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Stuartholme School in Toowong Included in Tuition Fee Increase Next Year Following the Gonski 2.0 Model

Queensland Catholic Schools will be facing an increase in tuition fees of almost 10% due to the new funding changes by the Federal Government to schools. One of the affected schools is Stuartholme School in Toowong.

However, it is not only this particular Catholic school in Toowong that will be affected. There are approximately 30 Catholic Schools that will be hit by this development because they are considered as “over-funded” under the Government’s new Gonski 2.0 model.

With this model, an extra $24 billion will flow into schools all over Australia over the next ten years, affecting Catholic schools. They were given a 12-month reprieve along with other independent schools before the removal of system-based funding arrangements. Under the new model, Catholic schools funded above the Schooling Resource Standard will have reduction of funding for the next six years.

Parents find this difficult. They are already dreading the upcoming tuition fee increase. Other schools affected here in Brisbane are Marist College in Ashgrove and St Rita’s College in Clayfield.

Toowong Overflows with New Developments, Australia’s Biggest Property Company Puts a Halt To Upcoming Development in the Suburb

Toowong has been the the centre of many property developments these days. The champagne flute towers on Grace on Coronation Drive have been approved, whilst the Endrim House, a heritage-listed home is in danger to be turned into a childcare facility. There has also been rumours going around that the Goldicott House will be turned into an aged-care facility. Currently, a newly-approved student accommodation development is being built as well.

Also Read: Toowong Champagne Flute Towers Still a Go
Also Read: Newly-Approved Student Accommodation Development in Toowong Ditches Residential Parking, Promotes Car-Sharing Scheme
Also Read: Historical Endrim House in Toowong In Danger, residents’ Appeal Being Reviewed By the Council
Also Read: Toowong Development Dreams Turning Into a Nightmare?

Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe
Photo credit: afr.com.au

Just recently, Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe released a warning that rental growth in Australia is weakening and demand for Australia property has slowed. In fact, growth has slowed enough to put spell caution for Australia’s biggest property company, Stockland, which has put an upcoming project on hold.

Stockland’s 530-Apartment Plan in Toowong Photo Credit: afr.com.au

The chief, Mark Steiner, said that they are holding off on building properties in Brisbane’s inner city. His company has a development application to the Brisbane City Council for Toowong — a 520-unit that will include a supermarket and childcare centre, 4km from the CBD and near the University of Queensland.

Even though Mr Steiner believes that Toowong is a great sub-market, an overlap with the wider Brisbane city market is seen. He also thinks that Toowong has “all the ingredients” for success, but they want to be comfortable that they are going in the right direction, and at the right point of their cycle. They want to have an overview of the settlements being built whilst slowly assessing the market.

This is not the first time that a multi-million dollar property development company has put an upcoming project on hold. Walker Corporation also shelved its plan of a 433-apartment twin-tower project in Fortitude Valley. They replaced it instead with a $400 million office plan due to the market slowdown, that they point towards a “cyclical oversupply.”

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.

Four Best Brunch Places in Toowong for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is fast approaching. Where are you planning to take the most special mother in your life? Brunch is always a good idea. It’s the perfect start to a fun day out. Here are some some of the best brunch places in Toowong to help you decide where to go.

Pitch & Fork

At the Corner Store Cafe, one of the best breakfast places in Toowong, long lines every morning can be exhausting. You almost want to do a double-take and find a different place. But of course, you don’t. They’re that good.

Thankfully, Toowong now also has Pitch & Fork, created by the same owners that brought the Corner Store Cafe to life. It is located just a few blocks down the road, at Memorial Park, Sylvan Road lies their latest creation.

Pitch & Fork serves breakfast and lunch only. Popular brekky picks from their menu are their fluffy blueberry and ricotta hotcakes, crisp bacon croquettes with creamed corn and poached eggs.
that just melt perfectly in the mouth.

For a tasty and filling brunch, don’t miss out on their veal parmigiana burger, garlic prawn baguette, and the salt & pepper calamari salad.

