Homepage Latest News Archives - Page 23 of 40

Attention, Bee Lovers! Pollinator Garden on Corrie Street

Did you know that a pop-up pollinator park containing temporary raised garden beds and bee-attracting plants has been installed in Corrie Street in Chermside?

Read: Bushcare Volunteering: Preserving Chermside Hills Reserves for the Future

A pollinator garden is one that attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects to transfer pollen. Through pollination, many plants are able to produce fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and oils which are an important part of the food we eat.

The project is part of Council’s BNE Local and Liveable program, which aims to create liveable places with vibrant neighbourhood centres for the local community and visitors to enjoy.

Aside from a pollinator garden, Brisbane City Council will install modular streetscape seating and subtropical container planting in the area.

Locals can also expect painted patterns on traffic islands and a round plane design to footpath as part of street patterning to improve visibility and identity along Corrie St.

“The idea behind this wonderful beautification is to provide greenspace for people, wildlife and diversity, creating comfortable human experiences and offering an inclusive sense of place,” said Councillor Fiona Hammond.

corrie st pollinator garden — Photo credit: Cr Fionna Hammond/Facebook

Corrie St has been identified as one of the locations of the BNE Local and Liveable program in its second year in 2022. At present, a pop-up plaza outside the Stones Corner Library is also being planned as part of the program.

Projects for the BNE Local and Liveable program are experimental, where the goal is to learn what works, what creates value and what the follow up actions. They can also be temporary or semi-permanent, adaptable, moveable and/or reversible.

Locals can recommend a location for the program by contacting Council or writing to the BNE local project team. Further details can be viewed via Council’s website.

Bushcare Volunteering: Preserving Chermside Hills Reserves for the Future

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au

The Chermside Hills Reserves are home to over 200 species of native plants and over a hundred more of bird species. Thanks to dedicated bushcare volunteers, these natural habitats are being maintained for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

The Chermside Hills Reserves consists of three reserves situated in Chermside West and McDowall, namely Chermside Hill Reserve, Milne Hill Reserve and Raven Street Reserve. Some 200 native plant species thrive in these natural areas including grass skirt trees, stringybarks, bloodwoods and banksia.

These reserves, however, are constantly under threat not only from extreme weather events but from weeds invasion as well. Volunteers are in constant battle with weeds that mostly originate from escaped garden plants.

Weeds are generally non-native plants introduced mostly through human activities whilst some are spread to nearby areas by flood waters. They are notorious for invading natural ecosystems and altering natural diversity. They compete with native flora for space, water, nutrients and sunlight whilst aquatic weeds block waterways.

Habitat Brisbane Playlist / Video Credit: Brisbane City Council / YouTube

Creek and surrounding vegetation at Chermside Hills Reserve — *Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au*

Brisbane City Council introduced the Habitat Brisbane program in 1990, that aims to encourage bushcare volunteering. The program supports more than 160 conservation groups, including Little Cabbage Tree Creek Bushcare Group and the Downfall Creek Bushcare group. These groups contribute time and skills to preserve Brisbane’s key waterways and bushlands through revegetation and weeding.

Chermside Hills Reserve bushland — Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au

The Little Cabbage Tree Creek Bushcare Group is a small band of volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Chermside Hills Reserve. According to the group, there are more than 100 species of birds that thrive in the reserve along with bats, gliders, and swamp wallabies.

Walking track through Chermside Hills Reserve — *Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au*

Coordinator Patricia Geue and the rest of the group meet once a month at the reserve, spending about two hours weeding and saving precious native plants in the area.

If you wish to join the group you may contact Patricia Geue on 0404 869 554 or send them an email at trishgeue@icloud.com.

Downfall Creek Bushland Centre, located at the Raven Street Reserve, also has a dedicated team of knowledgeable bushcare volunteers that manage weed species in the reserve. Apart from weeding, they also collect seeds to breed in their nursery for future planting in areas where revegetation is required.

