewing Device Reaches Significant Milestone

A nuclear waste safety robot being developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies in Pullenvale could soon make it possible for autonomous robots to assist with field measurement and analysis of spent nuclear fuel, providing greater protection for human workers.

Read: Mancel College: Four Decades of Providing Support to Children With a Language Disorder

The Robotised Cherenkov Viewing Device (RCVD), the nuclear waste safety robot being developed by CSIRO has reached a significant milestone after completing a successful test in South America.

The RCVD, developed in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency, is a floating device which works by autonomously navigating a path across the pond whilst updating a real-time map with footage and data of the fuel assemblies.

CSIRO Technical Program Manager, Rosie Attwell said the test demonstrates that autonomous robots could soon assist with field measurement and analysis of spent nuclear fuel, providing greater protection for human workers.

CSIRO team members with the device (Photo credit: csiro.au)

Although nuclear power plants are known for their capability to create reliable large electricity outputs, they can generate highly radioactive waste products that should be stored safely.

“Inspectors currently operate above the pond on a suspended platform, sometimes in 40-degree Celsius heat, using a handheld device to identify hundreds of used nuclear fuel rods,” Ms Attwell said.

Ms Atwell shared the new technology will remove humans from harm’s way and ensure the rate of safety inspections matches that of nuclear material.

The successful field test conducted in an operating nuclear facility in South America shows that the device has potential to go further.

IAEA nuclear safeguard inspectors during a spent fuel training exercise (Photo credit: csiro.au)

Datastart, a robotics company based in Hungary also worked on the project by developing parts of the device’s hardware.

Peter Kopias, CEO of Datastart, said seamless integration of the hardware developed by Datastart and CSIRO’s own navigation stack is a perfect example of intercontinental engineering collaboration.

“Moving personnel out of harm’s way is the most important benefit, but the exceptional data quality and the ability to inspect previously unreachable covered areas is a game changer in nuclear inspection.” Mr Kopias said.

Read: Kenmore’s Cafe Bliss’ Owners Retire After Almost Three Decades

To learn more about the Robotised Cherenkov Viewing Device, visit www.csiro.au.

Published 13-March-2023

Mancel College: Four Decades of Providing Support to Children With a Language Disorder

Photo credit: Mancel College / mancelcollege.qld.edu.au

Language disorder affects a person’s comprehension and/or ability to express one’s thoughts and feelings. The condition is estimated to affect 1 in 10 Australian students per classroom. Currently, Fig Tree Pocket-based Mancel College is the only specialist school in Australia that caters to students with such a condition.

Mancel College traces its roots back to its founder, pioneering psychologist Mancel Ellis Robinson. Her work at the University of Queensland identified the lack of appropriate services and educational facilities for children living with “communication and learning problems”.

She continued her research work and began to develop new teaching methods and therapies so these children could be provided access to education.

Mancel College: Four Decades of Providing Support to Children With a Language Disorder — Photo credit: Mancel College / mancelcollege.qld.edu.au

She established CHI.L.D Association in 1976, a voluntary organisation and registered charity that caters for children and young people with language and related disorders. In 1977, CHI.L.D. established its home at the undercroft of the Anglican Church in St Lucia, supporting 18 children aged between 5 and 8, before relocating to the former Fig Tree Pocket State School site in Cubberla Street in 1978.

The Cubberla site allowed the program to accommodate 22 children, utilising a single-room schoolhouse and a donated demountable building. The learning facility was later named the Glenleighden School.

The Glenleighden School earned government approval in 1982 and then received government funding as an officially recognised non-state special school the following year. Through the help of community fundraising and state and federal grants, the school further expanded with additional classrooms and therapy spaces.

Mancel continued to run the school until her retirement in 2002. CHI.L.D was changed to Speech and Language Development (SALDA) in 2016.

The organisation took ownership of the school building at the Fig Tree Pocket site in 1984 for $1,500 but it was not until 2019 that the SALDA board decided to acquire the land it has occupied, allowing it to implement its Campus Master Plan for the school which includes the redevelopment of the premises. The first stage of its redevelopment commenced in 2021.

In 2022, The Glenleighden School was renamed Mancel College, marking the 20th anniversary of Mancel’s retirement and cementing his legacy in the field of Language Disorder for generations to come. That same year SALDA was renamed Language Disorder Australia Ltd.

Today, Mancel College continues to attract students from across the country, providing support and resources specifically targeting the needs of Prep and Year 12 students with a language disorder.