Pitch & Fork sources most of their produce locally. They also serve delicious coffee from Parallel Roasters and organic tea from Calmer Sutra. They also have smoothies, cold-pressed juices, and milkshakes.

85 Miskin St.

Formerly known as Brents – The Dining Experience, this new food venture is the result of a successful reinvention by Brent Farrell, owner and executive chef. The award-winning restaurant now called 85 Miskin St. has received a One Hat award from the Good Food Guide in 2014.

Make mum feel more special with their breakfast degustation or have a simple, luxurious breakfast that will challenge one’s tastebuds. 85 Miskin St. delivers a fine dining experience but in a more laid-back fashion, allowing diners to feel more relaxed whilst enjoying a culinary experience that mum will surely not forget anytime soon. Don’t forget to try the owner’s favourite tender, spiced goat tenderloin with hay-baked pumpkin, goats curd and toaster farro. Click here for the full menu.

Newsroom Cafe

At one of the junction corners in the busy Toowong Village lies a comfortable cafe that serves hearty breakfast all day long.

The Newsroom Cafe has various egg dishes and thick milkshakes for the kind of comfort food that everyone’s inner child appreciates. You and your mum will also love their freshly brewed Merlo coffee. Another great feature of the cafe is their special menu board. It changes on a daily basis, so no matter how many times you go back, there’s always something new to try!

Bean on Dean

Known for the best coffee in Toowong, their light brunch-style cafe is perfect for mums who are trying to lose weight or eat clean. This is one of the best places to bring health-conscious wonder mums to, on Mother’s Day. The cafe’s humorous menu will definitely catch your attention.

Check out their Flabbergast. It’s avo, rocket and Danish feta or walnut, prosciutto, ricotta and cream cheese, piled on sour dough, rye or pumpkin bread. Or try the Kerfuffle. That’s avo, Danish feta, rocket, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Craving for something sweet? No problem. They also have some baked sweet treats, such as banana bread along with other sandwiches and wraps. A cup of creamy their Campos coffee is the perfect complement to cap a delightful visit.

Featured Photo Credit: CC-BY/with wind/Flickr

Sizzler in Toowong Isn’t the End of It: Why Collins Foods Keep Shutting Down its Sizzler Branches

After 30 years, Toowong residents got the shock of their lives in November 2016 when Sizzler at Toowong Village released an announcement that it will be closing its doors.

The closure drew mixed reactions. A customer who has been very loyal to the Sizzler branch and has dined there every day for years said, “It’s very sad. It’s fantastic value.” The management also thanked their customers for their patronage over the last three decades.

Collins Foods, owner of Sizzler, released a statement about their decision to shut down the Toowong branch, “We recognise that all employees and management at Sizzler Toowong have worked very hard to make this restaurant a great place for our customers,” a spokeswoman from the company said. Showing their appreciation, the management provided job opportunities for their Toowong employees at other Sizzler branches.

Five months after the Toowong branch closed, Collins Foods announced that it would also shut down its branches at Brookside and in Kogarah. The future of other Sizzler branches are now uncertain, particularly the one in Annerley. Last year, a development application was submitted to the Brisbane City Council for a new fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru at the Annerley site. The application notes that it will retain the KFC in the area, but Sizzler would be removed.

When asked about this, a Sizzler spokeswoman said, “Collins Foods Limited is reviewing the best usage of its Annerley Sizzler restaurant site and is working with Council on this as part of its long-term business planning.”

With all the Sizzler closures that have been happening across Australia, people are starting to wonder if this is the end of the buffet-and-salad bar. Collins Foods addressed people’s qualms by providing reassurance that they have no plans to leave Australia, but made it clear that they are no longer investing in the Australia-based group. Instead, they plan to focus more on their branches all across Asia, which apparently, are booming.

Upon the closure of the recently announced Sizzler branches, Australia will be left with only 16 Sizzlers with 11 branches in Queensland, one in NSW, and the rest in Sydney.

