Homepage Latest News Archives - Page 34 of 44

Kenmore Men’s Shed Installs Solar Panels to Cut Power Bill

Installation of solar panels at the Kenmore Men’s Shed have been completed as part of the Brisbane City Council’s Mens’ Shed Grants.

According to Council, the $9,500 grant has enabled the Men’s Shed to reduce its quarterly power bill by more than 60 percent, or about $400. This helps keep costs down for the members, apart from lowering the group’s carbon footprint, thus securing the financial and environmental sustainability of the Men’s Shed.

About Men’s Shed Grants

The Men’s Shed Grant is a BCC initiative that supports Men’s Shed groups across Brisbane. The grant provides funding, ranging from $2,000 to $20,000, for establishments and coordination expenses; facility improvements; and equipment and material purposes.

“This program provides a safe, supportive and friendly environment for men of all ages to gather, volunteer, work and seek fellowship with like-minded people,” the Council website said.

To be eligible for the grant, applicants should be: incorporated not-for-profit organisation; must operate within the Brisbane City Council Local Government Area (LGA); must not have any overdue Council grant acquittals or outstanding debt with the Council.

Unincorporated not-for-profit organisations, however, may also apply under the auspices of an incorporated not-for-profit organisations that is able to accept legal and financial responsibility for the applicant’s project.

Applicants for the grant will be notified of the outcome of their application by mid-May 2019. On 15 July, applications for the grant will once again be opened. Visit the Australian Men’s Shed Association website to locate a Men’s Shed group near you.

A Reason to Thrive For The Thrift & Thrive Shop in Kenmore

With its array of donated items like clothes, books and bric-a-brac, newly opened The Thrift & Thrive Shop on Kingussie Street in Kenmore may look like just another secondhand store, but it stands for a unique and noble purpose.

Officially opened on Friday, 1st March 2019, the new thrift shop aims to serve the community by raising money for Reason to Thrive’s equine-assisted learning programs.

Official opening of Thrift & Thrive — *Official Opening of The Thrift & Thrive Shop*
*Photo credit: Reason to Thrive video/Facebook*

Reason to Thrive is a registered charitable institution. The organisation promotes the wellbeing of disabled and at-risk children or adults experiencing distress and/or mental health problems. It does this through equine-assisted learning (EAL) and therapy.

What is Equine-Assisted Learning?

EAL is an innovative form of experiential learning that encourages disadvantaged or disengaged individuals to gain emotional control. Also, the equine-human interaction helps develop effective communication and body language skills.

This type of therapy is suitable for all ages and no horse knowledge or experience is necessary.

Equine-human interaction — *Photo credit: Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay*

Horses are in tune with human behaviour. They often act as a mirror of people’s internal landscape, so constant interaction with these creatures helps an individual acquire heightened self-awareness.

Interactions with equines also provide opportunities to teach critical life skills such as trust, respect, compassion, honesty, humility, and communication.

Overall, participants gain self-esteem, self-confidence and all critical elements supporting self-growth from relational experiences with horses.

Reason to Thrive develops programs for:

Disengaged youth
Special needs kids
Veterans and their families
Women’s Empowerment
Survivors of domestic violence
People facing mental health challenges

Horses in tune with human behavior — *Photo credit: rihaij/Pixabay*

If you can’t make a donation, you are welcome to visit The Thrift & Thrive Shop and snap up a bargain. It is a fantastic opportunity for a small charity.

For details, click here.

Kenmore Hills Student Receives First Uni eSports $10k Scholarship

A Kenmore Hills student taking up Engineering at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is one of the first to receive a $10,000 eSports scholarship.

Henri Magisson, also known as “Feint”, has been awarded the privilege as an elite eSports athlete from the QUT Vice-Chancellor’s scholarship program, along with four other students.

Apart from the scholarship, Mr Magisson, 20, will also become a member of the Tigers to train with Coach Simon Earl. He will compete and represent QUT at the “League of Legends” Oceanic Challenger Series (OCS).

