In order to follow COVID-19 safety procedures and protocols as of April 2021, Kenmore Moggill RSL has decided not to proceed with the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Bellbowrie, along with the Anzac March in Kenmore.
Despite the cancellation, Kenmore residents will still be able to take part in a replacement Anzac Day service at the Brookfield Showgrounds at 10:00 a.m. on the 25th of April 2021, just ahead of the annual Shell Green cricket game between the Army 11 and the Mayors Brookfield 11. Seating will be limited to VIPs and elderly veterans only.
Brookfield will be front and centre for ANZAC Day commemorations in the western suburbs later this month. A service will…
To make up for the cancellations, Kenmore Moggill RSL is inviting the community to celebrate and conduct their own commemorations at their respective streets and local driveways instead, much like what everyone did during the 2020 lockdown celebration.
For more information on the Kenmore Moggill RSL, who hosts Anzac Day memorial services annually, visit their website. Follow their Facebook page for the latest updates and announcements.
After living an accomplished and eventful life as a professional musician, racehorse owner, socialite, and mother, Brookfield resident Joan Davey celebrated her 100th birthday in March 2021 at the Carinity Brookfield Green aged care community.
Joan Davey joined the Carinity 100 Club on Wednesday, the 24th of March 2021, making her the second member this year to do so. Fellow resident Winifred Tazey also celebrated her centennial birthday earlier in January 2021.
In her youth, Joan’s fascination with music pushed her towards a career as a pianist before getting married to Robert, her childhood sweetheart. The couple eventually had children and set their sights on establishing a home for themselves in Adelaide, where they formed a successful electrical business and partook in horse racing.
Joan and Robert eventually divorced, and in the early 1960s, she remarried. Norman, her new husband, brought her abroad as he worked in numerous countries in Asia such as Singapore and the Philippines. Joan established a charity for underprivileged children in Manila, aiming to provide kids with a steady means of vital nutrition.
During the ‘70s, Jean and Norman returned to Australia, settling in Sydney, where they stayed until Norman’s untimely and sudden death. During her time in New South Wales, she worked as a volunteer for the Royal South Sydney Hospital before becoming their chief fundraising officer.
Following Norman’s passing, she decided to return to Queensland to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren. At the age of 80, she met Daniel, with whom she spent 14 years with until his eventual passing. The two spent his last four years in the Carinity Brookfield Green aged care community.
Joan, a hundred years old, is a beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother with over 18 descendants to succeed her. Even after Daniel’s passing, she has opted to remain in Carinity Brookfield Green and still lives under their care to this day.
Veterinarians are warning dog owners to watch over their furry pets outdoors as an abundance of potentially poisonous mushrooms are sprouting across gardens and parks, following the storms that have lashed out in southeast Queensland. One dog owner in Kenmore learned the hard way how what he hoped would be a fun day in the backyard with his pet can quickly turn bad.
Jesse Milne’s eight-month-old Bull Arab-Wolfhound pup, Henry, developed welts in his body and experienced swollen eyes and mouth after eating mushrooms from their Kenmore backyard. Fortunately, the dog is now recovering from the severe reaction after his owner brought him to the veterinarian for antihistamines.
Henry’s struggles have been shared in Australian dog owner groups on Facebook to raise awareness.
According to the experts, these poisonous mushrooms commonly grow next to established trees during the warm, wet autumn weather across leafy suburbs like Kenmore. These bulbs produce a certain odour that may be appetising to dogs and even cats.
When furry animals ingest this mushroom, also known as the death cap or death angel, they experience gastrointestinal problems and could vomit — the first sign of poisoning. Thus, it’s critical for dogs to undergo fast detoxification as soon as possible as the level of toxicity is not easy to diagnose.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Other symptoms of mushroom poisoning might include diarrhoea, weakness, tremors and seizures, disorientation, vocalisation and hallucination. Some dogs might also incur liver damage as its body fights the toxins.
How do you plan on celebrating Easter Saturday with your kids? If you’d like to treat them to hopping great time, an arts and crafts activity will be underway at the Brookfield Markets.
