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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.

Avoid Illegal Dumping Fines and Get Ready for September Kerbside Collection in Chermside

Do you know that over $110,000 in fines was collected from Brisbane residents for illegal dumping in the last financial year? Unfortunately, Chermside has the most number of illegal dumping incidents, despite Council’s kerbside collection, along with Forest Lake, Sunnybank Hills, Carindale, Willawong and Inala.

As a result, the Council is keeping a sharp eye on Chermside to prevent illegal dumping. While the fines collected have been substantial, it is still not enough to cover for Council expenses for cleaning up the rubbish residents dump anywhere.

On average, Council spends $500,000 a year to clean up sites where illegal dumping is rampant.

“Every dollar spent cleaning up their mess is money that could be invested back into the community and spent on things like footpaths, parks or roads,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

“I encourage residents to correctly dispose of their rubbish and warn them that if you do the wrong thing, you will be caught, and fined.

*Photo Credit: Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner/Facebook*

Mr Schrinner also reminded residents that Council provides free kerbside collections regularly and there are avenues for which hazardous waste can be disposed of.

“There really is no excuse for residents to be illegally dumping anywhere in Brisbane.”

On Monday, the 2nd of Sept 2019, at 6:00 a.m. the Council will once again have its kerbside collection in Chermside. As of this writing, residents still have a few more days to gather acceptable items to be picked up by collectors.

If you include unacceptable items on your kerbside pile, the collectors will leave these behind. You could be fined if these are not removed within a week after the kerbside collection. So, be careful NOT to put these out for the pick-up:

bricks and concrete
commercial builders waste
car parts and tyres, including car batteries
dirt and stones
garden waste (e.g. trees, grass, potted plants)
gas bottles
general household waste (e.g. food scraps)
glass and mirrors
hazardous wastes (e.g. chemicals, oil, asbestos)
household waste that normally goes into your waste or recycling bin
liquids

Instead, make arrangements with waste reduction and recycling facilities to dispose of these unacceptable items properly. Phone Council at 07 3403 8888 for enquiries

5 Interesting Facts About Philanthropist George Marchant of Chermside and Taringa

Photo Credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

Best known for building the largest soft drink business in Australia and the name behind Marchant Park of Chermside, George Marchant is considered one of Queensland’s greatest philanthropists.

Marchant was honoured by the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame for his philanthropic legacy to north Brisbane. Get to know the interesting details about him and the reason why he was dubbed the state’s most generous man.

He set sail in Australia at the age of 17.

Marchant was born 17 November 1857 in the village of Brasted in Kent, England. He set sail for Australia with only 30 shillings in his pocket. He arrived in Brisbane alone in 1874, when he was only 17 years old.

After a short period of country work, he learned the essentials of running a carbonated water business when he worked in an aerated waters factory.

He donated his Taringa home to children with disabilities.

From left to right – The first “matron” at Montrose Jessie Peters, with Mr J Isles and George Marchant (Photo Credit: montrose.org.au)

J Isles, who was involved in Brisbane Rotary arranged a public meeting to discuss the best way of assisting children affected by Polio epidemic in 1932. Despite having never met Isles before, George Marchant came to his office one day and said, “You need a place for these children, I’ll give you my house.”

He donated his Queenslander house in Swann Rd, Taringa to The Queensland Society for Crippled Children (now known as Montrose) in 1933.

He was fascinated with Temperance Movement as a boy.

Temperance movement is a social movement against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Supporters of the movement encourage others to practice abstinence from alcohol, pointing out its negative effects on people’s health, personalities and family lives.

Historian Helen Gregory said George’s father seems to have been an alcoholic. “I think George had great unhappiness in that regard and his aversion to alcohol, which he maintained for his entire life, possibly stems from his childhood experiences,” Gregory recounted.

He invented the soft drink bottling machine.

Marchant invented and patented a bottling machine while gradually expanding his ginger beer manufacturing business in Spring Hill. The machine attracted a lot of attention not just in Australia but worldwide, which was rare for something developed in Queensland in that era.

