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Modular Construction Proposal Aims to Deliver Faster Housing in Darra

A development application lodged in April seeks approval for a five-storey modular apartment building at 21, 23 and 25 Largs Street in Darra, proposing 26 units specifically targeted at singles, couples, downsizers and essential workers looking for a well-located, transit-oriented home without a large price tag.

The application, designed by Wallacebrice Architecture and lodged under reference A006993834 on 2 April 2026, proposes the amalgamation of three residential lots with a combined site area of 1,568 square metres within the Medium Density Residential zone of the Darra-Oxley District Neighbourhood Plan. Town planning is by Planning Initiatives, with landscape architecture by Mark Baldock Landscape Architect.

What sets this development apart from a standard apartment application is its construction method. By using prefabricated modular components, the developers expect to bypass standard construction delays and lower overall delivery costs in a sector heavily dominated by traditional builds.

A different approach to apartment construction

Darra is an industrial and residential suburb 13 kilometres south-west of central Brisbane, situated on the Ipswich to Brisbane railway line opened in 1876.

Photo Credit: Andrew Worthington/Facebook

Queensland Cement Ltd began production here in 1916, and Darra grew steadily through the postwar era as affordable working-class housing, with its railway access and proximity to the Centenary Highway making it practical for both residents and industry.

That legacy of affordability and connectivity has never left the suburb, and it is precisely what makes a project like this one fit the neighbourhood’s character.

The Darra-Oxley District Neighbourhood Plan envisions the suburb becoming a prosperous area which responds to changing community needs and supports a diverse mix of residential, commercial and industrial uses, with the upgrade of Darra Railway Station and its bus interchange identified as a key contributor to the precinct’s ongoing growth.

Largs Street’s close proximity to the platforms anchors the project’s transit-oriented design, putting commuters within walking distance of the upgraded interchange.

A closer look at the proposed building

The five-storey building reaches approximately 17.5 metres and provides a gross floor area of 1,911 square metres across its 26 units. The mix covers three three-bedroom apartments, 17 two-bedroom apartments, four one-bedroom apartments and two studio apartments, a configuration that leans heavily toward the two-bedroom format while offering entry-level options through the studio and one-bedroom units.

Twenty on-site car parking spaces are proposed alongside 33 bicycle parking spaces, a ratio that reflects the project’s deliberate positioning around lower car ownership and proximity to public transport.

Planning material states the lower parking rate is justified by the transit-oriented location and the target demographic of residents less likely to rely on private vehicles.

The landscape concept has been designed to contribute to Darra’s subtropical character, providing amenity for future residents while addressing the microclimate of the site and contributing positively to the Largs Street streetscape.

The case for modular in Brisbane’s affordability conversation

The use of prefabricated modular construction is the most distinctive aspect of this proposal. Planners at Planning Initiatives described it as an innovative construction method designed to reduce construction timeframes and improve the ultimate affordability of the finished housing while still achieving a high standard of amenity for future residents.

Modular construction involves assembling significant building components off-site in controlled factory conditions before delivering and connecting them on-site, reducing weather delays, labour costs and construction waste.

In Brisbane’s current building environment, where labour shortages and material costs have extended timelines and pushed prices upward, the approach has genuine relevance to the affordability outcomes the project targets.

The application remains under assessment. The full documentation is available under reference A006993834.

Published 20-May-2026

Jindalee Para Powerlifter Hani Watson Eyes Next Commonwealth Games Chapter

Photo Credit: Hani Watson/Facebook

From Jindalee to the Commonwealth Games platform, Hani Watson’s Para Powerlifting journey has been shaped by resilience, family influence and a steady rise through international competition, with the Queensland athlete now preparing for Glasgow 2026 after a breakthrough bronze in Birmingham and a Paralympic campaign in Paris.

From Jindalee To The Commonwealth Stage

Hani Watson’s return to the Commonwealth Games carries a familiar local thread for Jindalee, where her rise in Para Powerlifting has been part of a wider story of persistence, strength and international ambition.

The Queensland athlete has been named in Australia’s six-member Para Powerlifting team for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, where she will compete in the women’s heavyweight event. Her selection marks another major step in a sporting path that moved from early national promise to a Commonwealth Games medal and Paralympic competition.

