If you know someone who has made outstanding contributions to the community or is facing tough times, nominate them to receive this tasty gift from Ronnie’s generous team.
Ronnie’s Club House is a neighbourhood staple located at 92 Horizon Drive in Middle Park. The restaurant is run by the Lowthian family, honouring their patriarch Ronald “Ronnie” Lowthian.
Photo credit: Kirsty/Google Maps
Ronnie was a Middle Park fixture himself, calling the area home since 1980 and building a successful decades-long career in real estate.
Mr Lowthian, also known as Ronnie (Photo credit: Ronnie’s Club House/Facebook)
Though he has passed, Ronnie’s memory lives on through his wife Glenys, four daughters, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and now this charity in his name. The Lowthian family is sharing Ronnie’s spirit of community service and good will through this pizza giveaway.
Ronnie’s Club House is already popular in the neighbourhood for menu items like their garlic prawns, gnocchi, and tiramisu as well as cocktails and mocktails to complement the food. They are also known for their daily specials like Tiramisu Tuesdays, Kids Eat Free Wednesdays, and Date Night Thursdays for $80.
Photo credit: Nathan Holland/Google Maps
The free pizza dinners will allow 12 families to enjoy the restaurant’s hospitality and caring touch.
If you know someone who deserves a little taste of Italy, head to the Ronnie’s Club House website to nominate them for free pizza. It’s sure to bring some warmth and comfort to their dinner tables this month.
Did you know that Middle Park shoppers raised more than $4,000 in under six weeks for FightMND’s Big Freeze 8 campaign to find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease?
Coles Middle Park finished among the top five fundraising stores in the state of Queensland. Shoppers bought beanies and Coles Brand pork, aside from making a monetary donation.
The Big Freeze Beanies Photo Credit: Supplied
The money raised by Middle Park shoppers contributes to the $8.6 million raised across Australia in Coles FightMND drive, which has also increased the current tally of the Big Freeze 8 campaign by $19.8 million.
Many Australian farmers are afflicted with Motor Neurone Disease and FightMND is invested in cutting-edge research projects focused on fast- tracking new MND treatments and driving discoveries towards a cure.
“I’m incredibly proud of my team and our customers with the way they’ve gotten behind FightMND this year and to finish as one of the top fundraising stores in Queensland,” Coles Middle Park Store Manager Darren Hutchison said.
“We love getting behind community partners and fundraising campaigns, and our passion for FightMND continues to grow every year. I can’t thank the community enough for supporting this worthy cause as it brings us one step closer to finding a cure for this debilitating disease.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
“We are so grateful to every single Coles team member and customer who joined us in the fight against the Beast this year and helped raise vital funds for MND research,” FightMND Campaign Director Bec Daniher said.
“From selling and purchasing Big Freeze beanies and Coles Aussie Pork products, to hosting their own DIY Big Freeze events, the impact of Coles and their customers has been tremendous and we can’t thank them enough.
Land values in the Brisbane City Council area increased by 6.8 percent overall since the last valuation in 2017. This overall land value increase is also reflected on Centenary suburbs, notably Jindalee and Sinnamon Park, according to the latest land valuation report published by the State of Queensland.
The latest land valuations report shows median land value in Jindalee increased 20.7 percent to $350,000 and Sinnamon Park’s climbed 20 percent to $420,000. Other Centenary suburbs also recorded moderate median land value increase: Mount Ommaney – $590,000 (9.3%), Middle Park – $365,000 (10.6%), Jamboree Heights – $350,000 (9.4%), Westlake – $410,000 (5.1%), Riverhills – 305,000 (10.9%), Sumner – $255,000 (10.9%), and Seventeen Mile Rocks – $340,000 (9.7%).
Queensland property is showing continued signs of strength in some areas, according to the recently released Valuer-General’s 2019 Property Market Movement Report. Based on the economic indicators, Queensland Treasury advise “dwelling investment in Queensland is entering a ‘recovery phase.’” This follows a 4.8 percent decline in 2017-2018, Queensland’s Valuer-General Neil Bray said.
“While approvals and construction have declined, the substantial amount of work remaining in the pipeline indicates dwelling investment is headed for a ‘soft landing’ compared with previous housing cycles,” he said
A total of 18 local government areas, representing 1.03 million properties, received new valuations this year: Brisbane, Burdekin, Cairns, Etheridge, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Longreach, Moreton Bay, Noosa, North Burnett, Redland, Somerset, South Burnett, Sunshine Coast, Weipa, and Western Downs.