“He developed a rapid bottling machine which meant he could turn out dozens and dozens and dozens of bottles of soft drinks, carefully sealed, in the time that perhaps other factories were only producing a few,” Gregory said.

Marchant Park is named after him.

In 1899, the Marchant family acquired the 100-acre paddock at Chermside. They used it as a spelling area for their delivery wagon horses. It also served as a training camp for the army during the First World War, before the Marchants had it again in 1919.

Photo Credit: http://www.chermsidedistrict.org.au

When the war ended, the State government approached the Marchants to turn 10-acres of their lot into a park. The family offered the Council their entire paddock for free given that they shifted the blacksmith, August Vellnagel, to the other side of Gympie Road on to the Shire paddock. Vellnagel resisted at first but eventually decided to go.

Fast forward to present day, the Marchants’ paddock is already known as the Marchant Park, the largest cricket field in Brisbane.

All Saints’ Anglican Church in Chermside Opens Weekly Soup Kitchen

Did you know that the All Saints’ Anglican Church, located at 501 Hamilton Road in Chermside, now has a soup kitchen and may soon have other facilities to help the homeless? The new feeding program takes place once a week to supplement their hamper donation drive and other programs that the church members deliver to the community.

Organized by Fr Daniel Jayaraj, the soup kitchen is open every Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. It’s held at the church halls and welcomes the homeless, the needy and the lonely to partake in a meal of vegetables, meat, coffee and cake.

Since the soup kitchen started over a month ago, the volunteers said that they saw people coming back.

*Photo Credit: All Saints’ Anglican Church, Chermside/Facebook*

“They feel comfortable, welcome and accepted,” Margaret Coombs said. “[The soup kitchen] reaches out to those in the community who need care, who need a meal, a time for fellowship with other people in the community.”

Fr Daniel, who arrived from Gladstone to Chermside sometime before Christmas in 2018, saw the need to open the soup kitchen when he realized that there are people sleeping outside the church. He also learned that the Chermside community has plenty of old people who dine alone in their homes.

“We want to fight against hunger and loneliness. The congregation is really excited about it and willing to help,” Fr Daniel said.

The soup kitchen complements the church’s grocery hamper donations to struggling families. This has been the practice since 30 years ago.

The church also plans to set up a charity shop, as well as a laundry and shower facility. Once installed, the needy may get coffee or second-hand clothes at the shop for $5, or take a shower and wash their clothes.

Budget Allocated for the Completion of Adolescent Extended Treatment Centre at The Prince Charles Hospital

The State Government will invest almost $28 million to go towards the completion of the new Adolescent Extended Treatment Facility at the Prince Charles Hospital and other adolescent mental health facilities in SEQ.

Under the State 2019-20 Budget, a total of $27,946,000 will be allocated for the Adolescent Extended Treatment Facility at the Prince Charles Hospital, which is already undergoing construction, as well as the construction of two new adolescent Step Up Step Down units in Brisbane and the refurbishment of two adolescent Day Program spaces at Logan and the Gold Coast.

Being one of the State Government’s key priority sectors, Healthcare will get a record allocation of $19.2 billion, up by $929 million from last year’s under 2019-20 Budget. The health budget will ensure that more doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals are employed and more hospitals are built to keep Queenslanders healthy and active.

The Prince Charles Hospital Adolescent Extended Treatment Facility

Located at the Prince Charles Hospital campus in Chermside, the Adolescent Extended Treatment Centre is being constructed for adolescents from across Queensland who are suffering from severe mental health issues.

*Photo Credit: The State of Queensland (Queensland Health) 1996-2019 / health.qld.gov.au*

Once it opens in 2020, the Treatment Centre will provide inpatient treatment and rehabilitation for an extended period. The facility will have 12 residential places/beds with statewide catchment area and 10-day treatment places for the local community catchment.

