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7th Brigade Park in Chermside: Perfect Family Day-out Destination

One of Brisbane Northside’s largest parks, the 7th Brigade Park in Chermside is the perfect place for a day-out with the kids, with several playgrounds, dog off-leash area, and picnic areas located throughout the park to keep them busy playing and learning at the same time.

*Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / Flickr*

7th Brigade Park is a popular location for casual family bike ride with the Downfall Creek Bikeway running through the park, as well as the 500-metre road skill track that is designed to help children learn road rules, complete with road signs, markings, and speed bumps.

Yet, there is so much more to explore in the park, particularly the playgrounds located on Beor Street, Delaware Street-Newman Road, Navarre Street, and Murphy Road.

A giant timber fort playground, the Kidspace, is a play space located along Murphy Road. It boasts impressive covered structures that encourage kids to swing, climb, slide, crawl, and play hide-and-seek.

The playground features a fairy tower, rocket control tower, ramps, balance beams, and slides. There are seating areas, some covered and some located underneath the trees, as well as barbeque facilities. For adults and older kids, there is a basketball half-court, cricket pitch, and a tennis court with rebound wall. The older playground with rockers, slides, and swing is located near the track as well.

Located just at the corner of Newman Road and Delaware Street is another shaded playground with a number of structures and equipment for kids to enjoy such as rock-climbing, stepping stones, monkey bars, rockers, swing, as well as a Liberty swing.

For the adults, there is also an area for exercising, complete with fitness equipment, as well as barbecue facilities and sheltered picnic tables. If the kids still have energy to burn and still wanting to explore the rest of the park, then you may head to another playground located on Beor Street, close to the dog off-leash area.

This expansive park offers lots of fun activities for everyone, especially for the children and teens, that an entire day may not be enough to enjoy them all. However, you and your kids can always come back for another round of family day at the 7th Brigade Park.

Major Upgrade to Congested Murphy and Ellison Roads Moves On

A major upgrade to Murphy Road and Ellison Road corridor at Geebung is underway and is expected to be completed by early 2020, according to Brisbane City Council.

This corridor forms an important link between Geebung station, Gympie Road, Westfield Chermside, and Marchant and 7^th Brigade Parks.

Both Murphy and Ellison Roads are used by more than 37,000 vehicles per day and traffic slows down during peak hours, according to Lord Mayor Graham Quirk.

“The Murphy Road and Ellison Road roundabout is also a well-known blackspot, with 11 accidents reported over a five-year period and this upgrade is expected to reduce the risk of crashes by 40 per cent at the intersections of Murphy and Ellison roads as well as Kittyhawk Drive and Butt Street,” said Cr Quirk.

“Without this congestion-busting upgrade, motorists using this intersection would be facing delays of up to 10-minutes and bumper-to-bumper queues by 2031.”

Infrastructure Chairman Amanda Cooper said the upgrade would make it easier for the community to access lifestyle amenities on offer.

“It’s not just about making it easier for motorists. This upgrade will also deliver benefits for pedestrians, cyclists and buses with signalised crossings, on-road cycle lanes as well as indented bus lanes,” Cr Cooper said.

“The project will also deliver benefits for park-users, with off-road parking for 80 vehicles at Marchant Park and 7th Brigade Park.

Traffic congestion — *Photo credit: nile/Pixabay*

To provide real action on the problem of congestion, the Brisbane City Council put up road improvement projects such as this. The project aims to:

improve traffic
reduce congestion
increase safety for road users
help cater for existing and future traffic demands along this busy corridor.

A signalised intersection will be installed to replace the existing roundabout. Roads leading to the intersection will be widened. In particular, Murphy Road will be widened from two to four lanes from the Gympie Road intersection to north of the Butt Street intersection.

Murphy and Ellison Roads after upgrade — *Photo credit: Project Update March 2018/www.brisbane.qld.gov.au*

The Butt Street and Murphy Road intersection will also be signalised which will improve safety for pedestrians and vehicles accessing Butt Street.

The upgrade also involves:

provision of a three lane southbound approach on Murphy Road
widening Ellison Road to four lanes between Danette and Gambia Streets
upgrading the Kittyhawk Drive and Murphy Road intersection to include:
- additional through lanes in each direction
- a right-turn pocket into Kittyhawk Drive, and
- a U-turn facility for southbound traffic
signalising the Butt Street and Murphy Road intersection to include:
- a pedestrian crossing
- a right-turn pocket into Butt Street, and
- a new mini roundabout at the intersection of Butt Street and Fernlea Street
providing additional off-road car parking adjacent to Marchant Park and 7th Brigade Park
incorporating on-road cycle lanes in both directions on Murphy and Ellison Roads
converting Marathon Street and Blackwood Road to left-in, left-out access only to improve safety
constructing a new access road to Navarre Street
providing indented bus stops adjacent to the Murphy Road and Ellison Road intersection
landscaping and line marking
removing some trees

Indented bus bays — *Photo credit: Fly-through video/www.brisbane.qld.gov.au*

Works on the corridor upgrade has started mid-December 2018 and is expected to be completed in early 2020.