For more information about the group, you may phone Sandra on 0412 758 640.

118 New Homes For Construction in Ethel Street, Chermside and Sutton Street, Redcliffe

Soon, Ethel Street in Chermside will be part of the largest investment in affordable housing in Queensland, where 118 new, social dwelling options to suit the needs of a typical Brisbane family will be built.

The homes are aimed at downsizing seniors or empty nesters. Chermside is getting around 28 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units. Redcliffe will have 84 single-bedroom apartments.

The projects for Chermside and Redcliffe are part of the largest concentrated investment in social housing in Queensland’s history – $2.9 billion in funding, including $1.9 billion over four years for the new Queensland Housing Investment Growth Initiative.

Construction in Ethel Street in Chermside is expected to start at the end of 2022 with tenants ready to move in by September 2023.

“These projects will also generate more construction jobs for our state, with the two builds to support a combined 128 jobs,” Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said.

He confirmed the housing initiatives for Ethel Street in Chermside and Sutton Street in Redcliffe in a recent press release.

“These developments at Redcliffe and Chermside are just the first of many that will be delivered under the Housing Investment Fund and the HIF will keep delivering funding every year through its management by the Queensland Investment Corporation.”

He said that this will deliver social and affordable housing through a range of fit-for-purpose initiatives.

“Locating developments like this in communities such as Chermside will help alleviate the housing supply pressures we’re currently facing,” Member for Stafford Jimmy Sullivan said.

Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch confirmed that the leading community housing provider, BHC, will deliver the houses.

“BHC has a proven track record developing secure and affordable homes in Queensland for two decades,” Ms Enoch said.

“Our strong working partnerships like this are vital for providing Queenslanders with more affordable housing options.

BREAKING: We’re building 118 new social & affordable homes on Brisbane’s northside, at Sutton St, Redcliffe & Ethel street, Chermside.

These housing projects are the first of many that will be delivered from my government’s $1 billion Housing Investment Fund. pic.twitter.com/tLL6jMrpxC
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 4, 2022

The Queensland Housing Investment Growth Initiative will deliver accelerated supply of 7,400 social and affordable housing homes, as part of an overall Action Plan.

Westfield Chermside Asked to Remove Boom Gates, Allow Free Parking As Traffic Situation Worsens in Area

Some residents are appealing to the Scentre Group, owner and operator of Westfield Chermside, to temporarily remove their boom gates and allow free parking during weekends. If granted, residents hope the move will help ease the increasing traffic issues in the area exacerbated by the closure of Toombul Shopping Centre in Nundah.

As a result of the closure of the Toombul Shopping Centre in Nundah, traffic has become such a nightmare for those who live in the Chermside, Stafford and Lutwyche areas.

Customers have experienced more snarls than ever before as Toombul regulars flock to the surrounding retail precincts for alternative options.

Toombul had more than 1,700 car parking spaces at its premises but the shopping centre has permanently closed due to significant damages caused by the February floods.

Four-Hour Traffic Snarls in Westfield Chermside Area

Over the past weekends of May 2022, Westfield Chermside shoppers have complained about the nightmare traffic situation in the area, particularly instances of some locals taking up to four hours just to exit the car park.

Some motorists had been forced to ditch their cars for the day because they could no longer get out of the area. Those that managed to get out also ended up stuck in horrific bumper-to-bumper traffic outside.

Some said that this situation will become like the holiday rush traffic every weekend if no solutions are set in place.

“I was caught up in the madness on the weekend of Mother’s Day,” Glenda Macklin said. “I was stuck in the actual centre for two hours. The problem on that day was not that the boom gates were down, they were up, but there was that much traffic trying to get out of the centre and very very few exit points from the actual car park spots to down ramps.”

“I was on the second level and really there was only one exit to try and get down on to Kitty Hawk drive this was also joined by three or four other exits from different levels creating a mess on Kitty Hawk Drive,” she added.