More health infrastructure spending to meet growing demand

Under the Building Better Hospitals Program, the State Government will spend $956.9 million to help meet the growing demand for health infrastructure.

“We will keep the momentum going for building better hospitals,” Health and Ambulance Services Minister Steven Miles said.

“This year’s health infrastructure budget will deliver projects to ensure there are enough beds available to keep meeting increased demand.”

The health infrastructure investments this year will include:

$36.3 million commitment for the redevelopments of the Logan, Caboolture and Ipswich Hospitals as part of the Building Better Hospitals program.

$78.6 million to continue the redevelopment of the Roma Hospital and upgrade of the Gladstone Hospital Emergency Department.
$1.4 million for the upgrade of the Redland Hospital, to provide additional Emergency Department beds and birthing facilities.
$40.7 million for projects in the Rural and Regional Infrastructure Package, including the construction of a new community hospital in Blackall and redevelopments of the Sarina and Kingaroy Hospitals, Townsville Hospital’s Clinical Services and Maryborough Emergency Department and Specialist Outpatient Department.

Find Old Treasures to Collect at Albion Antiques and Collectables Fair

You’ll be surprised at what you could find at an antique fair and if you love vintage stuff and old things, the Kedron-Wavell Services Club will be mounting the Albion Antiques and Collectables Fair this July.

Now in its fourth year, the Albion Antiques and Collectables Fair will run from Friday, the 19th, to Sunday, the 21st of July 2019. Kittyhawk Drive will be filled with a treasure trove of silverware, homeware, jewellery, furniture, and other interesting pieces.

*Photo Credit: Albion Antique and Collectables Fair/Facebook*

Antique dealers from all over Australia will be at this major antique fair in Brisbane. But aside from scoring deals on some prized items, visitors may also get a chance to talk to antique experts like Paolo Bertelli of Albion Antique Auctions and Rob Neilson or Roundabaout Antiques.

Tickets are at $8 to $10 to be paid at the entrance of the warehouse. Food stalls will be at the venue to serve snacks, refreshments or light meals.

Kids Mix Music at this Westfield Chermside DJ Academy

Do you have budding music lovers in the family? If you think they’d like to mix music like DJs do, then sign them up for a different kind of school holiday event at Westfield Chermside’s DJ Academy.

By popular demand, the shopping centre will hold a DJ Academy sessio for children. This event will teach young boys and girls above 7 years old how to handle DJ equipment and to mix music and create an awesome playlist.

Happening at the first level of Westfield Chermside near the Samsung store, the DJ classes will begin from Monday, the 8th of July, until Saturday, the 13th of July 2019. Sessions are for $15 per child for 45 minutes and kids can choose their schedules between 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Then, on Thursday, the 11th of July, DJ Academy will host boogie night from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the centre’s second level events venue, Under The Dome. The kids can watch MC Dr Rhythm in action beginning 6:00 p.m., as he spins and plays dance music for this special children’s disco.

Dubbed “Disco Under the Dome for Kids,” this is a free dance party. Registration is not required.

*Photo Credit: Creative Kids Brisbane/Facebook*

iFLY Opens Indoor Skydiving Centre at Chermside

iFLY Brisbane, the newest and most thrilling attraction to come to Chermside and Brisbane’s first indoor skydiving centre is now open!

Nir Davidson, iFLY Australia – General Manager, is no stranger to taking risks. The former freestyle skydiving champion dropped out of medical school in his 20’s to open his own skydiving centre, using two credit cards and a whole lot of faith and determination.

From there, he went on to invest in US-based iFly and pitched to open its Australian arm. After franchises in the Gold Coast, Perth and Penrith, iFly has now landed in the Brisbane area, with its Westfield Chermside location being iFly Australia’s first company-managed facility.

The Chermside location is the result of a six-year search for a suitable location. Happily, it is also quite near Wavell State High School, a place Mr Davidson holds in fond regard.

