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Local Mum Submits Petition To Improve Road Safety at Pullenvale State School

A Pullenvale mum has submitted a petition to the Brisbane City Council calling for pedestrian crossing and school zone signages to be installed at their local school.

Lack Of School Road Safety Signs

Nicole Heath feels that they are being discriminated as evidenced by the lack of road safety measures in their local school, Pullenvale State School.

In her petition, she highlighted how other schools have road security features in their vicinity. Moggill State School has lit-up signs, a lolly-pop lady, and two pedestrian crossing. Kenmore State School and Our Lady of the Rosary School also implemented the same features.

The petitioner is requesting installation of 40 km/hr lit up signs and a pedestrian crossing where the school grounds begin. Another request for a pedestrian crossing is being proposed along with school zone hours sign near the school car park.

So far, the petition has garnered 79 signatures and it will close on 26 April. Read the e-petition.

The council said that they take into consideration every petition that is submitted to them. Their council engineers will make recommendations to the council’s infrastructure committee.

However, the council said that they have offered to work with the school to come up with a traffic management plan but the school is yet to respond.

Flashing Road Signs in Brisbane

Last year, safety concerns about Brisbane school zones were highlighted.

One of the council’s solutions was to install flashing road signs that will catch the attention of motorists. They started distributing these signs to schools last year.

However, not all schools are eligible. Schools are selected based on a detailed risk analysis as well as nominations by schools and communities.

The schools are assessed but priority is given to school zones with a significant crash history, high level of pedestrian traffic, or visibility problems.

12-year-old Kenmore Girl Shaving Her Head for the World’s Greatest Shave

Issy O’Keef, a shy girl from Kenmore State High School, is taking a big step to raise money to help children struggling with blood cancer. On Saturday, 24 March, the young girl will cut off all her beautiful long hair for cancer, as she takes part in the World’s Greatest Shave for the Leukaemia Foundation.

When Issy decided to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave, her initial goal was to raise $500; but now, thanks to the help and support she got from her family, friends, and her school, she has been able to raise $1,342 to date.

“The reason I want to take part in this is because I was sad to learn that 26.7 percent of children worldwide struggle through leukaemia, causing heartache, pain, and major hair loss. I wanted to be able to help one or more of these children by donating my hair to WigsForKids and raising some money to help with specialist care and research,” said Issy.

At first, Issy’s mother, Anna Leatham, was surprised to hear that her daughter was joining the World’s Greatest Shave.

“When Issy came home from school and announced with total conviction that she was going to raise money for kids with cancer by doing the World’s Greatest Shave, I must admit to being a bit taken aback, to say the least,” said Anna.

Anna admitted that, at first, she was doubtful that the idea would stay appealing to her daughter, since shaving all her hair off is quite extreme for her. She said, “I got her all wrong! She is determined to do this, and in fact is pretty excited!”

“I am extremely proud of this girl, who is very empathetic, courageous, and thoughtful. She cannot wait to be able to donate the money she has raised and also her hair to WigsForKids,” she added.

Although a bit nervous, Issy’s family is very proud and supportive of her. Her big sister is very proud and protective of her. Her brother instantly posted her sponsor page on social media, with a shoutout to all of his friends. He was blown away upon hearing that his sister is taking such a bold move to help those in need.

Even her grandparents shared how proud they are of Issy for doing such a great thing.

One of the things that has inspired Issy the most in this endeavour is the experience of her Auntie Sue who had cancer. Because of her, Issy is doubly determined to help in supporting this charity.

Issy, with her dear Aunt Sue (Photo Supplied)

“My Auntie Sue did not have Leukaemia but she did lose all of her beautiful hair after twice fighting a different cancer. That motivated me to want to help support a charity like this,” said Issy.

Auntie Sue is her mother’s older sister in the UK that went through two separate bouts of breast cancer.

Her mother said, “She, of course, lost all her hair and this seems to have stuck in Issy’s mind, particularly thinking of how hard it would be for kids to lose their hair.”

Issy is set to show her bravery and have her hair shaved this Saturday, 9:00 a.m. at Etticut Hair, Marshall Lane, Kenmore.

You can still show your support for this courageous young girl and help her in her quest to help children afflicted with blood cancer.

SPONSOR ISSY

This Is Why You Need To Go To The Retro Bar in Kenmore

If you want to hear some good live tunes whilst you sip on delicious cocktails amongst people with the same taste in music, you’re going to have to visit The Retro Bar in Kenmore.