Watson became one of Australia’s leading names in the sport at Birmingham 2022, where she won bronze in the women’s heavyweight event with a best lift of 127 kilograms. The result ended Australia’s 16-year medal drought in Commonwealth Games Para Powerlifting and remains listed as the highlight of her sporting career.

For Jindalee, the latest selection adds another chapter to a local sporting connection that first drew attention when Watson was preparing to represent Australia at Birmingham. She now heads towards Glasgow as part of the largest Para Powerlifting contingent Australia has sent to a Commonwealth Games.

A Sporting Path Built On Upper-Body Strength

Watson’s connection to strength training began long before she entered Para Powerlifting competition. Her father, Charlie, was a bodybuilder, and she spent time in the gym growing up, joining him in exercises such as curls and bench presses.

She was born with bilateral metaphyseal dysplasia, which bowed her tibia and femur bones and led to several surgeries. The condition affected her ability to continue some forms of lifting, but upper-body strength became a central part of her sporting direction.

That pathway eventually led her towards Para Powerlifting. Watson began competing in the sport in 2018, was classified in 2019 and made her Australian debut in 2021.

At the World Para-Powerlifting Championships in Georgia in 2021, she lifted 120 kilograms in the +86kg class, broke an Oceania record and finished eighth overall. At that stage, she had been competing for less than a year, making the result an early sign of her potential at international level.

Birmingham Bronze Becomes A Defining Moment

Watson’s rise continued in 2022 when she won gold at the Para-Powerlifting Brisbane Classic, a result that helped open the door to her Commonwealth Games selection.

At Birmingham 2022, she delivered the performance that became the defining moment of her career so far. Her bronze medal in the women’s heavyweight event ended a long wait for Australia in Commonwealth Games Para Powerlifting, with the country’s previous medal in the sport coming in 2006 through Darren Gardiner in Melbourne.

The Birmingham result also confirmed Watson’s place among Australia’s key Para Powerlifting competitors, giving her a major international medal less than two years after her Australian debut.

Paris Experience And A Bigger Lift

Watson later competed at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, finishing sixth in the women’s +86kg class with a lift of 133 kilograms.

Her progress continued at the Para-Powerlifting National Championships at RACV Royal Pines on the Gold Coast on 6 July 2025. There, she completed lifts of 135 kilograms, 140 kilograms and 145 kilograms, with her final lift surpassing her previous personal record of 138 kilograms.

The 145-kilogram lift marked another significant performance before the World Championships in Cairo in October and gave Watson another major result before her next Commonwealth Games campaign.

Hani Watson — *Photo Credit:* *Queensland Academy of Sport*/Facebook

Glasgow 2026 Opens The Next Chapter

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will run from 23 July to 2 August, with Para Powerlifting events to be held at the Scottish Event Campus, including The Hydro. The sport will open the Games’ medal programme on Friday, 24 July.

Watson will be joined in Australia’s Para Powerlifting team by Benjamin Wright, Cameron Whittington, Daniel Bos, Natasha Price and Jade Pritchard. The squad brings together returning medallists, experienced competitors and debut athletes.

For Watson, Glasgow 2026 is not just another event on the calendar. It is the next stage of a career that has moved from Jindalee’s local sporting interest to international platforms, national records, a Commonwealth Games bronze medal and the Paralympic Games.

Her story now continues with another chance to represent Australia, carrying both the experience of Birmingham and Paris and the local connection that helped frame the beginning of her Commonwealth Games journey.

Published 14-May-2026

Pickleball’s Rise Is Changing Sport in Brisbane

BCC

Amazons Place Park in Sinnamon Park is one of Brisbane’s flagship pickleball locations, home to purpose-built courts that have become a meeting point for players of all ages in the city’s western suburbs as the sport’s Australian participation tops 155,000 people and keeps climbing.

It might be the most social sport you have never played. Pickleball takes roughly ten minutes to learn, costs nothing to access at a public court and can be played by anyone from school-age children to grandparents, often in the same game.

