Read: Chermside Library Has the Second-Highest Visits of Any Library in Brisbane — and the Numbers Keep Climbing

Across Brisbane’s 33 libraries and Mobile Library, visits increased by more than 120,000 compared with the previous financial year. The network also recorded more than 9.2 million loans and downloads from its collections and resources, while use of 24/7 library lockers increased by more than 21 per cent. 

Chermside accounted for a substantial share of that activity. The local branch recorded 498,056 visits during 2025-26, putting it second in Brisbane behind Brisbane Square Library, which recorded 533,012 visits. Garden City followed with 461,614 visits, while Sunnybank Hills and Carindale completed the top five. 

The latest result follows strong visitation recorded at Chermside earlier in 2026. Between July 2025 and March 2026, the branch logged 373,959 visits, making it the second most visited library across Brisbane’s network during that nine-month period. 

That earlier figure was also up by 21,566 visits compared with the same period a year earlier, giving Chermside the largest increase among Brisbane’s individual library branches during that period. 

The most borrowed books

The latest 2025-26 figures also provide a glimpse into what Brisbane readers were choosing from library shelves and digital collections.

Michael Connelly’s crime thriller Nightshade was the most borrowed adult fiction title, followed by Richard Osman’s We Solve Murders and Jane Harper’s Last One Out. 

In adult non-fiction, The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins topped the list, while Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë was the most borrowed adult e-book. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir was Brisbane’s most borrowed adult audiobook. 

Among younger readers, titles from The Hunger Games, The Baby-sitters Club and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series proved popular. 

A busy local library

For Chermside, the latest figures add to a broader picture of sustained use at the Hamilton Road branch. Chermside Library is located at 375 Hamilton Road and offers books, digital resources, newspapers, magazines, internet access and meeting rooms. Its collections include Chinese, Italian, Punjabi and Tagalog materials.The branch is open seven days a week, with extended hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Earlier figures from 2026 had already placed Chermside near the top of Brisbane’s library rankings. The new full-year results show that position was maintained across the entire financial year, with almost half a million visits recorded at the local branch.

Read: Chermside Library and Downfall Creek Centre Offer New Recycling Options

The latest figures place Chermside just behind Brisbane Square in overall visitation across the city’s library network, highlighting the continued level of use at one of Brisbane’s busiest suburban branches.

Published 20-August-2026

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Read: Mum’s Personal Mission Inspires Support for Chermside’s Hummingbird House

Nearly three decades on, that abrupt farewell deeply connects the prominent Brisbane real estate agent to Hummingbird House, Queensland’s only dedicated children’s hospice nestled quietly on Curwen Terrace in Chermside. 

Her tragedy, and the compassionate care she wishes had been available to her own family, now underpin a vital community mission.

“My darling son Blake was born premature. He lived six weeks and then went to heaven,” Ms Treloar said. 

“I never had an opportunity to spend time with him at a fabulous facility like Hummingbird House. 

“The day that he died, I said goodbye and they took him away. Having time to grieve, to hold them, and to be with them after they’ve passed is so important to be able to say your goodbyes properly.”

A Chermside Sanctuary Built on Purpose

For Ms Treloar, supporting the Chermside refuge was never just a charitable gesture—it was a personal calling. 

In the facility’s earliest days, she channelled her professional expertise as a real estate agent to assist founders Paul and Gabrielle Quilliam with property matters as they worked tirelessly to establish the hospice. The Quilliams conceived the idea after becoming foster parents to a child with a life-limiting condition and recognising the need for a children’s hospice in Queensland. 

Their campaign ultimately secured a permanent home at Wesley Mission Queensland’s Wheller Gardens site in Chermside, creating a sanctuary away from clinical hospital wards where families could remain together.

Granting Families the Gift of Time

From its inception, Hummingbird House was designed to recognise that dying is a profound family journey rather than merely a medical event. 

Operating as a licensed private healthcare facility with eight guest suites and five family accommodation units, the house allows relatives to stay for several days following a child’s passing. It gives parents, siblings and extended family time to say goodbye without being rushed—the kind of extended farewell Ms Treloar says she did not have when Blake died at six weeks old in 1996.

Read: Hummingbird House: Discover the Heartening Start of the Only Children’s Hospice in Queensland

Beyond end-of-life and after-death care, the Chermside facility provides short-break stays, crisis and symptom-management stays, family support, allied health services and grief and bereavement support. Its facilities include a hydrotherapy pool and multisensory room.

Turning Personal Heartbreak into Community Action

Ms Treloar is once again turning her personal connection into active community leadership by hosting the annual Pink & Pearls for a Purpose fundraiser in support of Hummingbird House. 

