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RACQ Winds Up Bridging Brisbane Survey; People Get to Have their Say on Toowong-West End and other Links

Despite the 13 river crossings that cater to vehicles located within a small radius around Brisbane, the growing number of vehicles, cyclists, buses, and pedestrians has necessitated a call to establish 12 new bridges. This initiative, currently being promoted by RACQ, is the subject of an ongoing survey that winds down in the end of June.

In 2010, an eco-friendly green bridge that linking Toowong and West End became a popular choice by the public during the joint state and council planning study forum. Participants during the meeting were highly in favour of an inner-western pedestrian and cycling bridge that will link the suburbs. However, no resolution was ever made about this. Years have passed and bridges have not been built yet in the city.

Last month, RACQ proposed 12 new direct river crossings, three-stage projects, and duplication of existing bridge crossings. The proposal, if accepted, will create links between suburbs such as Toowong, West End, Moggill, the CBD, New Farm, Kangaroo Point, and Hawthorne.

In the same month, they launched the Bridging Brisbane survey to get people talking about these proposed changes. Paul Turner, the RACQ spokesman said that it’s time that Brisbane plans for its future. The lack of planning when it comes to river crossings from the Brisbane City Council or the state government pushed them to take matters into their own hands to get the ball rolling.

Potential bridge locations can be viewed here. Results of the survey, which ends the 30th of June, are expected shortly after. The results will provide significant inputs for the various initiatives and will give city planners an idea of the pulse of the people.

Toowong’s Brisbane Boys College Sets Unprecedented Record Of 5 Consecutive Tennis GPS Titles

The prestigious GPS schools sporting competition gathered a new record recently, when Brisbane Boys College became the first school in any sport to complete five consecutive championships, when their Tennis team completed their fifth consecutive win.

The GPS tournaments(stands for Great Public Schools) are a sporting program, first started in 1918, covering 16 sports and activities amongst 9 schools:

BBC’s five-year winning streak comes on the back of previous BBC wins in 2006, 2007, and 2008; although Brisbane Grammar School and Ipswich Grammar School tied for the top spot in 2009, dashing BBC’s hopes for a four-peat win for that year.

Just four years after losing the top spot in 2009, the BBC team regained their premier standing via a three-way tie with Brisbane Grammar School and Nudgee College in 2013, and has been unbeatable since then.

Since the start of the GPS sporting competitions in 1918, the BBC tennis team has had 12 first place wins. They scored outright wins in the 1983, 1987, 2006-2008, and 2014-2017 championships, as well as shared wins in 1934, 2011, and 2013.

The team represented Australia in schoolboy tennis in Qatar in March 2015, where they placed fourth. That was not the first time the team traveled overseas to represent their school and country; in 2008, they also travelled to compete in Poland.

The team’s excellent standing has been attributed to the well-executed professional training program that their Director of Tennis, Chris Rolph, has implemented for the boys from Prep to Year 12. Mr. Rolph has introduced primary and secondary students to the game and aims to develop tennis players at all levels. The school’s program is now aligned with the program used by Tennis Australia’s qualified coaches.

Brisbane Boys’ College Tennis Program from Brisbane Boys’ College on Vimeo.

Mr. Rolph carries an extensive background in coaching, teaching and administration. His previous roles included manager of the Queensland Secondary School Tennis Team.

In 2016, the team also welcomed Ben Mitchell to the coaching team, Ben reached the Wimbledon Junior final in 2010 and played on the pro circuit at a very high level.

A dedicated staff member has also been assigned to assist with the tennis program’s needs. Tennis has really become an integral part of the school’s curriculum.

Could a six-peat be on the horizon for next year? Given the way the team has been playing, it seems likely that the BBC tennis team will continue to make GPS history.

Toowong’s Corner Store Cafe Sprinkles Charm and Cheer On a Busy Road

A charming and chic cafe sits on a busy road in Toowong. What used to be a rundown cottage was brought back to life and is now The Corner Store Cafe.

