Attention, Chermside! Looking for fun and free activities that the whole family can enjoy over the school holidays? Join these upcoming events for all ages at Westfield Chermside this Easter 2023.
On Saturday 1 April, dress in your best pastels and “hop” on down to their free Hip-Hop Easter Disco. Plus, there will be a face painting booth on the day to complete your outfit! A live DJ will be playing all your favourite tunes, so get ready to whip out your best moves. Bookings are not required in this free event.
Exclusive for Easter 2023, Westfield Plus members will be able to enjoy some giveaways such as a free pair of bunny ears, which can be redeemed at the giveaway cart.
When
Saturday 1 April 2023
Time
4:00 pm & 6:00 pm
Where
Under the Dome (Level 2 Outdoor Dining Precinct)
Meet the Easter Bunny at Westfield Chermside
Photo credit: Tim Gouw/Pexels
The Easter Bunny is hopping in for visits to Westfield Chermside. Find them bringing smiles (and delicious chocolate) to everyone.
When
Thursday 6 April, Saturday 8 April, Sunday 9 April
Time
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where
Bouncing around the Centre
Westfield Centres Easter Key Trading Hours
Please note that in observance of Good Friday on 7 April 2023, all Westfield centres throughout Queensland will be closed.
All stores will be open from Saturday, 8 April, so you could shop for fresh produce, delicious Easter treats, and the annual stock up of chocolate eggs for an epic hunt for the kids.
Take control of your financial future and learn how to manage your superannuation and join the free financial literacy workshop at the Kedron-Wavell Services Club in Chermside.
Two events to teach Queenslanders how to be moneywise will take place on Tuesday, 28 March 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. One workshop is for members providing a fund and investment update and a second event for all residents over the age of 50 on getting set for retirement.
Interested participants at this Brighter Super event are expected to sign up and register for a slot.
A recent survey by Finder revealed that just 16% of Australians sought financial advice in 2022*. The most common reasons the majority of the country gave for not seeking financial advice was that they preferred to manage their own money, closely followed by the cost of advice being too expensive.
Brighter Super Chief Experience Officer Lisa Kay said that Brighter Super’s mission was to open the doors for Queenslanders to be equipped with financial literacy regardless of their financial situation.
“We are finding these events to be really successful in supporting our members to access additional personal advice to help them with decision making for a brighter future,” she said.
With the federal government looking at making legislative changes to make good financial advice more accessible, the superannuation industry has a greater opportunity to provide more Australians affordable comprehensive advice, and Brighter Super is already thinking ahead.
Brighter Super Head of Advice Steven O’Donoghue said that amidst market change and inflation, it was more crucial than ever that Queenslanders enhanced their financial literacy and sought professional financial advice.
“We believe that every Queenslander deserves high quality, accessible and affordable financial advice regardless of their funds,” Mr O’Donoghue said.
“Many Australians underestimate how much money they will need for retirement. Once you have retired (or semi-retired), your main income will diminish. With the cost-of-living increases foremost on our minds, now is the time to take ownership over your financial planning as the market changes settle.
“This is why, in addition to general advice and super health checks, Brighter Super offers all members an annual session with a trained financial advisor where they can receive specific, limited advice on a single issue related to super, at no additional cost.
“Quality advice is not always, and perhaps not often, comprehensive advice – it is advice that responds to the needs of consumers which makes this the best value for our members,” he said.
*16% of Australian adults have a financial advisor or planner, according to Finder’s 2022 Financial Advisor Report
Nine years after it was launched, popular dessert cocktail bar business Cowch, with venues in Chermside, South Bank, Mt Gravatt and Broadbeach, announced that it has entered into voluntary administration.
“Dear valued Cowchies, we write to you today with a heavy heart to inform you of the difficult decision we have made to put the Cowch Group of entities into Voluntary Administration,” their social media post announcing the sad news reads.
“As the founders of Cowch, we have poured our hearts and souls into creating a fun, safe and inclusive space for families to make cherished memories since we first opened our doors in South Bank in 2014”
Photo credit: Facebook / Cowch
“Seeing Cowch grow into a beloved brand with multiple venues and a manufacturing business has been an incredible journey, and we could not have done it without the support of our wonderful community.
“However, like many other small businesses, we have been faced with challenges beyond our control, including COVID-19 pandemic, floods, and ongoing economic difficulties.”