“This is my local shopping centre and I have never seen it like this was the first time I’ve ever been caught in traffic like that at the centre.”

Asking for Help

In a statement, MP Anika Wells said that she has written to the Scentre Group concerning the boom gates and the free parking. The MP also said that she will ask the Federal Government to “commission a Gympie Road/Hamilton Road planning study to investigate the best solution to this notorious intersection.”

The Scentre Group has not made any comments about the traffic issues. Westfield Chermside has around 7,200 car parking spaces. In 2020, shoppers were upset when the Scentre Group cut the hours for free parking and the traffic issues did not improve.

Chermside Skydiving Centre One Of The Locations Of 2022 STEM Girl Power Camp

The iFly Brisbane Indoor Skydiving in Chermside has been selected as one of the locations for the camp activities of the 2022 STEM Girl Power Camp.

Read: New Playground At Downfall Creek Bushland Centre In Chermside Now Open

The STEM Girl Power program encourages Year 10 girls from across Queensland to participate in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Camp activities will take place at several locations. Aside from iFly Brisbane Indoor Skydiving, other locations are the Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Queensland, and Cross River Rail.

qld stem camp — iFly Brisbane Indoor Skydiving in Chermside (Photo credit: iFly Brisbane Indoor Skydiving/Google Maps)

Participants of this year’s camp are 60 outstanding Year 10 students and 10 teachers who were selected from across Queensland.

During the camp, students travel to Brisbane where they participate in activities at Southbank and world-class laboratories of universities and research institutions.

Students hear from leading experts and role models about STEM careers. They also develop their leadership skills as ambassadors for STEM.

Upon their return to school, ambassadors participate and organise STEM initiatives to promote National Science Week, with the support of the regional STEM Champions.

One of the key outcomes of the STEM Girl Power Camp is to enlist all participants as Regional STEM Girl Power Ambassadors, who will share their experiences to spark excitement and engagement back home in their local school communities.

stem camp — Photo credit: Queensland Government

“For so long, STEM fields have been largely dominated by men – so it’s important that STEM represents the diversity in our society,” said Education Minister Grace Grace.

“That’s why since 2016, the Palaszczuk Government has invested around $766,000 to run the camp and support girls in STEM to make sure we continue to uplift underrepresented groups.”

Ms Grace believes students will walk away from the camp with an even greater passion for STEM which we hope will inspire them to pursue a career in STEM after school.

Expect Great Burgers With a Side of Snide As Karen’s Diner Opens at Westfield Chermside

Photo Credit: Karen’s Diner / Facebook

Get mouth-watering burgers with a side of snide, plus rudeness all around, as Karen’s Diner opens at its new pop-up location in Westfield Chermside.

The 18th of May 2022 will see Westfield Chermside’s Woolworths Food Court become one joint larger with the entry of Karen’s Diner.

Originally planned to open in South Bank, Karen’s Diner has made a name for itself through its satirical take on its name. Featuring 100% “rude staff,” Karen’s Diner is a place where customers can let loose and be a “Karen,” all in the spirit of fun, of course. (And no offense to polite Karens everywhere!)

As an added warning, the most Karen of all Karen, aka “The Manager”, might make a special appearance, so be prepared for extreme “rudeness” ever to come your way.

Apart from rude service and singing waiters, this one-of-a-kind restaurant also boasts a palate-pleasing burger menu along with fries, sweet treats, shakes, tap beers, wines and cocktails.

Karen’s Diner burgers and fries — Photo Credit: Karen’s Diner / Facebook

If it is your first time experiencing Karen’s Diner, you might want to try The Basic Karen made with wagyu beef, American cheese, tomato, oak lettuce, beetroot and garlic mayo.

Or level up with “I Want to See the Manager” Karen with double patties and double slices of Manager cheese plus bacon, lettuce, pickles and Manager BBW mustard sauce.

Check out the full menu here.

