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Extended! Bellbowrie & Moggill Personalised Public Transport Service to Continue

Following a six-month trial in late 2020, the Personalised Public Transport Service from Bellbowrie to Moggill has been extended and will still be available for commuters from Monday to Friday for the next six months.

Beginning 1 July 2021, the Personalised Public Transport Service has been realigned to include and remove some routes. Per Councillor Greg Adermann, the $1 ride with 12 services will run on the following locations and take about 18 minutes per trip:

from Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza to Weekes Road (at Bloomsbury Crescent)
to Livesay Road (at Beaufort Crescent)
to Moggill Village Shopping Centre
to Moggill Road bus stop near Montanus Drive (to connect to the 444 bus service)
back to Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza

Mr Adermann said that the new six-month trial will be funded by the 2021/22 Council budget but some realignments were necessary based on the allocation.

“We had to make some tough decisions around the realignment of the route and the number of daily services, based on the funding allocation we received to extend the trial for 6 months,” he wrote.

“To include the new shopping centre and school, we had to lose a section of the old route and our data indicated the section cut had the lowest number of users. If we can make this trial work, it will give me something to work with to expand the service and hopefully make it permanent.”

The Personalised Public Transport Service is separate from the Council Cabs service and runs on a fixed route or loop. The vehicle may only carry up to 10 passengers.

To learn more about this service, visit the Council’s official site.

It’s Free! Fun Programs and Activities For Kids At Kenmore Village Shopping Centre

Photo credit: kenmorevillage.com.au

Thinking of free activities to help your kids beat the boredom during the school holidays? One of your best bets is signing them up for workshops. If you’re in Kenmore or nearby, you might want to enrol your little ones in the School Holiday Winter Wonderland Craft Workshops at Kenmore Village Shopping Centre.

Each session will only last 30 minutes per day, but would be enough to do fun and educational activities, such as making lanterns and building a snow dome. Activities are suitable for children aged 3 years and older.

Here are the list of the workshops, which will be held starting Monday 28 June until Friday 2 July 2021, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm daily:

Monday – 28/06	Create Marshmallow Snowmen
Tuesday – 29/06	Craft Beaded Snowflakes
Wednesday – 30/06	Build a Snow Dome
Thursday – 01/07	Create Winter Suncatchers
Friday – 02/07	Craft Snowmen Lanterns

Those who are interested in joining should book through Eventbrite. Do note that to secure a booking, tickets must be obtained to reserve your slot. Simply the correct event day selection first, then the correct session for the chosen day.

Kerbside Collection: When Will Pick-Up Resume in Kenmore & Surrounding Suburbs?

After more than a year’s hiatus, kerbside collection service will be restarting in July 2021. Here’s what residents of Kenmore, Kenmore Hills, Brookfield, Pullenvale and Fig Tree Pocket can expect.

After releasing the budget for the 2021-2022 financial year, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner confirmed that kerbside collection will be back one year earlier than planned.

In April 2020, Mr Schrinner suspended the operations for at least two years, or until July 2022, to direct the service’s expenses to Council’s other initiatives. Despite the unpopular decision, Council used the funds to help struggling small businesses and community groups as a result of the pandemic lockdowns.

“We will start with the suburbs where it was paused…we’ll go back there and then start again in the normal way,” Mr Schinner said in announcing the service’s return.

Here’s the updated kerbside collection schedules for the following suburbs:

DATE	SUBURB
Kenmore Kenmore Hills	26 July 2021
Brookfield Fig Tree Pocket Pullenvale	02 Aug 2021

* Schedules are updated continuously as needed.

SEE UPDATED KERBSIDE COLLECTION SCHEDULE

Prior to the updates, some residents informed Pullenvale Ward Councillor Greg Adermann that Kenmore, Kenmore Hills and Brookfield should be among the first suburbs to restart the service after they saw Council’s page showing a different date.

Photo Credit: Screengrabbed from Council’s official site

“[Kerbside collection] was paused on 3rd of April 2020, not May,” said a local, Ben Ponting, on Mr Adermann’s Facebook page. “Brookfield, Chapel Hill, Kenmore and Kenmore Hills were due to start 27th April 2020.”

“Kenmore was supposed to have their kerbside collection in April 2020 yet the new schedule says Kenmore is only getting kerbside collection in June 2022,” Melinda Waldeck said. “Since kerbside collection was paused in March 2020, if the statement about the starting in July with the suburbs where it was paused is correct then Kenmore should be scheduled to have kerbside collection in August 2021. Kenmore’s last kerbside collection was April 2019, so if we aren’t scheduled until June 2022 it will be over 3 years between collections!”