Sizzler has become a familiar sight all over Australia, serving buffet food with a salad bar that has become very popular. However, the excitement for such concept seems to be waning fast with the introduction of more creative food initiatives that are luring more people in by serving a wide variety of innovative, out-of-the-box food selections.

Better food initiatives that are more in tune with today’s market present a death sentence to established restaurants that have gotten stuck in the past and failed to innovate. Future Food’s managing director Francis Loughran said Sizzler was a brand from 30 years ago that stayed there.

“As we finalise our plans any proposed changes would be communicated with our team members and customers,” Sizzler’s spokeswoman said, speaking about the Annerley closure but foreshadowing the company’s position on the rest of the stores.

Can the remaining Sizzlers survive the changing culinary landscape and the vagaries of corporate priorities? It seems clear that Sizzler customers all over Australia will just have to wait and see.

Photo credit: orderinchaos/Wikimedia Commons

Toowong Hit by Untreated Sewage Spill, Also Fears High Flood Risk

Friday’s sudden downpour in Queensland has caused raw sewage to spill into the Brisbane River at Toowong, Lytton, and Eagle Farm, at a rate of 5000 litres per second.

Government officials have inspected the spillages at Coronation Drive, Toowong. According to a statement released by Queensland Urban Utilities, 1.3 megalitres of sewage had poured into the river over a two-hour period.

The Bureau of Meteorology reports a bigger amount of rain near Eagle Farm for Friday night. This has caused the sewer pipes at Eagle Farm to be flooded forcing raw sewage into three locations along the Brisbane River.

A recently discovered electrical fault has also prevented the third pump from functioning properly, contributing to the facility’s inability to prevent the spills.

Residents affected by the sewage spill are upset by the electrical and pumping issues in the Eagle Farm sewage plant. In a region that is seasonally affected by cyclones, such as Cyclone Debbie which is currently hitting the northern part of Queensland, residents have cause for alarm. According to experts, even stronger cyclones may hit the island.

Cyclone Debbie a Bad Omen? Experts Take It as a Sign of More Menacing Cyclones Ahead

As #CycloneDebbie batters the north of Queensland, putting the residents in danger whilst fighting to survive nature’s fury, the whole world awaits for updates on the cyclone. Australian news networks and publications are tirelessly covering one of the most dangerous cyclones to hit the island.

Australia gets hit by roughly 11 cyclones per season, which runs from 1 November to 30 April. However, there has surprisingly only been 5 cyclones recorded and it’s almost the end of March.

The absence of cyclones this season has experts looking for answers, and what they have ominously discovered is that stronger cyclones are coming.

Why Fewer Cyclones are Expected

Professor Kevin Walsh of the University of Melbourne explains how cyclones work as per NewsMail. He said that for cyclones to form, it needs unequivocal atmospheric and ocean conditions. Sadly, the climate change has greatly affected such conditions, causing fewer cyclones around the world.

“Climate change is causing the upper troposphere to heat up even more, and so the atmosphere becomes more stable,” Walsh said.

Good news?

This may be a cause for celebration but for Australia, it seems there is really no reason to celebrate right now. Australia may experience lesser cyclones, but it is believed that the ones that will form are more intense and dangerous.

Walsh further added, “The thermodynamic conditions in the atmosphere are likely to be slightly more favourable for more intense storms. So, the most intense storms are likely to have great wind and storm surge impacts, including a substantial tendency for more rainfall.”

The global climate change is indeed a game-changer, intensifying the natural calamities all over the world.

For the residents of Toowong, Lytton and Eagle Farm, pro-active measures are a must, particularly because of the recent spillage of sewage into the Brisbane River from Eagle Farm. Timely action from the government is needed to eliminate the risk of flooding and the environmental issues that may crop up due to the raw sewage spill into Brisbane’s River system.

Photo credit: orderinchaos/Wikimedia Commons