kenmore brisbane Archives - Page 2 of 2

Kenmore’s Local Community Fights to Rejuvenate Little Gubberly Creek

A local community project in Kenmore is fighting to rehabilitate the upper part of Little Gubberly Creek and transform it into a wildlife corridor and an outdoor learning area. The Kenmore South Creek Care may be new to the local community, but over the months, they have set things in motion as they gather support from more people to help their cause.

The said creek has been forgotten; weeds have grown along with vines, concealing its natural beauty underneath the plants. Situated just below the school oval, the area has become completely inaccessible, yet the local community group sees its potential.

Photo credit: Kenmore South Creek Care / Facebook

In their efforts to make the creek alive again, they have formed a Bush Care group that can work under the guidance of Habitat Brisbane and the local Cubberla Witton Catchment Network.

Brisbane City Council’s Habitat Brisbane helps local community groups bring back life to natural habitats as part of the council’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program. The groups under the program also aim to protect, monitor, and increase native flora and fauna populations. If you wish to join a Habitat group, you can find more information here.

The Cubberla Witton Catchment Network (CWCN) is a volunteer organisation that focuses on the re-establishment and maintenance of ecologically healthy catchments. The network nurtures close relationships with a ride range of local, state, and Commonwealth agencies and community organisations and the Kenmore South Creek Care is proud to be working closely with them.

Just last month, a small group of students from the school has started helping through the Jane Goodall’s ‘Roots and Shoots’ program by spreading the word about their local community’s creek project. The students also collected a sample of weeds from the creek.

Habitat Brisbane will do a formal assessment of the creek. You can visit the local community’s Facebook page for their latest updates on the rehabilitation project.

Kenmore Residents Displeased Over New Townhouse Development Proposal

In the wake of a growing number of development plans being submitted for approval, Kenmore seems likely to experience a continuing rise in development and modernisation projects for the near future.

One of these development projects in the area is the Azure Townhouses project along Moggill Road at Margaret Court.

Azure Development Group has lodged its latest proposal with the BCC for the multiple-dwelling project. It aims to provide 104 four-bedroom townhouses of a low-medium density nature across the site in three stages. The proposal also includes a subdivision to accommodate a new public road for the new townhouses on two new lots.

Photo credit: http://www.yourneighbourhood.com.au/ — Photo credit: Brisbane City Council

The stages are as follows:

Stage 1. 34 Townhouses, Communal Open Space, Internal Driveway and Public Road
Stage 2. 34 Townhouses and Internal Driveway
Stage 3. 32 Townhouses, Communal Open Space, Internal Driveway and Emergency Access to Wyndarra Street.

Each dwelling will have its own rear balconies, three communal recreation areas, and a large communal open space in the centre of the subject site to accommodate other recreational facilities such as swimming pool, lounge areas, spa, bbq, and a dining area.

However, the residents of the suburb and nearby suburbs are not that thrilled with the proposed developments. The main concern is the traffic that it might cause. Congestion along Moggill Road and parts of State Route 33 that stretch into the Centenary Motorway has long been a problem in the area.

Lawson McCane, a Greens Moggill candidate, also pointed out that the current townhouse applications in the suburb are increasing the congestion problems not only on the roads but also on the capacity of local high schools and community facilities to support a potential population increase.

He is also pushing for people to help ban Queensland property developers from giving political donations to government candidates, to avoid potential conflicts of interest.

The Azure Townhouses development proposal is still being reviewed by the Brisbane City Council. In the meantime, the discussion and controversy among stakeholders and residents remain.

Kenmore Village Holds Dungeons and Dragons Game Twice a Month

At Kenmore Village, every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, the Kenmore Village Shopping Centre welcomes Dungeons & Dragons players from all over the suburb to play.

Dungeons & Dragons

This fantasy tabletop role-playing game was launched in 1974 and remains as the market leader for RPGs. In 2004, the game was named the best-known and best-telling RPG game. It has won multiple awards. The game is normally played indoors with the players seated around a table. Each player controls a single character in a fictional setting. Each member has their own area of specialty and during the game, players direct the actions of their characters as well as its interactions with other characters in the fame.

Usually, several meetings are needed to complete a single quest. Campaigns take even longer to finish. The game play in Kenmore Village is set up like a campaign, which takes longer compared to a single quest because it deals with a series of related gaming adventures.

The Dungeon Master of the DM is the one who determines the results of the game depending on the overall storyline and the party’s choices.

