Residents in Jamboree Heights and Mount Ommaney will now get to enjoy and benefit from faster Internet connection from Telstra. This, after Telstra unrolled its 4GX services in the area.
The telecom company recently added Jamboree Heights, Mt Ommaney, Darra, Wacol and Pinjarra Hills to the list of suburbs under its 4GX coverage.
4GX Difference
With 4GX, the Centenary suburbs can enjoy the fastest 4G speeds that can go up to twice the speed of regular 4G connection on a compatible mobile device on a 4GX area. Double the bandwidth means that customers can use more devices without compromising speed.
The faster speed will also mean doing more online, thanks to faster downloads, uninterrupted streaming and fewer slowdowns even in crowded areas. Compared to regular 4G service, 4GX connection provides better coverage inside buildings.
To fully benefit from the upgraded service, users should make sure that they are using compatible mobile devices, tablets and mobile broadband units. The service will be different depending on the capability of the device.
Residents in Darra and the Centenary suburbs welcome the upgrade of the Ducie Street Park in Darra as it incorporates facilities that the community has been demanding.
While the Darra park has a new playground inaugurated on April 29, the community is much happier about the provision of a public toilet facility, which happens to be the only stand-alone public toilet in Darra.
Councillor Matthew Bourke (Jamboree Ward) had consulted residents in the area to get their wish list for the suburb. One of the top requests of the community is the inclusion of a public toilet block at Ducie St Park.
Locals have been complaining about the lack of public toilets in the suburb. The only toilets for public use were at the train station and the shopping mall on Monier Rd, located more than half km from the park. The distance makes them inconvenient for park users to access. Most of the time, park visitors ended up going home when they needed to use a toilet.
Among the improvements done to the park is the new playground with six new slides, landscaping upgrade and enhanced accessibility.
The park upgrade is part of the various projects to beautify Darra. Aside from Ducie St Park, the reinvigoration of Darra also includes upgrades to Balfour Street Park, adding a new playground and picnic shelter.
Residents in and around Seventeen Mile Rocks who feel the need to start and pursue a healthy lifestyle should be happy that there is a free weekly 5km run right in their neighbourhood.
The parkrun happens every Saturday at 7 am at Rocks Riverside Park and participants need not pay to join.
What is Parkrun?
Parkrun is a global movement where local volunteers organise a free weekly run for the community. The runs are timed, so participants are competing against themselves. Parkrun events are set in pleasant parkland surroundings and are open for beginners, walkers and even professional runners.
Participants warm up for the week’s parkrun. (Photo credit: Rocks Riverside parkrun / Facebook)
In Australia, several parkrun events happen each week. The event at Rocks Riverside caters to locals in the Centenary area and nearby suburbs. Participants only need to register once so that their runs can be timed. They can still join the run without registering, but their run will not be timed.
Parkrun runners from other countries do not have to register again if they want to join the parkrun in Seventeen Mile Rocks.
The 5km-run in Seventeen Mike Rocks start from the Pavilion near the main playground. It follows a course that turns to the Riverside walkway towards Jindalee Bridge, then returns along the same path.
The course is a mix of concrete paths and asphalt paths, with some sections possibly getting mud and puddles after rain. The paths are shared paths so runners are reminded to be courteous to other park users.
Coffee After
The parkrun is not just about exercising and maintaining a healthy habit. The weekly event is also an excellent way to meet new acquaintances in the neighbourhood. After each run, participants enjoy coffee together at as local café.
Run by Volunteers
There is no fee required to join the weekly run as it is made possible by sponsors and volunteers. Anyone can join and volunteer for the parkrun. Each week, there is a different set of volunteers. The Rocks Riverside parkrun is continuously looking for volunteers to help in different aspects of event organisation.
Volunteers take on tasks such as timing the runner, scanning the runner’s barcodes, general marshalling or any other tasks to make sure the event goes smoothly. Interested in getting involved? Head over to the volunteer section of the Riverside Rocks parkrun website to find out more.
Pet owners in Jindalee and nearby suburbs can look forward to getting better care for their pets as a new 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital is scheduled to open in Jindalee.
(Photo credit: Animal Emergency Service (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) / Facebook)
The new emergency animal care facility will open in late June at the Jindalee Homemaker Centre at 34 Goggs Road. It will service suburbs in the western side of Brisbane as well as those in Ipswich.