Confirmed by Wesley Mission Queensland, the event will take place on Friday, 25 September 2026, at Waters Edge at Portside in Hamilton, running from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm with individual tickets priced at $200 and tables of 10 at $2,000. 

While Ms Treloar cannot alter her own final moments with Blake, her dedication ensures that other Queensland parents navigating the heartbreak of losing a child are granted a gentler, more dignified way to say goodbye.

Published 18-Aug-2026

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Read: Queensland Healthcare Workers Push To Scrap Hospital Parking Fees

The world-first research is using technology known as PExA, or Particles in Exhaled Air, to collect tiny particles that people naturally breathe out from deep inside their lungs.

Researchers are studying those particles for early signs of silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused by breathing in fine silica dust. The aim is to determine whether changes linked to the disease can be picked up before serious and irreversible lung scarring develops.

Prince Charles Hospital Research Focuses On Earlier Warning Signs

Silicosis is most commonly associated with occupations including construction, mining, tunnelling and stonemasonry.

Silica is found in materials such as soil, sand, natural rock, concrete, tiles and engineered stone. Cutting, drilling or grinding these materials can release fine dust that workers may breathe into their lungs.

Over time, the dust can cause inflammation and scarring. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, a persistent cough, fatigue and chest pain or tightness, while silicosis can also increase the risk of lung infections.

Around 600,000 Australians are believed to be exposed to silica dust at work each year.

One challenge for researchers is finding the disease before permanent damage has occurred. Silicosis is frequently diagnosed only after substantial and irreversible lung scarring has developed.

The Chermside study is examining whether particles collected during a breathing test could provide an earlier warning.

Researchers are comparing the breath samples with blood samples and material collected through a more invasive lung procedure. Samples from people with silicosis are also being compared with those from healthy volunteers as researchers look for differences associated with the disease.

Research Builds On PExA Work Started In 2024

PExA technology was first introduced to Australia in 2024 through research supported by The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation.

Until now, researchers have relied on a machine on loan from Sweden. Industry investment is enabling the purchase of Australia’s first dedicated PExA machine so the research program can continue and expand.

Construction company CPB Contractors has contributed $300,000 over three years towards the next phase of the work.

The research is supported through the Foundation’s Tradie Health Institute, established in 2018 to focus on the health of workers in trade, mining and agriculture.

The wider program also includes research into preventing occupational lung disease, understanding how silicosis develops and investigating possible treatments.

Chermside Team Looks Towards Workplace Testing

Researchers hope the work could eventually lead to a portable form of lung screening that could be taken to high-risk workplaces.

Such a system could potentially allow workers to be monitored before symptoms appear rather than waiting until lung damage becomes more advanced.

Read: How Marchant Park Went From War Camp to Community Hub

The technology is still being investigated and is not yet a routine screening or diagnostic test. Further research and validation will be needed before it could be used in regular clinical care.

Published 13-August-2026

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Read: The Prince Charles Hospital Expansion Moves Ahead in Chermside

Petition No. 4633-26, titled Abolish paid parking fees for Queensland Public Hospital healthcare staff, raises concerns about the financial strain and safety risks associated with workplace parking fees for doctors, registrars, nurses, paramedics, and allied health workers.

The petition stated that healthcare workers at hospitals across Queensland, including The Prince Charles Hospital, can be required to pay up to $1,700 a year to park at work. It argues the expense places an unreasonable financial burden on essential workers during the cost-of-living crisis.

The issue has a direct connection to Chermside. Parking at The Prince Charles Hospital costs $13 a day, or $65 for a working week, according to figures published by the Together union in May. The same figures stated that visitors at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital pay $48 for more than three hours.

For staff who regularly drive to The Prince Charles Hospital, that daily charge represents an ongoing out-of-pocket expense. The petition’s broader argument is that hospital workers should not have to absorb substantial parking costs simply as a condition of attending their workplace.

Safety concerns for shift workers

The financial argument is only part of the campaign. Petitioners have also raised concerns about the safety of staff working shifts that begin early or finish late at night. The petition argued that public transport is not always a viable or safe alternative for workers finishing after services have ceased.

Campaigners have separately claimed that some hospital employees park further away to avoid parking fees before walking back to their cars after late or overnight shifts. Those claims form part of the campaign for changes to hospital parking arrangements and should not be taken as evidence that every worker at The Prince Charles Hospital faces the same circumstances.

The issue has already been raised outside the hospital itself. On May 13, health workers held a lunchtime rally near Rode Road in Chermside, close to The Prince Charles Hospital, calling for an end to hospital parking fees. The Together union said workers and patients were dealing with rising costs for groceries, fuel and housing while also being charged to park at hospital sites.

