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Centenary Copper Theft Disrupts Junior Sport in Darra

Copper theft across Centenary and Darra has disrupted junior sport, damaged field lighting and left local clubs managing costly repairs, including major disruption at Centenary Stormers in Darra.

Centenary Copper Theft Disrupts Local Training

Sporting clubs and community facilities across Brisbane have been dealing with damage from copper theft, with wiring, lighting systems and electrical infrastructure targeted at fields, pathways and club sites.

The impact has reached several Centenary suburbs, including Jindalee, Mount Ommaney, Jamboree Heights, Middle Park, Riverhills and Westlake. Darra has also been directly affected through damage at Centenary Stormers soccer club at Atthows Park.

For junior sport, damaged lighting can limit access to fields after dark. When electrical systems are stripped or switchboards are damaged, facilities may need inspection and repair before regular training and games can resume.

Centenary copper theft — Photo Credit: Supplied

Darra Club Faces Repairs and Relocated Games

Centenary Stormers has been hit multiple times by copper theft.

In one incident at the Darra club, about $3,000 worth of copper was stolen, but the damage and disruption cost more than $60,000. Training sessions and games had to be moved to other venues for almost a month while repairs were completed.

The club also faced increased insurance premiums after the thefts.

The disruption affected families, young players and volunteers, with the club needing to keep teams on the field while usual facilities were unavailable. Volunteer time was also diverted to managing the disruption and arranging alternative venues.

Centenary Stormers — Photo Credit: Supplied

Other Centenary Sites Affected

Other local sites have also been targeted, including Rocks Riverside Park at Seventeen Mile Rocks, Jindalee Bowls Club, Western Districts Baseball Club, Warren Ritchie Sports Complex at Carole Park and the Centenary bikeway.

The Centenary bikeway has been regularly affected by thefts involving lighting infrastructure. Loss of pathway lighting can leave shared routes dark at night, creating safety concerns for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

Forest Lake Magpies Rugby League Club has also been heavily affected. The estimated cost to reinstate damaged electrical infrastructure at the site is about $2.4 million, adding to efforts to reactivate the facility after the club’s closure.

Across Brisbane, 40 copper theft incidents were recorded last year, with many in the Centenary suburbs.

Reports Sought Around Sporting Facilities

A Copper Theft Campaign launched on 26 March is encouraging residents to report suspicious activity around sporting clubs, lighting towers, electrical cabinets and other community infrastructure.

Residents have been asked to watch for suspicious vehicles near sporting grounds late at night, people interfering with electrical systems, or unusual activity around community facilities.

Emergencies or crimes in progress should be reported to Triple Zero. Suspicious activity can be reported anonymously to Crime Stoppers Queensland on 1800 333 000 or through crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Exposed wiring or facility damage can be reported to Brisbane City Council on (07) 3403 8888.

Published 18-June-2026

Corinda and Middle Park Rate Rises Among Highest in 2026-2027 Brisbane Budget

Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 2.0

Residents in Corinda and Middle Park are set to experience some of Brisbane’s steepest council rate increases, with both suburbs recording rises above 7 per cent under the city’s new budget.

The $3.9 billion budget includes major spending on roads, parks, community facilities and transport infrastructure, alongside residential rate increases that average 3.97 per cent across the city. For the typical owner-occupier, this amounts to about $63 a year, or roughly $1.22 a week.

While the citywide increase remains below 4 per cent, some suburbs are facing rises of more than 7 per cent, while others will see little change or even a slight reduction in their rates bill.

Brisbane rates remain among the region’s lowest

Brisbane City Council adopted its 2026-27 budget on 18 June, outlining spending plans for the year ahead as the city continues to deal with population growth, infrastructure demands and rising costs.

LM Adrian Schrinner said the budget was designed to balance investment in local services and infrastructure while keeping residential rates lower than many other councils in South East Queensland.

The budget retains the council’s $60 on-time payment discount for eligible ratepayers. Pensioners will also receive additional support, with the maximum pensioner rates rebate increasing to $1,350.

Council figures show the average owner-occupier rates increase across Brisbane will be 3.97 per cent.

Property values continue to influence rates outcomes

Although Brisbane City Council sets the overall rating structure, the amount paid by individual households can vary considerably between suburbs.

Differences in land valuations and rating categories can result in some areas experiencing larger increases than others. This year’s figures show a wide gap between the suburbs at the upper and lower ends of the scale.