With the opening of the animal care hospital, residents in Jindalee and Brisbane’s western corridor will not need to drive for at least an hour to get emergency medical service for their pets.
The veterinary service is a joint initiative by Animal Emergency Service (AES) and Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS). The facility will specialise in treating critically ill and injured animals. Just like the other Animal Emergency Service facilities, the Jindalee animal hospital will provide emergency veterinary care every night and will be open 24 hours during weekends and public holidays.
Proximity is key when it comes to saving the life of a pet. It could be risky to transport a critically injured or sick animal. This is what AES and VSS are addressing with the establishment of the new $4-million veterinary hospital.
(Photo credit: Animal Emergency Service (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) / Facebook)
Dr Gerardo Poli, director of AES in Underwood, will head the emergency critical care division of the emergency animal hospital. Up to 15 doctors will be providing animal care services in the new hospital. If necessary, the Jindalee facility can be assisted by more than 100 staff from AES Underwood.
The new Jindalee animal hospital will accord all hospital services available in human hospitals. It will provide complete medical services, including surgery, critical care and oncology. It is also possible that the hospital will provide dentistry, dermatology, internal medicine and behavioural medicine.
His name is a familiar to people in Sinnamon Park and the Centenary area. A street and a park are named after him. There is even a monument for him in Sinnamon Park so people will never forget his valuable contribution to aviation in Queensland.
Thomas Macleod may be prominent in the Centenary area, but what many probably don’t know is that he was instrumental in giving flight to aviation in Queensland. His historic flight happened on present-day Seventeen Mile Rocks Road in Sinnamon Park, near the monument created for him on Windermere Avenue.
Born on June 5, 1881, Macleod was an aviator, barrister, air force officer and defence forces personnel before he retired as a sheep grazier.
First Flight in Queensland
The historic flight on December 22, 1910 was reported by The Courier newspaper to be the first time a biplane glider rose from the ground in Queensland. On that day, Macleod became the first to fly a heavier-than-air biplane glider built in Queensland.
After several glides, he flew to a height of 12-14 ft. The glider he used was built according to the Wright brothers’ pattern, except for some alterations, including receding wing tips.
People who watched and observed the experiments marked that day as the start of practical aviation in Queensland. One hundred years after, on December 18, 2010, the memorial at Sinnamon Park was dedicated to Thomas Macleod to celebrate his historic flights on that day.
Monument celebrating Major Thomas Macleod’s successful flight in 1910. (Photo credit: CDH/CSHSoc)
Contributions to Aviation
Macleod was instrumental in developing the field of aviation in Queensland. He formed the Queensland Volunteer Flying Civilians in 1914 where members were trained in the art of aerial warfare using a reconstructed Cauldron at Hemmant. He served in the Royal Flying Corps along with other members of the flying school.
Six months prior to his historic flight, Macleod helped form the first Aero Club in Queensland in June 1910. Following World War I, the club started flight training. In 1920, the government granted them license to carry passengers and do aerial work.
Queensland Aero Club was granted Royal Charter in 1935 and took on its present name, Royal Queensland Aero Club. The club conducted flight training in Queensland under contract with QANTAS, where Macleod was among the early directors.
One of his more important actions as director of QANTAS was to establish the airline’s involvement in the original Royal Flying Doctor Service. He was instrumental in providing an aircraft for the aeromedical organisation.
Macleod’s contribution to aviation in Queensland was immense and the monument dedicated to him serves to celebrate his feats. The next time you pass by Seventeen Mile Rocks or the Thomas Macleod monument, remember how this was where Queensland aviation first took flight.
If you’re thinking of a major clean-up of your home, the next few weeks should be the best time to do it.
The Brisbane City Council’s annual kerbside collection is set to happen in May for the suburbs in the Centenary area. This should be the perfect time to get rid of that old sofa, dining set or that big piece of furniture or appliance that is too big for the wheelie bin.
Here is the schedule for the Centenary suburbs:
22 May 2017
Jindalee
Jamboree Heights
Sinnamon Park
Middle Park
Mount Ommaney
Riverhills
Sumner
Westlake
29 May 2017
Seventeen Mile Rocks
Be Guided, Get the App
The city council will send out flyers to residents at least a week before the schedule, but so as not to miss the date, you can download the council’s Brisbane Bin and Recycling app for free at the following locations:
You can set the app to notify you when it is time to bring out your items to the kerbside. It would also be good to be guided on what’s acceptable and not acceptable. You could get charged if unwanted items remain on the kerb after 7 days of the notified collection period.