The bar lives up to its name – everything inside is retro. From the swivel chairs and the booths, it’s the perfect spot to chill if you’re feeling nostalgic for the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

Established in 2010 by Peter & Carmel Costigan, the local bar creates a friendly atmosphere with great entertainment and food.

All The Best Drinks In Town

At the bar, guests can indulge in the bar’s Japanese Slipper or their Piña Colada.

They also have Peroni on tap and other beers that are reminiscent of the decades past. If you’re looking for a glass of red, don’t worry because they also have a selection of wines to choose from.

Pair your drinks with delicious bar chow such as the mini cheese plates or their pizzas.

For The Music Lovers

The bar has transformed into a local hub for local talents. They offer a wide variety of musical genres and entertainment with local and international artists.

Every Thursday night is Open Mic night, which is purely dedicated to local musicians.

Address: 2071 Moggill Road

ThinkUKnow Cyber Safety Reaches Brookfield State School

On 6 March, Inner West Crime Prevention Unit presented their first ThinkUKnow cyber safety presentation at the Brookfield State School to Grades 4 & 5 and 6 & 7 students. It is the first nationally delivered crime prevention program in Australia.

ThinkUKnow provides cyber safety presentations that cover a wide range of topics that include:

Sexting
Cyber bullying
Online child exploitation
Online privacy
What to do when something goes wrong online

The presentations are targeted at parents, teachers, carers, and young people from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Ongoing Cyberbullying Issues

In January, an urgent roundtable was called by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to tackle cyberbullying. This was prompted by the death of “Dolly” Amy Jayne Everette who committed suicide at 14 after she was bullied.

The government then announced that they would establish an anti-bullying taskforce for a new anti-bullying framework for Queensland. They will also provide $60,000 to Yourtown, a charity that manages the Kids Helpline and Parentline. The government will also launch an anti-bullying public awareness campaign.

Queensland Schools Take Action

Bullying has been an ongoing issue in the nation. In fact, last year, there have been talks about a crackdown on smartphones in schools to stifle online bullying. Top Queensland schools such as Hillbrook in Enoggera made a decision to ban the use of smartphone this year.

On the other hand, Kelvin Grove State College also banned students in junior and middle schools from using their mobile phones on school grounds last year.

The ThinkUKnow program is in partnership with the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Microsoft Australia, Datacom and the Commonwealth Bank.

Kenmore State High’s Rachel Hauenschild Hailed as Top Year 12 Graduate in Queensland

For Rachel Hauenschild of Kenmore State High School, this academic year has certainly been a banner year.

For her outstanding academic achievements, Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) named her as this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Academic Achiever Award, during recognition ceremonies honouring the top-performing senior school students.

Photo credit: Facebook/Rachel Hauenschild

As one of the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) Achievement Award winners, Rachel shared her story, plans, and career goals in a QCAA interview following the announcement of winners.

When asked about how she balances her studies with other activities, she said that her secret is to “Be selective and then plan your time effectively to fit everything in.”

Rachel also proves the importance of having a supportive family and strong self-motivation.

“I’m inspired by my parents, who have always motivated me and supported me throughout my schooling. I’m motivated by my desire to achieve the best results that I possibly can,” Rachel said.

She also shared that “…the best piece of advice that I’ve received about school is to always pursue subjects that you’re interested in because it will be more enjoyable and it will work out well in the end.”

Things have certainly worked out well for Kenmore State High School’s Outstanding Graduate, who has been accepted in the Bachelor of Mathematics program at the University of Queensland this year.

“I’ve always had a passion for maths, so I decided that I wanted to pursue this at university,” Rachel said.

Education Minister Grace Grace lauded the 2017 Year 12 cohort of Kenmore State High School as the largest ever to graduate statewide. From approximately 53,000 Queensland students who completed Year 12, 32 students have been recognised for achieving the highest academic marks. Considering the number of last year’s graduates, Ms Grace said that the QCE Achievement award winners should be very proud of their achievements.

Rachel, being 2017’s overall Outstanding Academic Achiever, received a certificate, trophy, and $5000 prize money.

“She achieved exceptionally highly in all her school subjects, the Queensland Core Skills Test, tertiary entrance ranking, and in two university subjects and will pursue her passion for mathematics at The University of Queensland where she has a scholarship,” Ms Grace said.

“I look forward to hearing Rachel’s name associated with many more achievements in the future,” she added.

Other Awardees

The QCAA hosted the QCE Awards at the State Library in South Bank, where 32 students from 20 state and non-state schools received prizes in six categories.