For the families and residents of Sinnamon Park and the surrounding Centenary suburbs, the courts at Amazons Place Park are one of the more quietly significant additions to the local parks network in recent years.

A sport invented by boredom and refined by the world

Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island in Washington, USA, as a way to entertain bored families during a summer afternoon. The game uses a smaller court than tennis, solid paddles and a perforated plastic ball, combining elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis into something that feels immediately intuitive but rewards practice and strategy.

The first known game of pickleball in Australia was played in 2010 on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, but the sport remained largely underground until the pandemic years accelerated its spread. AusPlay data released in April 2025 confirmed that over 155,000 Australians are now actively participating, with 267 clubs operating nationwide. Pickleball Australia has grown its membership base at a rate that rivals any sport in the country’s history.

Globally, the numbers are staggering. Pickleball participation has grown from roughly 4.8 million players in 2022 to over 22 million in 2026, making it one of the most rapid participation increases in any sport in modern history. The International Federation of Pickleball now spans 78 member countries, and the sport is the fourth most-searched on Google behind only golf, basketball and football.

The 2025 Pickleball World Cup drew more than 3,000 participants from 68 countries, and the lobby for Olympic inclusion at Brisbane 2032 is gaining real momentum.

A game for everyone, not just athletes

What consistently surprises first-timers is how quickly they feel competent on the court. The smaller playing area means less ground to cover. The lighter paddle places less strain on elbows, wrists and shoulders. The slower ball gives beginners time to react and recover. And the social format, usually doubles, means you are always playing with someone rather than grinding through solo drills.

The average player age has dropped from 41 in 2020 to 34.8 in 2026, with the under-35 demographic now representing 40 per cent of all players, a shift driven by the sport’s spread across university campuses, social media and the broader move toward active recreation that does not require peak fitness to enjoy from day one.

South-side courts, from Sinnamon Park to Runcorn

Amazons Place Park in Sinnamon Park sits alongside four other dedicated pickleball locations across Brisbane’s south and inner-south: Bonemill Road Park in Runcorn, Greenway Esplanade Park in Parkinson, Joachim Street Park in Holland Park West, Wallace Place Park in Coorparoo and Davies Park in West End. Together they form a connected network that puts a court within easy reach of residents from the western suburbs through to the inner city.

Brisbane’s full pickleball network covers more than 20 parks across the city, from Bracken Ridge and Boondall in the north to Kenmore and Forest Lake in the west, meaning the sport is now genuinely accessible regardless of where you live.

While most public park courts offer free use on a first-come, first-served basis, high-demand sites like Runcorn and West End regularly host formal club sessions, coaching clinics and social leagues. These specific programs require prior coordination or a small participation fee.

To find a local club, a come-and-try session or an upcoming tournament near you, click here.

Published 4-May-2026

Corinda Teen Rises Through National Ranks With Standout Year Across Football and Futsal

Photo Credit: Corinda SHS/Facebook

A Year 9 student from Corinda has emerged as one of Queensland’s rising football talents, with Eve Hooper helping her state side reach a national final while earning multiple representative honours across football and futsal.

Eve represented Queensland at the national Emerging Matildas Championships, part of the Football Australia pathway, where the country’s top junior players compete for selection opportunities. Playing in goal for Queensland White, she was part of a side that advanced to the Under 15 girls final after a tight semi-final win from 9-15 April.

National Final Run Puts Corinda Goalkeeper in Spotlight

Queensland’s campaign ended with a runner-up finish after a 3–1 loss to New South Wales Sky in the final, according to Football Australia’s Day 6 report. The match coverage noted Eve’s performance in goal, including a one-on-one save that kept her side in the contest during the first half.

Her selection in the Queensland squad followed her involvement with Lions FC through the Football Queensland academy system, where she was named among the state’s top Under 15 players. The pathway connects club football to state and national representation, giving players exposure at higher levels of competition.

School and Club Pathways Align for State Honours

Back at the school level, Corinda State High School confirmed Hooper has also been selected in the Metropolitan West School Sport football team. She is set to compete at the State Championships in Townsville, adding another layer to a season that has already included national competition in May.

