kenmore Archives - Page 12 of 13

Driver Spotted Using Snapchat While Driving in Kenmore

Social media is a huge part of our lives and although sharing your life on various social media platforms can be fun — there are times when it can be downright dangerous, posing a risk to one’s life and that of others’. Recently, an unknown motorist driving at 60km/h in Kenmore posted on Snapchat whilst driving.

The said video has gone viral after a netizen saw the video on Snapchat and commented about it, catching the attention of the Brisbane police. The police reminds the public to concentrate on driving and to put their mobile phones and cameras away while behind the wheel.

Just recently, RACQ has revealed that around 7% of drivers, particularly in southeast Queensland, have been caught using their phones whilst driving. The study ran between February and May of this year. It showed that plenty of drivers were on their phones while driving. Chermside takes the top spot from among the suburbs with the greatest number of offenders.

The Queensland University of Technology also conducted a study for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland, which revealed that eight in 10 drivers aged 17-25 have admitted to be using their phones whilst they’re driving. Interestingly enough, 40% of them admitted to using Snapchat.

As of press time, the Kenmore driver’s identity remains unknown.

Kenmore Sees Bridge and Pedestrian Upgrades

Work has begun on two bridge and pedestrian upgrades in Kenmore. The upgrades will be seen at Katunga and Akuna streets.

The upgrades have been a fund of $1.75 million that will help existing bridges bordering Cubberla Creek Reserve, Moggill Rd, the sports fields at the reserve and the Centenary Bikeway. Wider and stronger bridges along with bike-friendly handrails will be placed. There will also be new footpaths to connect the said bridges.

The Katunga Street bridge upgrade will see the stabilisation of the creek bank, the removal of the existing bridge structure, new bridge foundation, the installation of a concrete pedestrian and cycle bridge, modification of the existing guardrail and the reconstruction of the footpath and road sections to tie in with the new bridge.

Once this is done, the bridge will be three meters wide, following the standard width for a pedestrian and cycle bridge.

While the Akuna Street bridge upgrade will follow the same procedures, it will be 3.6 meters wide when it is finished due to its role in the existing bikeway network.

The Katunga Street Bridge is expected to be complete in mid-2017, whilst the Akuna Street Bridge completion will be completed towards the end of 2017.

Kenmore Residents Actively Campaigning Against Proposed Azure Townhouse Development

Kenmore residents don’t seem too happy with the current developments in their suburb as well as potential ones. The new Churches of Christ being built in the area has recently gotten negative feedback from the local community. On the other hand, the Azure townhouse development plan that was proposed along Moggill Road and Wyndarra St. is still gaining a lot of feedback whilst the community continues to campaign against it.

The collection of feedback from residents against the residential development has been completed. Based on the feedback gathered, residents are very much against this development because they believe that the suburb will not be able to cope with the increased density that the project will bring.

Also Read: Kenmore Residents Displeased Over New Townhouse Proposal
Also Read: Churches of Christ Community Centre in Kenmore Continues to Get Backlash From Residents

Another touchy issue is the concern that it will cause further traffic congestion on Moggill Rd., which is already one of the busiest roads in the western suburbs.

The Brisbane City Council has acted on the pleas of the residents and sent a request for further information to the developer, Azure. It states that the proposal was not supported in its current form, outlining flooding concerns and adherence to the multiple dwelling code, stormwater code and filling and excavation code. This also includes traffic issues, waste collection, and many more.

Azure, eager to build in the area, submitted an updated proposal reiterating that they are adhering to the council’s requirements. You can view the plans here.

Kenmore Living Inc, is a local community organisation that has been actively campaigning against the proposed development plan. They have also submitted their former objection to the council. You can view their full objection here.

The local group also campaigns at various locations in the suburb to gain support and to spread awareness as to why such development cannot be given the go-signal.

