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Westlake Property Market Exhibits Stable Growth Amidst Continued Buyer Interest

Homebuyers scouting for a stable investment that won’t break the bank can look towards the tree-lined streets of Westlake within the Centenary suburbs, an understated, attractive neighbourhood that offers some peace and quiet by the riverfront.

Between the period of July 2020 to June 2021, Westlake has attracted 68 home sales with deals closed within 39 days on market, per data from Property Market Updates. Healthy buying activity has pushed Westlake’s property growth upwards by 8.62 per cent with the house median price now at $806,500.

Properties with four to five bedrooms fetched the most interest from buyers looking for a spacious house in a quiet neighbourhood to raise their kids, amidst the changing preferences of the people, post-COVID, to live in a house surrounded by nature. Since interstate or overseas travel are limited, many locals now value larger spaces and backyards and are willing to pay a premium for them.

A mansion on Westlake Drive sold the highest price for this time period at $1,850,000. Featured with modern yet practical architecture, this property comes with its own backyard pontoon perfectly fitted for a 45’ cruiser.

About Westlake

Westlake, bounded by Mount Ommaney, Middle Park and Riverhills in the western part of Brisbane, includes a mix of houses, as well as large-scale properties close to the river. Most of the houses in this peaceful locale are owner-occupied thus the vacancy rate is quite low. There are no unit constructions in town as nearly 97 per cent of the houses are detached whilst the rest are townhouses or terraces.

The majority of people living in Westlake are families with one or two children. While abundant in green spaces for the kids to use for their recreational activities, there are no schools in the suburb itself. The nearest schools are in neighbouring suburbs like Middle Park, Jamboree and Jindalee. The bus transport access in Westlake is efficient and there is a commercial precinct where they can easily buy the essentials.

“Absolutely beautiful suburb, wide tree-lined streets, big beautiful houses that are well maintained, peaceful and quiet streets, safe and friendly neighbourhood. The new restaurant and cafe precinct is lovely and once a year the jacaranda trees turn our streets the most amazing light purple colour when they drop their flowers, it’s very pretty! Absolutely love it here.”
Kyryas

“I’ve lived in Westlake for 5 years and wouldn’t dream of moving anywhere else. It’s a very quiet area and you feel quite safe here, especially with a family. Three parks are only a stone’s throw away, there are shops nearby without the noise and traffic, a scenic walking track along the river and an off-leash area for dogs. It’s only a half-hour drive to the city on a good run. If you prefer suburbia over inner-city living, then this is the place.”
PCoffey

“Westlake has an abundance of facilities available to the area which allows us to live in such a great suburb. Beautiful… 4 years ago when I first came to Australia, Brisbane I was about to get depressed but since I moved to Westlake about 2 years ago everything changed. It’s absolutely a beautiful place to leave. I am quite happy to drive 30 min each way to work every day but live in Westlake.”
Westie

Complete Your Jindalee Boat Ramp Visit With Coffee And Sweet Treats From Licketysplit Cafe

Photo credit: Licketysplit Cafe/Facebook

Located at the Jindalee Boat Ramp in an area with lots of shady trees to sit under and access to easy parking, Licketysplit Cafe is a mobile coffee van that serves delicious brew and sweet treats, with a relaxing river view.

Read: Get a First Look at These Brisbane Parks’ Improvements

Family founded and run since 2019, Licketysplit Cafe serves coffee, frappes, cold-pressed juice, fruit smoothies, fruit and acai smoothie bowls, donuts, pastries, bagels, and sorbet at the boat ramp on weekends.

Photo credit: Licketysplit Cafe/Facebook

The donuts, which are popular among kids, come in a variety of flavours such as rocky road, chocolate chip, strawberry glazed, white choc & marshmallow, salted caramel, hazelnut, and Boston cream.

They use organic coffee from Merlo, Eagle Farm’s famous roasters known for their premium coffee beans. Customers are loving the taste of the unique blend, perfect for chilling on the hill overlooking the river.

Just recently, they also started offering delivery services via Menulog. So far, the most popular items on their online menu are the classic acai bowl and the berry heaven smoothie bowl.

“Came down to the Jindalee boat ramp with my kids this morning & got myself a ‘Refresher’ juice & it’s the most satisfying drink to wake up to! Going to be making it a routine to come here. The most lovely service, a perfect way to start our morning,” shared one local.

