Upper Brookfield Archives

A Century Strong at Historic Upper Brookfield Mango Farm

Roadside trays of fresh mangoes have become a familiar sight for drivers along Brookfield Road, but behind the seasonal fruit stall lies a story stretching back nearly a century. As one Upper Brookfield family prepares to celebrate 100 years on their land, they are reflecting on their legacy while navigating the modern challenges facing small local farms.

The Mohr Mountain Farm has been part of the Upper Brookfield landscape for generations. First established in the mid-1920s, the property has remained in family hands ever since, evolving alongside changes in farming, the local community and consumer demand.

Now, as preparations begin for a centenary celebration with extended family members, the farm represents both a proud history and a hopeful future.

A mango tree in full bloom
*Photo Credit: Mohr Mango Farm/Facebook*

A legacy shaped by the land

Over the decades, the farm has adapted to changing conditions and markets. Earlier generations grew a range of produce, reflecting the farming trends and economic pressures of their time. Today, the focus has shifted to mangoes, custard apples and several varieties of avocados.

*Photo Credit: Mohr Mango Farm/Facebook*

The farm continues to operate as a family enterprise. While Jenny Mohr and her husband remain actively involved in daily operations, the next generation has assumed primary responsibility for running the business.

Their son, alongside his wife, is leading the farm into its next chapter while balancing the realities of modern work and family life, with him operating a plumbing business and his wife working as a physiotherapist alongside managing the farm. Balancing farming with other careers is now a reality for many rural families. Together, they are raising three young children, adding another layer of complexity to maintaining the family enterprise.

“So now, it’s the fourth generation. Our son is running it with his wife. And my husband and I are helping,” Jenny told Brisbane Suburbs News Online.

Despite stepping back from full-time management, Jenny and her husband remain deeply connected to the land, helping with harvesting, packing and farm operations. Their ongoing involvement reflects the strong generational ties that have defined the farm for nearly 100 years.

Adapting to modern farming

Like many small-scale farms, the Mohr family has diversified its customer reach. While wholesale markets remain important, direct sales have become a significant part of the business.

Mango trays are sold roadside during the season, offering locals fresh produce straight from the orchard. The farm also sells fruit through local country markets, including the Brookfield Country Market, which features locally grown produce and handmade goods from regional vendors. Social media has also become a valuable tool, allowing the family to communicate with customers about harvest times and availability.

Modernisation is also occurring behind the scenes. Plans are underway to build a new packing shed to replace an ageing facility from the 1980s. The updated infrastructure aims to improve efficiency and ensure the farm can continue operating sustainably as the next generation takes over.

New challenges for long-standing farms

While the farm’s history reflects resilience and adaptability, new environmental and operational challenges continue to emerge.

One recent issue has been the discovery of fire ant nests on the property. The invasive species, which has spread across parts of South East Queensland, has added pressure on landholders managing large rural properties.

According to the family, fire ants were first identified on their land in 2024, particularly in bushland areas at the rear of the property.

“We had fire ant nests… and there were nearly 200.”

The treatment process involved multiple visits from authorities and ongoing monitoring over an extended period. While the family welcomed efforts to control the infestation, they described the process as lengthy and sometimes inconsistent, with different teams attending the property over time.

“There were big gaps between when they came and every time they came out, it would be someone different.”

As the conversation turned to fire ants and treatment programs, a neighbour offered a printed handout arguing that insect populations are under pressure and urging caution about pesticide use. While the sheet was a general commentary rather than a farm-specific report, it captured a sentiment heard across the district: that managing invasive pests is becoming entangled with wider community anxiety about chemicals, ecosystems, and water quality.

The issue highlights how invasive species and biosecurity threats are becoming a growing concern for farmers across the region. For long-established family farms, managing these risks adds to the already demanding nature of agricultural work.

Community connections remain strong

Despite the challenges, the Mohr family continues to enjoy strong ties with the Upper Brookfield community. Roadside mango sales often bring returning customers each season, many of whom have supported the farm for years.