Cr Adermann was quick to reassure concerned locals and updated them about the situation.

“After receiving a large number of enquiries from local residents, I made enquiries which confirmed that the scheduled services to these areas were postponed just before they were due in April 2020, meaning they should have been among the first to receive a collection upon the resumption of kerbside collection,” he pointed out.

“To Council’s credit, they acknowledged this oversight and today agreed to my request to amend the collection schedule … Council’s website has been amended to reflect these changes,” he added.

Meanwhile, Brisbane residents are encouraged to check the list of items that are acceptable and not acceptable for kerbside collection so that nothing will be left behind by their kerb. Uncollected and improper disposal of household wastes could lead to an illegal dumping fine.

Notorious Kenmore Rd Intersection to Increase Safety With New Upgrades

The notoriously problematic intersection of Kenmore Rd and Fig Tree Pocket Rd is due to receive some new upgrades that can minimise danger and increase capacity.

In May 2021, Brisbane City Council announced the successful allocation of funds to upgrade the notorious Kenmore Rd Intersection, an area that has seen two significant crashes between 2013 and 2018. Both of these crashes involved motorists turning right out of Fig Tree Pocket Rd and failing to give way to westbound traffic on Kenmore Rd.

As a result of these crashes and local clamor for improvement, Council has opted to draft designs to improve the safety of the intersection. These drafts entail the realignment of the south of Fig Tree Pocket Rd to create a new four-way intersection with Errogie Place, as well as the construction of new traffic lights. Pedestrian crossings will also be installed at the traffic lights, and the footpaths in the area are due to receive some improvements.

Further updates revealed that the new design and layout of the upgraded intersection and the new traffic lights have been designed to forecast future traffic volumes to guarantee that these upgrades help the intersection operate safely, efficiently, and within capacity. These will be accomplished with the addition of new turning lanes on Kenmore Rd and both legs of Fig Tree Pocket Rd.

Six months after these upgrades have been implemented, a post-construction survey will be released to check if the intersection is operating as predicted.

A new 4-lane bypass has also been proposed that will reconfigure the Centenary Motorway and the Fig Tree Pocket interchange, linking the former directly to Moggill Rd. The project also entails the reconfiguration of Gem Rd to pass under the bypass, linking it directly to Sunset Rd. A shared off-road pedestrian and cyclist path will also be provided along the entire bypass route, connected to the Centenary Bikeway.

This proposal aims to increase safety, capacity, network efficiency, and traffic flow while simultaneously reducing congestion during peak hours and travel time. Though the proposal to build the new Kenmore bypass currently lacks funding. Those interested in learning more about the proposal can read about it here.

Engineers Australia Honours Brookfield Retiree Colin O’Connor

Engineers Australia in Queensland has honoured one of its exemplary members by dedicating a room in his name. Colin O’Connor, a Brookfield retiree, is proud to see the special meeting room bearing his prestigious name at the Brisbane headquarters of the organisation.

Mr O’Connor, 93, has been recognised for his outstanding contribution as a former civil engineer. He worked for Queensland Public Service for five years before becoming a lecturer at the University of Queensland (UQ), his alma mater.

In the 1970s, Mr O’Connor became UQ’s Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. He also authored several books, including “Design of Bridge Superstructures” (1971), “Register of Australian Historic Bridges” (1983) and “Spanning Two Centuries: Historic Bridges of Australia” (1985).

The Colin O’Connor meeting room is the second special honour bestowed to the expert. In 2003, Engineers Australia also awarded him with the John Monash Medal for Engineering Heritage. Established in 1919, Engineers Australia has over 100,000 members working as professionals and leaders in various engineering fields in over 120 countries.

Photo Credit: Carinity Brookfield Green/Facebook

Mr O’Connor is currently a resident of Carinity Brookfield Green and supported by Carinity Home Care. The organisation, established in 1949 as an outreach for the Queensland Baptist, has been providing a caring home for the vulnerable sectors of society, especially the seniors.

For more about Carinity Brookfield Green, visit the facilities at 139 Gold Creek Road or phone (07) 3374 7111 for your enquiries.

Airgarden: New Gardening System Revolutionises Urban Farming in Brookfield

What do the Manly Boathouse and the Wild Canary restaurant in Brookfield have in common? They both use Airgarden, a revolutionary gardening technology that enables restaurants to give diners an authentic garden-to-table experience. Simple, sustainable, zero-waste.

Airgarden, one of the latest and most advanced gardening systems in the industry, is a vertical and soil-less system that can grow up to five times as many produce at three times the speed, using 95 percent less water than the average patch of vegetables.