The school community highlighted her steady progress across both school and club systems, with her performances reflecting the link between Corinda’s Football Excellence program and external pathways such as Lions FC and Football Queensland.

Futsal Selection Adds International Recognition

Eve’s form has extended beyond outdoor football. She was also selected in the Australian Allstars Futsal team for the World Championships scheduled in Orlando, Florida later this year. While she will not travel for the event, the selection places her among a group of players identified for international-level futsal competition.

Her dual involvement in football and futsal shows the overlap between the two formats. Within the Corinda community, Eve’s progress has drawn attention as an example of a young athlete moving through multiple representative levels in a short period. Her season reflects a pathway that begins at grassroots level and extends to broader opportunities across the sport.

Published 30-April-2026

The Students at Darra State School Have Something to Say to Veterans This Anzac Day

RSL Queensland

With red crayons and careful words, students at Darra State School are among 190 Queensland primary schools taking part in the RSL’s Postcards of Honour program ahead of Anzac Day, sending handwritten and hand-decorated cards directly to local veterans and serving Defence members.

For Year 5 student Van Reuben, the postcard he is making carries a meaning that goes beyond the classroom. His father served in the Australian Army in Afghanistan, and as Van draws poppies across his card, that personal history sits close to the surface.

“It makes me feel glad that he fought for all the people and for our country,” Van said. “Anzac Day is special to me because I get to commemorate all those people who fought for me and I get to commemorate my dad.”

Van is one of thousands of Queensland children for whom Anzac Day is not a distant chapter in a history book. For him, and for many of his classmates, it is something lived at home, at the dinner table, in the silences between stories. The Postcards of Honour program gives that feeling somewhere to go.

The Story Behind the Postcards

The choice of a postcard as the program’s centrepiece is not incidental. Throughout World War One, postcards were one of the primary means by which soldiers on the Western Front and at Gallipoli stayed connected to the people they had left behind. They carried drawings, brief messages and fragments of everyday life between the trenches and the families waiting at home, often the only tangible evidence that someone was still there.

Students of Darra State High thanks veterans this Anzac Day — Photo Credit: RSL Queensland

The RSL built Postcards of Honour around that history deliberately, asking students to participate in the same act of reaching across distance and uncertainty that defined communication for the Anzacs.

Now in its fourth year, the program has grown from its 2023 launch into one of the most widely adopted Anzac Day educational initiatives in Queensland, at various points reaching more than 270 schools and over 24,000 students across the state. This year, 190 Queensland schools are participating, with each school receiving a visit from a local RSL sub-branch volunteer who delivers a presentation about Anzac Day’s history and significance before students create their postcards.

The veterans then return for a show-and-tell once the cards are finished, and the postcards are hand-distributed to veterans and serving members in the community on or around Anzac Day.

A Soldier from Down the Road

Darra RSL Sub-Branch President Grant Hartigan is the veteran who visited Darra State School this year. He joined the Australian Army as an infantryman in 2014 and later deployed to Iraq, giving him a perspective on service that connects directly to the world Van Reuben and his classmates are learning about. Standing in front of a room of primary school students and explaining what that experience means is something Hartigan takes seriously, and what happens when veterans receive the finished postcards stays with him.

“Seeing some of the veterans’ faces when they receive these postcards is just indescribable,” he said. “Especially when they realise kids from the local school were thankful for older Australians and veteran service. It’s pretty touching.”

For Hartigan, the program does something that formal commemorations alone cannot: it creates a two-way exchange rather than a one-way ceremony. Students do not just observe Anzac Day, they participate in it, in a way that produces something real and personal for the person on the receiving end.

“It really gets engagement from the younger generation where they get an opportunity to show remembrance and also give a tangible token of gratitude to servicemen and women,” he said.

How It Changes the Way Students See Anzac Day

Darra State School Principal Tracy Freeman has watched what happens to students when a veteran like Hartigan walks into the room and speaks plainly about service, sacrifice and the weight of what Anzac Day represents. The shift in how students engage with the history, she says, is genuine.

“Listening to Grant really helps our children to connect with their feelings and empathise how the soldiers may have felt back in the Anzac period,” Freeman said. “The students are able to learn, they’re able to connect and they’re able to show gratitude to the servicemen before us, and it’s just across generations.”

