Homepage Latest News Archives - Page 30 of 40

Best 4KQ Christmas Lights Displays to See in North Brisbane, Including Overall Winner

There are plenty of reasons to round up the kids and board the bus to join the 4KQ Christmas Lights tour around Brisbane’s northern suburbs this year. The most impressive reason of all is to see the best in the competition as the overall winner’s house happens to be from this side of the city!

Jeanette Meyer, a grandmother from 4 Huron Street in Banyo, was adjudged as the champion of this year’s 4KQ contest. She and her whole family have been joining this event since 2011 and they prepare everything by hand and by sheer passion for sparkling Christmas joy.

To catch Ms Meyer’s Christmas lights display, as well as the showcase of the other houses around North Brisbane, the council has arranged a tour from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on 16th up to 20th of Dec 2019.

Those who want to join the tour from the north may take the Brisbane City stop at Ann Street, (Anzac Square Stop 7) or the bus at the Chermside Shopping Centre (Stop D). Ticket reservations are available online.

These are the other stops for those interested in touring east, south or west Brisbane:

Carindale Shopping Centre (Stop H) to eastern suburbs
Garden City Shopping Centre (Stop J & K) to southern suburbs
Indooroopilly Shopping Centre (Stop C) to western suburbs

Best North Brisbane Christmas Lights Display

Chermide West’s St Gerard Majella Catholic Church also won the Community Award from one of the sponsors, whilst Michael Turnbull’s home in Clontarf is one of the finalists for the People’s Choice.

Here is the list of the winners for North Brisbane:

WHO	WHERE	AWARD
John & Kaye Baker	12 Elm Street, Murrumba Downs	Best Lights Display – Runner-Up, North
Alex Rolfe	123 Dorrington Drive, Ashgrove	Judges Commendations
Carolyn & Troy Ebsworth	81 Froude Street, Banyo	Judges Commendations
Michael Turnbull	1 Long Street, Clontarf	Judges Commendations
Iris Gillingham	116 Board Street Deagon	Judges Commendations
Michael & Vanessa Saccasan	26 Cockatiel Court, Deception Bay	Judges Commendations
Jeremy Ward	8 Hughes Street, McDowall	Judges Commendations Best New Entrant
McLights Petrie	11 Eachman Street, Petrie	Judges Commendations
Matt & Kat Barwick	27 Minimise Street, Stafford	Judges Commendations
St Gerard Majella Catholic Church	146 Maundrell Terrace, Chermside West	Winner 7 News Church and Community Award
Sarah Crawford	23 Bonnet Parade, Mango Hill	Runner-Up Neighbourhood
Emma Bromage	25 Bonnet Parade, Mango Hill	Runner-Up Neighbourhood

North Brisbane Participants

SUBURB	HOME
Albany Creek	Ron and Barb Vincent, 16 Kosta Place
Arana Hills	Ingrid Moyle, 4 Ironwood Court
Aspley	Glenys Richards, 54 Kildonan Street
Banyo	Richard Martin, 24 Ellamark Street
Beachmere	Debbie Hancock, 25 Murray Court
Bellmere	Tracy Taylor, 3 Parkwood Place
Boondall	Philip Greg, 86 College Way
Bracken Ridge	Ann Jeffery, 72 Gawain Road Larry & Thyra Browning, 78 Greenore Street
Bray Park	Dan Broxham, 122 Sparkes Road
Burpengary	Karen Doneman, 56-58 Rosehill Drive Patty Hayward, 1-9 Lilly Pilly Court
Caboolture	Darryl & Karen Cini, 25 Tullawong Drive Dale Heron, 11 Hazelwood Court
Carseldine	Terri Corey, 34 Dannenberg Street
Chermside West	Jonathan Albury, 34 Ashley Road Brendon Withers, 27 Allamanda Place
Eatons Hill	Joy Boyd, 60 Drapers Road
Griffin	Wayne Charrington, 18 Ultramarine Parade
Kallangur	Peter Jackson, 22 Azalea Court
Mango Hill	Christopher Rickard, 16 Freshwater Creek
McDowall	David Flood, 62 Sinatra Crescent
Mitchelton	Nick Boucher, 6 Greenview Close
Murrumba Downs	John & Kaye Baker, 12 Elm Stree
Narangba	Aaron Ryan, 15 Blaxland Plac
Redcliffe	Ian Russell, 1 Richens Stre
Rothwell	Jesse Ryan, 6 Dobell Street
Sandgate	Sharon Carroll-Mullins, Shop 9 Second Avenue Anastasia Holmes, 1 Loudon Street
Strathpine	Chrystal Cox, 19 Jasmine Street
Warner	Krystal Corley, 3 Oakwood Road Christine Carroll, 31 Thorrold Street