It’s also important to take note of the items that are acceptable and those that are not. Here is the list of acceptable and unacceptable items according to the Brisbane City Council.
Acceptable items
Bikes, household appliances and furniture are some of the common kerbside collection items. (Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / Facebook)
furniture and white goods (e.g. fridges and stoves)
small household appliances (e.g. fans and toasters)
carpet and rugs
bath and laundry tubs
wood products less than 1.5 metres
bicycles and sporting equipment
electronic waste (e.g. televisions and computers)
Unacceptable items
garden waste (e.g. trees, grass, potted plants)
dirt and stones
bricks and concrete
commercial builders waste
car parts and tyres, including car batteries
general household waste (e.g. food scraps)
liquids
hazardous wastes (e.g. chemicals, oil, asbestos)
gas bottles
glass and mirrors
household waste that normally goes into your waste or recycling bin
Finders Keepers Time
Aside from being an opportune time to get rid of unnecessary clutter in the house, kerbside collection is also a much-awaited event for some to find treasure in other people’s trash. There would be many cases where items thrown out are still useful and the owners just want to have something new for their home.
By rule, once an item is placed on the kerbside, it becomes fair game to anyone who wishes to scavenge for anything that may be useful for them.
There are no city council laws prohibiting such act. In fact, it could be a good thing overall as it would mean lesser amounts of trash to go to the landfill. As for the owner, they would not really care who took the trash as long as it is taken out of their property.
This year’s kerbside collection can be an exciting event for pickers who have no qualms about re-using other people’s trash.
You’d be surprised what other people will put on the kerb. Such as the story of a four-person spa bath being left for collection. But there were stranger items thrown out in the past that were not as pleasantly surprising such as when an unarmed hand grenade was included in the pile. That prompted the collectors to call the bomb squad to the scene.
Some people turn the kerbside collection into a scavenging game. But if you are up to it, remember to be courteous when taking items out of the kerb. Be mindful of keeping the pile clean and not throwing items around.
It is actually a good thing to re-use other people’s discarded items, but don’t give them the extra task to clean up what you left behind.
Get a chance to participate in a fun walk and run event that not only promotes healthy living but also helps raise funds for charitable institutions.
This year’s Rotary Fun Run is happening on Sunday, May 21st, at the beautiful Rocks Riverside Park at 5 Counihan St in Seventeen Mile Rocks. Participants can enjoy the run and walk event on a shady course inside the park and along the Brisbane River.
The fun run course along Brisbane River (Credit: Rotary Fun Run / Facebook)
The fun walk/run has been held every year for the past 15 years, but it was previously held at the University of Queensland. This is the second year in a row that the fun run will be held at Rocks Riverside Park.
There will be a 5km walk/run, a 10km walk/run and a 1km kids dash. Participants can join as a team to compete within their company or against another company or they can join to simply have fun with family and friends. They can also bring their dogs to the fun run and walk event, provided that the dogs are on a leash and they are aware of other runners around them.
The Rotary Fun Run is an excellent opportunity for people to challenge themselves to finish the multiple km walk or run. Registration will be open until the 17th of May 2017 only.
The event is hosted by the Rotary Club of Brisbane Centenary and the Rotary Club of Taylor Bridge
This Year’s Beneficiaries
Organisers are hoping to raise over $40,000 in funds that will be distributed among three beneficiaries, namely the Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre (Choices), the BeefBank, and the Hatauda Nepal Children’s Hostel Chicken Farm Project.
Choices, based in Auchenflower, provides a caring and safe facility for people with cancer. The centre accommodates anyone with any type of cancer, making sure that they receive appropriate support and information to meet their sensitive needs. The service is provided free of charge and includes surgical, oncological and related health services from The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane. For more information, visit their website at www.uchealth.com.au/choices.
BeefBank is focused on providing meal packets to Foodbank organisations, which feed the homeless and disadvantaged members of several communities. BeefBank is completely run by volunteers so that all the funds they get go into the processing of the food packs. To learn more, visit the BeefBank website at www.beefbank.org.
The Hatauda Nepal Children’s Hostel Chicken Farm Project is a sustainable development project which involves building a chicken farm to produce fresh eggs for children at the Hetaunda Children’s Hostel. The chicken farm is also commercial, so the community will benefit from the economic benefits.
Interested in joining this year’s Rotary Fun Run? Head over to rotaryfunrun.com.au to register.