The owner Kim Malouf had been living in Toowong for a long time before she decided to set up her own uniquely styled shop. She created a cafe with a homely feel that not only offers food but also pantry necessities, fresh flowers, and other corner store essentials.

A new patio has been added to the place that created a place for outdoor dining that overlooks the organic herb and vegetable garden.

Photo credit: The Corner Store Cafe / Facebook

What’s special about the cafe is its ever-changing menu. Their breakfast selection could be an acai bowl of seed and nut granola with fresh fruit and then the next day, it could be offering something else, like spiced quinoa and almond milk porridge with poached pear, sweet dukkah and honey.

Delicious lunch options are also yours for the taking. Don’t skip the bacon cheeseburger or pulled pork tacos!

Your children will also have a wonderful time at the cafe, thanks to the well-fenced backyard where they can roam around freely and food offerings meant for the little ones such as poached egg soldiers, fruit salad, and the BLT with ketchup or ham and cheese toastie.

For those with a sweet tooth, there is also a selection of homemade treats that you can nibble on, such as berry muffins that will perfectly go well with their wide range of coffee and teas.

Heading on down to the corner store or visiting a cafe has certainly become a novel experience with Toowong’s Corner Store Cafe.

Historical Endrim House in Toowong In Danger, Residents’ Appeal Being Reviewed by The Council

Toowong’s historic Endrim House on Woodstock Road is in danger. Two years ago, the home was put to auction as a way to test the market. Now, residents are reacting to the passage of a proposal to turn it into a childcare centre.

Endrim House was built in 1905 using pieces of historical tram tracks. It was owned by Joseph Stallman Badger who came from the U.S. to Brisbane in 1896 to bring power to the city’s trams.
Mr Badger stayed there until he decided to return to the U.S. in 1923.

The house has six bedrooms, three bathrooms, built-in wardrobes, two garage spaces, and a pool in the garden. It is close to some of the best schools in the city.

In particular, the Toowong History Group has expressed their dismay over the proposal. They believe that the home should remain as it is, since it represents the suburb’s history.

Currently, the development application has been approved. This has caused an uproar among the residents, and they submitted an appeal to the Brisbane City Council. The council acknowledged the appeal last May. So far, there have been no updates yet on the council’s decision.

Auchenflower’s The Moorlands Holds a Horrific & Intriguing History

With its very name calling to mind a vision of a “field of flowers,” Auchenflower in Brisbane holds an intriguing mystery in one of its heritage homes that add contrast to its blossoming representation.

Photo credit: State Library of Queensland and John Oxley Library

The Moorlands at 451 Coronation Drive was built in 1892 by Arthur Smith. Designed by Richard Gailey, it is now a part of the Queensland Heritage Register. The home was originally built for the Mayne family. It replaced Moorlands Villa, their old family home.

The Maynes

Patrick Mayne was popular in the neighbourhood. He had his own butcher shop on Queen Street and he later on served as an alderman of the Brisbane Municipal Council. Married to Mary, they had four children.

The construction of their house began by the laying of the foundation stone, a task which was given to Mary Emelia Mayne, one of their children. It is said that underneath the foundation stone is a time capsule that contains newspapers of the day and the reason for the construction of the house.

A Case For Sanity

Prior to the construction of the house, Patrick and the Mayne family had already been the subject of speculation. According to the popular lore, Patrick allegedly confessed on his deathbed to killing and butchering a man, whilst allowing an innocent man to be hung for the crime.

A photo of Mary Emelia Mayne from Wikipedia

The neighbours maintained their distance from the house and the family. Children around the neighbourhood weren’t allowed to go to the house or even walk past it. The Mayne children became isolated in the house.

Three of the children continued to occupy the house following the deaths of their parents. They didn’t bear any children. The youngest child joined the Sisters of Mercy but spent the last years of her life in a strait jacket.