To make it possible, a team of multi-disciplinary teachers and allied health professionals collaborate to plan and deliver the lessons with each class averaging 12 students and supported by a school assistant.

Published 7-March-2023

Kenmore’s Cafe Bliss’ Owners Retire After Almost Three Decades

Photo credit: Facebook / Cr Greg Adermann

After 27 years, Cafe Bliss owners have officially retired. Under new management, however, the venue will keep its name and offerings that locals have grown to love through the years.

It has been a blissful 27 years for owners Jamie and Merle Stewart which is probably good enough reason to finally retire and spend more time doing other things they love doing together like fishing and riding a bike.

The couple officially handed over the reins to its new owner, Ketan Patel, last 28 February 2023. Ms Stewart said that all the cafe staff will be retained even as the ownership changed hands.

Loved by the locals, Cafe Bliss has become an institution in the area and has survived so many challenges, including staff shortages and tough competition from newcomers and old-timers alike.

Kenmore’s Cafe Bliss’ Owners Retire After Almost Three Decades — Photo credit: Facebook / Cafe Bliss Kenmore

“It was a pleasure to join Dr Christian Rowan MP and Kenmore Village Shopping Centre Manager, Lisa Jarrold, to farewell Jamie and Merle Stewart at Cafe Bliss today,” Cr Gred Adermann’s social media post reads after he presented the pair with a Moggill Electorate Community Award.

“Jamie and Merle have been institutions at this popular local cafe for the past 27 years. We wish them well in retirement and look forward to welcoming new owner, Ketan Patel, who already has an established reputation in the local hospitality scene, every success in the future.”

Loyal customers, likewise, sent the couple some gifts as they wished them well on their retirement and thanked them for the good food and memories.

Bellbowrie Sports & Community Club Upgrades Underway

Upgrades are underway at the Bellbowrie Sports & Community Club, one of nine community clubs across Brisbane to receive a grant that will help improve facilities and sustain ongoing club projects.

The Bellbowrie Sports & Community Club received $86,875.00 from a $1 million grant earmarked for the Better Suburbs Grants program in Brisbane.

The club was tasked to submit a master plan to determine the improvements needed. The process entailed consultations and discussions with experts in urban design and landscape architecture. Stakeholders were also asked for their input and expectations on the project.

“Our community clubs are run by locals for locals and we know how challenging it can be for our community clubs to fund and deliver upgrades,” Cr Greg Adermman said.

“… these grants had proven extremely effective in getting much-needed funds to community groups so they can improve their facilities for all to enjoy,” he added.

The Bellbowrie Sports & Community Club is a non-profit club where locals get together for fun, entertainment and great food. Activities like Bingo Nights, Dart Competitions, Live Music and regular raffle draws for members take place at the facility.

Proposal Up For Naming Rafting Ground Park Footbridge After Ludvik Bass

Photo Credit: Nge Le/Google Maps screengrab

Plans are underway to name a footbridge at the Rafting Ground Park in Brookfield after Emeritus Professor Ludvik Bass.

Prof Bass lived in Kenmore and then Pullenvale from the 1970s to his passing in 2022. He raised his children to enjoy the park grounds along Pullenvale Rd and he was a familiar presence among the locals as he was also frequently seen walking the family dogs at Rafting Ground Park.

As mentioned in the proposed naming, the professor made daily visits to the park following his retirement in 1984. He forged friendships among the local community and was the “centre of everything at that park” for more than 50 years.

Prof Bass advocated having a footbridge built on the park grounds to connect two sides of the land and he used this daily until his passing in October 2022.

There is a community consultation about the naming proposal running until the 3rd of March 2023.

“Professor Bass was instrumental at the time of convincing Brisbane City Council of a need for a bridge between both sides of the park and nobody was happier when it was built,” Cr Adermann wrote.

“The request appropriately is for the footbridge to be named in his honour and has the support of his family. So we’re hoping through this consultation process that it is supported by the community.”

He was a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Queensland and had his postdoc with Erwin Schrödinger in Dublin.

He also collaborated with Denmark biomathematicians and researchers and was part of the Foreign Fellow of the Royal Danish Academy. He authored over 30 research papers which were published until 2018.

Locals Push for a New Moggill-Bellbowrie Bridge to Ease Traffic, Provide Emergency Access

Photo credit: Google Maps

Calls for a new bridge in Brisbane’s west side have surfaced anew after the area had been cut off yet again for the third time in 2022 due to heavy rains. The move comes as the proposed Bellbowrie Green Bridge was scrapped due to a lack of support from locals.