Karen’s Diner opens shop in Brisbane — *Photo Credit: Karen’s Diner / Facebook*

The Westfield Chermside venue joins other Karen’s Diner locations in Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne and the UK. The one-of-a-kind restaurant may not stay for long in Chermside, though, so be sure to check out their store located at Level 1 near Woolworths Food Court.

Go ahead, book here and live out your Karen dreams.

Data Reveals Ramping Times At The Prince Charles Hospital

Instances of ramping at the Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside have increased from 45 to 47 per cent, meaning nearly half of all patients waited more than 30 minutes on board an ambulance before being admitted to the hospital in December 2021, based on data by the Queensland Ambulance Service.

Read: New Data Reveals Worsening Ramping Times In Hospitals Across Qld, Including Chermside

In medical terms, ramping refers to the time when a patient is left in the backs of ambulances or corridors because the emergency department is full.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath released the data, which was recorded between November and December 2021, in response to a parliamentary question and said the pandemic had placed immense pressure on health systems across Australia.

Describing the situation as ‘heartbreaking,’ Minister D’Ath said no government wants to see these delays, but no one has a quick fix to this.

Following the reopening of domestic borders in the State in December 2021, Queensland experienced a major Covid-19 wave, but ramping was still above 44 per cent in South East Queensland by October.

The Prince Charles Hospital, which has the second biggest emergency department in the State, has also recorded a median waiting time of 39 minutes for Category 3 or potentially life-threatening cases, where a patient should be seen by a treating doctor or nurse within 30 minutes.

Photo credit: Mohammed Khairy Abdelaty/Google Maps

At the largest hospital in Queensland, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Herston, half of all ambulance patients experienced ramping, a slight increase from its 48 per cent prior to the last quarter of 2021.

Other hospitals in the State also recorded increased ramping, such as West Moreton Ipswich Hospital (from 45 per cent to 66 per cent); Queen Elizabeth II (from 47 to 52 per cent); and Logan Hospital (from 64 to 66 per cent).

In a media statement, Minister D’Ath said the Commonwealth needs to invest in better primary health care and improved access to GPs to reduce pressure on Queensland’s busy public hospitals.

New Playground At Downfall Creek Bushland Centre In Chermside Now Open

The new playground at the Downfall Creek Bushland Centre in Chermside West is now open for kids in the area to enjoy.

Read: BYD Atto 3: The New EV You Can Order Like Takeaway

Some of the little ones have already tested out the new equipment at the ‘Brush Turkey Place,’ a great new spot for families which is right next door to the existing barbeque and picnic area and the Raven Street Reserve walking trails.

“My kids loved the new playground and little nature walk – a 200m easy track where even the littlest people can enjoy. Really well done, with toilets and BBQ facilities and a basketball hoop for the older kids,” shared local guide Danielle Morton.

Aside from the playground, other facilities at Downfall Creek Bushland Centre include bike tracks, educational trail, native plants program nursery, half-court basketball court, car park, and sheltered picnic tables.

chermside west parks — Photo credit: Cr Tracy Davis/Facebook

After playing at the new playground, kids can view environmental and cultural displays, learn about the reserve’s flora and fauna, and discover the importance of preserving the natural areas of the environment at Downfall Creek Bushland Centre.

Situated within the Raven Street Reserve, Downfall Creek Bushland Centre is open to the public to allow individuals to learn and explore the natural environment.

Downfall Creek Bushland Centre makes up three of the natural areas in Chermside West and McDowall, along with Milne Hill Reserve and Chermside Hills Reserve. It’s an important part of the Mountains to Mangroves Corridor which is a wildlife corridor that extends from the D’Aguilar Ranges to Boondall Wetlands and Moreton Bay.

The centre is open from Tuesday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

New Data Reveals Worsening Ramping Times In Hospitals Across Qld, Including Chermside

The 2022 public health report by the Australian Medical Association revealed Queensland’s public hospitals are performing well overall, but more than a third of Category 3 emergency department patients are not seen within the recommended 30 minutes.