Joining Mr Magisson to make up the five-member QUT Tigers are:

Jason Nguyen from Yeerongpilly, also known as “hi and goodbye”, 18 years old, studying Gaming and Design
Zihong Li from Inala, also known as “Unspecialized”, 22 years old, studying Games and Interactive Entertainment
Michael Cornish from Sandgate, also known as “Frogadog”, 22 years old, studying Business, major in Accounting
Justin Tu from Carindale, also known as “Spoil”, 23 years old, studying Engineering, major in Medical Engineering

As an elite eSports athlete, Mr Magisson and his teammates will have to play “League of Legends” 20 hours every week as part of their training. Coach Earl will also see to it that the scholars are physically and mentally in shape through proper diet and psychological stimulation.

QUT is also prepared to send the eSports athletes to a five-day boot camp to prepare them for their first “League of Legends” competition in April.

Mr Magisson was chosen among hundreds of hopeful scholarship recipients. He had to go through a rigid vetting process, where the coordinator assessed his performance and experience.

The athlete was well on his way to finish his final year at QUT when he learned of the scholarship. Mr. Magisson, who was with the Tigers since 2018, plans to play eSports professionally after he leaves the university before pursuing a career in engineering

Meanwhile, as a billion-dollar industry, eSports is estimated to reach over 427 million people viewers from around the world in 2019.

Kenmore, Kenmore Hills Among First Suburbs in Australia to Experience 5G

Photo Credit: janeb13/Pixabay

Optus is launching its 5G Home Broadband service in 60 initial suburbs across Australia. Kenmore, Kenmore Hills and 11 other suburbs in Queensland are included in the initial rollout, which should happen starting mid-2019.

Expression of Interest

Residents from the first 60 suburbs covered by the 50 sites are invited to send their expression of interest to avail of the 5G service. With 5G, subscribers get unlimited data, 50 Mbps satisfaction guaranteed at a rate of $70/month, or a minimum total cost of $1,680 for 24 months.

Interested residents can register their interest at www.optus.com.au/5G. Optus will then check if the resident’s address is serviceable for 5G.

The company also stressed that not all addresses in covered suburbs are guaranteed serviceable for 5G. Initial coverage will be for limited areas within the suburb as serviceability will depend on network coverage, capacity within your suburb, and modem availability.

If the address can be serviced with 5G, Optus will notify the resident. The customer can expect to receive the 5G device starting mid-2019. However, some customers may get the device earlier.

5G is a plug and play self-installation, so there is no need for a visit from a technician.

If at any time during the contract, the subscriber is not satisfied that they are not getting download speeds of at least 50Mbps, they can cancel the contract without cancellation fees.

Future Rollout

Optus Chief Executive Allen Lew considers the initial rollout as a historic event for Optus.

“We will have more 5G sites going live across Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Sydney over the coming months giving a select group of customers the chance to get their hands on our 5G Home Broadband devices in areas of selected suburbs,” Mr Lew said.

“Whether it’s binging on your favourite series in 4K, taking on a crafty Fortnite opponent, streaming your favourite Party mix on Spotify or live streaming the latest Premier League match – Optus 5G Home Broadband is designed to deliver customers a great, multi-platform experience. And it is only just the start.”

Optus 5G will be initially available in these 13 Queensland suburbs:

Auchenflower
Bellbird Park
Brookwater
Burpengary
Camira
Clayfield
Gailes
Goodna
Kallangur
Kenmore
Kenmore Hills
Macgregor
Newmarket

The telecommunications company plans to have 1,200 5G sites up and running all over the country by March 2020. These sites would anticipate future demand for 5G and will cover residential areas, airports, train stations, sports stadiums and CBD locations.

Kenmore is Among the Top Suburbs for House Price Growth in 2018

Kenmore is among the best performing Brisbane suburbs for house price growth in 2018, the latest Domain report revealed.

With the release of the Domain House Price Report 2018, showing house prices in Brisbane falling 0.20 percent quarter-on-quarter, several suburbs appeared to have emerged resilient and managed to post growths over the 12 months ending December quarter 2018.

