A development application for a short-term hotel on Hamilton Road, Chermside has been lodged.
To be situated at 3-5 Zenith Avenue and 523 Hamilton Road, Chermside, the proposed development will provide short-term hotel accommodation to tourists, travellers, or persons associated with adjacent Prince Charles Hospital and St Vincent’s Private Hospital.
Designed by Cottee Parker, the development comprises 173 rooms over eight (8) storeys and will provide suites, rather than self-contained units — a first in Chermside. The developers said that there are very few short-term accommodation options within Brisbane outside of the inner city area and Airport.
“The proposed development will directly advance the outcomes of both the zone and the neighbourhood plan. The intent of the development is to provide short term accommodation for medical professionals / workers, visitors and out patients (who may have ongoing appointments) associated with the adjacent Prince Charles Hospital / St Vincent’s Private Hospital,” the planners at Mewing Planning Consultants said.
Hamilton Road view – Photo credit: Brisbane City Council //pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au
The building’s design includes a sun shading, window box outcome across the façade, as well as finer grain vertical fins, a vertical green wall within the Zenith Avenue façade, vertical recessed elements and an open framed building cap.
Zenith Avenue view Photo credit: Brisbane City Council //pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au
The 8-storey hotel will also provide ancillary and exclusive guest and administration facilities at the ground level and on the hotel’s rooftop. Facilities will include manager’s office, cafe, function space, pool, gym, and a rooftop seating and breakout spaces.
There will also be provisions for landscaping, deep planting and open space. Within the front setback and along its side boundaries, deep planting covering a total of 406 sqm will be accommodated.
A total of 75 car spaces located within two (2) basement levels, including three (3) car share spaces, six (6) tandem spaces and two (2) PWD spaces will be provided.
The Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside will get an additional $3 million from the state government to fast track the expansion of its emergency services department.
Deputy Premier and Minister Health Steven Miles confirmed in a press briefing that the northside hospital will soon have additional beds, treatment spaces and better capacity for treating outpatient services.
Mr Miles said that this expansion will “future proof” The Prince Charles Hospital as demand in the region grows. The population serviced by the hospital is expected to increase in the next few years, especially among the over 70 years old.
“These projects will ensure the hospital continues to meet the current and future health needs of the Brisbane northside’s growing population. The ED expansion project will address the projected increase in ED presentations with more adult and paediatric treatment spaces, including resuscitation,” Mr Miles said.
Photo Credit: Steven Miles/Facebook
The expansion will bring in additional jobs as well, boosting the region’s recovery plan following the pandemic.
Currently, The Prince Charles Hospital has 630-bed capacity and locals affirmed that it’s always full.
There is no projected start date of the expansion’s construction but Member for Aspley Bart Mellish said this needs to happen “as quickly as possible so we can meet rapidly growing healthcare needs here on Northside.”
A fortunate Chermside resident bought a Gold Lotto ticket at NewsExtra Chermside and woke up an instant millionaire following the draw on Monday, 14 Sept 2020.
The man said that he’s still recovering from a sleepless night because he could not believe his luck, he told The Lott.
“My wife and I saw we had won at about nine o’clock last night and we didn’t get much sleep after that,” the winner said.
The Chermside local is the lone winner from Brisbane of the $1 million prize money of Monday & Wednesday Gold Lotto draw. He said he’s been playing the same numbers for the last 20 years so this win has been unexpected.
His winning numbers were 31, 16, 23, 43, 1 and 24, with 18 and 36 as supplementary numbers.
“I can’t believe they’ve finally come up,” the man said. “It’s incredible. Honestly, I never thought this would happen, you hope, and you pray, but you never think you will actually win the lottery!”
The lucky Brisbane player will use his million-dollar prize for a trip to Easter Island if travel restrictions are eased off.
Photo Credit: Peter Miller/Google Maps
NewsExtra Chermside’s Shannon Hickey congratulated the winner, who becomes the 86th millionaire of the Monday & Wednesday Gold Lotto across Australia.