That phrase, across generations, is the thread running through everything the program does. Darra is a suburb that holds multiple generations of families, many of them with direct connections to military service across different conflicts and different countries. In a classroom like Van’s, the history of Anzac Day is not one single story but many, and the Postcards of Honour program makes space for all of them.

Schools and RSL sub-branches interested in taking part in future years of the program can find out more here. Darra’s Anzac Day Dawn Service takes place at the Darra RSL Sub-Branch on 25 April.

Published 24-April-2026

Brisbane Funding Boost Supports Baby Give Back Warehouse Reopening

Photo Credit: Brisbane Airport

A major community funding boost in Brisbane is supporting Baby Give Back, with the Queensland charity set to reopen and upgrade its warehouse to better assist vulnerable families.

Funding Boost Strengthens Community Support

A record round of community funding across Brisbane is delivering practical support to local organisations, with Baby Give Back among 16 recipients.

The latest Community Giving Fund round, delivered by Brisbane Airport, distributed $125,000, marking the largest allocation since the program began. The funding supports grassroots organisations working across education, environment, health, and inclusive community initiatives, alongside a newly introduced community sport category.

Within this broader initiative, Baby Give Back’s inclusion reflects continued demand for essential support services assisting families experiencing hardship.

Baby Give Back Brisbane — Photo Credit: Baby Give Back/Instagram

Warehouse Reopening To Expand Capacity

Baby Give Back will use its grant as a co-contribution to reopen its Brisbane warehouse and upgrade its fitout to hold more supplies. The improvements are expected to increase storage capacity, allowing the organisation to manage and distribute a greater volume of essential items.

The charity focuses on providing material basics such as clothing and nappies to families with young children. By expanding its operational capacity, the organisation is positioned to assist more families in need.

The warehouse plays a central role in these efforts, acting as a key point for receiving, sorting, and preparing donated goods for distribution through its support networks.

Queensland charity — Photo Credit: Baby Give Back/Instagram

Built From Community Need

Baby Give Back began as a small initiative aimed at passing on pre-loved baby items to families who could benefit from them. Starting from a home-based effort, the organisation quickly grew as demand increased, eventually moving into dedicated warehouse spaces to support its expanding operations.

The charity works in partnership with social service agencies and health networks to ensure items reach families during the early stages of a child’s life. This period, often described as the first 2,000 days from conception to school age, plays a significant role in shaping long-term development outcomes.

By providing basic necessities during this time, the organisation helps ease financial pressure on families, allowing limited income to be directed towards other essential needs.

Brisbane community funding — Photo Credit: Baby Give Back/Instagram

Record Fund Supports Grassroots Organisations

The Community Giving Fund continues to support a wide range of organisations delivering frontline services across Brisbane. Alongside Baby Give Back, recipients include programs focused on youth mentorship, creative arts, environmental education, disability support, and community sport.

The 2026 round represents the largest funding pool to date, surpassing previous years and bringing total contributions since the program’s launch in 2015 to more than $655,000.

By directing funding to community-led initiatives, the program strengthens local support networks and helps organisations continue delivering services where they are most needed.

Published 17-Apr-2026

Riverhills Among Brisbane River Sites Inviting Tourism and Leisure Proposals

Photo Credit: Exploring the country with Ruth/YouTube

Riverhills is among several Brisbane River locations now included in an Expressions of Interest process inviting tourism and leisure proposals to activate existing river infrastructure.

EOI Opens Riverhills and 10 Other Sites to Proposals

An Expressions of Interest (EOI) process is underway for 11 sites along the Brisbane River, including the Riverhills Recreation Hub. The process invites commercial operators to submit proposals for new tourism, hospitality and leisure uses across a mix of pontoons, jetties and recreation hubs.

The available locations span the river corridor from Northshore Hamilton through to Riverhills, incorporating two major river hubs, multiple recreation hubs and three pontoons. Submissions for the EOI close at 12 noon on 15 May 2026, marking the first stage of a formal procurement process.