Kenmore was the fourth best performer, following Hemmant which rose 12.50 percent, after it gained 11.8 percent for a median price of $738,000. On the other hand, suburb data from realestate.com.au shows the median house price for Kenmore at $700,000, which is higher as compared to the QLD median price of $490,000. A total of 299 houses changed hands from 1 Feb 2018 to 1 Feb 2019.

*Photo Credit: J Brew [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons*

Sandgate tops the list of 10 best performing suburbs for houses in 2018, in terms of year-on-year price increases, with 18.8 percent growth and a median price of $750,000. Just as impressive, North Ipswich managed to register a year-on-year price change of 17.30 percent or a median price of $366,500, for a second place finish.

Graceville, Paddington, and Bardon were the other suburbs that posted year-on-year growths of 10 percent or better. Burpengary East, Carseldine, and Brookfield round out the top 10.

For the December quarter 2018, Brisbane property market slightly slowed down to post an almost flat year-on-year growth, after it registered gains in the previous quarters. Industry experts point to the tighter credit access that’s crippling housing market in other capital cities.

Despite this, optimism is still high for Brisbane as Queensland remains to be a favourite among interstate migrants and overseas buyers, coupled with strong fundamentals that are seen to help Brisbane housing market remain stable.

The Portico at Kenmore Village Shopping Centre Set to Open April 2019

Construction of a stylish outdoor dining area at the Kenmore Village Shopping Centre is currently underway and is slated to open in early April.

The Portico, designed by Earthsong Architects, is the Centre’s answer to shoppers’ feedback received during a market research. As revealed in the research, Kenmore Village customers are looking for more food options and a place to dine and spend a date night, catch up with friends, or have dinner with the kids.

Once completed, The Portico will have front tenancies Café Fiori and Shop 55 opening onto the dining area. The outdoor dining area is intended to provide customers of the Centre a comfortable and stylish area to relax whilst enjoying great food.

*Photo Credit: Kenmore Village / kenmorevillage.com.au*

Works at The Portico project will include: 80-sqm covered outdoor seating area — booth style and loose seating — with a capacity of about 80 people; 3 large ceiling fans and full length blinds; new landscaped garden and attractive arbour; relocation of emergency vehicle bay to the opposite side of the entry driveway; installation of new loading bay and two new grease traps.

Owners of Kenmore Village, Jen Retail Properties Ltd, said that they are delighted with the prospects of providing improvements to the amenity and ambience of the Centre which will in turn enhance the enjoyment of its shoppers.

The Portico is expected to open in time for Easter 2019.

Kenmore Shopping Centre | 9 Brookfield Rd, Kenmore QLD 4069, Australia

The Brookfield District Museum: Collecting, Preserving, and Sharing Brookfield and Upper Brookfield History

Located on the Brookfield Showground, the Brookfield District Museum is home to Brookfield’s and Upper Brookfield’s collection of historical artifacts and memorabilia from the early settlers in the area.

*Photo Credit: Brookfield Showground / brookfieldshowground.com.au*

The museum building is a former Pullenvale Farmhouse which has a room that was operated as Pullenvale Post Office between 1879 and 1958. In 2003, the building was moved from White Cedar Road, Pullenvale to the Brookfield Showground and underwent several alterations.

On 3 December 2004, the building was officially opened as The Brookfield District Museum. The museum is divided into three rooms, exhibiting collections from Brookfield pioneering families, the Brookfield Show, and household items from the last century.

Once a well-forested area, timber became a prominent industry in Brookfield. During the 1800s, timber was hauled by the Bullock team to the rafting ground and rafted down the Brisbane river. Timber also end up at ‘Bon Accord’ — Brookfield’s own sawmill, established by Charles Patterson in 1875 — on Brookfield Road. The Rafting Ground Reserve and Rafting Ground Road now serve as reminders to this early Brookfield industry.

Bullock team in action – circa 1890

*Photo Credit: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons*

Many of the tools and photographs representing this era, along with early farming equipment from early twentieth-century Brookfield settlers are on display at the museum, such as a waistcoat worn by one of the area’s major landholder to his wedding in 1854.

Also included in the museum’s collection are many of historical research and publication produced in the past fourteen years and some of Brookfield Show Society and Brookfield Pony Club archives.