In the announcement made 14 March 2023, SV Partners were appointed Administrators with Terry van der Velde and Terry Rose leading the appointment.
SV Partners said that Cowch is a well-known and loved brand and working with management, staff, creditors, and other stakeholders, they are committed to exploring all options to ensure the business’s future success.
The Administrators have already commenced an immediate assessment of the business operations and financial position and will be liaising with all stakeholders in the coming days and weeks to explore all available options.
Claire Schultz, a 90-year-old Chermside local, was diagnosed with Australia’s deadliest female cancer and given only two months to live; yet she has defied the odds and continues to beat the disease six years on.
With a 5-yr survival rate of only 49%, ovarian cancer may be diagnosed at any age but the highest rates occur among women between the ages of 85 to 89 years old. Sadly, the survivability of this disease also dwindles with age.
In 2017, Claire consulted with a GP about pain in her leg but was soon told that it was cancer and she only had two months left to live. With such as short timeframe, Claire was determined to find the best help she could given the challenges of cancer procedures. She wanted a top oncologist who could guide her through her diagnosis and treatment.
Claire found the right team at the Icon Cancer Centre Chermside with Dr Jeffrey Goh as her medical oncologist.
“In Australia, nearly a third (28%) of cancer patients don’t feel they are informed enough about their treatment process, which may explain why half (52%) of patients believe that finding a specialist with the right expertise improves their patient experience,” Dr Goh said.
“Patient communication is a two-way interaction between the health care professional and the patient. Patients both rely on us to support them through the treatment process and we also need to be attentive to understand the unique needs of each patient.
“We’ve worked closely with Claire to help her to understand her treatment options, stay informed on how the cancer is progressing and to just be a familiar face who she knows has her back. It has been hugely rewarding to see Claire continue treatment years after her initial diagnosis. It’s her cancer journey, but she hasn’t been travelling alone, we’re a team.”
Photo Credit: Screengrab from Google
Through the team’s help, Claire was able to celebrate her 90th birthday and her 68th anniversary with her 94-year-old husband Merv, who has been her companion through her chemotherapy sessions.
“The most valuable support I received, other than the actual treatment would be the emotional support. I feel extremely fortunate to have Dr Goh as my medical oncologist, it was the best decision I have ever made. He has guided me through a very severe and traumatic period to where I am today.
“I always tell him, you fixed me, and he says: ‘No, it’s a team effort, you did 50 per cent and I did 50 per cent.’ I can’t thank him enough. The whole team at Icon are also very supportive and friendly, which really helped to put me at ease when I was going through treatment.
“I’ve also found a great deal of support from my family, in particular my partner Merv, who has accompanied me to every appointment and treatment session. He’s a great source of my strength and optimism. When I received my 2-month prognosis, I told myself that I would just try my best to be around for as long as I can for my family and 6 years on I’m still going! I couldn’t feel more blessed.”
Ovarian Cancer Australia believes that a holistic support program can help many women battling ovarian cancer. As such, they’ve launched the Teal Support Program in 2019.
“We often hear from women that while the physical effects of an ovarian cancer diagnosis can be devastating, it’s the mental toll that can weigh on them the most,” Jane Hill, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Australia, said.
“Ovarian Cancer Australia’s Teal Support Program offers a holistic service that caters directly to these unmet needs that so many women with an ovarian cancer diagnosis are facing. We help our women to navigate the healthcare system, answer questions regarding their treatment and provide emotional and psychological support to assist with the mental toll of the disease. The level of care we offer is something that cannot be accessed elsewhere. Since launching in 2019, Ovarian Cancer Australia’s Teal Support program has provided crucial support to over 750 women across the country.”
Westfield Chermside gets cheesy with the arrival of Melt Brothers. The new venue is now serving deliciously gooey gourmet grilled cheese toasties with a modern twist.
The toastie-focused eatery, which also has venues at Myer Centre and Post Office Square, is the latest to join Westfield Chermside, opening its doors in early January 2023. Chermside locals are now able to enjoy one of Australia’s favourite comfort foods: cheese toasties.
Made from fresh ingredients, Melt Brothers offer cheesy toasties on fresh artisan sourdoughs including Mouse Trap (two cheeses) made with mozzarella, aged cheddar, thyme and dijon mustard; NY Bagel with Spread which is toasted New York Bagel with a choice of cream cheese, peanut butter and vegemite or strawberry jam; and Holy Cheesus made with ham of the bone, tomato chutney, mozzarella and aged cheddar.