The system was introduced by Brisbane entrepreneurs Prue and Tom Bauer, making use of ‘aeroponics,’ technology that scientists at the National Aeronautics Space Administration in the United States use to grow crops in space.

Aeroponics revolves around growing plants in an environment laden with mist and air rich with nutrients. No soil is necessary, as the seeds are planted in pieces of foam or pots exposed to light and mist.

Photo credit: Richard Stoner II/Wikimedia Commons

What gives it an edge over other systems is how it only takes up one square metre of space, making it the perfect size for someone’s balcony, patio, and other small and tight-fitting outdoor spaces.

Airgarden first launched amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Because it enables people to grow large numbers of crops in such a short span of time, Airgarden has become the perfect system for restaurants such as Brookfield’s Wild Canary to grow food for their restaurant’s use, revolutionising the urban gardening scene and giving diners a true urban farm-to-fork experience..

At Wild Canary, people are free to pick only what they need without harming the environment in any way, creating zero-waste recipes that deliver food straight from the garden and onto the dining table. The cafe’s naturalistic focus lets customers unwind in a botanical bistro with a beautiful garden setting, with ingredients grown using Airgarden.

Despite the system’s use across the country, it still requires additional funding if it is to develop and grow to become a household name in the industry. Those interested in learning more about Airgarden and assisting with their crowdfunding campaign can do so via their website.

Wild Canary can be found at 2371 Moggill Rd, Brookfield, open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekends. For more information, visit their website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and announcements concerning the restaurant.

Good Grace: The Latest All-Day Breakfast Cafe in Kenmore

Tired and wanting to go out, yet in the mood for some peace and quiet? Good Grace, Kenmore’s newest all-day breakfast cafe and restaurant, offers drinks, meals and pastries in a calm and idyllic venue for a relaxing meal out.

Good Grace, one of the latest cafe-restaurant hotspots in Kenmore, offers the local community some delicious breakfast meals on top of some piping-hot fresh cups of coffee — all in one nice, cosy and quiet venue away from Moggill Rd. The restaurant opened in late March 2021 and continues to provide Brisbane with a cosy dining experience from morning until late in the afternoon.

Their menu offers a slew of all-day breakfast options as well as a lunch menu available from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. One of their signature dishes, their Mushroom Breakfast, consists of locally grown Little Acre mushrooms and sauteed kale partnered with tomato salsa verde, crunchy chickpeas, and toasted rye. Sides are also available at the restaurant, including bacon, miso cured salmon, hollandaise, chorizo, and egg which is available poached or fried.

Breakfast meals aren’t the only thing available at this restaurant, however, as customers can also indulge themselves with baked goods such as cookies and sweet pastries as well as their coffee. Those with dietary restrictions can complement their coffee with specialty milk, with options such as soy, macadamia, coconut, oat, and lactose-free.

Good Grace can be found at 7a Princeton St, Kenmore, open Tuesday to Sunday from 6:00 a.m. onwards. For more information, visit their website here. Follow their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on meals, deals, and other special announcements concerning the restaurant.

Israel Folau Buys Pullenvale Acreage Amid QRL Bid

Former NRL star Israel Folau has recently bought a Pullenvale acreage, amidst his bid to play to the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) but only if he’s released from his contract with the U.K. Super League club Catalans Dragons.

Per realestate.com.au, Mr Folau and his wife, Maria, a former netball star, bought a four-hectare tract of land in the affluent west Brisbane suburb for $1.5 million. The land has a modest 1970s cottage with three bedrooms and

Described as a private escape, the property in Grandview Road, which is about 15 kilometres away from Brisbane CBD, sits next to heaps of multimillion-dollar homes and was once part of the estate of mining magnate Nathan Tinkler. The block has the potential for the new owners to build their dream lifestyle.

Mr Folau has a significant property portfolio in Sydney as well and recently listed a building block in Austral, southwest of the CBD, which he bought in 2016 as an investment.

The news of his Pullenvale investment comes as Mr Folau’s bid to join the St George-Illawarra Dragons was rejected in February 2021. However, Chairman Peter V’Landys said that they will not interfere if the sports star signs with the Queensland Cup.

Insiders said that this is his backdoor strategy in case the NRL would change its decision. Some 69 percent of NRL fans support Mr Folau’s return in a survey from the Australian Christian Lobby.

In 2019, Rugby Australia sacked Mr Folau over his social media post, encouraging homosexuals to repent and lumping them with drunks, thieves, adulterers, and atheists. The sportsman sued Rugby Australia and received a generous settlement.

Bruce Hatcher, the chairman of the Queensland rugby league said there is “no legal impediment” for Israel Folau to play for the Queensland Cup.