The petition is asking Queensland Parliament to review parking policies across public hospitals, reverse recent increases in staff parking fees and consider free or heavily subsidised parking for frontline employees.

For Chermside hospital workers, however, the debate is more immediate. A $13 daily parking charge may look modest in isolation, but repeated across regular shifts it becomes another cost attached to simply getting to work.

Read: What the Hospital Rescue Plan Means for Prince Charles Hospital

The petition remains open until October 26, giving Queensland residents more time to add their names before it proceeds through the parliamentary petition process.

The debate now centres on whether parking at public hospitals should remain an expense carried by healthcare workers, or whether staff providing essential services should receive greater financial relief.

Published 12-August-2026

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Read: Enforcement Cameras Coming to McDowall to Tackle Illegal Parking

From Marchant’s Paddock to Military Grounds

Before it became a public park, the land known as Marchant’s Paddock was transformed into “Camp Chermside” during WWI. It was a major training ground where soldiers, including the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, camped, drilled, and broke in horses before heading to war.

Records show Marchant Park was a key training site in Queensland during 1914–1918. Soldiers learned to handle weapons, navigate rough terrain, and work with animals used in war zones. Life was harsh—tents for shelter, long marches in the heat, and basic meals.

A Gift to the People

In 1917, soft-drink maker and philanthropist George Marchant offered to donate the land, on the condition it remain a public park that honoured those who served. The gift was finalised after the war, fulfilling his wish to preserve the site as a lasting tribute to the soldiers who trained there.

Brisbane City Council records show Marchant’s gift came as memorial parks were becoming popular in Australia, spaces that honoured war service while serving the community. Marchant Park became one of Brisbane’s earliest examples.

Preserving a Legacy

Over time, the community added features to honour the park’s military past. The Kedron Shire War Memorial Gates were built in 1924, listing local soldiers, and the park later became part of Seventh Brigade Park—named after a WWI unit that trained in Queensland. These reminders still stand, though many may not know their full meaning.

During World War II, nearby Sparkes’ Paddock became an army camp, and Marchant Park was used for vehicle testing and driver training. The park stayed public land, though soldiers used the George Hastie Cricket Pavilion during that time.

Today, Marchant Park is a place for families, sporting groups, and weekend barbecues. Yet underneath the grass where cricket players now run, history is buried, stories of young men who trained there before being sent far from home.

A Community Connection

The Chermside & Districts Historical Society has spent years researching the park’s past. Their work, along with articles archived on Trove from 1917, helps paint a full picture of how the park went from military ground to community treasure.

Read: Nearly 200 Apartments Proposed for Kelso Street as Chermside’s Skyline Keeps Climbing

Locals who walk through Marchant Park may not know the full story, but its legacy is woven into the suburb’s identity. From horse drills to playgrounds, the land has changed but the community’s commitment to remembering those who served has stayed the same.

Updated 12-August-2026

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Read: Chermside Residents Warned To Watch For Fake Jobs And Money Transfer Scams

The group meets from 9am, with the walk due to start around 9.30am. Organisers say the idea is to make space for connection, movement and coffee-fuelled chats, with room for mums to come on their own, bring little ones or arrive with a support person.

It is a simple format, but one that is easy to follow. Mums meet at Table 26, grab a coffee and then head off together for the walk. The Chermside venue sits on level 1 of Westfield Chermside, near the Woolworths entrance, between Wara Sushi and Chermside Tavern.

A regular catch-up at Westfield Chermside

For local families, the location keeps things practical. Westfield Chermside is already a busy hub for shopping, errands and school-day routines, so the walk fits neatly into an ordinary Wednesday morning.

Hot Mum Walk Club describes itself as a safe, welcoming and empowering community for mums. The group says it wants to create space for conversation and connection, whether a mum is flying solo, bringing a pram or coming along with a support person.

The Chermside walk is part of a broader network of Hot Mum Walk Club events around Brisbane and beyond. The organisation says it was created by two local mums who wanted connection, movement and a reason to finish coffee while it was still warm.

Anna’s local welcome for mum life

The Chermside walks are hosted by Anna, who says she is a mum to her five-month-old son, Ernest, and was previously a high school English teacher. She says she likes exploring nature spaces around Brisbane and wanted to help bring more local walks for mums into the area.

Anna says she enjoys meeting new people and seeing friendships spark through the group. She also describes herself as someone who likes a flat white, though she says she has recently been enjoying an iced tiramisu.

