A development application lodged with the Brisbane City Council aims to add another distribution centre at Wacol’s industrial precinct and if approved, the site is poised to bring more jobs to the locals.
Desane Properties submitted the proposal on 7 July 2020 to turn a 3,250 square metre lot, located at the back of its workshop centre, into a distribution site.
The company said the project will provide at least 20 jobs during the construction. Once the building is completed, the company expects that the distribution centre will be operating every day.
The Sydney-based property also wants to build a 35-slot parking space, including one for PWD, in the new building.
“The industrial focus of the proposed development is appropriate within the context of the surrounding area,” the development application stated. “Immediately adjoining the subject site is a number of industries uses, including low impact, medium impact and high impact developments.”
The lot is currently used as a vehicle parking spot leased to the Council by Desane Properties but its term shall expire in a couple of years.
Jindalee Pool is reopening to the public after the State Government approved its safety plan against COVID-19.
After closing on 23 March, the Jindalee pool will reopen its doors on Monday 13 July, following improvements in sanitation and crowd management measures.
Jindalee Pool, located at 11 Yallambee Road, is among the six city council pools that are reopening by 13 July. Prior to this, 10 council pools, including the Centenary Pool, have reopened since 3 June after complying with the Aquatic Industry COVID Safe Plan.
The pool is known for its swimming lessons, squad programs for all ages, and aqua aerobics sessions.
On its reopening day, Jindalee Pool is scheduling to open its heated pool to hold Aqua Aerobics workout, Learn to Swim, and Kids squads. Bookings are essential.
The pool offers an 18-metre indoor heated swimming pool, a 50-metre outdoor pool with eight lanes, and a children’s splash pad. Specialised accessibility equipment such as an access ramp to the outdoor pool and a PVC wheelchair for the ramp are also included in the facility.
For more information on operating schedules and conditions, contact the Jindalee Pool operators at 3376 1002 or visit the Jindalee Pool website.
Jindalee, Mount Ommaney, Jamboree Heights, Middle Park, Westlake, Riverhills, Sumner, Sinnamon Park, and Seventeen Mile Rocks are collectively known as the Centenary Suburbs. Here is a historical glimpse of how the Centenary suburbs came to be.
In 1959, Queensland’s Centenary Year, a land developer named Hooker Rex planned the Centenary project. The project was a suburban development proposal that included a number of neighbourhoods with their own services and facilities that are capable of providing for all the needs of its residents.
The proposed development started with the purchase of farmland in 1960. A contract for the 1,416 hectare-development was agreed upon by the Brisbane City Council in 1961.
Photo credit: cshsoc.org.au
The Centenary Bridge and Highway were among the most important parts of the development, providing access to and from the city and the northern suburbs. Officially opened on 14 October 1964, the Centenary Bridge was financed by the developers. Meanwhile, the Centenary Highway was built by the Brisbane City Council, still at the developers’ expense.
The suburbs and industrial estates that were planned to be a part of the Centenary project were Jindalee, Jamboree Heights, Mount Ommaney, Riverhills, Westlake, Middle Park, and Sumner. Meanwhile, Seventeen Mile Rocks and Sinnamon Park were developed separately.
Photo credit: Facebook/Brisbane Retro
The development was under the management of a public company called
the Centenary Estates Limited for six years. In October 1967, the
private shareholders were bought out by the Hooker Corporation Limited
and the entire project was once again owned by the corporation.
The Establishment of the Centenary Suburbs
Jindalee
Photo credit: Twitter/Property Observer
Jindalee is an Aboriginal word which means “bare hills”. The
establishment of the suburb in September 1962 brought the first public
transport in the area, a bus going to and from Oxley Station.
Among the earliest establishments in the district were the Jindalee
Golf Course, Swimming Pool, Bowls Club and the Looranah St. shopping
centre. With its well-established golf course, swimming pool, and
sporting facilities, it wasn’t long before Jindalee became a centre for
sporting activities.
Jamboree Heights
Jamboree Heights was initially a part of Jindalee. When the Boy Scout
held it’s Eighth Australian Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree in Brisbane,
Hooker Centenary provided the site. Later on, the place came to be
called Jamboree Heights.
The 50th Anniversary of that historic Jamboree was celebrated in
Jamboree Heights in January 2018. During that time, the participants
learned more about the first Queensland Jamboree in 1967-1968.
Mount Ommaney is considerably larger than Jindalee and Jamboree
Heights. Despite the sloping nature of the terrain in the area, Hooker
Centenary was able to develop a number of “Private Courts” in Mount
Ommaney in January 1970, a feat considered a first in Australia.