MC Cheesy | Photo credit: Facebook / Melt Brothers
Also on offer are M.C. Cheesy with macaroni and cheese, bacon bits, smokey BBQ sauce, aioli, mozzarella and aged cheddar; Morning Glorywith maple bacon, one fried egg, sriracha mayo, mozzarella and aged cheddar; and Porky Pig made with smokey BBQ sauce, caramelised onion ham, maple bacon, aged cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
But if you are more into avo on toasts, you surely have to try Caprese or smashed avo with tomato, bocconcini and balsamic glaze; smashed avo with Smoked Salmon, feta and pepper; and the classic Smashed avo with Feta and dukkah spices.
Smoked Salmon Avo on Toast and Smoothies | Photo credit: Facebook / Melt Brothers
“Just came back from Canada and saw this place pop up. Thank god I gave it a go cuz them toasties are beautiful. Customer service was great. Chips are lovely too. Come check this place out!” – McLaren Péan (Gaming_Diamond)
“Very good customer service. Food came quick and staffs were friendly. Looking forward to coming back.” – Kai Low
“I had the pleasure of being one of the first customers to check out the new Melt Brothers store at Westfield Chermside today. What a refreshing change to fast food. The store is bright and extremely clean. The toastie and coffee were on point, heaps of flavour and the service was great. The staff were excited to be part of something new and exciting. Well down Melt Brothers I will be coming back for more cheesy delights 🧀” – Robyn Bradford
Melt Brothers is located at Shop Food Court 3 / 395 Hamilto Road, Chermside. For more information, check out their website here.
A 14-year-old student from Bray Park State High School has reunited with the 6-year-old boy he saved from drowning at the Chermside Aquatic Centre early this summer.
Kruz Greensill thought quickly and sprung into action after he noticed that the little child, Kaiden Hyde, was floating face down and appeared to be lifeless as he went under the deep end of the pool. The teenager knew something was wrong so he dove for Kaiden and brought him out of the water.
An older man also assisted Kruz and then alerted the lifeguards, who did the CPR. Thankfully, water came out of Kaiden’s mouth so he could breathe again.
Kruz was with his family at the Chermside Aquatic Centre on the 28th of January 2023. Kaiden was with his mom and they were celebrating a friend’s birthday party.
The teenager said that he initially thought the child was playing underwater before he realized that he was in trouble. He said Kaiden felt like a dead weight when he brought him up to the ground.
Though he was able to save his life, Kruz said the experience was frightening. However, once he saw Kaiden breathing he was very relieved and happy. The boy’s mom was able to thank him before they went to the hospital. Kaiden made a full recovery.
Kruz and Kaiden have remained in contact following the accident and the younger child now regards his rescuer as his best friend. Needless to say, Kruz’s parents are very proud of him. If he wasn’t watchful and alert, the outcome would have been different for Kaiden.
Around 12 companies have been shortlisted for the delivery of three new hospitals and the expansion of nine major hospitals, including The Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside.
The building contractor shortlist was established based on an expression of interest process and through Queensland Health’s broader engagement with industry.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath said the shortlisted contractors had already demonstrated their commitment to partnering with the government to deliver for growing communities across the state.
Photo credit: Peter Baskerville/Google Maps
“Queensland Health has set high standards for the contractors, based on sound design principles that focus on people, place, value add and technology,” the Minister said.
“Successful tenderers will need to meet these standards as they finalise the designs, working in collaboration with the newly formed Health Capital Division in the Department of Health and in partnership with the local Hospital and Health Services,” she added.
TPCH is among the six hospitals in the South East Queensland region set to receive a major expansion, alongside Redcliffe, Ipswich, Logan, QEII, and Princess Alexandra hospitals.
Photo credit: The Prince Charles Hospital/Google Maps
Under the Queensland Health and Hospitals Plan, the State is about to get three new hospitals to be located at Toowoomba, Coomera, and Bundaberg. All these new hospitals, estimated to cost at least $1 billion each, are estimated to be complete by the second half of 2027.
The expansion of Prince Charles Hospital will add 93 more beds and is estimated to cost around $300 million. It’s set for completion during the second half of 2027.
The construction of these three new hospitals and nine major hospital expansions will also provide a significant economic boost and support local businesses, creating around 19,947 construction jobs.
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and insurers are scheduled to visit Geebung RSL and three other locations in Queensland this February 2023 to conduct in-person meetings with customers that were impacted by the devastation of last year’s floods.