Local markets also provide an opportunity to connect with residents and visitors seeking fresh, locally grown produce. These interactions reinforce the importance of maintaining small farms within the region.

The farm’s produce has even been used by local craft producers, further strengthening its connection to the local economy and food culture.

Thriving into the next century

The next generation’s involvement, combined with planned infrastructure improvements, signals a determination to keep the farm operating despite the challenges facing small agricultural businesses.

For the Mohr family, the land represents more than a workplace. It is a place shaped by family history, community relationships, and a deep connection to the natural environment. They hope their story reflects not only endurance, but also the evolving role of local farms in a rapidly changing world.

Published 4-Feb-2026

The Life and Legacy of Max and Freda Kanowski: 70 Years, Still In Love

In Brisbane’s western suburbs, where community ties run deep and stories are often measured in generations, a couple have quietly marked an extraordinary milestone built on love, faith and shared life. On a warm December afternoon, family and friends gathered beneath the gentle hum of conversation and laughter to celebrate something increasingly rare: a marriage that has lasted 70 years. At the centre of it all sat Max and Freda Kanowski, side by side, exactly as they had been since the summer of 1955.

For Max and Freda, now residents of Upper Brookfield after many years in Indooroopilly, the celebration was more about people than milestones. Letters of congratulations arrived from the King and Queen of the UK, the Prime Minister and the Governor-General of Australia, and the state Premier — formal acknowledgements of a life lived quietly but well.

Yet it was the presence of children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and lifelong friends that mattered most.

Their platinum wedding anniversary was marked with a lunch at St Peter’s Lutheran College’s P&F Centre, where guests travelled from near and far — including as far as Mount Gambier — to honour a couple whose lives have been deeply woven into the fabric of the western suburbs. Traditional German sausages were served, stories flowed freely, and the room was filled with the easy warmth that comes only from decades of shared history.

Parallel Childhoods, One Shared Path

Their story began long before they met, shaped by parallel childhoods in rural Queensland. Both grew up riding horses to small country schools, their early years marked by the constraints of wartime Australia, when distance and circumstance limited travel and connection. They did not know of each other then, but their lives were already following remarkably similar paths.

It was at St Peter’s Lutheran College, where both boarded, that those paths finally crossed. In a small, close-knit school community, friendship came first. Romance followed slowly, deepening further during their years studying at the University of Queensland in the early 1950s. At times separated, they wrote letters—thoughtful, patient exchanges that reflected a relationship built on mutual respect and shared values.

As Max later joked to family and friends, it eventually became clear to everyone around them that they were, in his words, “a full item.”

A Wedding Close to Family

They were married on 21 December 1955 at Phillip Street Lutheran Church in Toowoomba, chosen for its closeness to extended family on the Darling Downs. It was a hopeful post-war moment, full of promise and practical ambition. Early married life was modest and industrious: Max dug the foundations for their first home himself, sourcing timber through friends, while Freda balanced work and the demands of building a future from the ground up. Their honeymoon was brief — a few days camping near Coffs Harbour — before everyday life resumed.

That everyday life soon became full and lively. Four sons — David, Mark, Anthony and Peter — were raised in Indooroopilly in a household shaped by education, music and faith. Max pursued his academic career, eventually becoming a Professor of Classical Antiquities, while Freda worked as a librarian. Together, they fostered curiosity, discipline and a deep appreciation for learning.

Those values have echoed through generations. Their descendants have gone on to achieve excellence across a range of fields, particularly in health and public service. One grandson currently serves as Australia’s Consul-General in Lae, Papua New Guinea — a point of pride mentioned not for prestige, but as evidence of opportunities nurtured through education and encouragement.

Music, too, has remained central to their lives, alongside long-standing support for St Peter’s Lutheran College and the Indooroopilly Lutheran congregation. These communities were not simply places they attended, but places they helped sustain.

Education, Music and Faith as Cornerstones

Much of this history was recounted during Max’s anniversary speech, delivered with trademark wit, warmth and intellectual flourish. Drawing on his classical background, he likened Freda’s steadfast love to that of Penelope for Odysseus — enduring, faithful and strong across time. He spoke of ancestors who migrated from Germany in the nineteenth century, of chance encounters and near-misses that shaped family lines, and of how lives quietly intertwine across generations.