Photo credit: www.mcleodgolf.com.au
Each private court contains approximately seven homes, with their own private entrance and shared private ownership of internal roads and nature strips.
Mount Ommaney became a prestige homesite that offers excellent views of the mountains and the city.
The suburb is also home to the first women’s golf club in Australia, the McLeod Country Golf Club,
which was completed in 1969. The original golf club was comprised of 9
holes and a clubhouse. It was later extended to a full complement of 18
holes in 1971.
Riverhills
Photo credit: realestate.com.au
Riverhills is named for its ideal location offering sweeping panoramic views of the Brisbane River. In January 1973, it was mainly marketed by the developer as a suburb for young people with young families, designed with a cul-de-sac concept that focuses on having a quiet environment with lots of privacy. Many of its streets were named after rivers, lakes, and other waterways of the world.
Westlake
Photo credit: raywhitecentenary.com
Westlake was named by the developers in June 1973 for its nine-hectare freshwater lake. The developers maximised the landscape to give most of its homesites a view of the vast lake.
Sumner
Sumner was named after the Sumner family who had been farmers and landholders in the area. Though the name was originally given to a road, the suburb later adapted the name in 1969.
Seventeen Mile Rocks
Photo credit: Google Street View
The Seventeen Mile Rock area used to include Sinnamon Park in 1975 as it extended farther west. With the development of Sinnamon Park, the boundaries of the suburb changed and currently, part of the Edenbrooke Estate is in Seventeen Mile Rocks and part in Sinnamon Park.
Since then, Seventeen Mile Rocks has gone through several developments under different estate developers namely ECOSSE Investments Pty Ltd, BMD Constructions, Baldwin-Riverlands, and Verandah.
Middle Park
Middle Park was strategically named by the developers in July 1976 to reflect its location in the middle of the Centenary Suburbs. The area offers northerly views of the McLeod Country Golf Club.
Sinnamon Park
In 1989, Sinnamon Park was developed originating from the suburb Seventeen Mile Rocks. The new suburb was named after the family of James Sinnamon and Margaret, who were the pioneer European settlers in the area.
Photo credit: monumentaustralia.org.au
Today, Sinnamon Park houses a memorial dedicated to Thomas Macleod to celebrate his historic flights on 22 December 1910.
These are the historical origins of the names of the Centenary
Suburbs. To have a deeper grasp on the history of Centenary, visit Centenary Suburbs Historical Society Inc.
As a lifelong resident of Jamboree ward, Sarah Hutton has high hopes for the area, high enough to stand for Councillor under the LNP ticket in the 2020 council election. With nearly 80% of the ballot counted as of the 3rd of April, this Darra mum has 60% of the votes, winning over Labor hopeful Rachel Hoppe and Greens candidate Thomas McKie.
Cr Hutton replaces LNP Cr Matthew Bourke, who has represented the
ward for 12 years, since winning the seat from Labor in the 2008 election.
What She Stands For
Jamboree ward has been Cr Hutton’s home for as long as she
can remember. “I have been part of this ward my entire life, growing up in
Westlake and now raising my own family in Darra.”
Photo Credit: https://www.sarahhutton.com.au/
Currently living in Darra with her husband and three children, she had spent the last ten years making a name for herself in Brisbane’s not-for-profit sector before deciding to delve into local politics, running to replace LNP incumbent Bourke, who is retiring.
“Over the past 12 years, the Jamboree Ward has thrived under
Councillor Matthew Bourke’s leadership and I will work tirelessly to build on
this legacy,” she said.
Cr Hutton’s platform includes ”a comprehensive and cohesive plan”
for Jamboree ward. Citing her understanding of the diverse needs of the suburbs
in the ward, she expressed readiness “to listen, act, and deliver for the
people of Jamboree.”
Strong Relationships
Building on strong relationships and networks she has built in a
decade of work for the not-for-profit sector, Cr Hutton says that the deep
insights she has gained into the two distinct communities within the ward,
Centenary Suburbs and Darra/Wacol, will allow her to provide infrastructure and
support for families in the ward.
Photo Credit: https://www.sarahhutton.com.au/
“I want to provide families with the best facilities, parks and
infrastructure to assist young and old alike to live their best lives here in
our ward. We need to continue the brilliant park upgrades to provide a
range of recreation opportunities from formalised netball and basketball
courts, play and picnic areas and quiet relaxing spaces to walk, cycle and
enjoy the local scenery.”
“Having three boys that play in these parks, compete on local
sporting fields and ride on the new world-class BMX track, I understand how
valuable these projects are for our community and I will be advocating for more,”
she shared.