Hosted by Kenmore West Kindy, the Easter Saturday event on 3 April 2021 at the Brookfield Markets will run from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Children joining this event will be able to colour and decorate Easter egg baskets, which they will fill up with goodies at the Easter egg hunt happening at 9:30 a.m.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Colourful and decorated eggs have been an integral part of Easter celebrations around the world. In Australia, Easter is not complete without the kids getting their chocolate Easter eggs, which are usually stored in colourful containers.
The egg represents new life and rebirth, thus the association with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But historians also claim that the practice of decorating eggs and Easter egg hunts are of pagan origin dating back to the Mesopotamian period thousands of years ago. In their culture, it’s customary to decorate ostrich eggs, which are placed next to the graves of the dead.
Early Christians in Mesopotamia followed the egg symbolism for Judaism but stained the egg’s outer surface with red to denote the blood of Jesus Christ. Greek Christian Churches and Russian Orthodox Churches also adopted similar practices.
Modern customs gave rise to Easter egg candies and other traditions like the early morning Easter egg hunt and the Easter bunny.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Meanwhile, the Easter Saturday event at the Brookfield Markets is COVID-safe. Registration is not required, however, if you are feeling unwell please follow the government advice and stay home.
For more details about Easter Saturday at the Brookfield Markets, check the Facebook event page.
An existing development application for a new Kenmore cinema, the first commercial development in this western suburb in over 50 years, has been revived and is now open for public consultation. Just like when it was first proposed in 2019, however, reactions from the local community are conflicting and mixed.
Public feedback for DA A005160079 was opened in mid-February 2021, which cites plans to develop a residential block on Brookfield Road and Princeton Street into a retail and office space with a cinema, heaps of food outlets and 34 apartments.
Some submissions from the residents, so far, support the development but there have also been concerns raised, especially over the traffic at the Kenmore roundabout.
“This proposal will be great for the local businesses. Kenmore is dead in the evenings…there is little nightlife and restaurants really only do take away orders,” one local said. “Having a cinema will totally enliven the whole community. It will also offer jobs to school leavers close to their homes; make it safer for teenagers to go to the movies together; and enliven the whole community.
“Why should Indooroopilly have the monopoly on ‘Nights Out’ for people from Kenmore, Brookfield, Pullenvale and Moggill? This will be excellent for the Kenmore restaurants who normally struggle to keep afloat. Let’s look after our local businesses by adding this extra missing element!”
Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council
“Already too many buildings in this area. We do not need more cafes, community halls, offices, etc. The congestion, which will be the result of such a development, will be awful. This part of Brookfield Road is very, very busy in the mornings and afternoons with general rush hour traffic as well as school traffic,” another local opposed.
“Why don’t we have some more green space? there are no plans or play areas for children in this part of Kenmore. With development, it means trees will be cut down. There will be noise, dirt and vehicle congestion during the building. Enough is enough.”
It comes as the public consultations for the long-awaited development of the Kenmore roundabout, located a kilometre away, has begun as well.
However, the application stated that the centre’s main access road will not be on Brookfield Road and street parking on Princeton Street will be restricted or completely removed while construction is ongoing.
Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council
Per the traffic assessment report: “The proposed development is to gain access via two (2) all-movements entry/exit driveways located on Princeton Street and Bingham Street respectively. Vehicle access is to be located on the two (2) lower order street frontages. No vehicle access is proposed to be provided on Brookfield Road, being the higher order road.”
The report also suggested that cars could be reduced once the centre opens. The projection was that fewer people will be making the long drive to Indooroopilly or Jindalee to watch a movie since there’s a cinema in Kenmore.
Submissions to DA A005160079 will remain open until 1 April 2021. You may also file a submission via Development.i and input the DA number.
The upgrades to the Kenmore Roundabout are moving one step closer to construction as public consultations begin for one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in Brisbane.
On Monday, 8 March 2021, an interactive consultation page from the Federal Government will open online for the community to provide their inputs on the improvements needed for the Kenmore Roundabout.