You can also find them by the playground at the end of Curragundi Road and Mt Ommaney Drive, Jindalee. Check out their Facebook page for more information on their opening hours and daily specials.

Flexicon Moves and Expands Australian Operation in Darra

Flexicon, a global manufacturing company for bulk handling equipment, has expanded its operations in Australia with a new and bigger site in Darra.

Located on Boundary Road, the new facility spans 2,390 square metres, where more than 70 percent of the building will be dedicated to the manufacturing of conveyors, unloaders, bulk bag fillers, bulk bag conditioners, manual dumping stations, weigh batching systems, and drum/box/container tippers. The remaining spaces are for conference rooms and offices of the administrative personnel, the engineering team, and sales staff.

By the end of 2021, Flexicon in Darra will feature a test laboratory to check the quality and performance of the equipment.

David Gill, Flexicon Corporation president with its head office in Pennsylvania U.S., said that their manufacturing and sales operation more than doubled in July 2021. As demand for Flexicon equipment grew in Australia, the company made a move to a bigger site with more provisions for growth.

Tim Greene, the managing director of the Australian operation, said that the relocation to Darra will help with the company’s market expansion in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Rim.

The news comes as the headquarters in the U.S. also completed its expansion to meet the demands for bulk handling equipment in July.

Flexicon was founded in 1974 in New Jersey and increased five-fold within a decade. In 1995, the company moved its satellite plant to Pennsylvania, which was followed by the opening of its world headquarters in 2001.

Jindalee Property Market Triples Its Growth in 12 Months

Lifestyle changes and migration from interstate or overseas have driven house prices in Brisbane to record-high numbers, with the property market in Jindalee tripling its growth from 7.11 percent to 21.4 percent within the 12-month period from July 2020 to June 2021.

Latest data from Property Market Updates shows that Jindalee’s median house price increased from $640,000 to $784,000 in 12 months, with the highest sale closing at $1.68 million.

Prior to the pandemic, Jindalee’s median house price was at $587,500 (July 2018 to June 2019) and $597,500 (July 2019 to June 2020).

Highlights

The Jindalee property market posted a 21.4 percent growth from July 2020 to June 2021.
The median house price increased from $640,000 to $784,000. The median unit price went from $505,250 to $567,500 for the same period.
Three Jindalee houses sold above the $1-million mark from April to July 2021.

About 105 properties were sold in the first quarter and 28 in the second quarter, as house listings stayed on the market for 25 to 31 days. Inventory in the $580,000 to $940,000 range moved faster, spending an average of 19 days on the market.

Unit Price Growth

Meanwhile, unit sales in Jindalee exhibited a 12.32 percent growth in the 12-month period ending June 2021. The median price for units was at $567,500 in June 2021, up from $505,250 in June 2020. Some 10 units were sold during the same period, with the highest sale closing at $735,000.

Steady Rise After the 2011 Floods

Brisbane River in flood at Jindalee at the Centenary Bridge, 2011
Photo Credit: Flickr/Martin Shaw

The years since the devastation wrought by the 2011 floods have seen Jindalee recover steadily.

Just two years after the floods, house prices in the suburb started to rise, a trend that hasn’t stopped despite the coronavirus pandemic.

An investment opportunity after the 2011 floods.
Photo Credit: https://cshsoc.org.au/2011-flood/#jp-carousel-1817

Although prices dropped by as much as 10 percent for houses with severe flood damage, many savvy and educated buyers saw an opportunity for investment, backing up their purchases with insurance premiums to cover their risk.

Kooringal Rd & Burrendah Rd during the 2011 floods.
Photo Credit: Geoff Shera

Kooringal Rd & Burrendah Rd, February 2021.
Photo Credit: Google Maps

Jindalee’s steady recovery is a strong indication of continued buyer confidence in the suburb’s liveability.

About Jindalee

Statistics from Experian Australia show that older couples and families make up the largest percentage of people living in Jindalee. The suburb is also slowly attracting a throng of professionals who want to set their roots in a place with plenty of parklands, dog off-leash areas, public swimming pools, and a very long bikeway, all for less the cost it would take to buy a house or unit in Paddington or Indooroopilly.

Photo Credit: Facebook/Jindalee Neighbourhood Watch

Though lacking in bars or nightlife, Jindalee has a growing cafe culture for professionals and adults, as well as a good number of good primary and secondary schools. A reliable Neighbourhood Watch group also helps keep the community safe.