The Game Play at Kenmore

In Kenmore, fans of the board game spend hours at play on tables and chairs set up in the mall. Despite the traffic in the shopping centre, the players remain wrapped up in their own world once they start playing. What do they get out of it? Bragging rights and priceless interaction with fellow players.

Dungeon Master Danny Stevens has been playing the game for more than 40 years now. He started in 1974 and he he’s been organising these events at the shopping centre in Kenmore. So far, there have been five gaming sessions and player participation has started to grow. Recently, Mr Stevens has had to turn some people away to prevent overcrowding. He regularly updates his blog for their ongoing table campaign for Dungeons and Dragons.

Brisbane has a number of D&D groups scattered all over the suburbs. These groups meet at least once every two weeks at a certain area to play. Here is the current list of the D&D groups in Brisbane.

Head on down to the Kenmore Village Shopping Centre on D & D Days and score some face-time with fellow players, if this seems to be right up your alley. You can also check out this Facebook page for schedules and updates.

Kenmore, Brookfield, Pullenvale Kerbside Collection Coming Up : Tips For Movers & Crawlers

The next few days will be busy for Kenmore, Pullenvale and Brookfield residents, as kerbside collection day draws near. With the 8th of May just a few days away, Brookfield and Pullenvale residents should by now be on the homestretch of sorting, packing and deciding what to throw away. For Kenmore residents, the 15th of May is collection day. All unwanted items by the kerb a weekend before the kerbside collection date.

For crawlers, as the day of reckoning for these suburbs draws near, now would be a good time to check the kerbsides for some potentially great finds.

Start Packing NOW

Photo credit: http://www.houseandcarriage.com/

Starting now and packing little by little before the kerbside collection date will be far less stressful than trying to do everything in one day.

Save Up on Boxes

Photo credit: http://www.demeterclarc.com/

Why don’t you head on over to a local store and ask if you can get some of their boxes? Plus points if you’re a regular… or maybe, you just know the owner.

When in Doubt, Kerb It Is!

If you’re doubtful if you should put an item out by the kerb, then most probably, you should. If you have not used it for ages, and it’s just gathering dust in your house, you should probably get rid of it.

Keep It Tidy

Pile your items out neatly! Just because it’s going to get picked up doesn’t mean it has to be such a mess. Pile up boxes neatly, put trash/plastic bags together, and for heavy items, organise them in a way that scavengers and the collectors wouldn’t have a hard time getting an item.

Photo credit: http://www.coppercoast.sa.gov.au/

There’s a Pile Limit!

Before you make a mountain out of your stuff, remember that there’s a pile limit. The Brisbane City Council will not collect piles larger than two cubic meters. So ease up on the items!

Acceptable and Non-Acceptable Items

BCC will also not collect unacceptable items. Check out the list here to find out what items you can and cannot put by the kerb.

Photo credit: http://www.shellharbourwaste.com.au/

A week before the Kerbside collection date, scavengers will also be roaming around the streets, looking for items that they might find useful. If you’re planning on doing this, mind your manners.

Some tips for scavengers:

Have a Vehicle Ready

Photo credit: www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au

You might find some huge items that you can use or even if you’re only getting small items, it is best to have a vehicle ready to make the whole scavenging process so much easier.

Don’t Mess It Up

Photo credit: www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Make sure that you leave the pile tidy once you’re done with it. Don’t just rummage through it and leave it once you get what you need. Have some courtesy.

Never Break Anything

Photo credit: http://ajaneday.blogspot.com/

Be careful when going through other people’s trash. Those items may be unwanted, but that doesn’t give you the right to break them up, or make a mess on the kerb. Handle the items with care.

Whether you’re putting stuff out for kerbside collection or you’re simply on the hunt for kerbside items, observe proper behaviour. Proper manners during this time will definitely go a long way.

Kenmore Bypass Plan Is Still the Best Solution to Ease Traffic Congestion in the Centenary Motorway

The busy Centenary Motorway is now considered one of the worst roads in West Brisbane due to the horrendous bumper-to-bumper traffic that motorists experience there, every morning and afternoon.

Time To Fix It

The recent Kenmore crash and the traffic it caused have fuelled the cries of commuters and caught the attention of The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Limited (RACQ). The RACQ is now pushing hard for a fix, citing March as the worst month so far, in terms of traffic on the motorway.

Actually, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, in response to the continuing clamor for a solution, has already released a study for the Kenmore Bypass. The study investigated the viability of a bypass at Fig Tree Pocket, utilising the existing preserved corridor from Moggill Road, Pullenvale and to the motorway along Fig Tree Pocket.