In late October 2022, Colleges Crossing and Kholo Road (Bells Bridge) remained closed for days due to dam water releases, causing delays in travelling to and from school. It was the same situation that residents were in last February and May.

Residents, hence, are calling for the council to investigate and allocate funds for a much-needed infrastructure to help mitigate congestion and provide a public transport and emergency evacuation route option during a fire or flood event.

Council said that roads that lead to and from Moggil and Bellbowrie are state-controlled and that the matter of building a new bridge in the area would be decided by the State Government.

The proposed Bellbowrie Green Bridge was scrapped because a majority of locals from the Pullenvale Ward and Jamboree Ward were opposed to the idea, thus, no funding was allocated for the proposed project.

Initial consultation, however, revealed that most residents prefer a bridge that could accommodate all modes of transport, whilst many suggested that the bridge alignment be extended to Birkin Road or Booker Place Park at Bellbowrie, to Sumners Road at Riverhills.

The green bridge, Council said, would have connected Bellbowrie and Moggill residents to walking and cycling options as well as public transport services on the eastern side of the Brisbane River. It would have also improved emergency access during major flood events.

Other than building a new bridge, locals also supported the establishment of more services in the Moggill-Bellbowrie area, a report on the outcome of a community forum held last November 2022 revealed.

In particular, services like a community centre and meeting space, a new high school, specialist medical facilities and additional facilities for young people could be considered so people won’t have to travel out of the area.

The report also noted that identifying the sites for establishing these services including the new bridge is a key question that needs to be answered.

Brookfield Show Ball Returns to the Historic Brookfield Hall

The Brookfield Show Ball is back! Traditionally held as a prelude to the Brookfield Show, the Brookfield Show Ball 2023 brings an evening of glitz and glamour to the historic Brookfield Hall on the 11th of March.

Read: Brookfield Show Society Hosts Melbourne Cup Luncheon

Brookfield Hall will be transformed into a speakeasy for the Brookfield Show Ball for a night, complete with art deco soiree and gourmet canapes.

Viva La Musica will welcome attendees with music that takes them back to the age of style and grace whilst The Manilows band will play popular hits as the night continues to get the dance moves in full swing.

It’s also a chance for locals to get together and have some fun. Tickets ($100pp) include bubbles or wine on arrival, light dinner prepared by renowned chef Russel Jolly, and cashless bar to follow.

The event is hosted by the Brookfield Show Society, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to running Brisbane’s biggest little country show. The show, which is held traditionally in May every year, is known for exciting events such as the Side Show alley, free face painting, pony rides, and rodeo with entertainment.

Please note that the number of tickets are strictly limited so to guarantee entry, it is recommended to get your tickets in advance.

Read: Grill’d Kenmore Opens, Launches ‘Local Matters’ Program for Kenmore Community Groups

The Brookfield Show will be held on May 19-21 2023, three jampacked days set to amaze and delight showgoers, with new entertainment, an amazing food precinct, and events that locals have come to love.

For further details and to book your tickets, visit the Brookfield Showground’s website or follow Brookfield Show Society on Facebook for updates.

Developer Amends Moggill Road Childcare Centre Plans Into a Facility for 125 Kids

A three-storey split-level childcare centre occupying three lots may soon be built along Moggill Road in Kenmore if the development application receives the green light from Council.

The Kenmore Childcare Unit Trust wants to build a new childcare centre for 125 children along 1067, 1075 & 1079 Moggill Road. The facility will cover 888 square metres of ground floor area and will have a large outdoor play centre.

The proposal details changes to a previously submitted plan. Acoustic fencing and attractive landscaping will be reinforced across the boundaries as detailed in DA A006159171. An existing house will be demolished as a result of the development.

The plans also include the construction of an under-croft open car parking site for at least 30 car parking spaces. Access to the facility will be via Moggill Road but a pedestrian path via Cedarleigh Road will be incorporated into the construction.

Childcare Centre Moggill Road Kenmore — Photo Credit: DA A006159171/BCC

The childcare centre planners underscored that a previous proposal was originally submitted in 2020 as it “supports the needs of the surrounding community.” However, design changes were made and submitted in 2022 to expand the plans to suit a growing need within the Kenmore neighbourhood.

Some residents, however, have expressed objections to the proposal citing congestion on Moggill Road.