Category	Awardee/s	School
Outstanding Academic Achiever	Rachel Hauenschild	Kenmore State High School
Highest Achievement by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Student	Lucinda Colbert	Forest Lake State High School
Highest Result on the Queensland Core Skills Test	Stuart Moss	Brisbane Grammar School
Highest Achievement by an International Student	Cheng Zhang	Brisbane Grammar School
Highest Achievement in the International Baccalaureate	Thomas Wu	Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology
Distinguished Academic Achievers	Louis Backstrom	Brisbane Grammar School
	Aditya Chilukuri	Brisbane State High School
	Esther Cho	Helensvale State High School
	Patrick Cummins	St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace
	Rupert Dwyer	St Peters Lutheran College
	James Dyer	Anglican Church Grammar School
	Jade Eldridge	Mueller College
	Jasmine Elliott	Toolooa State High School
	Joshua Grice	Brisbane Grammar School
	Daniel Harness	Brisbane Grammar School
	Liam Harris	All Saints Anglican School
	Rachel Hauenschild	Kenmore State High School
	Jina Hong	Somerset College
	Phillip Huynh	Brisbane State High School
	Kenton Lam	Varsity College
	Saki Maehashi	Brisbane State High School
	Yan Messoussa	Brisbane State High School
	Kelly Park	Somerset College
	Joshua Pelach	Smithfield State High School
	William Price	Townsville Grammar School
	Connor Ryan	St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace
	Patrick Sharkey	St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace
	Ryan Taylor	St Laurence’s College
	Sophie Tomassen	Varsity College
	Ruby Turner	St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
	Callum Waite	St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace
	Lilia Walsh	Trinity Anglican School
	Daniel Walton	Hillbrook Anglican School

For information on the awards criteria and prizes, click here.

The QCE Achievement Awards are sponsored by The University of Queensland, Bond University, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, and University of Southern Queensland.

Peafowl Owners in Pullenvale May Have to Get Rid of Their Peafowl as Brisbane City Council Changes the Law; Public Consultation Ongoing

The Brisbane City Council has made some changes to their legislation surrounding animals and it is now restricting residents from keeping any peafowl on properties not classified as rural. Pullenvale has quite a number of peafowls, which have been the subject of numerous complaints to BCC.

As per the council’s current rules, residents can keep up to 20 fowl if their properties are more than 800 square metres. For those who have less than 800 square metres of property size, they are only allowed to keep up to six fowl.

Due to the recent changes, the council will now fine peafowl owners in areas not classified as rural of up to $6,300, which has gotten a mixed reactions. Some residents were appalled whilst others support the change.

In light of this, the council expects residents to get rid of their peafowl and to move it to the rural areas. There are several areas in Pullenvale, Brookfield and Upper Brookfield that are zoned as rural.

This new law is still open for public consultation until 22 February.

New Presbyterian Church Development in Kenmore; Locals React

On the 23rd of January, the Pullenvale Presbyterian Church called for a meeting to discuss their DA to the Brisbane City Council at the Kenmore Library.

The church has lodged a development application covering 1 Pullenvale Rd, just next to the Pullenvale Reserve, in collaboration with the Mantle Group. The application involves the building of a church, childcare centre, a carpark that can accommodate 118 cars, and a rooming accommodation.

Since 2006, the church congregation has been holding their meetings in school halls and other spaces. The DA reflects their desire to build a church that will be a valuable addition to the community in the future.

Controversial Plans

The now-controversial DA has two stages and stage two may be broken down into parts.

Stage 1 of the project involves the retention of the existing house for use by the church for office/administration and small church-related gatherings and activities.

Stage 2 is divided into two parts.

Part 1

Main church auditorium with capacity for 300 visitors
Partial construction of 118-slot car park

Part 2

Entry foyer
Multi-purpose building with removable partitions for Sunday School rooms and various other possibilities during the week
Church administration building
Courtyard and outdoor room
Completion of the 118-slot car park, with two handicap-accessible spaces
Site landscaping such as plans for a community garden in the Moggill Road corner

What Locals Have To Say

So far, locals are skeptical about this development. Most of them are concerned about the koalas found at the Reserve, whilst others express their curiosity as to why an international property developer that specialises in entertainment precincts is building a church.

Another Controversial Development

A campaign against developments on the site is also supported by the Australian Koala Foundation.

Just last year, the Kenmore Bridge Club announced their plans of turning the Reserve into a 40-space carpark. However, loopholes resurfaced that prevented them from pushing through with their development plans.