Consequently, the government will hold in-person sessions at these dates and times below for residents and businesses interested in the project to talk with the planning team:
WHEN
WHERE
Saturday 13 March 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Kenmore Village shopping centre
Saturday 20 March 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Brookfield Market community display
Thursday 25 March 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Kenmore Village shopping centre
Tuesday 30 March 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Kenmore Village shopping centre
The community may also send emails to metropolitanregion@tmr.qld.gov.au or phone 3066 4338 during business hours for their enquiries, ideas and suggestions.
Both Federal and State Governments have committed $12.5 each for the project meant to “improve road traffic flow, the reliability of public transport and bike and pedestrian access, a big win for local commuters right across these transport modes,” according to Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP.
“The Kenmore roundabout is a high-traffic roundabout at key connection point used by western suburb residents heading to Brookfield or out to Pullenvale and beyond,” Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, the Hon Mark Bailey MP said.
“It’s also a key access point to Kenmore Village and the local retail precinct in that area, as well as Kenmore State School nearby. Installing traffic lights will better control traffic flow through the intersection, and we’re also providing new on-road bike lanes and dedicated pedestrian crossing facilities,” he added.
Photo Credit: Australian Government
Kenmore Roundabout Key features
Upgrading the roundabout by signalising the intersection.
New on-road cycle lanes
Installing safer facilities for people walking and riding with shared pathways and signalised crossings
24 different suburbs have reported incredible levels of noise caused by aircraft following the opening of Brisbane Airport’s second runway in July, 2020. In Brookfield, a community meeting has been called to discuss the issue.
Over the past several weeks beginning in late 2020, the Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance (BFPCA), a group that brings communities negatively affected by Brisbane Airport’s flight paths, collected a total of 2000 responses from the Brisbane public over Christmas complaining about the noise, which exceeded the number of responses about environmental concerns brought about by the runway.
With the runway built over residential areas, it was only natural for thousands of angry locals to complain. The new runway has led to an uneven distribution of flight paths, with 75% of night operations taking place over the bay, much to the chagrin of suburbs in Southeast Brisbane.
Summer flight paths of the new runway of Brisbane. Left depicts morning flight paths in northerly winds. Right depicts overnight flight paths in calm weather. The marker represents Brookfield. Photo credit: BNF Flight Path Tool
According to the BFPCA, the population density of the 24 suburbs affected have increased by 40% in the past 15 years. Thousands of families are having difficulty sleeping, concentrating or relaxing, and with new flight patterns brought about by the second runway, property values are decreasing due to the noise.
An investigation staged by the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman is currently underway, and the BFPCA is set to submit a major report as part of the investigation in the next few weeks to help put an end to noise pollution brought about by aircraft. To address these issues, the BFPCA has organised numerous public meetings, with one scheduled for Brookfield on the 11th of March, 2021.
The March 11 community meeting hosted by the BFPCA will be held at the Upper Brookfield Community Hall at 6:30PM. Additional details can be found on their Facebook event page.
The proposed creation of a Wessel Petroleum service station in Brookfield could have potentially disastrous consequences for the platypus population in Moggill Creek.
Despite the concerns raised by locals, Wessel Petroleum explained that the service station in the works will actually be beneficial for the site as it plans to raise the ecological value of the surrounding areas, revegetating the nearby creeks. People did not respond well.
Many locals objected to the plan, believing that run-off chemicals produced by the station would flow into the creek and cause harm to the platypuses that call it home. In order to prevent that, Storm Water Consulting (SWC) issued a report that suggests the damage could be mitigated with on-site wastewater treatment, sediment fences, and chemicals could be guided to small holding ponds to avoid disturbing the wildlife in Moggill Creek.
The reception of Wessel Petroleum’s station-to-be has not been positive, with many residents doubting the ecological measures proposed by SWC. The presence of other petroleum stations within the surrounding area, such as the ones in Kenmore, Bellbowie, Karana Downs, and many other suburbs also dissuaded locals as there was no need for more stations — especially not one that could bring harm to the neighbouring platypuses.
Platypus numbers have already been dwindled in recent years as uninhabitable waterways have forced them to disperse, and travelling on land is when they are at their most vulnerable to predators.
Generations of Fig Tree Pocket State School (FTPSS) alumni will come together to celebrate a major milestone in September 2021, the school’s 150th founding anniversary, and preparations have started for this special event.