The plan is to ease traffic congestion in the Kenmore-Moggill area by building a 4-lane bypass, which will link Moggill Road to the Centenary Motorway. With this, vehicles traveling on the proposed bypass would have a direct road to pass through to get to Moggill Road and down south, while also maintaining a T-intersection for northbound motorists on Moggill Road.

Quick Solutions

In the meantime, a quick remedy seems to be in order, and Moggill MP Dr Christian Rowan is suggesting that instead of just waiting for a bypass to be built and focusing on the congestion at Kenmore, a plan that will consider road integration and public transport solutions can be made.

He said that reversing the traffic towards the Ipswich Motorway, building a bridge from Belbowrie across to the Centenary Suburbs would be possible solutions with immediate effects.

In response to Dr. Rowan’s suggestions, Mark Bailey, the Main Roads Minister said that a 2015 study aimed to ease congestion at the Moggill Road/Brookfield Road intersection and the Kenmore Roundabout showed that making upgrades to the Kenmore Roundabout will not resolve the congestion at all.

Waiting Game

For now, it seems that the Kenmore Bypass proposal is the best bet for a long-term solution. The Kenmore Bypass Planning Study is now being assessed by the State Government. If approved, the plan is to have it built by 2026.

Photo credit: Shiftchange/Wikimedia Commons

Beekeeping Event to be Held in Kenmore, Aims to Go Beyond Sweet Talk

In anticipation of Honey Month this May, the Queensland Beekeepers Association(QBA), a group of apiarists and passionate beekeepers all over Australia, will host a talk called “Beekeeping: More Than Just Honey” from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Kenmore Library in Kenmore Village on Thursday, the 20th of April. The event is free but bookings are required.

Beekeeping in Australia started in the 1820s, when Australians started keeping apiaries. Since then, beekeeping has become a flourishing business in all parts of Australia, including Kenmore and other areas in Queensland, where interest in beekeeping is very much alive.

A Sweet Deal

Beekeeping helps boost crop productivity in the horticulture sector. In Australia, commercial pollination is a growing sector of the beekeeping industry. The biggest sector of the beekeeping industry, though, is still honey production.

Australia is an exporter of honey. All honey has antibacterial properties but the champagne of all honeys, manuka honey, is widely sought for its healing and medicinal properties.

Manuka honey is produced with pollen from the Leptospermum tree species. New Zealand has two species of this plant, while Australia has over 80 species.

New Zealand currently dominates the lucrative world market, in terms of manuka honey exports. Manuka honey sells for up to $40 per kilogram. In New Zealand, the industry is worth an estimated $75 million a year, so there is a lot of export potential for manuka honey in Australia given the diversity of Leptospermum species.

Liquid Gold

In 2015, Capilano Honey, Australia’s largest honey producer completed a multimillion-dollar takeover of KirksBees, the Australia-based manuka honey producer. It then financed a study to see how Australian manuka compares with its New Zealand counterpart. The study will also look at different types of honeys made from different species of plants. Comvita, a medicinal honey producer, is also helping finance the project. Initial results have shown very similar properties between Australian manuka honey and its bestselling New Zealand counterpart.

According to Trevor Weatherhead, the executive director of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, New Zealand doesn’t really have a monopoly on manuka. “We have exactly the same plant that they have,” he said, adding that made-in-Australia manuka is similar in quality to New Zealand manuka.

Professor Liz Harry of the University of Technology in Sydney says that, “We should be reaping the benefits of Manuka honey, for farmers, beekeepers and for the medical solution it delivers.” She also said that as the public became more aware of the medicinal properties in honey, the price of honey will rise for producers.

She is also quick to point out that Australia produces many types of honey from commercial beekeeping. “All honey is anti-bactericidal, so not only will the value of Leptospermum species of honey increase, but the value of all honeys will increase because of public perception,” Prof. Harry said.

Big business notwithstanding, most beekeeping enterprises in Australia are family-run and operated. Reaching out to the public with more information on beekeeping is precisely what Queensland Beekeepers Association President Robert Dewar wants to do, with talks like the one that they have scheduled in Kenmore.

Photo credit: Melanie Vujkovic / ABC News

QBA aims to help more people become aware of the benefits and issues surrounding beekeeping in Australia, and how it will impact their local beekeeping business and their community.

Photo credit: CC-BY / Don Hankins / Flickr

Kenmore’s Kitty Kindy, A Purr-fect Place for Pampered Pets

Sarah Warner opened Kenmore’s first kitten kindergarten at the Aristocrats Feline Day Spa last month. Formerly a groomer and veterinary nurse, the 29-year-old Sarah talked about how she first came up with her unique idea.