Can’t make it to the bus tour? If you’d like to arrange your own drive to see the magical houses, download the following and map out your destinations properly:

Mobile App Christmas Lights 2019
Full List of Participants’ Houses
Full List of Winners’ Houses

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

Caring for a child and raising a family were the farthest things in the minds of Paul and Gabrielle Quilliams before they founded the Hummingbird House in Chermside. It took one child for them to have a change of heart and be inspired to build a world-class facility for families struggling with a sick child.

Gabrielle shared in her TED Talk that she didn’t get a chance to be attached to the babies and their families whilst she was in South Sudan and Angola working as a nurse and midwife. At the time, her mindset was focused on getting in, doing a good job and getting out to work on the next family.

Changing the World as Foster Parents

Returning to Australia after her medical mission in Africa, Gabrielle realized she had this drive to change the world and help. She and Paul agreed to become foster parents when they weren’t yet ready to start a family.

*Photo Credit: Australian of the Year Awards*

The Quilliams had the opportunity to look after a tiny baby with life-limiting conditions. But the whole time the baby was in their care, Gabrielle still pressed on with this mindset that she was not the child’s mum. She and Paul were just the temporary carers even if their whole lives changed for this baby and they were already in love with her sound, her smell and her general presence in their lives.

Only when their foster baby was finally adopted by a new family did the Quilliam couple feel her impact. They had become a family caring and growing with each other all along that Gabrielle said she regrettably missed the opportunity to fully embrace becoming a mum with this sick child.

A Life-Changing Experience

The experience with this baby made the Quilliams quite aware of the struggles of many other parents and families who had to quit their jobs, adjust their lives and dedicate a chunk of their time to make sure their sick child has a good life, in spite of everything.

“We started to wonder if families like ours could find respite, regular high-quality care in their greatest moments of needs,” Gabrielle said.

Statistics show that there are 3,700 families in Queensland with children suffering from life-limiting conditions. Many of these children won’t survive past their 18th birthday due to the quality of their life.

Feeling compelled to do something, Paul and Gabrielle decided to build a hospice for kids with life-limiting conditions and their families by 2011. With funds and support received from the Federal and State governments, Hummingbird House thrived to give thousands of children medical support whilst their families are also cared for.

Hummingbird House Officially Opens

After working with several sponsors and donors, a bigger Hummingbird House officially opened on Curwen Terrace in Chermside in 2016. This spacious house has eight bedrooms for the patients, five family suites, playrooms, a rock-climbing wall, an indoor garden, a memory room for photo moments, and a rooftop terrace.

This facility has been designed for families to relax away from home whilst still receiving the best care for their sick child. There’s even a gourmet chef to provide the temporary residents nutritious and delicious meals they want to enjoy.

Of course, Hummingbird House has several trained clinical staff and experts in paediatric palliative care. They also have an art and play therapist, family counsellors and volunteers.

*Photo Credit: Hummingbird House/Facebook*

“It’s an incredibly happy place where families can reconnect and kids can just be kids and treasured moments can be made,” Gabrielle said during the unveiling of the house to the press.

“Whether it’s for five hours, five days, five weeks or five years we want to fill the child’s time with us with joy and fun while providing maximum support to their families,” Paul said of their work whilst receiving an alumni award from QUT.

As a paediatric palliative care facility, Hummingbird House is also an option for families who don’t want to stay at the hospital or their own home on their child’s final days. A suite is prepared upon the child’s death to allow the families to grieve and say their final goodbyes.

Funding Boost from Queensland

The award-winning facility recently received a funding boost from the State Government, ensuring its high-quality operation for the next five years.

“The continuation of funding from the Queensland Government for the next five years, means we can continue to provide care for children affected by life-limiting conditions and their families, at no cost to them personally,” Hummingbird House General Manager Dr Fiona Hawthorne said.

Support Local Small Businesses at Chermside Christmas Craft Markets

It’s that wonderful time of the year again in Chermside as talented local artists and crafters are setting up shop at the All Saints Anglican Church for the Chermside Christmas Craft Markets.