Her idea of a perfect morning includes finding a new op shop, browsing slowly with a friend and having a coffee in hand. She also says she is always ready to pull out a deck of cards or a tabletop game.

Read: Chermside Polar Plunge Raises Record $23,500 for Special Olympics

The club’s message to mums is simple. It says no one is left on the sidelines, the chats are real and the coffee is strong. Anna also leaves mums with a line many will recognise from the middle of the night: when you look up at the moon during those 3am feeds, there are millions of other mums right there with you.

Published 5-August-2026

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AFL

Toyota AFL Premiership

Sun, July 26, 2026 (Gabba, Brisbane • Yuggera – Turrbal) – Toyota AFL Premiership – Men – Round 20

• Brisbane Lions 126   |   Port Adelaide 67

QAFL

QAFL – TPIL Lawyers

Sat, July 25, 2026 (Graham Road / Automall Aspley Oval) – TPIL Lawyers QAFL – Men – Round 16

• Aspley QAFL Seniors 68   |   Redland Victoria Point QAFL Seniors 98

QAFLW

QAFLW – Bond University

Sat, July 25, 2026 (Fankhauser Reserve / Fankhauser Reserve 1) – Bond University QAFLW – Women – Round 14

• Southport QAFLW Seniors 54   |   Aspley QAFLW Seniors 21

Sat, July 25, 2026 (Jack Esplen Oval / Jack Esplen Oval 1) – Bond University QAFLW – Women – Round 14

• Morningside QAFLW Seniors 38   |   Wilston Grange QAFLW Seniors 10

FQPL

Sat, July 25, 2026 (Albert Bishop Park (Virginia United FC)-Field 1) – FQPL1 – Women – Round 15

• Virginia United 1   |   Moreton City Excelsior 0

Sat, July 25, 2026 (Teralba Park (Mitchelton FC)-Field 1) – FQPL1 – Women – Round 15

• Mitchelton FC 3   |   Logan Lightning 1

Sat, July 25, 2026 (Lanham Park (Grange Thistle Soccer Club)-Field 1) – FQPL1 – Women – Round 15

• Grange Thistle 1   |   Caboolture Sports FC 1

NPL Women

Fri, July 24, 2026 (Goodwin Park (Olympic FC)-Field 1) – NPL – Women – Round 24

• Olympic FC 0   |   Brisbane City 3

NBL1 North

Sat, July 25, 2026 (Mackay Basketball Stadium) – NBL1 North – Women – Grand Finals

• Mackay Meteorettes 94   |   Northside Wizards 87

QRL

Sat, July 25, 2026 (Albert Park, Gympie) – QRL – Hostplus Cup – Men – Round 19

• Sunshine Coast Falcons 32   |   Norths Devils 14

The post North Brisbane Area Sports Results 24-26 July 2026 appeared first on Chermside News.

Read: Game Day Risks: The Winter Sports Injuries Doctors Want Parents To Know About

The campaign, called Money Trap, is backed by the Australian Government and aims to help people recognise warning signs before they become involved in suspicious money movements. Crime Stoppers says some people are being approached through fake job offers, social media messages and promises of easy money.

Crime Stoppers Queensland CEO David Hansen said these approaches can look convincing at first.

“Whether it’s a message on social media, an online job advertisement or someone asking to use your bank account, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Mr Hansen said.

The campaign is focused on protecting international students and temporary visa holders, but Mr Hansen said the warning applies to everyone.

Local crime data puts the warning into context

The warning comes as crime data for Chermside shows 3,841 offences recorded over the past year, from 23 July 2025 to 22 July 2026.

The largest category was other theft, with 2,046 offences. Other recorded offences included drug offences with 582, good order offences with 222, assault with 179 and traffic and related offences with 165.

The data also shows that 2,055 offences happened between 6am and 2pm, and Thursday recorded the highest number of offences across the week.

The figures do not relate to the Money Trap campaign itself, but they show why residents may want to stay careful about the messages, offers and requests they receive online.

The warning signs to look out for

Crime Stoppers says people should be cautious if they see:

    unsolicited job offers promising easy money

    requests to receive or transfer money through a personal bank account

    requests to share banking details or allow another person to use an account

    pressure to act quickly or keep the arrangement secret

Mr Hansen said people can help protect themselves and others by learning the warning signs, talking about them with family and friends, and reporting suspicious behaviour anonymously.

“By learning the warning signs, talking about them with family and friends and reporting suspicious behaviour anonymously, Queenslanders can play an important role in protecting their communities,” he said.

Crime Stoppers says anyone with information about suspicious criminal activity can report it safely and anonymously through its hotline or website.