Yet the heart of his speech belonged to Freda. After 70 years, Max told the room, he would happily do it all again.

Asked afterwards about the secret to a long and happy marriage, the couple offered no grand theory. Love, patience, understanding and trust, they said — practised daily, over a lifetime.

As the afternoon drew to a close, conversations lingered and music drifted through the room. Max and Freda remained seated together, sharing smiles and memories, surrounded by the living legacy of their union.

The wedding invitation
Photo Credit: Supplied

Published 7-Jan-2025

New Flight Paths Set to Increase Aircraft Noise Over Kenmore, Brookfield

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Residents in Kenmore, Kenmore Hills, and nearby suburbs could experience increased aircraft noise if the new flight paths proposed by Airservices Australia get approved. The new flight paths aim to redistribute Brisbane Airport’s traffic and noise impact across different suburbs. Tell us what you think about this here.

The national airways safety provider recently announced five new flight path concepts, inviting public comment on changes that could significantly affect communities.

Kenmore and other suburbs in Brisbane’s inner-west and northwest are particularly affected by one of the proposed flight path changes. The proposal involves redesigning departure paths from the new runway, which would see aircraft splitting sooner and flying different tracks over the western suburbs. This change is intended to reduce the concentration of flights over some areas but could lead to increased noise for residents in Kenmore, as more flight paths are directed over the suburb.

These changes are part of a broader strategy to share better the noise burden introduced by the city’s new runway, which has been operational since July 2020.

Airservices Australia flight path Brisbane north west Kenmore Brookfield — *Photo Credit: Airservices Australia*

Proposed Flight Paths

Airservices Australia seeks feedback on the proposed flight paths until 15 September 2024. The concepts are still in the early stages, with detailed population overflight data and noise contours yet to be fully mapped out.

Affected Suburbs by Set Proposals

Departures Over Land to the West and Northwest
- Affected Areas: Western and northwestern suburbs.
- Details:
  - This set addresses redesigning departure paths to reduce noise over western and northwestern areas.
  - Affected areas would include suburbs like Kenmore, Brookfield, Upper Brookfield, The Gap, Ashgrove, and Bardon.
Arrivals Over Land from the North and West
- Affected Areas: Northern and western suburbs.
- Details:
  - This set involves redesigning arrival paths to reduce noise over northern and western areas.
  - Likely affected suburbs include Samford Valley, Cedar Creek, Bellbowrie, and Pullenvale.
Departures Over Land to the South and East
- Affected Areas: Southern and eastern suburbs.
- Details:
  - This set aims to redesign departure paths to the south and east, potentially impacting suburbs like Woolloongabba, Coorparoo, and Carindale.
Independent Parallel Runway Operations
- Affected Areas: Suburbs near the parallel runways and areas around Bribie Island.
- Details:
  - This set focuses on optimizing flight paths for independent parallel runway operations, which could affect Bribie Island and surrounding northern and southern suburbs.
Non-Jet (Turboprop) Arrivals from the North
- Affected Areas: Redcliffe Peninsula and nearby areas.
- Details:
  - This set is about redesigning the non-jet arrival path to avoid overflying the Redcliffe Peninsula, directly impacting suburbs like Redcliffe, Margate, and Scarborough.

Kenmore residents and those in other affected areas are encouraged to participate in the consultation process to ensure their concerns are heard.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Airservices Australia flight path to reduce aircraft noise — *Photo Credit: Airservices Australia*

Community Reaction

Airservices Australia’s move has been met with skepticism from local community groups, who argue that noise sharing is not a real solution to the problem.

The Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance (BFPCA), a vocal group advocating for stricter noise controls, has labelled the engagement process as “theatre” and criticised it for prolonging community suffering without implementing meaningful noise abatement measures.