Participation requires registration through the relevant supplier system, with access to the EOI documentation managed through the tender process.

Riverhills EOI — Photo Credit: Exploring the country with Ruth/YouTube

Range of Uses Under Consideration

The EOI seeks proposals that introduce new ways to use riverfront infrastructure while maintaining public access and amenity. Concepts identified during earlier industry engagement include dining experiences, water-based activities, wellness offerings and river tours.

Larger hubs, such as those at New Farm Park and the City Botanic Gardens, are suited to accommodating bigger vessels. Other sites, including Riverhills, were originally designed for short-term activities and are now being considered for broader commercial use.

All proposals are expected to demonstrate environmental performance, accessibility and community benefit.

Brisbane River EOI — Photo Credit: Exploring the country with Ruth/YouTube

Industry Interest Shapes Next Phase

The EOI follows a market sounding process conducted between late 2025 and early 2026, which attracted interest from operators across multiple regions, including interstate and international participants.

This initial stage of the procurement process allows businesses to submit detailed concepts, with shortlisted proposals to progress to a further request for proposal phase.

tourism proposals — Photo Credit: Exploring the country with Ruth/YouTube

Riverhills Included in Wider River Activation

Riverhills forms part of a broader plan to expand activity along the Brisbane River by opening existing infrastructure to new uses. The approach focuses on increasing opportunities for recreation, tourism and local enterprise without requiring entirely new facilities.

By including Riverhills in the EOI process, the site is positioned alongside other river locations being considered for new tourism and leisure activity, contributing to a more active use of the river corridor.

Published 8-Apr-2026

Centenary Bikeway Closure at Jindalee: What Riders Need to Know This Easter Weekend

All Trails

Cyclists and pedestrians using the Centenary Motorway Bikeway at Jindalee need to plan around a 48-hour closure this Easter weekend, with a section of the bikeway shutting from 5am Friday 10 April until 5am Sunday 12 April 2026.

The project team has tied the closure directly to works on the old Centenary Bridge, which crews are currently rehabilitating as part of a major upgrade to the river crossing. Workers need to safely remove concrete bridge deck units from above the bikeway in Amazons Place Park, and the nature of this demolition work prevents them from keeping the path open during those hours.

What’s Happening Overhead

The Centenary Bridge Upgrade has been underway since April 2023 and is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Brisbane’s western corridor. The first stage, a new three-lane northbound bridge, opened to motorists in December 2025. Stage two, which is now underway, involves rehabilitating the original existing bridge into a three-lane southbound road, with full completion of the project targeted for 2027.

Centenary Bridge allows the bikeway to cross the Brisbane River — Photo Credit: TMR Qld

The works this Easter weekend form part of that second stage. Construction crews will saw-cut and demolish concrete deck structures from the first bridge span, crush the concrete on site, transport crushed materials off the motorway, and carry out modifications to sewerage pipes. All of that activity takes place directly above the bikeway in Amazons Place Park, making the closure a practical safety necessity rather than an inconvenience that could be worked around.

Exactly Where and How the Closure Applies

The closure affects the bikeway between Kooringal Drive Bridge and the Centenary Bridge on the southern side of the river. Traffic controllers will intermittently hold and release riders approaching from the north eastern side as they cross the bridge, with access limited to Amazons Place Park only during those windows.

Traffic controllers will be stationed at key locations to guide users safely through the affected area.

Connecting Riders Across Brisbane’s West

The Centenary Motorway Bikeway serves as one of Brisbane’s most heavily used active transport corridors, connecting the western suburbs to the city and linking into the Western Freeway Bikeway at Fig Tree Pocket. Commuters and recreational riders rely on the route through Amazons Place Park as a critical link when travelling between Jindalee, Kenmore, Mount Ommaney and the inner west.

The Centenary Bridge was first opened in 1964, built to service the developing western suburbs including Jindalee, Mount Ommaney and Westlake, and has been part of the daily fabric of the area for more than six decades. When the full upgrade completes in 2027, the bridge precinct will include improved active transport connections, a five-metre wide shared path through Amazons Place Park and better links to the Western Freeway Bikeway, ultimately delivering a significantly better experience for the riders currently navigating the disruption.