James, one of the children, lived in the property as well. He was a doctor and was a superintendent of the Brisbane General Hospital (now the Royal Brisbane Hospital). He, along with his sister Mary, tried to rectify the sins of their father. They donated to churches and even purchased and donated the land for the University of Queensland.

Another one of the children, Isaac, also took residence in the house, but not by choice. He was locked up in a room as he was in a state of madness. He was linked to the savage murder of a Japanese man around the Milton Station. He was moved to an asylum, where he eventually took his own life.

After these horrific tragedies, James resigned from the hospital and travelled abroad with his sister.

During the World War II, the house was occupied by the US Army. It was used to provide accommodations for war widows and orphaned children until 1971. Today, it is now the head office of the Uniting Church’s Division of Aged Care and Domiciliary Services.

Despite the tragic and difficult lives that its occupants suffered, in the end, the house has risen above all of the rumours and speculations that plagued its reputation.

Newly-Approved Student Accommodation Development in Toowong Ditches Residential Parking, Promotes Car-Sharing Scheme

In 2016, the Azure Development Group proposed a 15-storey student accommodation development at 25-29 Archer Street in Toowong. Just recently, the Brisbane City Council has approved its development in the area.

The project will consist of 555 rooms, a pool deck located on the rooftop, and a cross block link to an overpass that connects Toowong Village and the train station. The upcoming development lies in close proximity to the University of Queensland, hence the concept of the development. It also has easy access to public transportation.

What makes this development unique versus other establishments in the area is that it doesn’t come with a residential car parking. The development promotes public transport and cycling with the 200 bicycle parks as well as an Uber set-down bay. This makes it the first development that the BCC has approved that implements the council’s enforced requirements to allocate a scheme for car-sharing for its residents.

Trent Keirnan, the Azure Property Group Director said that the car-sharing scheme is due to their observation that most students these days don’t really need to have or use their own vehicle. It also eases the traffic congestion in the area.

However, just like most development plans, the initial proposal didn’t go smoothly. JFP Urban Consultants, on behalf of Archer Street, contradicted the development plans saying that it represents overdevelopment, as well as its lack of car parking, could be a concern for the neighbourhood, noting the already existing parking problems within the area.

BCC’s city planning boss Julian Simmonds quickly responded and said that the car-sharing scheme was recommended by the Parking Taskforce. He said that this scheme is ideal for student accommodation.

The development will be finished in early 2019.

Toowong Cemetery’s Spook Hill: Supernatural Circumstance or Optical Illusion?

As one of Brisbane’s oldest cemeteries, Toowong Cemetery holds a lot of myths and legends, enough to spook you out. One of the most popular urban legends in the area is located at Twelfth Avenue, which is more popularly known as “Spook Hill.”

This sloping road within the cemetery grounds has a very special property. There have been a lot of reports that parking your car facing uphill and letting it roll will have the car rolling uphill instead of downhill. Freaky, right?

When some people experience an unnatural occurrence, they naturally want to find out what’s causing it. One traditional tale tells of the graves of two young sisters who were killed in a car accident lie on top of Spook Hill. According to the legend, the two girls drag unsuspecting cars uphill so that the people in the car will meet the same fate.

This legend became very popular. People would flock to the spot in the cemetery to see and experience it for themselves. The incident became so intriguing that it caught the attention of paranormal investigator and author Jack Sim, who went to Spook Hill to know the real reason behind the supernatural tale. Unfortunately, he didn’t find any evidence to support the story.

Some say that there is really no ghost or mystery behind the occurrence, if indeed it occurs. It may just be that the lay of the land produces an optical illusion, which makes a downhill slope look like an uphill slope instead.

Whether or not supernatural forces are at work behind the mystery of Spook Hill, the car rolling on its own is enough to make you run.

For more supernatural stories about the area, join the Toowong Cemetery Ghost Tours happening every weekend.