Read: When Your GP Says, “You’ll Need a Scan”: Why a New Carseldine Imaging Clinic Matters

For Chermside locals, the message is simple: if a job offer, payment request or online message does not feel right, stop and check before you act.

Published 23-July-2026

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Read: Chermside Residents Warned To Watch For Fake Jobs And Money Transfer Scams

Chermside Polar Plunge Draws Broad Participation

The fundraiser was held at Chermside pool on Sunday, 12 July, with participants diving into winter water made colder by additional bags of ice.

The event formed part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run, an international initiative that raises funds and awareness for Special Olympics athletes living with intellectual disabilities. Queensland Police Service officers and recruits took part alongside Australian Federal Police personnel, members of the Pacific Police Support Group, athletes and community teams.

Sergeant Brett Price, founder and president of Law Enforcement Torch Run Queensland, said the event was intended to support Special Olympics athletes, raise funds and strengthen connections between police and the community.

The AFP’s Northern Command joined QPS for the plunge, with participants drawn from sworn and professional roles. They included members of the executive team, ACCCE, CACTF and K9, as well as Protective Service Officer recruits and trainers.

Police officers from across the Pacific also participated through the Pacific Police Support Group. The group brings officers from across the Pacific to live and train in Brisbane.

Among those entering the water were Sergeant Courtney Russell and her son Slade, a Special Olympics athlete and basketballer. Community teams also participated in the plunge.

Uniforms and Television-Inspired Costumes

Some AFP personnel completed the challenge in uniform, while others wore costumes based on Detective Andy Sipowicz from the television series NYPD Blue. Their outfits featured short-sleeved shirts, ties and fake moustaches.

Queensland Police recruits were also among those who entered the ice-cooled pool during the event.

Funds Support Training and Competition

The Chermside Polar Plunge raised more than $23,500 on the day. The total made the fourth annual event the most successful edition held so far.

Read: New World Order: How The 2026 World Cup Shifted Football’s Balance

The money will help Special Olympics athletes access training and competition opportunities as they pursue their sporting goals. Special Olympics Australia forms part of a global movement that uses sport to promote inclusion for people with intellectual disability and/or autism.

The fundraiser also marked 100 days until the start of the Special Olympics Australia National Games in Melbourne.

Published 21-July-2026

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Read: Chermside Gardener Reveals Daily Habits after Reaching 101 Years of Age

It happens every year. As the cooler months bring football codes, netball and soccer back into action, the injuries follow. 

The most common injuries 

Lower limb injuries, particularly to the knee and ankle, make up a significant portion of sports injury presentations at the ED. Emergency Staff Specialist Dr Faye Jordan said suspected fractures should be prioritised.

“Suspected fractures should be seen to as a priority, ideally through the local emergency department where x-rays can be used to confirm the diagnosis,” she said.

Musculoskeletal injuries respond better to early assessment. Playing through pain risks a minor problem becoming a season-ending one.

When a head knock happens 

Concussion is one of the most common injuries managed by the ED and requires careful attention from the moment it happens. The rule is simple: any knock to the head means off the field, no exceptions, until a proper medical assessment has been done and the child is specifically cleared to return.

“It’s important for parents and teachers to remember the single most critical step — if a child takes a knock to the head, they should come off the field immediately and not return to play until they have been properly assessed and specifically cleared to do so,” Dr Jordan said.

Headache, difficulty remembering events before or after the knock, and trouble concentrating are common signs — but not all concussions show symptoms straight away. That’s exactly why caution matters more than gut feeling.

The first 48 hours matter 

A second impact before the brain has recovered can significantly worsen the original injury and extend recovery time.

Children should be removed from contact sport and physical education immediately following any head knock, not just when symptoms appear.

Reduced screen time and light exercise such as walking in the first 48 hours can speed recovery. Dr. Jordan warns that players should strictly avoid returning to sport prematurely to prevent secondary reinjury. 

Reducing injury risks 

Regular training helps young athletes build the skills and physical resilience needed to reduce injury risk.

Beyond that, Dr Jordan’s advice is straightforward: warm up properly, wear correctly fitted protective equipment including mouthguards and headgear, and come off the field if something hurts rather than pushing through and turning a minor issue into a significant one.

Knowing where to seek help 

The Prince Charles Hospital Emergency Department is at Rode Road, Chermside, and handles urgent and critical presentations.

For injuries that need attention but are not an emergency, GPs, urgent care clinics, Satellite Health Centres and the Virtual Emergency Care Service are all faster and more appropriate options. Health advice is available around the clock by calling 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84).

Read: Chermside-Based Disability Employment Program ORCA to Close After Eight Years

Published 10-July-2026

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