auchenflower brisbane Archives

After Community Backlash, Council Abandons Land Street Tunnel Duplication Project in Auchenflower

Brisbane City Council has decided to ditch the Land Street underpass duplication project in Auchenflower after receiving negative feedback from the community.

Active Transport Committee Chairman Adrian Schrinner said that they came to the decision after public consultation and after receiving tender responses.

Following community consultation and the receipt of construction tender responses, Council has decided not to proceed with the Land Street Tunnel Bikeway project. Any funds freed-up will be invested into other bikeway projects as part of our $100m program over 4 years.

— Adrian Schrinner 🇦🇺 (@Schrinner) June 5, 2018

Unnecessary Waste

Cycling groups were not supportive of the project which was supposed to be part of the $100-million Better Bikeways for Brisbane plan by the City Council. Cycling advocacy group Space4cyclingBNE questioned the need for the project.

Draft plan for the tunnel duplication (Photo credit: Brisbane City Council)

The group insisted that there was no need for the project, considering that they have not received any reports of issues concerning the existing tunnel. Space4cyclingBNE also said that people who take tunnel route have not experienced actual conflicts or have reported any risky behaviour.

There was one incident where a pedestrian was hit by a bicycle, but the advocacy group stressed that even the victim does not see a need for a duplicate tunnel.

The project was primarily intended to improve safety and capacity for cyclists and pedestrians using the Land Street tunnel. It was also planned to anticipate an increasing number of cyclists and pedestrians.

Because of the decision to not proceed with the project, Cr Schrinner assured that any unused funds will be allocated to other Better Bikeways for Brisbane projects by the council.

Eiffel Restaurant In Auchenflower Continues to Delight Patrons

Enjoy the gustatory delights of Paris without having to book a plane ticket. Here in Auchenflower, you get the whole experience at the Eiffel Restaurant.

For romantic date nights, this is a great spot. The restaurant is adorned with small Eiffel towers, flowers, and candles on beautiful rustic floors whilst the walls pay homage to Paris art and culture with carefully selected artwork on display.

Photo credit: Eiffel restaurant / Facebook

Enjoy delicious French classic food all made from the freshest ingredients. Depending on your gastronomic preferences, start your Eiffel fine dining experience with the Escargot la Bourgignonne or the Tartare de Boeuf that is tender and enriched in a delicately balanced range of flavours.

The Novarin d’ Agneau, lamb stew, potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, and tomato, is a popular main entree.

Finish off your three-course meal with a delicious La Mousse au Chocolat au Gingembre comme un Liégeois.

Grab a bottle of wine from their extensive wine list all sourced from various regions in France. BYO wine and bubbles are allowed every Tuesday and Thursday for lunch and dinner, whilst BYO is limited to one bottle per couple on Fridays and Saturdays.

To avoid the hassle of lining up to get a table, you can book here.

Bon appétit!

Address: 111 Haig Rd.

Chew, Chomp And Chill In Auchenflower: Keep Your Dogs’ Tail Wagging By Giving Them What They Deserve

As the saying goes, “You are what you eat” and the same applies to your furry pets. All dogs are different — they have their own needs and wants.

Chew, Chomp and Chill isn’t your ordinary pet store in Auchenflower. The shop is dedicated to give dogs exactly what they need to enrich their lives by promoting mindful feeding from the head and heart.

Food For The Soul

Photo credit: Chew, Chomp and Chill / Facebook

Owner Kay Coonan is dedicated to providing pets with high-quality and mindfully sourced food that will give them ample nutrition. Ms Coonan believes that it is very important to feed them natural food to keep their diet well-balanced and to ensure that they get the nutrients they need and zero harmful additives.

They have premium brands of food such as Organic Paws, Woah Nelly, and Raw 4 Paws. There are also many treats available.

Table Manners

She doesn’t just provide you with the best pet food, but she also helps your dog acquire great “table manners.”

She believes that it’s not just about what you feed your dog but how you feed them as well. Normally, pet owners let their pets eat in a bowl, but apparently, this takes away their natural feeding behaviour. Thus, it leads to boredom leading to behaviours like barking, escaping, chewing, and digging.

To solve this problem, the store offers food dispensing toys that will help prolong the meal times of your pets. This will keep them occupied and improve their health and mental dexterity.

Enrichment Toys

Photo credit: Chew, Chomp & Chill / Facebook

They also have a wide selection of enrichment toys. Ms Coonan will help you find the best toy for your pet by considering the size of your pet, their interests as well as their experience in using such toys.

Therapeutic Beds

You also might want to check their therapeutic beds for sale from Henry Hottie. You can even try one out for your pet at the store. This type of bed offers a therapeutic benefit specifically to the joints and provides warmth and cooling depending on the weather.

Get Educated

The store also offers dog training classes by All Pets Education and Training. Once a month, they also hold seminars by Pawsitive Connection. It covers different topics that will help you in taking care of your pets.

Ms Coonan established the store with dogs in mind and to keep them happy and healthy inside out.

Address: 54 Birdwood Terrace

Queensland State Government Backs Up Brisbane City Council’s Pre-1911 Homes Protection in Auchenflower & Nearby Suburbs

Following the Brisbane City Council’s action on preventing the demolition of 30 pre-1911 homes in various suburbs, including three homes in Auchenflower, the State Government followed through by supporting the council’s move.

Twenty-eight homes were submitted to the Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) list in August that puts the properties under protection until they are added to the City Plan through a major amendment.

As early as last year, a report appearing in other media has indicated that the past decade has seen the demolition of about 900 character homes and heritage areas in Brisbane and its suburbs, largely due to the development boom in key areas.

The Rathdonell St Home Demolition

In Auchenflower, the recent demolition of a pre-1946 home has outraged neighbours. The home was located on Rathdonnell St, and its demolition has created tension between Environment Minister Steven Miles and BCC’s City Planning Chairman, Julian Simmonds.

Mr Miles expressed his anger towards the demolition by saying that the council should do their job to protect heritage homes. Mr Simmons, quick to fire back said that the State Government should then change their state planning laws if Mr Miles believed they are not doing their job to protect heritage homes.

He also said that the house isn’t a representative example of a pre-1946 architecture and wasn’t consistent with the surrounding homes. The site where the house used to sit made way for a new development of a three-storey home.

The owners of the house, John and Susan Gallagher weren’t able to prevent the demolition but they couldn’t afford to continue with their appeal. Still, they expressed their sadness over the growing number of heritage homes, not only in Auchenflower, but in the rest of Brisbane that are being demolished.

Mr Simmonds said that this is the first time that pre-1911 homes that are not already protected in character overlay were now being protected individually. He also said that the new Planning Act that replaced the Sustainable Planning Act will prevent a 2016 situation, which saw three Highgate Hill homes demolished because the council wasn’t able to secure immediate protection.

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.