Suburbs with more than 7% increase	Rate
Bulwer (Moreton Island)	7.50%
Cowan Cowan (Moreton Island)	7.50%
Lake Manchester	7.50%
Robertson	7.47%
Wakerley	7.47%
Runcorn	7.44%
Middle Park	7.43%
Mackenzie	7.42%
Algester	7.41%
Corinda	7.33%
Eight Mile Plains	7.32%
Sandgate	7.29%
Brighton	7.24%

Other areas such as Dutton Park, Fairfield and Enoggera Reservoir are expected to see slight reductions in rates, while suburbs including Kangaroo Point and Woolloongabba will experience increases of less than 1 per cent.

The variation means neighbouring suburbs can receive very different outcomes despite being part of the same council area.

What homeowners can expect next

Like councils across Australia, Brisbane is also facing higher construction and maintenance costs, as well as increased demand on local infrastructure as the city’s population continues to grow. These pressures have played a role in the council’s budget and rates decisions for the year ahead.

Updated rates notices will be issued to Brisbane property owners during the next billing cycle. Eligible owner-occupiers who pay on time will continue to receive the council’s $60 discount, while pensioners may qualify for the increased rebate support announced in the budget.

Residents seeking further information about how the changes affect their property can access detailed rates information and budget documents through Brisbane City Council.

2026-2027 BRISBANE BUDGET

Published 18-June-2026

Centenary Motorway Masterplan Called For As Maintenance Concerns Mount

Residents in Brisbane’s western suburbs and the eastern corridors of Ipswich are raising concerns about the Centenary Motorway, pointing to maintenance failures and an alleged lack of long-term planning.

Read: RACQ Flags Centenary Motorway as Brisbane’s Worst for Morning Traffic

At the centre of local concern is around five kilometres of non-operational street lighting along the motorway, a situation that has prompted State Member for Inala, Margie Nightingale, to write directly to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads and raise the matter in Parliament.

“That’s simply not good enough,” Ms Nightingale said in a recent social media post. “We need clarity on both the future plan and the current maintenance.”

Ms Nightingale added that lighting is the responsibility of Roadtek, Queensland’s state-owned road construction and maintenance authority. No timeline for repair has been announced at the time of writing.

Rail cuts push more drivers onto already stretched roads

Photo credit: CC-BY-SA-4.0/Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons

Darkness on the motorway is far from the only issue troubling commuters. Reduced Queensland Rail services have pushed more drivers onto already congested roads, with residents in outer metro areas saying they are being left with few viable alternatives to the car.

“For many, catching the train is no longer a reliable option,” State Member for Jordan Charis Mullen said. “In outer metro areas like ours, the only remaining option is to drive.”

The ripple effect is being felt across the Centenary and Ipswich Motorways, adding to what Ms Mullen described as “additional time and financial strain for individuals and local families.” She has also written to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads urging leadership in working with Queensland Rail and transport unions to restore reliable services.

Community pushes for a long-term masterplan

The petition calls for a masterplan with identified priority projects and dedicated funding to keep pace with population growth in the corridor. It notes that planning work was previously funded to progress future upgrades between Darra and Toowong, and between Darra and Yamanto, but that this work has since stalled.

“Our eastern suburbs in Ipswich and western suburbs of Brisbane are continuing to grow and the Centenary Highway is simply not keeping up with the increasing demand,” the petition states. “We need to future-proof the Centenary Highway through the development of a masterplan with identified priority projects and funding.”

Read: New Mobile Cameras Target Heavy Vehicles on Centenary Motorway

The petition is open to residents across electorates including Bundamba, Inala, Ipswich, Ipswich West, Jordan and Mount Ommaney, and is calling on the community to add their voice.

Ms Mullen said she will continue pushing for answers, and is encouraging residents across the affected electorates to sign the petition and make their voices heard.

Residents can sign the petition at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CentenaryHighwayPlan.

Published 16-June-2026

Nearly 1,500 Gather at Seventeen Mile Rocks for Dementia Fundraiser

Families, friends, runners and community groups filled Rocks Riverside Park on Sunday morning as the Brisbane Memory Walk & Jog brought hundreds of people to Seventeen Mile Rocks in support of Australians living with dementia.

Held on 14 June, the annual event drew 1,478 participants and 89 teams to the popular riverside park, with fundraising reaching $193,631 for Dementia Australia programs, services and research. The result placed the event close to its $200,000 target and turned a local park into one of Brisbane’s largest community fundraising gatherings of the weekend.

A Morning of Movement Along the Brisbane River

From early morning, participants gathered at Rocks Riverside Park to take part in a range of distances, including a 2.5-kilometre walk, a five-kilometre walk or jog, and a 10-kilometre timed run.

