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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.

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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.

Read: Sinnamon Park Aged Care Staff to Receive $50 Gift Vouchers for a Jab

“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.

Sinnamon Park Aged Care Staff to Receive $50 Gift Vouchers for a Jab

Workers at an aged care facility in Sinnamon Park will receive a $50 gift voucher if they have their COVID-19 vaccination following the provider’s move to accelerate its program to protect workers and residents.

Wesley Mission Queensland CEO Jude Emmer has revealed that hundreds of the staff at the Sinnamon Village Aged Care have already benefitted from the vaccination service and received their vouchers for their first jab before 15 June 2021. They will conduct another on-site jab with the Pfizer vaccine in the coming weeks.

In a statement, Mr Emmer said that they ramped up their efforts to vaccinate the staff members who have to deal face-to-face with their residents. Apart from the Sinnamon Park aged care facility, vaccinations will also be underway at their disability sites and care homes, as well as their hospice facility, Hummingbird House.

Mr Emmer said that they have regularly communicated with the staff on the importance of protecting each other. The provider has also been regularly in touch with Queensland Health.

It comes as Queensland has entered into a three-day lockdown and reinstated safety protocols like social distancing and wearing face masks after an unvaccinated receptionist from the Prince Charles Hospital, who visited North Queensland, became positive for the COVID-19 Delta variant. Health authorities are still investigating if she was infected whilst at work.

Seventeen Mile Rocks Company Intellidesign Receives $59-K Government Grant

Seventeen Mile Rocks electronics and manufacturing company Intellidesign has received a generous grant for the company’s cyber and physical security certification.

Melissa Price, the Minister for Defence Industry, announced on the 1st of June 2021 that Intellidesign, an electronics design and manufacturing company based in Seventeen Mile Rocks, was to receive a share of $837,000 in grants among five other small Australian businesses in a bid to boost their competitiveness on the world stage.

The grants, dubbed the Defence Global Competitiveness Grants, are a critical program designed by the Morrison Government to make the nation’s defence industry more powerful and more globally competitive, and according to Minister Price, each of the six companies that received the grant have benefitted.

“Supporting the export capability of Australian small-to-medium enterprises strengthens their international competitiveness and drives innovation,” Minister Price said. “It allows them to provide cutting-edge and cost-effective capabilities to the Australian Defence Force. By investing in Australian businesses, the Morrison Government is delivering on its promise to generate jobs for Australians as a vital part of our economic recovery from COVID-19.”

Intellidesign in particular has been given a total of $59,908 to upgrade the company’s cyber and physical security and help them acquire certification. These upgrades will allow businesses to pursue export opportunities with global primes and overseas defence forces.

About Intellidesign

Intellidesign is a company that specialises in electronics and manufacturing, with teams that possess numerous sets of skills to create a wide variety of products such as surgical instruments, mobile wireless communication devices, robotics, and many more. The markets they cater to are varied, electronics to establishments such as hospitals and even underground mines.

The Intellidesign headquarters can be found at 99 Bluestone Circuit, Seventeen Mile Rocks. For more information, visit their website here. For the latest updates concerning the company and their projects, follow their Facebook page.

Popular Bellbowrie Bakery Closes After 29 Years

After 29 years in the business and selling one million loaves of bread, Bellbowrie Bakery is now closed. Tell us what you loved about this local bakery here.

The Bellbowrie Bakery, founded by Fran Alt, is one of the few small and local businesses who’ve managed to endure the test of time, becoming a beloved hallmark in the community by providing people with bread and baked goods for 29 years. In 2021, Ms Alt decided to close up shop for good and retire after selling over a million pies and pastries throughout the shop’s stay in Bellbowrie.

In 2011, the bakery managed to survive a devastating flood that almost put them out of business, with water over the roof. Thanks to the efforts of the local community, the shop was stripped and reestablished — a testament to the strength of the suburb’s solidarity and closeness with the Alt family.

Bellbowrie Bakery was first established by Fran Alt in the Bellbowrie shopping centre in 1992, and at the time, her children were still only teenagers. She mentioned that she’s known many of her customers for a long time, growing alongside the shop and that the kids who entered the bakery were the children of people she’d sold baked goods to when they were children.

Photo credit: Facebook/Bellbowrie Bakery

Ms Alt remarked that she knew just about everyone in the suburb before recalling that there was enough trust between members of the community that if a customer didn’t have enough change, they could always just pay the next time they came in. There were even instances where Ms Alt drove local school children back to their homes when she came to close the shop for the day.

Though she’s sad to say goodbye to the community she’d become a part of for three generations, Ms Alt is looking forward to her retirement after working seven days a week with only one or two weeks worth of vacations in a year.

The former site of the Bellbowrie Bakery was located at the Bellbowrie shopping centre at 37 Birkin Rd, Bellbowrie.

QPS Disaster Victim Identification Squad Adds 15 Members, Celebrates 40 Years in Wacol

Did you know that the Queensland Police Service has a Disaster Victim Identification Squad? The exclusive group has turned 40 years old and has welcomed 15 new members during a practitioners’ at the Bob Atkinson Operational Capabilities Centre in Wacol.

QPS’s Disaster Victim Identification Squad are mostly part-timers who have such challenging jobs. They are one of the first groups on the scene during a major incident, such as natural or air disasters, assisting other units in the identification of the deceased.

The group, now 71-member strong, also works with the police during investigations into suicide, homicide, and traffic accidents, where identifying bodies may be difficult.

Established on 1 June 1981, the Disaster Victim Identification Squad started off with 45 members. Before the newbies finished their practitioners’ course, the team had 56 dedicated members who have experience working as Constables to Senior Sergeants.

Their expertise is not limited to Australia as the squad also helped during the following tragic occurrences in the last two decades:

2002 Bali bombings
2004 Thailand for the Indian Ocean earthquake and resulting tsunami
2009 Victorian bushfires
2011 Christchurch earthquake
2014 Netherlands for the shooting down of MH17
2019 Christchurch mosque shootings
2019 Whakaari/White Island volcano eruption

“[The squad] make ongoing and valuable contributions to not only the Queensland community, interstate and internationally but most importantly to the family and friends of disaster victims,” Acting Deputy Commissioner Chelepy said.

On the other hand, Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services The Honourable Mark Ryan congratulated the new members during the five-day course in Wacol as their decision to join this specialised group was “not an easy decision to make.”

“I commend all of you for making this choice to assist the Queensland community and all victims of disaster,” Mr Ryan said. “You have shown courage and bravery, and I sincerely thank you for putting yourself forward for such a role within the Service.”