Professor Marcus Foth, chair of BFPCA, emphasised that noise sharing should only be a last resort after exploring all other noise reduction avenues. He and other community leaders are pushing for a curfew and flight caps similar to those in place at Sydney and other major Australian airports. However, these measures are not within the control of Airservices Australia, as they fall under federal jurisdiction.

Published 21-Aug-2024

Trays of Mangoes for $20 to $25 From 98-yr-old Upper Brookfield Farm

As you climb the Brookfield Road from the Moggill Road roundabout at Kenmore, you enter a different world where acreage, hobby farms and larger farming enterprises hold some hidden treasures.

It’s Mango Season and if you drive up Brookfield Rd, you may well come across Jenny Mohr, who sells trays of fruit from their farm in the cutting towards the top of the hill before the Gap Creek Road turn off.

Mohr Mountain Farm. Almost 100 years old and perfecting mangoes, custard apples and avos.

“We dip all our mangoes in water set at 52 degrees for 6 minutes, once they are picked, it seems to protect them from what we call anthracnose and removes any sap,” says Jenny.

“We use organic fertilisers, spray-free but we have never bothered to go for Organic certification.”

“Have you tried the Mohr Mangoes before,” a regular customer asks. “They are incredibly sweet, we go through a tray every few days.”

Trays range from $20 to $25, 14 to 18 mangoes are typical depending on size.

“We pick them green before the flying foxes start to attack them, as soon as they get a tinge of yellow, they become targets; so our timing on picking them is ruled by that. Once dipped in warm water, they are assembled on large benches to ripen naturally and develop a full, rich flavour.”

Jenny says that their crop of mangoes will likely be sold out by the 2nd week of February, as they are also being sold near Nuways in Seventeen Mile Rocks.

They have also been selling through a market at Brookfield Uniting Church and Moggill Markets, where they sometimes also sell limes.

Recently a local operation started producing a mango liqueur and sourced the Mohr mangoes as the best local produce for their product.

Geoff and Jenny are the 3rd generation of Mohrs to run the Mohr Mountain Farm in Upper Brookfield. Over the generations the farm has evolved from pawpaws and bananas to the current mangoes, custard apples and avocadoes.

Geoff also runs Aussie Beaver, which has been woodchipping for the local area since 1994.

The Mohr family settled in Upper Brookfield in 1926 and the farm is now the beneficiary of the 4th generation with Leanne and Sam now running it.

You can stay in touch with the Mohr Mountain Farm through their Facebook page.

Brookfield Community Monitors Installed to Address Flight Plan Noise Impact

Photo Credit: PXFUEL

Amidst the mounting concerns about escalating aircraft noise in the Brookfield and Upper Brookfield areas, temporary noise monitors have been installed to capture data and analyse the impact of flight operations.

The move comes as part of a broader initiative by Airservices Australia (ASA) to address the growing issue of aircraft noise across Brisbane. The results from these monitors will be shared with the community after three months of data collection via the WebTrak platform.

The temporary monitors have been strategically positioned at Jones Rd in Brookfield and Carbine Rd in Upper Brookfield. These locations were chosen to assess the noise impact of aircraft departure and arrival operations, respectively. The initiative underscores ASA’s commitment to addressing community concerns and involving residents in the decision-making process.

Community Engagement Sessions to Discuss Flight Path Options

To foster open dialogue and gather valuable input from residents, ASA has announced a series of engagement sessions starting 8 Aug until 10 Sept 2023. These sessions will provide an opportunity for residents to discuss and provide feedback on the proposed flight path changes.

Among the options being explored are strategies to increase flights over Moreton Bay, reduce nighttime operations’ impact, and distribute flight paths more evenly across affected communities.

Residents of Brookfield, Upper Brookfield, and the nearby suburbs are invited to participate in the community engagement session scheduled for Monday, 14 Aug 2023, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Brookfield Hall within the Brookfield Showgrounds. Additionally, ASA is organising online sessions from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for those unable to attend in person, ensuring that as many voices as possible are heard.