At Westfield Chermside, iFLY’s $15-million Indoor Skydiving facility simulates the skydiving experience inside a state-of-the-art vertical wind tunnel (VWT) that generates wind from the top, then channels it down the sides and pushes it back up through the floor. This recirculating action creates a steady cushion of air on which the participants float.

Delivering the Dream of Flight – iFLY Brisbane | Video Credit: iFLY Brisbane / YouTube

It offers a safe way to experience the thrill of bodyflight to participants aged three years and older, and all physical ability; no parachute needed and no need to jump out of a plane.

*Photo Credit: Niklas Daniel / niklasdaniel.com*

“This is a completely new experience for the Brisbane market,” Davidson said. “The ability to deliver that dream of flight to everyone – regardless of their age or physical dexterity – is a key vision for us as an organisation. Additionally, the advanced technology used by iFly enables us to operate to the highest safety standards and maintain an immaculate safety record.”

Two iFLY-certified instructors supervise the first-time participants during the experience: one will assist the participant inside the tunnel whilst the other controls the air speed.

Each flight is equivalent to an outdoor freefall skydiving from 14,000 feet and is about one minute long but not shorter than 50 seconds. The minimum package for first-time flyers offers 2 flights equivalent to 3 tandem skydiving freefalls from 12,000 feet.

Do you want to be an indoor skydiving pro? iFly instructors can also design a suitable training program for you, so you can advance your flying skills and maybe someday participate in indoor skydiving competitions.

Flying High

Barely a month after opening, iFLY has started looking into a second Brisbane site. Demand has been very high at Westfield Chermside and the company has had to extend trading hours to accommodate bookings, which now need to be made several days in advance. Plans are also being made to open company-managed centres in Sydney and Melbourne.

iFLy Brisbane is open Monday to Sunday from 9am to 10pm. Participants are advised to arrive an hour before the flight to check in and go through a comprehensive pre-flight briefing.

For available packages and prices, you may check here.

iFLY, 395 Hamilton Rd, Chermside QLD 4032, Australia

Chermside: Top Brisbane Suburb for Unit Asking Price Discounting

Chermside unit vendors are the most generous when it comes to asking price discounting, a recent property market study revealed.

The latest report by Domain analysed the average rate of vendor discounting across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast. The analysis covered six months data to March 2019 and used a minimum of 30 observations whilst excluding properties that were sold through auction or were without a listed price

The report shows that in some suburbs, asking prices have dropped by as much as 12 percent. For units, Chermside was the top suburb where vendors provide the biggest discount on their unit asking price with an average of 8.90 percent whilst Carindale gave the largest percentage of discount with 8.50 percent

According to Domain, the median price of a two-bedroom unit in Chermside, based on sales within 12 months, is $370,000 or a decline of 4.6 percent from 2018. The average days on market for the same period was 177 days with a total of 70 units sold.

The unit median sale price in Chermside has been dropping since 2015, according the realestate.com.au data says. From $461,000 in 2015 and $389,000 in 2018, the median unit price further dropped to $384,085, based 100 units sold from 1 May 2018 – 28 May 2019.

Other suburbs on the list with the highest average price discount for units are Redcliffe (8.60%), New Farm (8.10%), South Brisbane and Coorparoo (8.00%), Annerley (7.70%) Fortitude Valley (7.50%). Kangaroo Point, St Lucia, and Brisbane City round out the list with a unit price discount average of 7.20%.

Clontarf, on the other hand, followed Carindale as top suburb for house sale asking price discounting with 7.70%. Rounding out the list are Redcliffe (7.60%),Rochedale South (7.40%), Cleveland (7.30%), Kippa-Ring (7.20%), Banksia Beach (7.10%), Margate and Redbank Plains (7.00%), and Scarborough (6.90%).

Whilst the average price discounting provides a good glimpse of how a suburb’s housing market is doing, several factors could trigger discounting despite good buyer demand, experts say. Some suburbs, for example, saw vendors eventually discounting their price because expectations were unrealistic which eventually led to overpriced house or unit or even longer days on market.