The event welcomed people of different ages and fitness levels. Some participants took part to honour family members affected by dementia, while others joined friends, workplaces and community teams to support a cause that touches many Australian households.

As runners and walkers moved through the riverside course, the park became a meeting place for families, carers, supporters and volunteers united by a shared goal. The atmosphere reflected the community spirit that has become a hallmark of the Memory Walk & Jog series across Australia.

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Seventeen Mile Rocks Hosts a Major Community Event

While participants travelled from across Brisbane, the event placed Seventeen Mile Rocks at the centre of a city-wide fundraising effort.

Rocks Riverside Park has become a regular venue for large-scale outdoor events thanks to its open green spaces and riverfront setting. On Sunday, the park welcomed nearly 1,500 participants, creating a strong turnout for a community-focused event in Brisbane’s western suburbs.

The gathering also highlighted the role local public spaces play in bringing people together around important social and health issues. For many attendees, the event offered an opportunity not only to raise money but also to connect with others who understand the challenges dementia can bring to families.

Photo Credit: Memory Walk & Jog/Facebook

Raising Funds for Dementia Support and Research

Memory Walk & Jog is organised by Dementia Australia, the national organisation that supports people living with dementia, their families and carers.

Funds raised through the event help support a range of services, including education programs, counselling, advocacy and research initiatives. Dementia Australia has stated that community fundraising events play an important role in helping the organisation continue its work across the country.

The Brisbane event’s fundraising total of $193,631 represented a significant contribution towards those efforts and demonstrated the level of support the cause continues to receive from the community.

A Cause That Touches Many Families

Dementia remains one of Australia’s major health challenges, affecting hundreds of thousands of people nationwide. Beyond those diagnosed, the condition also affects partners, children, relatives and carers who often provide ongoing support.

The event was about more than completing a walk or run. It was an opportunity to stand alongside others facing similar experiences and to contribute towards services that help families navigate the impacts of dementia.

The turnout demonstrated the willingness of people across Brisbane to support dementia awareness and services, while also showcasing Seventeen Mile Rocks as a destination for major community events.

Published 15-June-2026

Modular Construction Proposal Aims to Deliver Faster Housing in Darra

DA A006993834

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

Jamboree Heights Time Capsule Home Goes to Auction After 42 Years in One Family

Photo Credit: Place

A Jamboree Heights time capsule home that has sat largely unchanged since the 1980s is heading to auction — offering locals a rare glimpse into what suburban Brisbane life looked like more than four decades ago.

The five-bedroom house at 18 Sirocco St has been in the Hill family since 1984, when it was purchased near-new for $120,000. Four decades on, it still holds much of what the original owners put in place — from the layout and tiled finishes to handcrafted timber furniture built by the family’s late patriarch, who was a cabinet maker by trade.

Son Bruce Hill, who grew up in the home, says the house reflects exactly how his parents liked to live.

His father built a number of custom pieces from Australian timber right there in the garage — a bookcase, a filing cabinet — items that remain in the home to this day. The family never saw a need to gut or modernise what worked, from the mustard-coloured kitchen to the arched interior doorways that were fashionable at the time, fell out of favour, and have since come back around again.

The house also carries a deeper personal history. Bruce’s father served as a wireless operator with the 2/5th Commando Squadron during the Second World War. The unit saw service in Borneo in 1945 as part of the OBOE operations, attached to the Australian 7th Division. That wartime past adds another layer of weight to a home that has clearly been kept as more than just a property — it has been kept as a legacy.

Selling agents Paris Arthur and Julian Maddox of Place Indooroopilly say homes like this are becoming increasingly hard to come by. The originality on display — a grand double-door entry, a timber staircase, period-correct interiors all largely intact — is, by their account, something buyers simply don’t encounter often at this point in the market’s evolution. Most homes of this era have either been renovated beyond recognition or knocked down entirely.

It’s a sentiment that resonates in a suburb that has its own uncommon history. Jamboree Heights got its name from the 8th Australian Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree, held in the vicinity from December 1967 to January 1968, and forms part of what became known as the Centenary suburbs, developed from the 1960s onwards in Brisbane’s south-west. Streets like Woggle, Pack and Troop still carry that scouting heritage in their names today. In other words, the suburb itself was built around preservation of a moment in time — so perhaps it’s fitting that one of its homes has done exactly that.

The property goes to auction on 7 May 2026. PropTrack data shows the median house price in Jamboree Heights currently sits at $1.02 million, reflecting growth of 4.6 per cent over the past 12 months.

Published 1-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