Online Sessions

Tuesday 22 August

Thursday 31 August

Tuesday 5 September

Resurgence of Controversial Flight Path Plan

As part of a comprehensive Noise Action Plan, ASA has unveiled a revived proposal for significant changes to Brisbane Airport’s flight paths. One of the most contentious aspects of the plan involves permitting round-the-clock simultaneous takeoffs and landings from both runways at the airport. The proposal, known as Simultaneous Opposite Direction Runway Operations (SODPROPS), is aimed at addressing the noise issue.

Initially proposed over two decades ago and subsequently abandoned, the SODPROPS plan was revisited following persistent noise-related complaints from residents. While ASA had initially considered implementing SODPROPS only during nighttime hours, the current proposal envisions extending this practice throughout the day, depending on favourable wind patterns, weather conditions, and air traffic volume.

READ THE FULL REPORT

Brisbane Flight Path — Photo Credit: Airservices Australia

Community Responses and ASA’s Approach

The resurgence of the flight path plan has elicited mixed reactions from the community. Marcus Foth, the spokesperson for the Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance (BFPCA), welcomed the 24-hour implementation of SODPROPS but expressed reservations about ASA’s communication strategies. Foth criticised the agency for inundating the public with technical terminology, hindering meaningful public engagement.

ASA’s broader proposal includes a commitment to exploring alternative flight path options over the next two years. These options aim to distribute noise impact more equitably across the city without increasing the airport’s overall capacity.

Whilst the plan is still under review, Brisbane Airport Corporation has expressed support for ASA’s efforts to mitigate noise impact, particularly during nighttime operations. The final decision, shaped by community feedback and revisions, will determine the future trajectory of Brisbane’s flight paths and their potential to alleviate residents’ noise concerns.

West Brisbane Residents Affected by Aircraft Noise Invited to Community Focus Group in Upper Brookfield

Trax International is conducting a series of Community Focus Groups among Brisbane residents affected by aircraft noise. For West Brisbane locals, the two-hour focus group will take place this weekend in Upper Brookfield, where a dialogue with Airservices Australia for solutions will take place.

Inputs from the focus group will be added to the final report Trax International will submit to Airservices Australia, which launched the Post-Implementation Review (PIR) into the aircraft noise. Residents are enjoined to be at the Upper Brookfield Hall on Sunday, 12 June 2022, at 3:00 p.m. Participants are required to register to attend.

Per Trax International:

“The main goal of the focus groups is to share information and listen and learn from people affected by aircraft noise; with this in mind, the focus groups intend to:

Discuss the potential improvement opportunities identified in the Interim Report;
Gather feedback from communities about their experiences of aircraft noise in different areas;
Start a dialogue with communities about options to manage and mitigate noise impacts.”

Those who cannot attend may personally approach Trax for an informal discussion as they will open a drop-in session at Aviation Australia on 20 Boronia Rd, Brisbane Airport on 14 June 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

BAC Issues Apology to Brisbane Residents

The Brisbane Airport Corporation, on the other hand, issued an apology to the residents.

“BAC acknowledges that aircraft noise is a genuine issue for some residents living under flight paths. We are sorry that aircraft noise can cause some people distress.

“BAC is working with the Federal authority responsible for flight paths and air traffic control, Airservices Australia, to explore options that would allow more planes to depart and land over the Bay.

“We fully support Airservices Australia’s decision to engage airspace design experts Trax International to identify opportunities to increase over the Bay departures and arrivals, among other improvements.

“Similarly, BAC supports Airservices Australia’s submission to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to allow 7 knot tailwind operations at Brisbane Airport (BNE).”

Tailwind Increase from 5 to 7 Knots Opposed

Meanwhile, a proposal to increase the tailwind limits from five to seven knots has been opposed by the Australian Airline Pilots’ Association. Whilst this may mean that the aircraft can take-off and land over Moreton Bay, thus moving away from the city and reducing the noise, the pilots said it will affect the safety levels.

AusALPA president Captain Tony Lucas said that they understand the residents’ mental and physical anguish over the aircraft noise, he explained that there should be a better way to fix this issue “rather than increasing the risk for both pilots and the travelling public.”