The annual event will be held on Saturday, the 16th of Nov 2019, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at 501 Hamilton Road. It will take place inside a covered venue so you can shop to your heart’s content come rain or shine.

Featured at the Chermside Christmas Craft Markets are 20 unique craft stalls, plants for sale, as well as a selection of baked goods and cakes. BBQ and afternoon tea will be served if you want to take a break from checking out the stalls.

*Photo Credit: All Saints Anglican Church*

The All Saints Anglican Church’s Op Shop will also be open nearby for those who would like to score pre-loved and quality second-hand goods.

Off-street parking will be open for guests who will be bringing their vehicles to the market.

There will be no entry fee for this event so tap your group for a brief but fun afternoon of shopping for Christmas gifts!

Qld’s Original Dessert and Cocktail Bar Arrives at Westfield Chermside

Get ready for a sugar rush! COWCH Dessert Cocktail Bar has arrived! Head on to Westfield Chermside to satisfy your sweet cravings and check out their extensive menu of breakfast, desserts, cocktails and much more.

The pastel-hued sensation was unveiled mid-October 2019, taking over the former Bootlegger site. The expansion is Cowch’s third location and its largest so far with a 270-seating capacity, including an al fresco dining area.

Cowch Chermside combines the best features of its Broadbeach and South Brisbane sisters. Think large couches, cowhide print chairs, and udder and milk bottle-shaped light fixtures, plus an area just for kids — the Cowch Calves — and for the first time, an outdoor custom-built fire pit for S’more parties.

*Party Pizza* / *Photo credit:* *Cowch* */ Facebook*

Cowch Chermside will feature the all-time favourites churros, crepes, naked pops, pancakes, dessert pizza, and an array of Nutella-filled treats like waffle sandwiches, pancakes, pizza, sundae, and ice cream.

*Grazing Platter* / *Photo credit:* *Cowch* */ Facebook*

COWCH Dessert Cocktail Bar — *Caramilk Pancake Stack* / *Photo credit:* *Cowch* */ Facebook*

As for beverage options, menu includes super shakes, fruit smoothies, Mocktails, gourmet coffee, and cocktails such as Passion Fruit punch, Oh’ Bubble, and Cotton Candy. Check out as well their Irish coffee, Affogato, Drunken Bananas, Sticky & Baileys, and Dae Before Mondae.

*Passionfruit Punch Cocktail & Oh’ Bubble Cocktail* / *Photo credit:* *Cowch* */ Facebook*

Cowch Desssert Cocktail Bar – Chermside is located at Level 2 of Westfield Chermside on the corner of Gympie and Hamilton Road. They are open daily from 9am to 10pm serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Chermside West: Among Best Suburbs to Sell Under the Hammer

Chermside West is among the best Brisbane suburbs to sell a house by auction, the latest Domain report revealed.

The latest Domain report revealed the Brisbane suburbs where auction clearance rate is high as analysed from the number of auctions data, as well as the number of properties sold by auction and its correlating clearance rate.

Chermside West recorded a high clearance rate of 55% over the 12-month period to August 2019. Meanwhile, Kenmore and WIshart emerged as the top suburbs for auction clearance rates with 62 percent, more than double Brisbane’s average of 30 percent during the same period.

Located 10 kilometres from Brisbane CBD, Chermside West is home to 6,458 individuals whose median weekly household income is $1,722, according to ABS 2016 Census. In the past 12 months to July 2019, there have been 86 houses sold in Chermside West with a median sale price of $585,000, data from propertyvalue.com.au says.

In Brisbane, an average of 9.8 percent of property listings were campaigned by auction over the past 10 years, as compared to 30 percent in Sydney and Melbourne. Other top Brisbane suburbs for auction clearance rate are Kallangur-60%, Chapel Hill-57%, and Wavell Heights-54%.

The report, however, notes that these suburbs, including Wishart and Kenmore, have a relatively low number of auctions. It is therefore important to look at other factors that affect the auction activities on a particular suburb, such as the number of properties listed, how many of these properties were withdrawn, and the number of auctions that were held.

As far as Brisbane suburbs that recorded the largest number of auctions, Camp Hill leads the list with a total of 104 auctions in the 12 months to August 2019. Other auction-heavy suburbs include Sunnybank Hills, Paddington, Calamvale, Wynnum, New Farm, Bardon, and West End.