Read: Woman with Confirmed Case of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Now Being Treated in Chermside

In Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital has recorded a median waiting time of 39 minutes for Category 3 or potentially life-threatening cases, where a patient should be seen by a treating doctor or nurse within half an hour of arriving.

The hospital has a total median wait time of 27 minutes for all categories as of the last quarter of 2021. The numbers are considered out of range of the latest national performance, but not in the poorest performing group of hospitals.

prince charles hospital emergency department — Photo credit: Mohammed Khairy Abdelaty/Google Maps

The Prince Charles Hospital, whose emergency department is the second biggest in the state, also recorded a total of 2418 minutes or 40.3 hours of patient off-stretcher time based on records from August 2021 to January 2022.

The target is to get most patients off stretchers and into EDs within 30 minutes but Queensland Audit Office noted that it has not been met across the state for the past seven years.

Patient off stretcher time (POST) is the amount of time it takes to transfer patients off ambulance stretchers, with a completed clinical handover, to EDs. For POST, Queensland’s target is to transfer 90 per cent of patients within 30 minutes.

Based on data from Queensland Health Emergency Department Information System, TPCH transfers 55 per cent of its patients off stretchers within 30 minutes.

Recommendations to Improve Services

Prof Chris Perry, President of AMA Queensland recommended short, medium and long-term actions to address the hospital bed block that is leading to emergency department ramping.

“We need 1,500 more beds, extended hours for non-ED hospital functions like pharmacy, and different ways for patients to access hospital care other than through the ED,” said Prof Perry.

queensland health — Photo credit: RODNAE Productions/Pexels

He said hospitals in Queensland must run at less than 90 per cent occupancy so there is surge capacity, and Hospital and Health Services must conduct a detailed analysis of patient flow within the hospital and report against that analysis.

“This can work if it is underpinned by strong effective leadership, innovation, and appropriate investment by the State and Federal Governments,” he added.

Budget Issues

Despite efforts to improve the quality of public health care, this year’s budget papers, which was delivered on 29 March 2022, revealed there will be a $21 million cut from Queensland public hospitals next financial year.

The State Government wanted the federal government to meet it halfway with 50:50 funding for healthcare for Queenslanders in the federal budget but the LNP’s Federal Budget failed to deliver Queensland its fair share of funding.

The 2021–22 Budget provides a record $20.885 billion in operating funding, as well as a $1.35 billion capital program to continue to deliver first-class health services to Queenslanders.

A key focus of the record funding will be to continue the state’s response to the ongoing health impacts from COVID-19 and the vaccination roll-out.

Less Stress, Exciting Future For New Chermside Millionaire

A Chermside man in his early 20s has found himself on the receiving end of some unexpected good fortune. He was in the middle of work when he received the welcome news, particularly since he had been feeling particularly stressed over the rising cost of living.

“Everything is getting so much more expensive, and wages aren’t matching the changes, so I’ve been stressed lately,” the young man said.

At first, he didn’t believe the call informing him that he will pocket $1,146,608.15.

“I’m taken aback by this! I’m a millionaire. What the hell? I think it’s starting to hit me now. I’m starting to shake! This is amazing!”

The Chermside man holds one of the five division one winning entries in Saturday Gold Lotto draw 4225, drawn Saturday 26 March 2022. He purchased the ticket online at The Lott.

“I’m at work right now, and I haven’t checked my Gold Lotto ticket yet. I rarely check my tickets after buying them,” he said.

“I’ll keep working for the rest of the day. I can’t leave now and let my boss and my team down, but I’ll do some celebrating this evening.

“I’ll pop a few beers. I’m not sure if I’ll tell anyone just yet. It still doesn’t feel 100% real.

“I’m only in my early 20s, so this prize will set me up for the rest of my life.”

Meanwhile, Across Australia, there were five division one winning entries during the draw — two each from Queensland and Victoria and one from Western Australia.

The Saturday Gold Lotto has made 210 Australians millionaires in 2021.