The Brookfield District Museum is open 9 a.m. on Brookfield Market Saturdays, the first and third Saturdays in each month, and during Brookfield Show. Off-street parking and disabled access are available at the site.

Brookfield District Museum | 665 Brookfield Rd, Brookfield QLD 4069, Australia

Kenmore: One of Brisbane Suburbs With Most Growth in 2018

Kenmore was one of the top suburbs with most growth in 2018 as Brisbane topped capital growth over the last 12 months. This is according to CoreLogic’s Hedonic Home Value Index – December 2018.

Four of Brisbane’s subregions were among Australia’s top 10 in terms of increase in dwelling values over the 12 month period. This, whilst the Australian housing market recorded its largest quarter-on-quarter decline since December 2008, with half of the eight capitals recording declines in dwelling values.

The downward trend, however, is not happening in Kenmore and Centenary suburbs, which contributed to significant value growth in Brisbane West.

Kenmore and Centenary suburbs have become more attractive to families looking to upsize. Home price in these areas are cheaper by as much as 20 percent compared to other suburbs. The same holds for other Brisbane regions like Brisbane East and Moreton Bay regions, thereby contributing to increase in values.

According to realestate.com.au, the median house sales price in Kenmore from 1 January to 31 December 2018 was $743,000, an increase of 30.4 percent from the same period five years ago, with a total of 134 homes sales. Kenmore housing prices, whilst comparatively cheaper, is already a sought-after suburb and experts believe it is likely to ride along Brisbane’s property growth in 2019.

Through 2018, Australian dwelling values declined by 4.8 percent and slipping 2.3 percent over the December quarter. CoreLogic attributes the overall weak market conditions to access to credit, as lenders become more conservative than ever with their lending practices.

Among the top performing subregions for change in dwelling values, Brisbane had four that recorded an increase: Brisbane West by 3.1 percent, Brisbane East by 1.4 percent, Moreton Bay North by 1.3 percent, and Moreton Bay South by 0.7 per cent.

Whilst other capitals cities managed to record growths, the rise in values were achieved despite a slower pace of increase or accelerating rate of decline. The soft growth in these capital cities proves that the weakening housing market is not confined to just Sydney and Melbourne but is also being felt in most regions across Australia.

Method to the Madness Cafe: Shakespeare-inspired Cafe in Kenmore Now Open

Method to the Madness Cafe, a Shakesperean-inspired cafe recently opened its doors to Kenmore locals, serving all-day breakfast and turning into a lively bar by night.

Opening last December 2018, Method to the Madness Cafe pays homage to a famous line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t”; and truly, there is more to this cafe than meets the eye, something you’ll discover once you step inside.

*Photo Credit: Method to the Madness / Facebook*

Method to the Madness Cafe is located at the corner of Marshall Lane and Moggill Road and owned by Reagan Nongkhlaw and Urvik Bhalani. The venue’s theme is undeniably inspired by the beloved Bard with a dedicated wall filled with his famous quotes, a bookshelf full of Shakespeare’s works, and dishes named after his plays, yet it has a modern and airy atmosphere.

Breakfast and lunch are served with freshly brewed coffee, tea, smoothies, and breakfast cocktails such as Jealousy (crushed pineapple, vanilla ice cream, coconut milk, and white rum).

View this post on Instagram

We are back tomorrow with these bad boyz and a lot more yummy things to go crazy about @methodtothemadnesscafe #newmenulaunch#newyear#kenmorecafe #brisbanephotographic #brisbanefoodie #brisbanecafe #chapelhillcafe #weloveveganfood #chefforlife #foodporn #foodie #healthiswealth #healthyfood #healthydrinks#catering #birthdaycatering #functionspaces

A post shared by Method to the Madness (@methodtothemadnesscafe) on Dec 26, 2018 at 3:22am PST

Breakfast menu options include A Serpent’s Egg Your Way” (two eggs — poached, fried or scrambled — with grilled tomatoes, and hollandaise on sourdough), Hunt Thy Peas (Avocado spread on six seeds, chimichurri pea smash, lemon myrtle goats cream, prosciutto, and poached egg), and Be Not Afraid of Greatness (Wagyu spag bowl brioche sandwich, tomato chutney, fried egg, pecorino, and crispy panchetta).