The boat ramp and the shopping centres are popular neighbourhood hubs, along with the newly-opened DFO Jindalee within the Reading Cinemas complex.

How These Middle Park Students’ App Helps Reduce Single-use Plastic

From L-R: Halle Anderson, Deepika Bogahawatta, and Chloe Kyprios (Photo credit: P-Cubed Plastic Pollution Preventers/Facebook)

In 2019, three students from Good News Lutheran School in Middle Park won a national competition for developing a pollution prevention app dedicated to the reduction of single-use plastics. Two years later, Halle Anderson, Deepika Bogahawatta and Chloe Kyprios, also known as P-Cubed, are still celebrating after Queensland finally started its single-use plastics ban.

Read: How You Can Help RSPCA Queensland in Wacol Identify What’s Killing Lorikeets

The trio felt a sense of accomplishment after the State Government announced the start of the single-use plastic ban on 1 September 2021. This ban covers single-use plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates and unenclosed bowls, as well as single-use takeaway containers and cups made from expanded polystyrene.

Photo credit: P-Cubed Plastic Pollution Preventers/Facebook

The girls’ free multi-platform app, Plastic Pollution Preventers, allows users to record the quantity of plastic used and make better choices when purchasing products and choosing recyclable and reusable plastic bags.

The app is unique for two reasons; it allows users to track their plastic use, and it has been designed specifically with young Queenslanders in mind.

“We began our mission with our Tech Girls App in 2018 followed, it up with our Technovation entry in 2019 and at 10 and 11 years of age and a little misguided we presented our passionate speech to ban single-used plastic at the Brisbane City Council Chambers in front of a full Council in 2019, only to be told we were lobbying the wrong level of government,” shared the girls in a Facebook post. But it appears the girls’ efforts have not gone to waste.

They encourage everyone to visit the Queensland Government’s website to learn more about the ban and how it would benefit individuals, schools, and even businesses.

The girls also thanked everyone who helped them on their journey to pursue their cause, from their supportive parents to their mentors including Ms Jane Batham, digital learning facilitator at Good News Lutheran School and Jenine Beekhuyzen, founder at Tech Girls Movement.

Single-Use Plastic Ban

The ban is part of Queensland’s plan to tackle plastic pollution and follows strong support from the community, retailers and industry organisations. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the ban would help reduce single-use plastic pollution by 20 per cent over the next two years.

“Half of all plastics are only designed to be used once. That has led to more than 75 per cent of the waste removed from our beaches being made of plastic,” the Premier said.

“Preventing this rubbish from ending up in our beaches and waterways will protect animals like turtles, which alone have a 20 per cent chance of dying if they ingest just one piece of plastic,” she added.

Read: QLD’s First After-school Homework Centre Program Now In Full Swing

Premier Palaszczuk said the ban will also help to protect the Great Barrier Reef, along with the $6 billion and 60,000 jobs it supports.

“We know that these measures work. We’ve already seen the benefits of the lightweight single-use plastic shopping bag ban, with surveys showing a 70 per cent reduction in all plastic bag litter since the bag ban began in 2018,” she said.

To learn more about the ban, visit www.qld.gov.au.

New Shakespearean Cafe ‘To Be Or Not To Be’ Opens In Westlake

Hong Kong peanut butter waffle (Photo credit: To Be or Not to Be/Facebook)

William Shakespeare’s words have lent themselves to quite a number of things in the world today. Sometimes, you’ll encounter them in the most unexpected places. To Be or Not To Be, the words uttered by Prince Hamlet in the eponymous Shakespeare play, is the name of a new cafe in Westlake.

Read: Get a First Look at These Brisbane Parks’ Improvements

To Be or Not to Be is the second act of Method to Madness in Kenmore, a Shakespearean cafe serving an all-day breakfast menu, coffee, and boozy brunch. Since opening in 2018, the cafe has been delighting locals with its leisurely brunch with almost fine-dining breakfast options. In 2020, the cafe even took home AGFG’s reader’s choice award.

Photo credit: To Be or Not to Be/Google Maps

Following the success of Method to Madness, owners Urvik Bhalani and Reagan Nongkhlaw, along with their new partner Sean Donnelly, opened To Be or Not to Be in June 2021 as “a place for family and friends to come together and share a good time.”

“Unlike Hamlet, we don’t ponder whether it is better to live or die. We are loving life and are dedicated to serve you the best coffee you can possibly find in all of Brisbane,” quipped the owners.