Mr Folau announced in mid-May 2021 that he’s signing with Gold Coast’s Southport Tigers. QRL officials said that they will welcome his return if he’s released from his Super League contract and abide by a few strict restrictions.

Catalans Dragons said that they still expect Mr Folau to return to France later this year after his compassionate leave to Australia. Reports cited they have no idea about his deal with Southport Tigers.

Brisbane Urban Myth: Link Between a Pullenvale Couple’s Divorce & Feral Deer Revealed

Have you ever wondered why there are feral deer regularly seen in Pullenvale or Jindalee, or causing a commotion on the Centenary Highway? For years, a popular urban legend has been circulating that a Pullenvale couple’s divorce has led to the growth of the feral deer population in the western suburbs.

The story goes that the couple once owned a large deer farm in Pullenvale that had a deliberate mishap, causing the animals to run around or cross the residential population. Following a messy divorce, locals said that the wife of the deer farmer apparently opened the gates to let the animals escape.

The number of deer that got out could not be accounted for but locals who have had deer sightings, particularly in the western suburbs, believe these animals are either from the herd or the descendants of the herd from the Pullenvale farm.

It might be one of those absurd stories but this Brisbane urban myth has been confirmed by the Pullenvale deer farm owner himself. Farmer John, who now lives in Cairns, confirmed in a radio interview B105 Brisbane that he did own more than 500 deer, which escaped as a result of his marital woes.

However, the farmer clarified that it was his mother-in-law who opened the gates to his deer farm and not his ex-wife.

“She was angry. My mother-in-law released the deer,” he told Stav, Abby and Matt, the hosts of the program.

John also said that the deer usually come back and find their way home but he thinks he lost about 130 from this incident. He can no longer recall the year this happened.

According to Council, there are three types of feral deer, or those not kept in enclosures, commonly found in Brisbane. Brought to Queensland around the 1870s, some of their species could be aggressive and destructive as they may:

damaging native vegetation through browsing and trampling and ringbarking
competing with native wildlife for resources and habitat
reducing water quality to creeks, wetlands and river systems through over grazing and trampling
damaging residential gardens and fences
creating a traffic hazard on roads
attracting illegal hunting
transmitting diseases and parasites to humans, domestic animals and wildlife
aggressive behaviour (from stags) towards domestic animals, including horses, during breeding season

Council usually sets aside a fund for the management of feral deers every financial year but there was a time when their presence in the residential areas used to be bothersome. Various bushcare groups have also set up protectors around trees to prevent the deers from destroying the bark.

However, it’s still best to report deer sightings at 07 3403 8888 or through the online form for prevention and control.

City Cave to Open Latest Wellness Centre in Kenmore

By the end of May 2021, Kenmore will welcome its first-ever City Cave float and wellness centre, providing the local community with float therapy, infrared saunas, and massage treatments.

City Cave franchise owners Taylor Fielding and Matt Joudo are excited to announce the opening of the Kenmore branch, their 20th launch across Queensland. Mr Joudo commented on Kenmore’s potential after noticing that the area has plenty of gym and fitness facilities, but no wellness centres.

“City Cave Kenmore is an opportunity for us to make a difference in people’s lives with healthcare solutions that support relaxation and recovery from the toils of everyday life, exercise, stress and anxiety,” Mr Fielding said.

Matt Joudo (left) and Taylor Fielding (right).
Photo credit: City Cave

Some of the services provided by City Cave include float therapy, which involves getting into a special pool of water suffused with 400 kg of Epsom salts. The water will be set to skin temperature at 34.5 degrees Celsius to create total sensory deprivation.

Customers will be given a choice of calming music or complete silence for the purpose of deep relaxation.

Infrared saunas will also be available. These are particularly beneficial as they heat the bodies of customers in the same way that the sun would but without fear of UV damage. The heat penetrates to soothe the joints and muscles. This technology aims to relax and detoxify the body, relieving pain and purifying the skin while increasing circulation.

City Cave also provides classic massage therapy, an excellent partner to the deep relaxation provided by float therapy. Floating before massages speeds up the process of muscles relaxing, which in turn gives the massage therapist more time to work. On the other hand, floating after massages makes for a relaxing and therapeutic experience.

Each service has been created to provide customers with the treatment necessary to heal the mind and the body.

“It’s not just physical health either; mental health has become such a big focus of everyday life, particularly since the pandemic, and our new centre also caters to that part of the holistic wellness journey,” Mr Joudo adds.

The wellness centre is scheduled to open in late May 2021 at 10 Brookfield Rd, Kenmore. For more information, visit their website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates concerning the venue, deals, dates, and other special announcements.