Score Chic Finds on a Budget at Boudoir Bazaar Fashion Market in Chermside

Boudoir Bazaar Fashion Market will be hosting another shopping event featuring pre-loved designer items and quality vintage finds on Sunday, the 13th of Oct 2019, at the Chermside Bowls Club. If you’re an eco-conscious shopper, you’ll enjoy rummaging through heaps of second-hand fashionable pieces at bargain prices.

Need a fashion make-over or a wardrobe update? Boudoir Bazaar Fashion Market will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. With an extensive choice of clothes, shoes and accessories, you’ll have enough haul to wear for the summer.

Pieces sold at this event have been carefully curated and cleaned to look good as brand new. Expect to find brand names like Kate Spade, Zimmerman, Mimco, Ginger and Smart in various sizes.

*Photo Credit: Boudoir Bazaar Fashion Market/Facebook*

Whether this is your first vintage hunt or you’re a regular at the Boudoir Bazaar Fashion Market, you will find clothing you don’t normally see sold at any store. Comfortable worn-in second-hand clothes aren’t necessarily second-best because you’re helping curb clothing waste at the landfills and sustaining the recycling community in Brisbane by patronising pre-loved items.

Come prepared with cash, though. Whilst you’ll be able to score a designer dress for half the price (or perhaps even more), most stallholders won’t be able to accept credit or debit payment. There will be on-site ATMs at the venue but save yourself some time by having enough to spend instead of lining up for cash. Someone else could purchase that elegant Alex Perry strapless you’ve been planning to wear at a holiday party.

Whilst shopping at amidst the comforts of an air-conditioned venue, you may also rest and have a snack at the Chermside Bowls Club bar and restaurant.

If you’re interested in unloading your pre-loved stuff at the next market, you may apply for a stall. Look for Dale at the event or phone +61 400 006 623.

Tex-Mex Restaurant El Camino Cantina Coming to Chermside

Get ready for an Austin, Texas-inspired Tex-Mex restaurant that is unabashedly loud, huge, and colourful in every way, as El Camino Cantina opens in Westfield Chermside this October 2019.

After a successful launch of its Bowen Hills venue last 2018, Rockpool Dining Group has announced that it will open a new El Camino Cantina in Chermside. The latest Brisbane expansion takes over the former site of Spanish restaurant, Hermosa and will have 220 casual dining seats.

El Camino Cantina opens in Westfield Chermside — *El Camino Cantina Fitzroy*
*Photo credit: El Camino Cantina / Facebook*

El Camino Cantina Chermside will surely live-up to its billing as a fun casual dining venue that please the senses with its bright neon signages, sombreros, loud jukeboxes, elaborate artwork, rock posters, and colourful calavera.

Of course, El Camino Cantina will not be without its legendary Tex-Mex menu featuring its char-grilled fajitas, quesadillas, naked burritos, cadillac tacos, buffalo wings, and nachos.

El Camino’s signature giant margaritas
Photo credit: El Camino Cantina / Facebook

*Photo credit: El Camino Cantina / Facebook*

El Camino’s signature giant frozen or on the rocks margaritas top bills the drinks menu with five awesome flavours: classic, mango, strawberry, tropical Red Bull, and rita of the month. There’s also Mexican beers and over a hundred tequilas and mezcals.

Plus loads of weekday specials to keep you coming back for more: $15 burrito and beer lunch special every Monday to Friday; $2 tacos every Tuesday; 10-cent chicken wings every Wednesday with the purchase of every a large soft drink, classic margarita, beer or wine; and half-price fajitas on Thursdays.

The El Camino Cantina Chermside is Rockpool Dining Group’s second outlet in Brisbane, after King Street, and the sixth nationwide.

Work Begins on St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside’s $11M Hybrid Theatre

Photo Credit: St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside

A new $11-million hybrid operating theatre is under construction at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside to meet Chermside’s demands for interventional procedures around cardiovascular disease.

The new 74-sqm hybrid suite, which will be significantly bigger than most operating theatres, will be used primarily for accommodating complex surgical work including advanced cardiac and endovascular clinical procedures.

Touted to be Queensland’s most state-of-the-art hybrid operating theatre, the suite will be equipped with the most advanced medical imaging technology, including devices which are usually found in a radiology suite or catheter laboratory.