View this post on Instagram

Next level egg bacon bao’s. Yasssss @methodtothemadnesscafe #kenmorecafe #brisbanefoodie #brisbanecafe #welovekenmore#foodporn #chefforlife#brisbanephotographic #chapelhillcafe

A post shared by Method to the Madness (@methodtothemadnesscafe) on Dec 17, 2018 at 6:18pm PST

Popular lunch picks include these hearty meals: O That Way Madness Lies (Crispy chilli pork burger, onion jam, apple slaw, pickled veggies, and crispy chats), Stay True to Thyself (Chicken spaghetti carbonara, mushrooms, and bacon crumbs), and Grain Salad (Mixed grains, caramelised onions, pomegranate, Drambuie currants, crunchy seeds, and Greek dressing) with option to add grilled chicken or smoked salmon.

There is a kid’s menu too, featuring ham and cheese toastie, cheese toastie, Little Eggs (One egg, poached, fried or scrambled served on square toast with bacon), and Little Waffle (Served with maple syrup and vanilla bean ice cream).

Method to the Madness Cafe serves breakfast all-day whilst lunch is served from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. As a way to welcome 2019, the cafe will start serving dinner too.

3/9 Marshall Ln, Kenmore QLD 4069, Australia

Keith Harkin Set to Perform at The Retro Bar Kenmore in February 2019

Keith Harkin, Irish singer/songwriter and former Celtic Thunder member, is touring Australia next year and is slated to play at the Retro Bar in 13-14 February 2019 — his only two shows in Brisbane.

Bendigo Victoria, Australia.@the music man FEB 3rd. https://t.co/CH6pu6kU7I

— Keith Harkin (@keithharkin) December 19, 2018

Keith’s first solo debut album with David Foster and Verve records was released in 2012. Both his second solo album “On Mercy Street” and Christmas album “Nollaig” reached number one on Billboard’s World Music Charts. The last time Keith performed in Brisbane was back in 2012, as part of the Celtic Thunder, at The Entertainment Centre.

In 2019, Keith Harkin tours Australia as a solo artist, with scheduled performances in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Bendigo, Hobart, Launceston, Sydney, Newcastle, Burleigh Heads, and Brisbane — where he will be playing for two nights at the Retro Bar. VIP Tickets includes early entrance into the venue and an opportunity to meet, take photos, and chat with Keith.

About The Retro Bar

Established in 2010 by Peter & Carmel Costigan, The Retro Bar is a 60s-inspired cocktail lounge located at Moggill Road in Kenmore, offering live music featuring local and international artists. Open Mic Night is held every Thursday to support upcoming musicians as well. In 2015, Richard Harrison acquired the Retro bar.

The Retro Bar – What’s Happening – https://t.co/lI5EuV3pkr pic.twitter.com/8Ut2QhbqzP

— Richard Harrison (@theretrobar) November 12, 2018

The Retro Bar is also a great venue to hold exclusive functions such as birthdays, film shoots, training sessions, and product launches. Customers can book the entire venue which includes use of the stage, dance floor, lighting and audio-visual equipment, along with serving of finger food and drinks tailored to the occasion and customer needs.

The venue also offers non-exclusive option — booking part of the venue — to cater for smaller-sized gatherings. The bar serves a range pizzas such as Hawaiian, Supreme, and Margherita; and all-time favourite snacks like mixed nuts, nachos with bruschetta and sour cream, and meatballs with fruit chutney.

The Retro Bar’s cocktail menu includes Fluffy Duckling (Bacardi, advocaat liqueur, cream, lemonade), Japanese Slipper (Midori melon liqueur, cointreau, lemon juice), and Jelly Bean Bad (Ouzo, blue curacao, grenadine, lemonade).

The Martini Menu, on the other hand, includes Butterscotch Martini (Absolut vanilla vodka, butterscotch schnapps, creme de cacao), and Turkish Martini (Vanilla vodka, creme de cacao, rosewater, turkish delight).

Category: Homepage Latest News