The in-person meetings follow the second community information session by the ICA and insurers that was held in Rochester to assist policyholders that were affected by the October floods.
Four locations in southeast Queensland and another four locations in northern New South Wales will host the latest in-person meetings as part of the Australian insurance industry’s continuing efforts to assist policyholders that were affected by the floods and help them with their flood-related claims.
ICA and insurers’ in-person customer meetings to be held in SEQ are set to take place from midday to 8 pm, at the following locations:
February 20 (Monday): North Brisbane at Geebung RSL (323 Newman Rd, Geebung);
February 21 (Tuesday): Sunshine Coast at Maroochydore RSL (105 Memorial Ave, Maroochydore);
February 22 (Wednesday): South Brisbane at Coorparoo RSL (45 Holdsworth St, Coorparoo); and
February 23 (Thursday): Caboolture at Caboolture Sports Centre (Hasking St & Beerburrum Rd, Caboolture).
ICA CEO Andrew Hall said that 78 per cent of the more than 230,000 claims have so far been closed with the help of insurers by providing customers assistance in finalising assessments, repairs, rebuilds and completing claims.
The February-March 2022 is the country’s costliest flood in terms of insurance cost with an estimated total of $5.7 billion.
“As the one-year mark approaches, insurers are once again undertaking in-person consultations,” Mr Hall said.
“This will be the industry’s fourth visit to some locations, and each time the ICA and insurers return for these in-person meetings, we help people navigate the claim process and their recovery.”
The Gold Class Cinemas at Event Cinemas Chermside feature wall-to-wall screens, fully reclining arm chairs and food and drinks delivered to seats throughout the movie, so moviegoers can relax and enjoy the best cinema has to offer without interruptions.
For added convenience, moviegoers can already order food from the Gold Class experience, with options such as their famous sliders served with their signature fries, woodfired pizza, buffalo chicken wings, crispy fried chicken, and an eclectic mix of cocktails, beer and wine.
Photo credit: Revan Doyle/Google Maps
Meanwhile, the glam bar allows moviegoers to grab a drink before or after watching the movie. The newly added venue is part of Event Cinemas Chermside’s major revamp, which would also include the first next-level Event Boutique cinema in Queensland.
New glam bar the at Event Cinema Chermside (Photo credit: Claire Bear/Google Maps)
The interiors of Event Cinema Chermside’s boutique cinema have not been unveiled yet, but it’s expected to have some of the features like those in the Event cinemas of Sydney. There will be roomy spaces, designer boutique recliners with footrest, and the best cinema sound and picture.
Event Cinemas George St Sydney boutique cinema (Photo credit: eventcinemas.com.au)
At George St, Sydney’s boutique cinema, for instance, there’s ‘The Library,’ where movie buffs can learn about the art of storytelling and the many stories that come to life on the big screen. It also features the 46-seat ‘Paparazzi’ room, where guests can feel like superstars as it celebrates the glamour of the red carpet.
A female guest ended up in critical condition at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital after incurring a head injury at Chermside’s iFly Indoor Skydiving facility.
The incident happened at around 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, 19 January 2023. Paramedics were immediately called to the site to attend to the woman and bring her to the hospital.
However, doctors at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital said that the woman in her ’50s is in stable condition even as she remains in critical care.
Queensland WorkSafe has visited the facility to make enquiries into the accident.
The iFly Indoor Skydiving in Chermside is the first in Brisbane, which opened in 2019. Across the country, the facility has four more locations and 80 around the world. The company stated on its official site that indoor skydiving is safe for all ages and abilities. Their guests are guided by world-class instructors.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
The experience lasts about an hour and 45 minutes, which includes the training sessions, the actual flight time, and the wearing and removal of the gear and flight suit. The flight on the wind tunnel, however, takes about 60 seconds.
“There’s no jumping, no falling, and no experience is needed. You simply float on a column of air. There is no sensation of falling or anything that would make you feel motion sickness,” iFly stated in its FAQ.
“Your safety is our primary concern. Our unique design with its wall-to-wall air column, along with our certified and highly-trained instructors, allows you to safely enjoy your flight session. Your flight instructor is with you through your entire flight experience regardless of your level of experience.”
Prior to their sessions, guests will need to sign a waiver stating that they are aware of the “inherently dangerous activity involving strenuous physical exertion”