Citing the need to consult local residents and businesses, she also
revealed plans to upgrade the Darra shopping precinct and look into Darra
station, the public transport gateway to Jamboree ward.
Jamboree ward covers the Centenary
suburbs — Riverhills, Middle Park, Westlake, Sumner, Jamboree Heights, Mount
Ommaney, Jindalee, Sinnamon Park, and Seventeen Mile Rocks, along with Darra,
Wacol, and parts of Ellen Grove and Richlands.
Covering much of the state seat of Mt
Ommaney, the ward also includes parts of Oxley gained from Moorooka and
Tennyson.
To reduce interactions between operators and riders, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner is asking the State Government to consider not allowing cash fares to be collected on public transport.
It’s one of the highlights of the Lord Mayor’s announcement via Brisbane City Council’s official Facebook page on Thursday, 17 March 2020. The Lord Mayor said buses, ferries and CityCats are all running to standard timetables and are being sterilised nightly.
“In relation to concerns about cleaning and hygiene measures on Council buses, we’re following guidance provided by Queensland Government. Council has already escalated cleansing of its bus and ferry fleet, which includes daily sanitising of both buses and ferries, which exceeds the recommendations made by Queensland Government,” BCC added.
In the short video, Mr Schrinner assured residents that Council services will continue to be delivered as usual. This means household waste, green waste and recycling collection services all remain in effect and there are no plans for this to change in the near future.
With regard to the novel coronavirus, TransLink said: “To ensure we are taking all steps possible to minimise the risk onboard our services, our delivery partners have been instructed to increase their cleaning regimes to including daily sanitising. Queensland Rail trains, G:link trams and Transport for Brisbane buses will have these regimes in place from this week and we are working with other delivery partners to implement this across the TransLink network.”
TransLink is encouraging riders to make use of their go cards. Registering the go-card comes with a handful of benefits, such as being able to top up online and over the phone, auto-activating auto top up so you always have money to travel, and viewing your balance and travel history.
“A Brisbane with more street trees is a cleaner, greener and more liveable Brisbane!” Fighting words from Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner who has pledged a massive $9.1 million tree planting drive across Brisbane, with Riverhills as one of the first round of beneficiaries.
Mr Schrinner has long dreamed of doing the “largest tree planting drive in our city’s history.”
“We did grow-up with a real appreciation for nature, wildlife and Brisbane’s incredible outdoor lifestyle,” Mr Schrinner said. “It’s one of the reasons why I am 100% committed to making the largest investment in greenspace and parks our city has ever seen.”
Apart from Riverhills, suburbs like Algester, Bowen Hills, Fortitude Valley, Kelvin Grove, Manly West, Milton and Petrie Terrace are also included in the first tree planting project, if the Lord Mayor is re-elected at the end of the month.
Mr Schrinner envisions that the investment will deliver a greener and cooler suburb that will appeal to both humans and animals. Trees, plants and gardens in the neighbourhoods can also improve Brisbane as one of the great places to visit.
This planned project is already on top of the 13,000 street trees that the current council’s standard tree planting program. Under Greener Suburbs, Greenslopes, Murrarie, Zillmere and Lutwyche are all set more plants, trees and gardens this year.
The Ipswich Motorway Upgrade Rocklea to Darra Stage 1 project reaches a major milestone with the completion of a major traffic switch that will allow for the old westbound bridges to be demolished.
It is estimated that more than 85,000 daily motorists will shift onto raised, wider lanes which Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said “will boost the motorway’s flood immunity by being built to current standards.”
Queensland Premier and Member for Inala Annastacia Palaszczuk echoed Mr Tudge’s statement, saying that the $400 million project will make the Ipswich Motorway more flood resilient.
“As a local I’ve seen how devastating floods can be for our community, and the impacts on the Ipswich Motorway,” the Premier said.
“What this traffic switch means is attention can now turn to building the new higher westbound lanes and bridges over Oxley Creek.”
“This is a huge win for our community, with new bridges to be two metres higher than the old ones,” Member for Mt Ommaney Jess Pugh said, recalling the 2011 floods that submerged the old bridges that lead to the closure of the motorway that time.
Ipswich Motorway Upgrade: Rocklea to Darra – Stage 1 project Video Credit: TMRQld / YouTube
About Rocklea to Darra – Stage 1 Project
The Rocklea to Darra – Stage 1 is a 3km upgrade project on the eastern end of the Ipswich Motorway between Granard Road in Rocklea and Oxley Road in Oxley and is set to be delivered in stages. The project is aimed at improving travel time, traffic flow, safety on the motorway, connectivity, and flood immunity.