Of the 18 local government areas that have been valued, 16 recorded an overall increase ranging between 4.9 (South Burnett) and 42.5 percent (Etheridge). There were nine LGAs with increases of 0-10 percent, five areas with increases of 10-20 percent, and two areas with more than 20 percent increases. Burdekin and Longreach, on the other hand, recorded overall decreases of 2.9 percent and 14.8 percent, respectively.
Majority of suburbs across Brisbane have recorded increase in residential land values, with most showing increases between five and 15 percent. Residential sector is the largest market sector in Brisbane, about 304,000 valuation. The median residential value has risen 7.1 percent as the overall median value increased to $455,000 from $425,000.
Thirty-seven residential suburbs remained unchanged, whilst 126 increased by up to 15 percent and 16 suburbs increased by more than 15 percent. Inner-city suburbs Woolloongabba (26.1%), Auchenflower (19.6%), Paddington (19.4%), and Milton (19.2%) have the largest median valuation increases.
The new valuations will become effective 30 June, however, landowners who have additional or new evidence to justify the need to alter the new valuations should provide such information through the online objections process via www.qld.gov.au/landvaluation or at the address shown at the top of their valuation notice, by 7 May 2019.
August 3rd was no ordinary day for Middle Park School as it was forced to close whilst its cleaning team complete their work disinfecting the school premises. The action was brought about by an extraordinary flu outbreak in the school which saw 182 students and 15 teachers down with Influenza.
Additionally, students with influenza-like symptoms were advised to stay at home until the symptoms had dissipated.
Photo credit: MiddleParkSS/Facebook
Students With Influenza-Like Symptoms Advised to Stay Home
In her letter to the parents, Middle Park State School Principal Anne Kitchin explained that the school’s action was based on the recent outbreak of Influenza A and B in the school. “The Health Department has stressed the importance of keeping students home who have any influenza-like symptoms and their absence should continue until they have no influenza-like symptoms,” Principal Kitchin said.
She further added that the symptoms usually take five to seven days before they are gone but can be longer. “We urge parents to keep all students home tomorrow, Friday, 3 August. In response to the situation, we will have a cleaning team here to run additional shifts. If you are unable to provide care for your child there will be a small skeleton staff here,” she advised.
Government Influenza Vaccine Program
This year, the Queensland Health Department launched a free influenza vaccine program for children aged 6 months to less than 5 years.
“The initiative will expand on current program offered through the National Immunisation Program,” the Queensland Health Department stated on their website.
The Health Department further explained that children are at a high risk of contracting influenza and they contribute greatly to the spread of the disease in the community. Vaccination also protects the wider community through the reduction of circulating influenza strains.
About the School Immunisation Program (SIP)
Queensland’s School Immunisation Program provides free vaccinations for a range of diseases to Year 7 and Year 10 children through all the state and non-state secondary schools. The vaccines are available for free to registered providers that are implementing the immunisations.
Year 7 students who will miss any doses of vaccine at school may still receive their missing doses up to the end of the following year. After the specified time frame, vaccinations that were not completed will need to be purchased with a private prescription.
Additionally, adolescents not attending school and who would have normally been in Year 7 are also eligible for the vaccinations recommended by the National Immunisation Program Schedule.
It is important to note that to be entitled to the government’s Child Care Subsidy, your child must be immunized according to the NIP schedule. Should there be a missed vaccination shot, your child must be placed on a recognized and recorded in a catch-up schedule to still be entitled to the child care subsidy.
2018 Influenza Vaccination
Influenza vaccines are generally funded by the state and national influenza programs. The influenza programs aim to immunize all children from 6 months to less than 5 years of age.
Other individuals included in the program:
Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that are 15 years and younger.
Individuals 6 months of age and older, with medical conditions predisposing them to severe influenza.
Centenary, as it is known today, consists of several suburbs namely, Jindalee, Mount Ommaney, Jamboree Heights, Middle Park, Westlake, Riverhills, Sumner, Sinnamon Park, and Seventeen Mile Rocks.
Do you know how and why Centenary was formed? Let’s take a look back at the historic past of Centenary and the origins of the names of its suburbs.
Photo credit: cshsoc.org.au
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 development started with the purchase of farmland in 1960. The contract for 1,416 hectare-development was agreed upon by the Council in 1961.
Photo credit: Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons
The Centenary Bridge and Highway were among the most important parts of the development as it provided access to and from the city and the northern suburbs. Officially opened on 14 October 1964, the Centenary Bridge was financed by the developers while 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, each 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 Rocks suburb 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.
Seventeen Mile Rocks have 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.