“We have sold plenty of division one prizes across our stores, and it’s always so exciting,” the store manager said.
Developers have snapped up an iconic Chermside castle for $880,000 at a recent auction and now they plan to bulldoze the Portuguese country villa-inspired home to make way for new houses.
Known as “The Castle” to locals, the house on 14 Ashley Rd, Chermside West, was designed by a Brisbane artist in the 1970s.
In 2013, Marcel Lelievre bought the property for $650,000 and has now sold it to father and son developers, Kevin and Mohammad Tabrizi.
Photo Credit: Dwight Colbert Ray White/Facebook
About 120 people came to see the house during its listing in June. The castle has 471 square metres floor area and stands at 1,012 square metres of land.
It has five bedrooms and three baths, as well as a spacious courtyard at the centre. Lelievre said that the courtyard was his favourite spot in the house because it’s serene and peaceful.
But the Tabrizi father and son plan to split the site into two blocks for new developments, after winning the auction, which took place at the courtyard.
Despite the Chermside castle’s charm and unique architecture, the Tabrizis specifically picked the property for its view of Moreton Bay from the top-level balcony.
“Vacant lots around Chermside West are hard to come by,” Kevin said. “It’s quite a unique position and we think there’s good underlying demand.”
A baby saltwater crocodile is now safely in the care of Queensland wildlife officers after a family stumbled upon it near the creek at the 7th Brigade Park in Chermside last Thursday.
The reptile, which is about 40 centimetres long, was badly dehydrated and distressed. It was definitely out of place at the suburban park.
Warren Christensen of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service facility in Moggill said that the juvenile estuarine crocodile was left in a “pretty bad way” by whoever was supposed to be transporting it.
Crocodiles might be common in the north side of the state but Mr Christensen said that the 7th Brigade Park in winter is not the place for such a young animal.
The wildlife official also said that had the crocodile not been found and contained then it would have posed an even bigger public threat in a few month’s time.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
The family who stumbled upon the crocodile kept it inside an Esky when they transported the animal to the wildlife services’ facility in Moggill, where it is currently recovering in a pond.
Officials have a theory about what really happened to the animal. They think that the crocodile was meant to be raised and kept as a pet originally but it may have been left for dead at the Chermside park.
“Transporting wild animals – and in this case, a dangerous one – is completely unacceptable,” a representative from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES) said. “Apart from being very cruel, doing so can cause serious issues such as the transmission of disease and introducing them into the unsuitable habitat.”
Queensland laws prohibit keeping crocodiles as pets but certain provisions will allow having the animals for education or farming purposes.
DES is going to re-home the baby saltwater crocodile, at the right time, in one of the wildlife centers southeast of the region. The department, however, is hoping to get more information about the animal. For leads, phone 1300 130 372.
Construction company Cornerstone Building Developments is seeking approval for a three-storey medical centre with supporting retail uses at 425 Rode Road and 621 Gympie Road in Chermside.
The applicant is seeking to establish an integrated health service on the site which may include general medical practice, pathology and chemistry. It will also have a food and drink outlet for both staff and patients.
The subject site has an area of 2,663 sqm which will be reduced to approximately 2550 sqm, to allow the construction of Council’s possible future bikeway along Rode Road.
Plans rendered by Aspect shows the “Chermside Health Hub” has been designed to provide a considered interface to adjoining residential properties. The subject site currently houses a used car dealership and three-storey residential apartment buildings to the north and east of the site.
The proposal is also seeking a total of 179 car park spaces. Car parking is provided across three basement levels, with a vehicle crossover to be provided towards the site’s eastern boundary on Rode Road in order to provide adequate sight distances and to avoid the disruption of Gympie Road’s arterial function.
Extensive research by the applicant reveals that the current utilisation of healthcare services in the community indicates there is a current demand for day hospital beds. The report also noted that there is long term demand for multiple new and expanding day hospital services to be located in the area.
“The site provides an opportunity to enhance the health and medical service provision to an area where existing health care services are lacking in both quality and quantity. The site meets all of the requisite needs identified by CBD,” RPS Group reported on behalf of the applicant.