The facility will incorporate a robotic C-arm imaging device that will allow pre-procedural planning, intraoperative guidance along with immediate assessment regardless of a patient’s condition or procedural complexity. For example, surgeons can observe the progress and accuracy of their work on monitors real-time by moving over the device on any part of a patients body.

“Our new state-of-the-art hybrid operating theatre will support Queensland’s cardiac care service, as specialists from our facility work collegially with regional private partners to ensure patients receive the best possible treatment and care,” hospital CEO Daniele Doyle said in a media release.

Mr Doyle added that they wanted to enable better patient outcomes through the new hybrid theatre. It will support the growing need for advanced minimally invasive procedures, which are less traumatic for patients and significantly reduce patient’s length of stay.

Building works already commenced in August 2019 and are expected to be completed in June 2020. The new hybrid operating theatre is also due to open next year.

Brisbane’s First LEGO-Certified Store Coming to Chermside

Photo Credit: Westfield Bondi Junction/Facebook

A standalone LEGO retail store is about to open in Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre before the end of the year as part of the Alceon Group’s planned expansion in Australia.

LEGO’s certified store measures 236sqm in total and will have the same features as Sydney’s first LEGO Certified Store at Westfield Bondi Junction. Like the flagship store in Sydney, the store in Brisbane will have 3D models of local icons and brick-built mosaics.

At the Build-A-Minifigure bar, visitors can find a variety of heads, hairpieces, torsos, legs, and accessories that they can use to create a custom minifigure.

The store in Chermside is one of the two new LEGO stores opening in Queensland in 2019. The other one will be located at Robina Town Centre, the second largest shopping centre on the Gold Coast. Alceon Group is planning to roll out seven stores before Christmas and will add more stores in South Australia and Western Australia come 2020.

Richard Facioni, executive director of Alceon Group, is confident that brick fans of all ages will enjoy these new world class retail experiences, with signature features that are a tribute to creativity and innovation.

“Our two landmark Lego certified stores in Queensland will attract both local and international visitors as we unveil fun and inspiring retail environments that showcase the creative potential of the world famous Lego brick,” Facioni said in a press release.

Facioni added that the brand benefited from the popularity of LEGO Masters reality show in Australia. Because of the huge ratings success of Season 1, Nine Network ordered a second series and currently on the hunt for the most passionate and creative LEGO builders in the country to take part in the TV show.

Security at Chermside Interchange to be Increased

Did you know that security at Chermside bus interchange will be heightened after bus drivers voiced safety concerns?

The Council, Queensland Police, and Translink are joining forces to beef up security at Chermside Interchange. The initiative, which will be trialled for one month, is in response to Brisbane bus drivers’ feedback on safety at interchanges.

Tom Brown, Assistant State Secretary &
Secretary Tram & Bus Division
Photo Credit: RTBU Queensland Branch / rtbu.com.au

After the trial, the new measure will be monitored and reviewed, RTBU Queensland Branch Secretary Tom Brown said. During the trialling, there will be increased police presence, additional SNO deployments as well as combined QPS-SNO operations, and more security guards deployed at the interchange.
Other interchanges that could also see increased security measures are Carindale, Inala, and Browns Plains. Security guards will be stationed longer at the interchange platform, from 2-8pm between Sunday to Wednesday. Translink is also looking into adding more Senior Network Officers to increase security presence across SEQ network.

Bus drivers voiced concerns about personal safety after several incidents of physical and verbal abuse from some passengers that left bus drivers feeling unsafe at the interchange, even forcing some to skip bathroom breaks. They said that Chermside has become unpredictable and an unsafe workplace.

The move also follows reports that incidents of verbal and physical attacks on bus drivers have risen by 41 percent in the first seven months of 2019, even after the implementation of Council’s $1.3-million bus safety measures which included installation of safety barriers in buses.

RTBU also said that work has also begun to improve the surveillance system and the duress alarm in the interchange. Tom Brown added that non-RTBU members also came forward and got involved in the campaign as they also fear that “they too will be thrown under the bus in similar circumstances.”

“Abuse, fare evasion, chroming, threats, assaults, spitting attacks and more, this is just a glimpse of what bus drivers in the South East face daily and its getting worse. If the bus driver is not safe, the passengers are not safe either,” Rail Tram and Bus Union Queensland Branch said.