Planning Your Ride This Easter

The bikeway closure runs from 5am Friday 10 April to 5am Sunday 12 April 2026, subject to weather and construction conditions. Riders who regularly use this route should plan an alternative for that 48-hour window. For updates on the broader Centenary Bridge Upgrade project and active transport impacts, click here.

Published 03-April-2026

Local Families Flock to Jindalee as Hotel Transforms into a Hub for Free Kids Entertainment

The Jindalee Hotel is leading a movement across Brisbane to give families a break by offering a massive schedule of free school holiday activities that range from interactive science to close encounters with farm animals.

A New Approach to School Holidays

With the cost of living on the rise, local parents are looking for ways to keep their children occupied without spending a fortune. The Jindalee Hotel, located at 130 Sinnamon Road, has responded by turning its traditional pub space into a dedicated zone for youth engagement.

Instead of just being a place for a meal, the venue is focusing on providing high-energy social experiences that allow children to learn and play while adults take a moment to relax in the nearby beer gardens.

Interactive Experiences and Special Guests

The programme is scheduled to run throughout the Easter break, with a heavy focus on the period between 8 April and 19 April. During these dates, the hotel is hosting a rotating calendar of events including face painting and balloon twisting. For those interested in more hands-on learning, there are dedicated sessions for “crazy science” experiments and dinosaur-themed activities.

These sessions are designed to be educational but fast-paced to suit younger audiences. Additionally, the hotel has organised character meet-and-greets where children can interact with popular figures in person.

Celebrating the Festive Spirit

The holiday fun reaches a peak during the Easter weekend itself. The hotel is bringing in a portable animal farm to give suburban children a chance to interact with livestock. Organisers have also confirmed that the Easter Bunny will be making appearances to hand out treats and take photos with local families. By combining these classic holiday traditions with modern entertainment like dance parties and discos, the venue aims to be a central meeting point for the Jindalee community during the school break.

Published Date 01-April-2026

Cyclists Urged to Take Care on Centenary Cycleway Amid Temporary Changes to Jindalee Bridge Route

Cyclists using the Centenary Cycleway are being asked to ride with extra care following temporary changes to the route across the Jindalee Bridge, with local cycling advocates alerting the community to new conditions on the ground.

Read: BUG Calls For Support as New Proposal May Improve Centenary Cycleway Access

Brisbane West BUG (Bicycle User Group), along with Space4CyclingBNE and Bicycle Queensland, raised awareness of the changes in a social media post on 24 March, urging riders to exercise extreme caution on the crossing.

The temporary setup involves three rubber speed bumps, near 90-degree turns, and large wooden barriers at each corner that reduce sight lines for approaching riders. A mirror has been installed at the corners to help cyclists see oncoming path users.

Photo credit: Facebook/Brisbane West BUG

During daylight hours, traffic controllers are managing the flow of cyclists, directing riders through in one direction at a time. Outside of those supervised hours, cyclists will need to navigate the temporary configuration independently, and advocates are urging riders to exercise extreme caution.

Brisbane West BUG reached out to the project team to better understand the changes and to ask whether any adjustments could be made to the layout. The project team advised that the configuration is expected to remain in place for approximately four weeks. A second mirror has since been installed in response to the feedback received.

Riders who have already used the crossing have shared their experiences. One e-bike rider with suspension described the speed bumps as aggressive, and flagged that those on road bikes without suspension should be particularly aware. Another rider acknowledged the situation appeared temporary and tied to the broader works underway, while calling for improved signage in the area.

The Centenary Cycleway is a key active transport route connecting Brisbane’s western suburbs, which is why local cycling groups are keen to ensure riders are aware of the current conditions.

Read: Centenary Motorway to Mark 100 Years with Tunnel Proposal Amidst Congestion Woes

Brisbane West BUG has asked any cyclists who experience difficulties or incidents on the crossing to get in touch with them directly, so they can keep a clear picture of how the temporary arrangements are working in practice.

Until the works are complete, the message from cycling groups is consistent: ride with extreme caution and patience when approaching the Jindalee Bridge crossing.

Published 30-March-2026