Toowong “Champagne Flutes Tower” Still a Go

The former ABC Studios was abandoned in 2006 due to a cancer scare, when a cluster of 17 women were diagnosed with breast cancer, raising fears of radiation contamination in the area. After being declared contamination-free, the land was later sold in 2013 to Sunland Group for $20 million.

Shortly after the purchase, Sunland submitted a proposal to the Brisbane City Council to build Grace on Coronation, three glass towers resembling champagne flutes on the site.

Grace on Coronation will have 555 secured residential units, 714 residential and 86 visitor car parks in the basement, and 125 visitor bicycle spaces. Half of the 1/5 hectare site will be set aside for parks.

Two of the towers on the Grace on Coronation development will be 24 storeys high, whilst the third tower will be 27 storeys high.

Sunland aims to breathe new life into the historic riverfront site by building an urban village through fascinating architecture that Managing Director Sahba Abedian calls “organic” and “sculptural.” He further said that the project will rejuvenate the old riverfront site.

Despite the similarities to another proposed Sunland development. Mariner’s Cove on the Gold Coast, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has referred to the design as “a one-off,” calling it “striking.”

Turmoil in the Community

At the time of submission of the proposal, the planned towers exceed the 15-storey height limit for the site under the Brisbane City Plan. Despite this, in 2015, the project was approved after much deliberation.

Kate Peta Bell, a resident of Toowong, launched a Planning and Environment Court appeal against the development because it exceeds zoning regulations. Just recently, Judge Michale Rackemann dismissed the appeal.

According to Judge Rackerman, while he acknowledges that the towers do not comply with the zoning regulations, the height was offset by the expanse of public space around the towers’ base. He also said that the Grace on Coronation development perfectly jives with the character of Toowong.

This is not the only issue against the development, though. Local community groups were displeased with the proposal, preferring parklands to occupy the site instead. A local community group has even urged architect Jeremy Ferrier to propose a public park plan to the BCC to counter Sunland’s plan.

All’s Well that Ends Well

To address the local community’s qualms on the development, BCC planning chairman Julian Simmonds explained that in the proposal submitted, the developer has limited their project to just three buildings, instead of utilising the option to have up to five buildings, to which the applicant is entitled, under local planning laws.

Based on the project proposal, the community is going to have access to a large part of the 1.5 hectare sits. Also, Middenbury House, a mid-19th century riverfront villa will be open to the project.

Mr Simmonds said that the project will provide an extension of the Bicentennial Bikeway along Coronation Drive to Archer Street, through the site.

For his part, Councillor Graham Quirk also pointed out that the project has enabled nearly 60% of the site to be publicly accessible. This corresponds to an area that covers 8,868 square metres, composed of landscaped pathways, with access to the Brisbane River frontage. Likewise, two heritage-sited fig trees will remain untouched by the development.

It looks like it’s a win-win situation for the developer and the community of Toowong, after all.

Toowong’s St Ignatius Catholic Church Remains To Be a Beautiful Sanctuary of Faith and Hope

Listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Toowong is a living memorial to the faith and generosity of the priests, sisters, and parishioners over the decades. Built on property donated by the Sisters of Mercy, the two-storey building opened on the 18th of May, in 1930.

The church is known for the striking scagliola seen on the pulpit and sanctuary. Scagliola is an artificial stone made from different materials that can mimic different stone types. The technique was developed in Germany and Italy and was mainly used for churches. Considered a notable feature of the church, the scagliola is also part of the reasons why the Church is in the Queensland Heritage Register.

Looking Back

In 1928, the Archbishop Duhig recruited architect Jack Hennessy to work on some plans for a new church because the existing church and school, which was run by the Jesuits in 1916, have become inadequate for the growing population in the suburb.

In 1929, the very first foundation stone was laid. Archbishop Dug held a ceremony and said that the “the day of wooden churches are past.”