“For most of the day the road is busy; at peak times it is one of the slowest into the city in the morning/outbound later in the day. Around Kenmore there are two schools (OLR and Kenmore State) with associated extensive local car usage, which exacerbates the traffic congestion. I cannot believe anyone would imagine that the addition of a childcare centre on this already busy road would be sensible,” one local wrote in the DA’s submissions.

“A number of new Child Care centres have been opened in the last couple of years and each one has resulted in a larger number of vacancies, threatening the ongoing viability of the existing childcare centres and kindergartens in the area. This indicates that another childcare is not needed in this area,” another resident said.

The development application is still under review with Council and the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).

New Three-Lane Bridge Between Kenmore And Jindalee Moves Closer To Reality

A new three-lane bridge planned between Kenmore and Jindalee is now closer to becoming reality, as works for Centenary Bridge upgrades are scheduled to finally start in early 2023.

Read: Kenmore Property Market Shows Strong and Steady Growth

Construction was expected to commence in 2022, but works were delayed due to some issues with the contract. The Transport Department explained that an alternate bid for the project, which required thorough due diligence, caused complications in the project’s timeline.

In December 2022, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk released a statement announcing the Queensland government’s agreement with Georgiou Group and BMD Constructions to build the three-lane bridge, along with an upgrade of the existing bridge.

Artist;s impression of Centenary Bridge upgrade (Photo credit: https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au)

Aside from a new bridge travelling northbound and the remediation of the existing bridges to create three southbound lanes, works will also include upgraded active transport facilities for pedestrians and people who ride bikes.

The project will double capacity across the river and will improve access to Amazon Place Park while preserving Jindalee Skate Park.

“More than 85,000 cars use this bridge daily, and that number will increase,” said the Premier.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads estimates that the number of vehicles passing by Centenary Motorway is expected to reach 152,000 per day by 2036, as the population in west Brisbane grows.

“This is an important step towards busting congestion through our growing region” said Premier Palaszczuk.

Benefits of upgrading the bridge includes improving safety to reduce the frequency and severity of crashes on the Centenary Bridge and increasing capacity to improve travel-time reliability and cater for current and future traffic needs.

Read: Kenmore Roundabout Upgrade Project Scrapped in Favour of Moggill Road Bikeway

Works are estimated to cost $298.5 million, around $50 million higher compared to the estimates announced in 2020.

New Shade Covers for Akuna Street Park in Kenmore in 2023

Akuna Street Park in Kenmore will get new shade covers in 2023 through Brisbane’s new Sun Safe Suburban Playgrounds program.

Read: Locals Want to Replace Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza With a Health Services Precinct

Works for Akuna Street Park are expected to be done over the next six months. Akuna Street Park will be one of the first 41 playgrounds to be retrofitted with shade covers under the Council’s three-year program, which has a total funding of up to $10 million.

The Sun Safe Suburban Playgrounds program aims to put shading in every playground in Brisbane, to help protect parents, carers and children and potentially save lives.

“Brisbane has an enviable lifestyle as well as a network of more than 2000 fantastic parks that make for great free fun for families,” he said.

“However, we also live in a state that’s known as one of the world’s skin cancer capitals.”

Based on the latest skin cancer statistics of World Cancer Research Fund, Australia has the highest rate of melanoma in the world, with 16,171 cases.

Cancer Council Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mr Andrew Donne supports the Brisbane City Council Sun Safe Suburban Playgrounds program as a great step in reducing skin damage and risk of skin cancer for Brisbane kids.

Council estimates that around 150 playgrounds throughout the city will eventually be upgraded with shade covers under the new program.

“It is well known that Australia has the highest rate of melanoma in the world, and without sun protection skin damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes,” Mr Donne said.

“What I must convey however, is that skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers.

“You can do your part as well to improve your sun safety, and slip on protective clothing, slop on SPF 30+ sunscreen, slap on a broad-brimmed hat, seek shade and slide on wraparound sunglasses,” Mr Donne said.

For the program, Council has engaged three local suppliers and manufacturers to make and install shade sails at the first package of playgrounds.

About Akuna Street Park

Photo credit: milan stamenkovic/Google Maps

The park is located at 56 Akuna St, Kenmore. Current facilities include barbecue, picnic area/shelter, playground, shared pathway, outdoor fitness/exercise station and water (bubbler/tap).

Read: Kenmore Roundabout Upgrade Project Scrapped in Favour of Moggill Road Bikeway

Akuna Street Park is a dog-friendly park with nice spots for picnics. It also has a nice walking path used by many locals every day.