The upgrade works will include:
upgrading the motorway from 4 to 6 lanes
higher bridges over Oxley Creek, including 7 new bridges
new 1.5km Boundary Road Connection Road linking Boundary Road, Rocklea across the Oxley floodplain through to the Blunder Road intersection at Oxley
new northern service road over the Oxley Creek floodplain
new traffic signals at the Suscatand Street intersection.
“I’m proud the Palaszczuk Government is delivering this Ipswich Motorway upgrade which is good news for our local freight industry and businesses,” Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said.
“As we enter the home stretch, I ask motorists to remain vigilant, be aware of the changes to traffic conditions, and drive safely.”
India’s most widely celebrated festival is back for a fourth year in Seventeen Mile Rocks. The Holi Festival of Colours brings together people from all walks of life, beliefs and communities to unite in joy and to celebrate inclusiveness.
Happening on Saturday, the 29th of February 2020, Brisbane Holi 2020 is returning to the Rocks Riverside Park for an exciting night of music, performances, Bollywood dance battles, Matki phod competition, sports competitions, kids activities, heaps of Indian food, and colour — of course!
This event is primarily organised by the Indian Cultural and Sports Club Inc. but Australian and Asian communities are also welcome to join as part of Brisbane City Council’s month-long BrisAsia Festival this February.
Set from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., the Holi Festival continues the tradition enjoyed by people of all ages. Throwing wonderful colours at each other for fun is the highlight of this festivity to foster camaraderie and build better ties with the community.
Photo Credit: Ecutas Productions/Eventbrite
Similar to past events, the Holi Festival is expected to welcome thousands of participants this year. Guests are encouraged to purchase their colours online and onsite as bringing their own is prohibited.
As the event slogan goes, “Let’s colour everyone equal!”
Check Eventbrite for the colours and ticket reservations. This is a no alcohol, zero tolerance event. For enquiries, phone 0449 700 428 or email paviter@ecutas.com.au.
The Sinnamon Rd onramp and all inbound lanes of the Centenary Highway have reopened, after the completion of repairs to a burst sewer pipe and related road restoration works.
Northbound traffic on the Centenary Highway had been reduced to one lane for two days, after a sewer main burst that resulted in a sinkhole in Jindalee. One inbound lane of the highway was reopened at around 9:00 a.m. of 7 February. The Sinnamon Road onramp was opened at 7:00 a.m. although diversions remained in place until the road restoration works were completed before midday of 8 February.
In a statement, Urban Utilities revealed that the
Jindalee repair is a complex job as it involves a large pipe under the medium
strip, 7.1 metres below the ground.
It's a traffic nightmare if you're travelling to the city from the western suburbs this morning! Lots of congestion in the suburbs due to the Centenary Highway closure. Please allow extra travel time. #RACQTrafficAdvice#BneTrafficpic.twitter.com/pI8cZHLi99
Despite the ongoing repairs, Urban Utilities said that there is no interruption to sewerage services and that customers can continue to use their toilets and showers as normal.
“We’re managing flows by diverting wastewater through other local sewer pipes and are supporting the network with tankering.”
Overnight torrential rains may have contributed to the sewer main burst beneath the Centenary Highway, although authorities are also looking into other possible causes to help prevent similar instances from occurring in the future.
Curious Planet, the famous hobby store and bookshop formerly known as the Australian Geographic, is shutting down its doors for good. The outlet located just right outside of Woolworths at the Mt Ommaney Centre is folding its business, affecting all of 19 stores across Queensland and 63 other shops all over the country.
Once the haven for bargain textbooks for students in the early 1990s, Curious Planet was struggling to stay afloat in 2019 as it searched for new investors and pay off its $15-million debt to suppliers. Despite discussions with interested buyers, its owner, The University Co-operative Bookshop Limited or the Co-op Bookshop, failed to close a good deal.
Curious Planet outlets are currently conducting a stock fire sale across its chain of stores until mid-March. A banner on its online store indicates that the e-commerce shop is “now closed” whilst advertising its closing down sale in-store.
Photo Credit: Curious Planet
However, the outlets that have depleted their stocks have actually shut down in mid-January, leaving dozens of workers without a job. Despite the Christmas rush, the business failed to meet its sales target by over 40 percent in 2019 across all of its shops, including Mt Ommaney Centre.
Meanwhile, the Co-op Bookshop is also up for sale and is currently in the advanced stages of its discussions with a potential buyer. This is a separate business deal from the sale of Curious Planet.