Cornerstone is behind some health and medical centres across Australia, including North Lakes Specialist Medical Centre, Mackay Specialist Medical Centre and Canberra Specialist Medical Centre.
If approved, the General Practice and Pharmacy will operate from 6:00 am – 10:00 pm. All other uses would have conventional daytime hours. For full details about the proposed medical and health centre, see Council Reference A005364844.
Multicultural Taste Of The World Festival is back to celebrate another year of harmony in diversity. The annual cultural event is a must-never-miss as it reflects the true essence of Australia’s heterogeneity.
For 2020, the Multicultural Taste Of The World Festival will be taking place on the 14th of March at the 7th Brigade Park’s Kidspace Playground in Chermside. Here are three reasons why you have to join this celebration:
Variety of Food
The festival is a chance for you and your family to try out and experience the flavours of different food and delicacies. There will be no shortage of choices from the food stalls. Similar to the festival from previous years, expect to taste Asian, European and Mediterranean dishes, along with Australian delights.
Photo Credit: Brisbane Malayalee Association Inc./Facebook
Visitors will be treated to all-day entertainment and activities whilst they hop from one food stall to the next. Local communities, groups and bands have prepared special numbers to showcase the beauty of their culture or home country. There will also be free workshops from local experts.
These musical numbers, performances and workshops serve as a bridging tool for people to see the uniqueness of Brisbane’s residents. To be more organised, the park will be divided into different zones so that everyone can enjoy their favourite areas. Kids and teenagers will also have their special zones for youth-centred activities.
Photo Credit: Brisbane Malayalee Association Inc./Facebook
Photo Credit: Brisbane Malayalee Association Inc./Facebook
Community and Fellowship
The Multicultural Taste Of The World Festival was organised by the Brisbane Malayalee Association (BMA) to foster goodwill and enhance the tradition and culture of the city’s diverse communities.
“We want to emphasize and celebrate our difference,” says BMA. “By participating in Harmony Day activities, we can learn and understand how all Australians from diverse backgrounds equally belong to this nation and enrich it.”
There’s no need to register to attend the festival. The party starts at 2:00 p.m. and by 8:00 p.m., a fireworks display will be capping off the celebration.
Australia’s first-of-its-kind mental health extended treatment centre for young people located in Chermside is now complete and is slated to open its doors in April 2020.
The $27-million “Jacaranda Place” replaces the former Barrett Adolescent Centre and will provide a 12-bed residential service and a 10-place day program. Former residents of the Barrett Centre and families of former patients helped out with the design of the new facility and naming process, along with clinicians, educators and Traditional Owners.
“What happened after the Barrett Centre closed was an absolute tragedy which should never have happened,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. The Premier, along with Minister for Health Steven Miles and Member for Stafford Dr Anthony Lynham visited the 12-bed adolescent mental health treatment centre last 14 February.
“I remember meeting with the families involved and being deeply moved by their stories, that’s why I made a commitment that we would build a new centre.
“I thank them for their time, their selflessness and their bravery in discussing what must have been times of terrible trial and suffering for them and their loved ones. Their input has been valuable, and will no doubt prove life-saving for future patients.
“I’m so proud to stand here today at the new Jacaranda Place which will ensure young people in need of mental health services get the very best possible care.”
The new facility, Health Minister Steven Miles said, will see upwards of 40 young people annually across both residential care and non-residential day programs. Education Minister Grace Grace, for her part, said that the young patients could still continue schooling whilst receiving treatment through the project’s partnership with Education Queensland.
“Recovering from mental illness can be hard enough, we needed to make sure we could build education supports around them so they can keep up their school-work and maintain those social links,” Ms Grace added.
Jacaranda Place is located on the campus of The Prince Charles Hospital and will deliver 24-hour service providing a safe, supportive, and structured environment for young people across Queensland.