Photo credit: To Be or Not to Be/Facebook

Like the first restaurant, the food items pay homage to The Bard, but in a lighthearted way with options like ‘Untam’d Mushrumps,’ ‘To Toast or Not to Toast’ and the witty ‘Shakespeare Dislikes COVID-19,’ which is quinoa toast with beetroot hummus, textured avocado, mixed seeds, goats cheese, poached eggs, mixed herbs, and pickles.

Pastries, which come courtesy of Brasserie Bread, are best paired with their batch brews and cold brews, though they have juices, smoothies, milkshakes for those who don’t like coffee. For a boozy brunch, To Be or Not to Be also offers Aperol spritzes and mimosas.

For lunch, they offer fermented chilli and blue swimmer crab laksa, cheeseburger and lamb shank massaman curry. Then for those who prefer takeaway, they have ‘The Bard’s Breakfast Box,’ which is good for four.

If you prefer something more Instagrammable, try their Hong Kong peanut butter waffle, caramelised bubble waffle served spilling out of a paper cup, with berry coulis, citrus curd and rich chocolate.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by To Be Or Not To Be Cafe (@tobeornottobecafe)

The restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast and brunch. For trading hours and more updates about the restaurant, check out the website or follow them on social media.

To Be or Not to Be

Phone: 3161 7346

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobeornottobecafe

Instagram: @tobeornottobecafe

How You Can Help RSPCA Queensland in Wacol Identify What’s Killing Lorikeets

Thousands of beautiful rainbow lorikeets undergo medical care or suddenly die due to a seasonal disease called Lorikeet Paralysis Syndrome (LPS). This alarming phenomenon, which emerged over four years ago, has been baffling veterinarians at the RSPCA Queensland in Wacol and scientists at the University of Sydney who are studying what’s causing the birds to become paralysed.

Brisbane is currently the central point of this new disease that leaves the lorikeets so helpless as their tongue, neck, and limbs stop working. Because of LPS, the birds are unable to fly, feed or defend or protect themselves from threats, which impacts their survival.

According to a study in the Australian Veterinary Journal, once LPS strikes, the lorikeets have a 60 percent chance of recovery during an intensive treatment process that entails pain relief for their muscle injuries, restoring kidney function, and correcting electrolyte abnormalities. Those with milder symptoms have an 84 percent recovery rate.

LPS manifestations peak between October and June and veterinary reports have ruled out infectious viral disease. Instead, they’ve suggested that the birds could be feeding on a toxic plant.

“The seasonal occurrence of the syndrome suggests that the source of the toxin only blooms or has fruit during the warmer months and has a relatively limited range (northern NSW and southern QLD),” the experts from the University of Sydney said.

“Therefore, the next step is tracking blossoming and fruiting patterns of plants that lorikeets feed on and correlating them with the areas in which lorikeets with the syndrome are found.”

Thus, locals can help the experts with their study by identifying plants that the birds have been feeding on and submit photos of their leaves, flowers, or fruits via iNaturalist. The public is also advised not to feed the birds with seeds and other food as they have natural food sources available.

QLD’s First After-school Homework Centre Program Now In Full Swing

Photo credit: Queensland Government

With a mission to help students complete their homework before they go home, Queensland has launched its Homework Centre program, which is now in full swing. The program is expected to benefit more than 1,600 registered students from 120 state primary and high schools across the state, including Darra State School.

Read: Get a First Look at These Brisbane Parks’ Improvements

What is a Homework Centre?

A homework centre is a free program where students get to have up to 3 hours sessions per week for 30 weeks per year. The four-year, $8-million Homework Centre program is a state initiative that aims to ease the burden on families by helping students get their homework done before they go home. The sessions are managed by principals and supervised by teacher aides.

Each participating school will determine the exact operating hours of their homework centre based on needs of families in the school community, and each school will plan their sessions to ensure they are appropriate for the age, learning and development needs of the children attending. A healthy snack will also be provided during a session.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there had been a strong response to the state’s Homework Centre program.

“Ensuring that students have the support they need to do their homework is vital when it comes to setting young people up for success,” the Premier said.

During a visit to Darra State School in July 2021, Education Minister Grace Grace also shared that 17 students out of a capacity for up to 24 participated in a day’s session which shows that there is a need for a service like this within the school community.

At Darra State School, the centre is open two afternoons each week for 30 of the 40 school weeks each year. Still, Ms Grace reminded that the way the centres run will vary from school to school.