On Facebook, parents of the current students have set up the group Fig Tree Pocket State School 150 Birthday Celebrations in anticipation of this momentous occasion whilst they mobilize online efforts in planning activities and disseminating updates for students old and new, parents, educators and the wider community.
The group is also collecting photos, videos, stories and anecdotes of their best memories at the FTPSS for a special 150th Birthday Book.
Photo Credit: Sonya Mizzi for the Fig Tree Pocket State School 150th Birthday Celebrations Group Page / Facebook
“My earliest memory at FTP was from Year 1,” Vanessa Rualini shared to the group, who said she’s still best friends with her school mate, Sonja Gustafson.
“I had a baby brother who I desperately wanted to come to our classroom so he could see our pet mice. As he wasn’t allowed to, one afternoon I carefully put one of the mice into my lunchbox (with some grass) and took it home. You can imagine the strife I got into. The poor mouse survived thank god.
“I was lucky enough to have three years with Mrs Cox. I loved our walks to see the Tawny Frogmouth Owls. I loved our story writing lessons, and even won some awards under Mrs Cox’s guidance. She was amazing, my favourite teacher.
And I loved the swamp. I loved making pathways through the middle with planks of wood as mentioned by Tara Sanderson.”
A commemorative T-shirt design was already announced after student Tiah won the design contest, giving the best interpretation of the school’s motto, “Learning for a better world.” Tiah’s design had the school colors blue and white and the symbolic emblem of the Fig Tree.
Photo Credit: Julie Jelley for the Fig Tree Pocket State School 150th Birthday Celebrations Group Page / Facebook
Where is Fig Tree Pocket State School?
Nestled on five hectares of this lush expanse in the western suburbs of Brisbane, this institution has come a long way since September 1871 when it was established as a government primary school that provides quality education to children from Prep to Year 6 in Fig Tree Pocket, in the Queensland, Brisbane City Central & Northern Suburbs region.
From the colonial curriculum of teaching basic reading, writing, and arithmetic until 1905 when major changes were made to the syllabus — the focus shifted to the child (rather than the teacher) as the centre of the learning process.
To date, Fig Tree Pocket State School is a very highly rated primary school that has a minimum capacity of 500 students with a student-to-teacher ratio of 1 to 13.
Meanwhile, due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis, details to the event are yet to be finalised as activities will be made in compliance with the necessary health protocols.
The alumni and those who served in FTPSS can send in their stories to the school’s email ftpsspandc@gmail.com or connect through the Facebook group.
The 11th of February 2021, mere days before the Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day, has proven auspicious to one lucky winner, who managed to walk away with $100,000 after purchasing a $5 Instant Scratch-Its ticket from the local newsXpress in Kenmore Plaza.
Though the winner has chosen to remain anonymous, their good fortune goes to show that just about anyone can make it big and walk home with a heftier wallet. How the recipient intends to celebrate their newfound fortune remains a mystery, though it isn’t difficult to imagine the look on their face after learning about their win.
Instant Scratch-Its spokesperson Ally Ramsamy chimes in, sharing how previous winners spent their money. “Other winners have told us they use their windfall to upgrade their car, go on a holiday, or shout their family to a great celebratory dinner,” says Ms. Ramsamy.
Photo credit: mediacentre.thelott.com
What are Instant Scratch-Its?
Like most lotteries, Instant Scratch-Its offers players the chance to win a large amount of money after paying a small sum. Rewards vary depending on the cost of the ticket, and in the case of one lucky Kenmore local, a $5 ticket can land you the top prize of $100,000. However, what distinguishes this game from other lotteries lies in its name. Rather than waiting for the lucky draw, players will know if they’ve purchased a winning ticket in an instant after scratching the panels off.
Ticket prices range from $1 to $20, and the different games offered by Instant Scratch-Its vary depending on the scratch card purchased. The instructions on how each game is played can be found at the back of each ticket. Customers can buy tickets at licensed lottery outlets such as newsXpress Kenmore Plaza, Shop 4, 841 Moggill Road, Kenmore.