Despite the fact that the council has approved the Bridge Club development, the Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) explained that the council cannot use the standard agreement for a Trustee Lease because, in principle, it doesn’t have the Minister’s consent for issuing a lease. Also, the bridge club doesn’t have tenure for the reserve.

Catch Good Live Music this February in Kenmore & Other Western Suburbs

If you’re a fan of live bands and live music, the western suburbs in the city offers a great selection of musicians that will make you groove, rock, and roll.

Kenmore

The Retro Bar, Kenmore
2071 Moggill Road

Date	Time	Musician / Band
2 Feb	8:00 p.m.	Quiet Carriage
3 Feb	7:30 p.m.	Black Creek Band
5 Feb	7:00 p.m.	Weekend Warriors
9 Feb	8:00 p.m.	The Bone Merchants
10 Feb	7:30 p.m.	Critical Last Chance Years
16 Feb	8:00 p.m.	Maureen de Waal & John Hogan
17 Feb	7:30 p.m.	Helen Ashworth supported by Merinda Dias-Jayasinha

You can buy your tickets here.

Saint Lucia

Red Room
Union complex, Bldg. 21, UQ/Union Rd Level 2

Wednesdays – Catch the Live N Local from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thursdays – Uni Night happens here from 4:00 p.m.
Fridays – acoustic sets from 3:00 p.m.

Paddington

Bungalow
155 Baroona Rd.

Spend your February lazy Sundays here with good live music from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Ashgrove

The Junk Bar

Photo credit: Hole in the Wall – Brisbane

Date	Time	Musician / Band
2 Feb	7:30 p.m.	Francesca De Valance
3 Feb		Peter Milton Walsh of The Apartments
9 Feb		Sabrina Laurie & The Shambolics
18 Feb	6:00 p.m.	Poetry in Motion by Melissa J Evans, Anthony Detorri & Kristy Apps
23 Feb		Jordan Wearn
24 Feb	7:00 p.m.	Dave Graney & Clare Moore

February Thursdays at the bar will be The Neighbourhood sessions featuring local artists Tim Steward with Skye Stanford, Kellie Lloyd with Luke Peacock, Ben Ely with Seja and Tyler with Adele Pickvance. (1, 8, 15, 22 Feb respectively)

Make your February nights sizzle with good music, good food and drinks at these places!

Brookfield Markets To Resume in February

Established in 2016, the Brookfield Markets continues to thrive as it resumes on the 3rd of February this year from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Brookfield Showgrounds.

The market takes place every first and third Saturday of every month, bringing fresh and quality produce to the locals of the west.

The event is established in support of local farmers and to encourage sustainability and reduce food miles.

What To Expect

It’s not a market without an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s the perfect place to be on a Saturday morning as stalls are laden with colourful produce that embodies “healthy” and “organic.”

Photo credit: Brookfield Markets / Facebook

You will find exotic and unusual produce at the Brookfield Markets. There are specialist mushrooms, tomato, potato and citrus.

There are also dairy and delicatessen stalls, a vendor of cheeses, olives and many more.

A wide selection of fresh breads, chutneys and jams also await.

Bring the whole family and enjoy a great shopping experience!

Skip Bin Explosion in Fig Tree Pocket Leaves Locals Rattled; Innovative Bins On Its Way

A recent explosion in a skip bin in Fig Tree Pocket last December, which injured two men, has prompted calls for locals to be more vigilant in following proper waste disposal procedures.

Three men were filling the bin on McLaren Street when it exploded, which left one with minor burns whilst the other was in shock. They were quickly taken to the hospital. The eruption was so strong that the windows of three nearby houses were shattered.

According to witnesses, the men poured petrol over the pile of rubbish and shrubs in the bin to burn it and reduce it. However, it seems that the vapours have been trapped in the skip bin thus causing the explosion.

It seems like the rubbish found in the bin are mostly garden waste, which easily ignites. The Brisbane City Council has guidelines on where to properly throw your garden wastes:

at a Council transfer station
as compost and mulch in your garden
using Council’s green waste recycling service

There have also been developments in waste collection and reduction over the years to prevent this from happening.

In 2016, Solar Bins Australia developed BigBelly Solar Bins, which are powered by solar panel harnessing the energy of the sun and storing it within the battery. Once it reaches a particular level, the compactor initiates and will compact everything inside that waste basket. It was deployed in 23 areas in Australia.

Photo credit: Solar Bins Australiafig tree

Such innovation has proven to be effective in particular areas in the nation and has significantly reduced garbage collection times and eliminates the need for locals to burn waste in bins.