The new church was built by Concrete Constructions Ltd, using only the best materials whilst the five altars were designed by H Credington of the Catholic Art Gallery in Melbourne.

That year, the Architects and Builders Journal of Queensland predicted that the Toowong church will rank as one of the most beautiful churches in Queensland. The Catholic Leader, meanwhile, remarked that the church will be most suitable to the Queensland climate.

The Church Today

The two-storey building features a hall on the lower level. The church proper is located on the upper level. Its eye-catching brickwork is done in orange and brown, visible while walking on Grove Street. The walls are lined up with the Stations of the Cross. You can access the lower floor through a separate entrance that showcases a large hall with a stage and a verandah on the northern side. Just behind the church is a brick school.

Just recently, one of the most loved parish priests Fr. Peter Quin succumbed to Myelodysplastic syndrome, “a blood disorder which was pre-cancerous but required chemo which gradually weakened his system over the past year,” on 22 November, 2016, He was 86.

Brimming with energy despite his advanced age, he is remembered for his frequent interactions with the community, gaining the trust and love of the Catholics surrounding the area. He was considered as the closest the parish had to a Francis Xavier due to his energy, passion, and availability.

Father Quin’s ministry was very strong in marriages and baptisms. He was very passionate in strengthening the Catholic family unit in the Church community, which brought him closer to the Catholic families in the suburb.

In structure and in spirit, St Ignatius Catholic Church is truly a landmark in the community, a beautiful sanctuary of faith and hope.

Fire Ants are Taking Over Toowong, Residents Warned

Biosecurity Queensland has released a warning that fire ants have been detected in Toowong. Residents say the recent flooding may have caused the fire ants to emerge from their mounds. Biosecurity Queensland urges residents to take precautionary measures and follow their guidelines to eradicate these destructive ants.

Fire ants were first detected in Brisbane in 2011. These South American ants are a huge threat to the social, economic, and environmental state of Queensland. They were considered Category 1 restricted pests under the Biosecurity Act 2014. Residents must immediately report suspected sightings of fire ants on their property to Biosecurity Queensland.

Fire Ants and Their Deadly Stings

Fire ants produce large mounds in open areas. They feed on young plants and seeds. They also often attack small animals and can kill them. Getting bitten by a fire ant can be deadly to sensitive people. The painful sting is similar to a burning sensation, hence the name. Its after effects can be critical. They nest in soil that is near moist areas. It is easy to overlook their soil because it is usually built under objects such as bricks and rocks.

Mounds of fire ants can reach up to 40 centimetres. It could go higher on heavier soils and reach up to 1 meter in height. Fire ant colonies are established by a group of queens or single queens. Even if only one queen survives, the colony can expand within a month.

Fire Ants Invasion in Queensland

In 2011, the fire ant infestation reached record highs and the State Government found its $15-million fire ant eradication budget severely lacking. Queensland Agriculture Minister Tim Mulherin even accused the state government of putting biosecurity at risk through their insufficient funding. Mr Mulherin pushed for a stronger ongoing funding to prevent the pests from getting into other states such as NSW and Victoria.

Last year, fire ants were detected at the Brisbane airport making the Australian and Queensland Governments respond quickly to the matter because it could kill people and pets, and affect the livestock of residents. Queensland acquired support from Australian states and territories to eradicate the pests and more than $910,000 has been allocated for the eradication program’s use over a two-year period.

The fire ant program has been successful in Port Botany, Gladstone, and the Port of Brisbane, proving that eradication is possible if done quickly.

Fire Ants Prevention

Toowong residents are urged to call Biosecurity Queensland or you can accomplish their online form here if you see a fire ant. If you get stung by one, here is what you need to do:

Apply a cold compress.
Wash the affected area with soap and water.
Seek medical attention if you’re allergic to insect stings or you experience allergy symptoms.

All residents are required to check their properties for fire ants and report it right away under the Biosecurity Act 2014. For more details, click here.

Photo credit: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/