Senior men’s team plays at home for the first time in three decades on April 28.
After three decades, the Jindalee Jaguars once again has its own senior men’s team competing for a premiership cup.
It was back in 1986 when the Jags last had a stand-alone senior men’s team. This 2017 season, they will be competing again for a premiership cup in the Amateur B competition.
On Friday, April 28, they will play at home at the Jindalee Recreational Reserve to host Griffith Moorooka for the second round of the competition.
Forming the Team
Late last year, the Jags announced that the AFL Queensland had granted Jindalee a senior men’s licence, allowing the Jags to compete for a senior men’s premiership.
The men’s team is now playing in the QFA Division 5 competition and will go up against Collingwood Park, Ferry Grove, Coorparoo, Ipswich Cats, Mayne, Griffith Moorooka and Yeronga South Brisbane.
The Jindalee Jags Senior Men have been preparing since late last year. They hope to do well in the competition even though the players have not played together previously.
The senior men’s team will also be a good choice for Jindalee youth players who have aged out of the junior team or those who do not wish to play for another senior club. There may also be former Jindalee junior players who have played elsewhere but wish to come back to Jindalee.
Call for Local Support
Senior men’s team will play at home again in Jindalee. (Photo credit: Jindalee Jaguars AFC Inc. / Facebook)
Club president Corey Sells is excited about the formation of the new team as this means that Jindalee now has male and female teams for all age groups. He hopes the community will come and show their support for the new team.
Division 5 games are scheduled on Friday nights. Management hopes to turn the Friday night games at Jindalee a family event.
To encourage people to come and support the team, the canteen will be open during the games and there will be a lively atmosphere for supporters.
The team is being managed by Mike Jackson. Paul Manning sits as head coach, assisted by Daniel Holdsworth.
Sections of Centenary Motorway registered the slowest inbound traffic speed during peak hours, according to a March 2017 report comparing motorways and freeways in the Brisbane area
Topping the list are the section of the highway from Warrender St to Sumners Rd and the section 1.5km south of Toowong roundabout to Miskin St. Both sections registered an average inbound speed of 22 km/hr during peak hours from 6 am to 9 am.
The 22 km/hr speed from Warrender St to Sumners Rd is frustratingly slow compared to the average speed of 92 km/hr registered from 9 am to 4 pm. This peak-hour speed is 31% lower than the 32 km/hr speed in March of the previous year.
Traffic in other sections of the Centenary Motorway is also found to be up to 72 km/hr slower than the usual free-flow speed. Aside from Centenary Motorway, commute on some sections of Pacific Motorway is also significantly slow compared to uncongested traffic.
Need for Upgrade
Because of the steady decline in traffic speed in state-controlled corridors, RACQ believes that authorities should address the issue with Brisbane’s road network before it gets any worse.
RACQ spokeswoman Renee Smith stressed the need for the government to urgently invest in upgrades of the road infrastructure, especially as the Brisbane continues to grow and more vehicles fill the highways.
Ms Smith finds it alarming that commuters are forced to drive at a speed more than 70 km/hr below the usual speed during free-flowing hours.
Travel time reports and other road surveys and assessments done by RACQ are available at www.racq.com.au.
Less stress, better sleep and a joyful life. These are just some of the benefits that the Mindfulness Works course offers people in the Centenary area.
Two sets of mindfulness meditation workshops will be held at the Centenary Community Hub in Mount Ommaney. The classes will be conducted by occupational therapist Debbi Lacey, an expert in stress and anxiety management. She is trained in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
The mindfulness workshop will be held on four Thursdays and is suitable for beginners or those who have never practised meditation before.
The Centenary sessions are part of the Mindfulness Works training sessions happening at different venues in Brisbane.
With the workshop, participants can have a better understanding of mindfulness meditation and how they can practise it every day. The course is not simply an introductory training session. Attendees will be able to practise between classes so they can experience the benefits of mindfulness in their daily lives.
The workshop promises to be a practical and fun activity where the language used is straightforward and modern. It will be perfect for people who are interested in learning this meditation technique to help them cope with everyday stress and live a more fulfilling life.
Find out more about mindfulness meditation in this short video.
The sessions at the Centenary Community Hub will be on 4 Thursdays from May 4 to May 25 and from July 27 to August 17.
By rule, once an item is placed on the kerbside, it becomes fair game to anyone who wishes to scavenge for anything that may be useful for them.