While training in Sydney a few years back, Sarah heard about puppy preschools and kitten kindergartens. The kitten kindergarten and puppy preschool were pioneered by Kersti Seksel, an Australian veterinary behaviourist. Sarah observed that kitten kindergartens helped cats have a more positive behaviour.

Photo credit: CC-BY/Rachel Fisher/Flickr

Sarah began asking her clients questions about their cats and their needs. Using the data she had gathered, she decided to put up a local kitten kindergarten, anticipating the growing need in Kenmore for facilities to help educate owners about their pets, and focusing on first-time cat owners and those who are concerned with their cat’s behaviour.

“Things like, a lot of clients would say their adult cat has been jumping up on the bench for the past five years and they want to know how to stop it. The behaviours we want to see in the future are much easier if taught from early on,” she said.

The Kitten Kindergarten holds classes to provide opportunities for cats to socialise with other cats. Sarah also educates owners about basic medical care, de-sexing, nutrition, grooming, training and behavioural issues. Her classes also teach the owners to train their cats at home in things like training their kittens to use their scratching post.

The opening of the kitten kindergarten in Kenmore has caught the attention of many, including Ros Taber, the Director of Brisbane’s Pawsitive Connection. While she has been aware of the kitten kindergarten concept for quite some time, she believes that it has been only recently that cat owners have really considered it for their pets. She thinks that this shows that more people are establishing a stronger emotional connection with their cats.

Photo credit: Heikki Siltala / Wikimedia Commons

The kitten kindergarten allows owners, specifically in Kenmore, to adhere to the Brisbane City Council’s cat ownership rules. Now that cat registration is no longer required by the Queensland Government, it is doubly important for owners to ensure their cat’s good behaviour.

With Kenmore’s kitty kindy, cats and their humans can benefit from a smoother integration in the home and outside, in the community. Good cat behaviour creates a “purr-fect” environment for our feline friends to flourish and thrive. And since learning works both ways, the kitty kindy also helps teach cat owners to take better care of their pets.

Funky New Pizza Restaurant Arrives In Kenmore

When it comes to having pizza, anytime is the perfect time. Last 23 March, Kenmore welcomed a Neighbourhood Pizza, a new addition to the neighbourhood at Moggill Rd. Jordan Lomas, formerly of Two Trees cafe, has opened this 53-seat that has made this cool Western suburb even cooler, with its creative pizza flavors, carefully curated beverage menu and good vinyl music.

After Two Trees cafe, Lomas knew it was time to venture in a different direction. After narrowing down what people love these days to pizza, good drinks, and cool interiors, he started working on this project. He drew inspiration from a trip to Japan, where he was pleasantly surprised to discover some of the best New York-style pizza that he has tasted. Lomas wanted to give the same experience to the locals at Kenmore.

In a bid to recreate his Japanese experience, Lomas and his team aim to keep things simple and to use only the finest ingredients for their pizza selection. His local architect Kirsty Hetherington, helped him recreate the clean, minimalist interiors with authentic New York pizza parlour touches that made his vision come to life. A neon sign outside the restaurant draws the locals to come in and see what they have to offer.

“We just want to be a place where you can eat great food. We want to have some fun with it so, for example, we’ll be doing eggplant parmie-crumbed eggplant-pizza and there will also be a meatball pizza. I guess we’ll be leaning more New York in style,” Lomas said.

Photo credit: The Weekend Edition / https://www.facebook.com/neighbourhoodbne/

The opening menu of Neighbourhood Pizza features five classic pizza options and several starters. For those who like pineapples on their pizza, their Hawaiian pizza is a must-try topped with capocollo ham and chili. The eggplant parmigiana is also worth digging into with its gooey blend of mozzarella, confit garlic, and basil for that delicious mouthful of flavours that go perfectly together.

Neighbourhood Pizza also conveniently pairs their pizza selection with boutique Australian wines like Mac Forbes and Ministry of Clouds. Their beer, which mimics American pale ale, is made by Lee from White Lies Brewing. A perfect cross between American and Australia, with touches of the Land of the Rising Sun in its interior styling, Neighbourhood Pizza is a blend of the familiar and the unique, with its out-of-the-box approach to down-home comfort.

Elevating the place to a funky new level is Lomas’ collection of vinyl records, which diners can enjoy listening to, while they enjoy the service and the happy hour deals that are planned for the coming months. At present, Neighbourhood Pizza offers dinner service, but stay tuned for their upcoming lunch service.

Photo credit: Google Maps