Darra State School Principal Gayle Healey said the school has fully embraced the centre and the proof is in the numbers they have already registered.

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“I also know it’s popular with larger families with one family with four children all enrolled,” Ms Healey said, believing the program is a great opportunity for children to be supported to consolidate what they have learned during school hours.

“Ours is a very multicultural school and already we can see that children from a wide range of cultural backgrounds are enrolled and from across all year levels – I’m sure it will be a great success,” she said.

Get a First Look at These Brisbane Parks’ Improvements

Photo credit: Cr Sarah Hutton

Jamboree Heights Parks, the Phil Denman Park at Loffs Road, and the nearby Newcomb Park in Riverhills recently received some much needed upgrades.

Read: Personalised Public Transport Trial At Bellbowrie And Moggill Extended

Following months of construction, Phil Denman Park’s toilet block is now complete. Councillor for Jamboree Ward Sarah Hutton announced the completion of the new toilet block in July 2021.

“I am committed to continuing these brilliant park upgrades. Having three boys that play in these parks and compete on local sporting fields, I understand how valuable these projects are for our community and I will be advocating for more,” said Cr Hutton.

Locals are happy to see these upgrades, with one mum even saying it was the only thing lacking in the park before. The Phil Denmark Park is conveniently located near schools and offers plenty parking spaces.

Located at the end of Beanland Street, Phil Denman Park is like a hidden gem featuring a playground for a variety of ages, a half and a full-size basketball court, a learn-to-bike facility, a rebound wall, dog parks, and a picnic shelter. There is something for kids of all ages–there are the lower play areas for the little ones and there are more challenging climbing rigs for the bigger children.

Newcomb Park

Like the Phil Denman Park, the Newcomb Park in Riverhills has been upgraded with a brand new shelter and BBQ, making it a great addition to the Riverhills Pontoon.

“Another perfect place in our local area to enjoy a short pit stop after a walk along the river, or to picnic with friends and family… after lockdown of course,” Cr Hutton wrote in a Facebook post.

Newcomb Park, located at 529 Summers Road, currently features accessible toilets, shelter, water, river views, wheelchair access, bikeway/walkway, BMX dirt jumps, and skating and rollerblading facilities.

“Really lovely little family park. Bit of everything crammed into a small space. Slides, swings etc. for the little ones, a scooter area, bmx track, basketball court and exercise area. A short walk away is a dog park and a public launch by the river,” said local Cobus van Wyk.

These upgrades are part of the $71 million allocated to parks in the Brisbane City Council 2020-21 budget aimed at building new playgrounds, picnic areas, shade trees, and other facilities across the suburbs. The Council manages over 2,100 parks, including suburban parklands and conservation areas.

Personalised Public Transport Trial At Bellbowrie And Moggill Extended

Photo credit: Cr Greg Adermann/Facebook

To help residents get home quickly and safely, the Personalised Public Transport (PPT) trial at Bellbowrie and Moggill will be extended for another six months starting July 2021.

Read: Potential New Upgrades Planned For Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre

Operating in areas where TransLink services are limited, a PPT is a low-cost hail and ride service that helps connect residents to their local transport hubs. PPT services can carry up to 10 people per trip, can pick up and drop off passengers where safe to do so on a fixed route, and can operate on a loop.

The new loop route for this hail and ride service will start at the Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza to Weekes Road (at Bloomsbury Crescent), to Livesay Road (at Beaufort Crescent), to Moggill Village Shopping Centre, to Moggill Road bus stop near Montanus Drive (to connect to the 444 bus service) and back to Bellbowrie Shopping Plaza.

Aside from Moggill to Bellbowrie, Council will also provide PPT routes in the following areas in Brisbane:

Aspley
Bald Hills
Carindale Hills
Hemmant Hills
Karana Downs
Upper Brookfield
Wynnum Manly

Council started implementing the six-month trial of a new PPT on 1 July 2021, after securing funds from the 2021 /22 Schrinner Council budget to extend the services.

According to Councillor Greg Adermann, the route has been realigned to include the new Moggill Village Shopping Centre and the number of services reduced to meet demand for when it is most frequently used.

This service will run Monday to Friday, except public holidays. Maximum journey time is approximately 18 minutes. Each round trip will take 18 minutes and cost $1. To access Moggill to Bellbowrie PPT route and timetable, visit Brisbane City Council’s website.