Woolworths Phases Out Plastic Bags Nationwide, Ban at Kenmore and Other Queensland Stores Starts 2018

This is a major step for the supermarket chain, which currently gives out over 3.2 billion plastic bags a year.

Woolworths Group will be phasing out single-use plastic shopping bags at all its stores in the country in the next 12 months. Kenmore and other Queensland Woolworths stores will start the ban next year.

This means that plastic bags will be phased out at Woolworths stores in NSW, Victoria and WA. Woolworths is already implementing the ban at stores in South Australia, Tasmania and ACT, which have laws banning plastic bags statewide.

The state government of Queensland has legislated a ban on plastic bags and this will take effect on 1 July 2018. NSW, Victoria and WA are yet to legislate a similar ban.

The ban will cover all Woolworths supermarkets, Big W and BWS. The plastic bag ban is already in place for Cellarmasters and Dan Murphy’s.

Customers can either bring their own bag or pay 15 cents for a reusable bag.

Woolworths Kenmore, along with other Queensland Woolworths stores will enforce the ban starting July 2018 (Photo credit: Google Streetview)

In a statement, the supermarket giant’s CEO Brad Banducci expressed the company’s commitment to listing to its customers and doing the right thing for the environment. “We feel this is an issue we need to take a stand on,” Mr Banducci said.

“We currently give out more than 3.2 billion lightweight plastic bags a year and hence can play a significant role in reducing overall plastic bag usage.

“Whilst we know this is a major decision, we will work very closely with all of our store teams to ensure the transition for our customers is as simple as possible.”

Queensland Government Welcomes Move

The Queensland government has welcomed the move by the supermarket chain and praised the company for showing national leadership.

Environment Minister Steven Miles described the move as a major step forward in the war against waste.

“As the biggest retailer in the sector, this shows they are listening to customers and demonstrates that they take their environmental and community responsibilities seriously,” Mr Miles said.

The minister believes that this is the perfect time for consumers to start thinking about how they can change their behaviour and lessen reliance on plastic bags.

“We need Queenslanders to get ready for the ban, which comes into effect from 1 July 2018.

“We will continue education and awareness in lead up to 1 July 2018 including in partnership with the National Retail Association who are running workshops for retailers.”

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’s LYV Kitchen Aims to Provide Delicious But Clean Food

LYV Kitchen in Kenmore, at Kingussie St. is a restaurant right smack in the middle of a park. And it’s not just a park, it’s actually a park meant mainly for children. The restaurant’s name stands for “Live Your Values” and it’s perfect for health-conscious people who are enthusiasts of plant-based food.

LYV Kitchen focuses on serving healthy food made from locally produced ingredients. Formerly known as Misty’s, it is now being run by the new owner, Ashley, who is all about living her values and sharing it to the public. Ashley created a plant-based menu excluding meat and dairy. Ashley is passionate about spreading a healthy lifestyle and environment, thus her food venture.

Try their granola, which is always freshly prepared in the restaurant. For a boost of energy, you can give their acai bowls a shot.

Those that need their caffeine fix can choose from their specialty lattes such as matcha, charcoal and beetroot, and turmeric.

For the kids and the kids-at-heart, there are delicious pancakes and home-made muffins that will surely delight your hearts.

There are also some tasty sweet treats available such as the carrot cake and blueberry cheesecake. You can also choose from their selection of superfood smoothies.

Not just for the health conscious, the place is also perfect for children and pets. The restaurant has an outdoor seating that flows right into the park and playground. You can sip your morning coffee whilst you keep an eye on your kids having fun in the playground.

Family, healthy food, and good, clean fun. LYV certainly makes living your values worth the visit.

2017 Brookfield Show : Scary Weather Forecasts, Equine Flu Scare But The Show Was As Good As Ever

Congratulations to the Brookfield Show Committee

Another great rendition of the Brookfield Show is now behind us, the Show Committee once again organizing three days of action packed fun supported by great sponsors, stall holders, and with the assistance of Kenmore Rotary.