The centre is designed to cater for young people aged 13 to 19, who are suffering from severe and complex mental illness with associated functional decline. However, young people up to 21 years old with developmental needs that are more effectively managed within an adolescent model, may also be treated at the centre.
“The name Jacaranda Place reflects the strength and resilience of the iconic Jacaranda Tree, which is considered by many as a symbol of wisdom, rebirth and good luck,” Children’s Health Queensland Chief Executive Frank Tracey explained.
“The Jacaranda is a hardy tree that can grow in difficult conditions, blooming once a year, when its true beauty is shown in full colour.
“This symbology connects nicely with the challenges and recovery journeys of the young people who will be cared for at the centre.”
Jacaranda Place is accessible to young people who are:
Currently receiving treatment from a public child and youth mental health service or a private psychiatrist in Queensland.
Aged between 13 and 18 years (young people up to the age of 21 will be considered if developmentally appropriate).
Presenting with serious and complex mental health needs.
Not having their needs met in their current continuum of mental health care, education and social support, and less restrictive treatment options have been considered and explored.
Willing to consider engaging with a recovery model of care.
It’s National Chilli Day on Thursday, the 27th of February 2020, and El Camino Cantina in Chermside is turning things up to bring you a spicy good time. Whether you like your spicy food hot or mild, here’s how you can spice things up for the foodie holiday.
1. Ensure your seat.
Book a table at El Camino Cantina for the 27th to secure your seats. If you’re coming with a group, an advanced reservation online is better so you won’t have problems finding a spot if the place is packed.
2. Sign up for the games.
At 7:00 p.m. El Camino Cantina will run its hot wings competition. If you’re the ultimate chilli head and you want to win a $50 voucher, then sign up for the games and beat the rest to of the contestants.
For National Chilli Day, the Mexican cantina will let you play with your food! Order the Wing Roulette (for 10, 30 to 50 wings) and take a chance. A serving has three levels of hot sauce, including the super extra spicy Facemelter Hot Sauce. From the sound of its name alone, you better be prepared!
Incidentally, El Camino Cantina will have the Facemelter Hot Sauce available until Sunday, the 1st of March.
National Chilli Day is celebrated every fourth Thursday of February. This holiday was established in the U.S. to celebrate the state of Texas’ official dish: chili con carne.
El Camino Cantina is proudly a Tex-Mex inspired restaurant with other outlets in NSW, VIC and QLD. In Chermside, it’s found on the second level of Westfield.
For enquiries or requests, phone the restaurant’s Chermside location at (07) 3053 5632 +61 7 3053 5632.
Shopping centres in North Lakes, Townsville, Rockhampton, Chermside, Coomera, and Helensvale have joined in the Queensland Youth Partnership Initiative to connect young people with youth services and police.
The new community partnership with retailers, local community groups, state government services, and police delivered over the summer holidays a range of activities including sport, art, and music, in an effort to reconnect the youth with health services and education, training, and employment opportunities.
The Queensland Youth Partnership Initiative is just one of the 51 new initiatives delivered through the State Government’s half a billion dollar investment into youth justice reform.
“Shopping centres are places where everybody expects to feel safe, and that’s how it should be,” Member for Bancroft Chris Whiting said.
“Young people who don’t have a safe place to go often gravitate to shopping centres, which can be a bit of a problem sometimes.
“This initiative is a fantastic way for police, government services and community leaders to connect with young people, offer support, guidance and advice in a way that makes them feel like part of the community.
“Youth workers and police have been really positive about the program, and they say they’ve seen significant behaviour changes for the better.
The program also resulted in some retailers offering young people work experience, Mr Whiting added.
Photo credit: Queensland Youth / Facebook
For her part, Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women Di Farmer said that community safety was the government’s top priority, which includes the feeling of being safe at shopping centres, at home, and in the community.
“Boredom can sometimes lead to trouble in our shopping centres, but this program provides positive and constructive things for young people to do which has had a positive impact inside and outside the shopping centres.”
“It’s a great demonstration of what can be achieved when communities work together to provide young people with structured activities and an alternative place to congregate and hang out.”