As far as major events go in the western suburbs of Brisbane, there is no bigger than the Brookfield Show.

This year’s event was as good as ever despite a terrible weather forecast, thank goodness proven incorrect!

Friday morning kicked the event off with a mixture of drizzle and heavy rain that left the Boscombe road vendor car park greasy but under management by Kenmore Rotary. The hiatus of school drop offs, coinciding with the arrival of show vendors, happened seamlessly. One Friday casualty due to the weather were the pony events, but the Rodeo went ahead in the evening and locals arrived en masse for a fun evening.

Saturday and Sunday brought glorious weather. The main car park was full by 11:00 a.m. though Boscombe Road had space for most of the day. The equestrian events displayed some great equine talent and riding over the weekend, whilst the gravity of the competition there contrasted with the hilarious pig racing in an adjoining ring.

The rides stayed busy during both days, many kids stretching their $45 all-day pass to the limits, with continual lines at the dodgems.

One concern which the Courier Mail has headlined today was the suspected Hendra virus case, though this was cleared up by a statement from the vet:

The Children’s art show was a great success, judged this year by Catherine Mactaggart of Sotheby’s Queensland.

Best in Show was won by Sophie Evans:

Here are some of the other highly talented entrants:

See more entries here

The dog show results can be found here

Councillor Kate Richards reported watching the woodchopping:

A great event that families get wonderful value from every year, West Brisbane is lucky to have the Brookfield Show.

Photo Credit: Brookfield Show from Facebook.com/CrKateRichards

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 State High School Pleads for Urgent Building Upgrades

The school council of Kenmore State High School is urging the Queensland government to come up with a timeframe and funding for buildings urgently needed by the school.

The school council, headed by Scott Meehan, noted that its request for building upgrades is not being addressed. Mr. Meehan said that the school’s masterplan will have to be treated as a priority.

Mr. Meehan believed that the main issue is the lack of funding. As a result, no timeframe has been made for the masterplan.

At the top of the list for improvements is the school’s library. If not upgraded, it will come to a point where some primary schools in the area will have better libraries compared to that of Kenmore High.

Proactive Measures Needed

The school could reach its capacity in three years’ time, according to Mr. Meehan. He stressed the need for the construction to be done as early as possible, especially as some of the current buildings are already deemed insufficient.

The Department of Education and Training stated that the school’s capacity will be adequate even beyond 2021. The proposed improvements are also being studied under the Infrastructure Management Framework of the department.

To address the increasing number of students in the area, there is a proposal to add a new high school that will service Moggill and Ipswich residents. MP for Moggill Dr. Christian Rowan supports this proposal, although he also highlighted the importance of investing in the current school facility.

Fig Tree Pocket’s Luxurious Rivergum Retreat Reveals its Hidden Gem

In the serene suburb of Fig Tree Pocket lies a mansion straight from an action movie. Along Needham Street, the calmness, the green leafy surrounds may fool you that all is calm until you reach No.36, a huge mansion called the Rivergum Retreat.

Seeing the eye-catching mansion from the road is exciting, but the experience of stepping into its massive Zen-like foyer is truly breathtaking. The magnificent river view from the floor-to-ceiling-windows gives new meaning to the term “eye candy”.

The sprawling mansion has luxuriously appointed rooms, a state-of-the-art entertainment area, a beautiful kitchen that will bring out your inner chef, and an infinity pool that overlooks the river.

2_gvkeuq — Photo credit: www.domain.com.au

A House with a Secret

But what makes the house even more special is the secret it keeps in its library. The library seems innocuous enough. It has a sitting area and shelves of books. But it has something straight out of a James Bond movie. Pull out some innocent-looking bookshelves and you can step into a secret hideaway — a room and a bar.

On the Market

The mansion was built in the early 1980s. It was renovated after the current owners bought it in 2008. These days, the mansion is once again in the market and is considered to be one of Brisbane’s most expensive properties.