Fly-through video of Murphy Road and Ellison Road intersection upgrade
Brisbane City Council YouTube channel

Six Napoleon Perdis Stores in Queensland to Remain Open Amid Wave of Closures

Photo credit: Napoleon Perdis/Facebook

In the midst of Napoleon Perdis’ business troubles, fans of the renowned cosmetics brand are wondering what’s in store for the remaining retail outlets across the country.

Following the shutting down of 28 stores in January 2019, Napoleon Perdis confirmed that the remaining shops, including the six in Queensland will continue their operation.

These are the stores in Brisbane’s CBD, Chermside, North Lake, Robina, and Rockhampton. The one in Chermside is located on the Level 2 of Eastern Mall at 2646A Gympie Rd.

Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants assessed each store’s performance and positioning in its current market environment. Administrator Simon Cathro said they identified which stores to close based on the result of the review.

Cathro added the Napoleon Perdis reported a strong performance during the last week of January 2019 when it slashed it prices by 30 per cent.

The administrators emphasized that they are aware of its impact on employees and customers, assuring that the staff will be paid their wages owing up to the date they are terminated.

“This will affect customers who have upcoming makeover bookings in these locations. We have a team of staff working to contact every customer with a booking. Where we can, we will attempt to accommodate bookings in other stores,” Perdis wrote on the brand’s official Facebook page.

Why Napoleon Perdis’ Stores Closed

The shutdown is part of Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants’ right-sizing process to sell or restructure the business to keep it alive. It was revealed in a document filed to the corporate regular that the company was already on the brink of insolvency a year before more than half of its stores were closed earlier in 2019.

Perdis cited “greedy” landlords as one of the reasons of the collapse, explaining that these landlords would not reduce rent or let him out of leases in spite the fact that shoppers are already shifting online.

“And while it feels like a sad time, this is not goodbye, and it gives us the best opportunity to keep the business trading,” Perdis said.

In 1995, the Australian makeup artist created his line of cosmetic products and sold it in his first store in Paddington with the help of his father. Fast forward to 2011, Perdis has 65 stores across New Zealand and Australia and expanded to the United States. The business mogul went into voluntary administration in 2019.

For updates on Napoleon Perdis, visit the cosmetics brand’s website and follow their Facebook page.

Former Boots Camping Marker, “Big Boot” Will Stay in Chermside

Whilst many agree that it may be a good idea to bring the “big boot” back to its original place in Paddington, the Brisbane City Council has decided not to pursue with the proposal and let it remain at its current location in Chermside instead.

The iconic boot has been a prominent landmark on Gympie Road since it was brought to Chermside by Boots Camping — after the old Morris Boot Factory, where it once stood, was demolished in the 1990s. However, with the Boots Camping no longer operating at the site, historical societies believe that it’s time to bring the “big boot” back to its roots.

Suggestions to bring the iconic big boot back to Paddington were made when the property recently went up for sale. They said that it makes sense to return the boot to Paddington because of its historical connection with the suburb.

The Council already took the initial steps to bring the boot back to Paddington. However, considering the cost of relocating “big boot”, the Council deemed the proposal was not a viable option at this time. A community skating park now occupies part of the former big boot site.

Former site of “big boot” in Paddington

The five-metre fibreglass boot first stood on the roof of the Spaghetti Emporium restaurant in 1976, at the corner of Caxton and Hale streets. Apart from the fibreglass boot, the Spaghetti Emporium also served beverages in boot-shaped glasses. The building was a former boot and footwear factory, the Morris Boot Factory, that was built in 1930 and eventually closed after four decades.

The building later became the Brisbane Underground nightclub after the restaurant closed in 1979. In 1990, the building was demolished and “big boot” was moved to Chermside at the corner of Gympie and Rode Roads, to serve as a marker for the Boots Camping.
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New Pollen Monitoring Sites Up at Chermside and Mutdapilly

New pollen monitoring sites have been set up at the Prince Charles Hospital at Chermside and Mutdapilly, as part of an expanded pollen forecast network. In a related development, the official Brisbane Pollen forecast by Queensland University of Technology researchers has been made available to help individuals suffering from hayfever and seasonal asthma.

Pollens from subtropical grass flowers around the Brisbane region, which peaks sometime throughout summer, can cause hay fever which can lead to an asthma attack. The new Brisbane Pollen forecasting model provides daily reading and six-day forecast at its website and via a free smartphone app. Forecast scale ranges from low to extreme and will serve as a forewarning to people suffering from allergies and seasonal asthma.

*Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Brisbane Pollen Count and Forecast / brisbanepollen.com.au*

Pollen measurements are taken daily from the Department of Environment and Science (DES) air quality monitoring station at Rocklea. Trapped pollen grains are analysed to measure the amount of pollen grains per cubic metre of air. The data from the pollen monitoring site is combined with data from NASA’s Terra satellite MODIS and the NASA-US Geological Survey Landsat satellite, to come up with a forecast.

There are also new pollen monitoring sites — one at the Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside and the other one at Mutdapilly — that have been set up in collaboration, with DES and Metro North Hospital and Health Services. These monitoring sites currently are used for research but will in the future become part of the pollen forecast network that will provide a wider coverage around South East Queensland.

QUT Brisbane pollen forecast to help allergy sufferers

Video Credit: TheQUTube / YouTube

Moreover, Professor Janet Davies, QUT Allergy Research Group head, said that they also have phenology cameras taking time-lapse photographs that shows grass growths and flowering on the areas surrounding the pollen monitoring site. The images will be used to enhance the pollen forecasting model.

Brisbane Pollen Count and Forecast is part of Australia-wide, multi-centre NHMRC AusPollen Partnership led by Professor Davies. The Partnership aims to provide accurate and localised information on pollen count, as well as an alert system for allergy and asthma patients.

“With the information provided by the pollen count people can be forewarned and take protective measures on expected high pollen days — avoid being outside or hanging out washing, keeping their home and car windows closed, and taking preventative medications such as antihistamines,” Professor Janet Davies said.

“People who experience severe hayfever or a cough, tight chest or breathing difficulties during the pollen season should seek medical advice, as they may have undiagnosed asthma.

“And those with asthma should ensure they have an up-to-date asthma action plan and are ready to respond should they have breathing difficulties,” she said.

Chermside Shoppers: Take Care And Be Calm When Parking At Shopping Centres, Suggests Report

Chermside holiday shoppers, take note. It pays to stay calm and extra careful when parking at shopping centres such as Westfield Chermside, advises the State’s peak motoring body, RACQ. So, don’t let any untoward incident at the carpark ruin all the fun in shopping, especially during the summer holidays.

November to December are the months with the most number of theft, vandalism and crash incidents happening in shopping centre car parks, according to insurance claims data gathered by RACQ. In the past three years, insurance claims from shopping centres have cost more than $72 million.

“Crashes and scrapes are common in shopping centre car parks year-round, but our data shows December and November are by far the worst months as people try to finalise their Christmas shopping, or just escape the heat,” RACQ spokesperson Lucinda Ross said.

Among the five shopping centres with most insurance claims, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre topped the list with 349 total claims over the past three years, from 1 November 2015 to 31 October 2018.

Westfield Chermside and Westfield Carindale came in second and third, respectively.

Photo Credit *Photo Credit: freestocks.org / Unsplash*

It is important, therefore, to reduce the risk of getting involved in theft or vehicle damage when in carparks which, Ms Ross said, can be done by doing a few simple things.

“With an expected influx of Christmas shoppers over the coming weeks we’re urging drivers to exercise simple courtesy and always obey carpark signage and normal road rules,” Ms Ross said.

“It’s important for people to take the time to completely secure their vehicles and make sure there are no bags or other valuables left in sight to tempt passing thieves.

“Treat your keys like cash, always keeping them in a safe, secure place on you when you’re out and about,” she said.

Top five shopping centres for insurance claims (1 November 2015 – 31 October 2018):

Indooroopilly Shopping Centre – 349 claims
Westfield Chermside – 342 claims
Westfield Carindale – 335 claims
Westfield Garden City – 261 claims
Sunnybank Plaza – 181 claims

BCC Christmas Lights Bus Tours to Commence for Northern Suburbs Route

Brisbane’s much-anticipated annual competition — 4KQ Christmas Lights™ — is back. So, make sure that you and your family gets to hop on any of the Brisbane City Council buses for the Christmas Lights Bus Tours, beginning 17 December to 21 December 2018.

Dazzling christmas lights are back on to add sparkle and cheer to this wonderful time of the year. Who wouldn’t want to spend a few hours just navigating the neighborhood and admiring the elaborate christmas light displays that lit-up the homes and establishments? Certainly not the kids and the child in all of us.

Whilst touring the neighborhood to see these amazing colorful christmas lights can be exciting and fun, it can be tiring as well if you have super excited and energetic kids with you.

Thankfully, we have the Council bus tours on hand to take the entire family around the northern suburbs. The Council bus christmas lights tour is a more comfortable way to enjoy the sights whilst keeping an eye on the kids and sharing the experience with other patrons in the tour.

The Council bus tours are scheduled to leave at exactly 6:45 P.M. from the bus interchanges and will travel Brisbane suburbs for about three hours (includes refreshment stops). Those who are interested are required to book their seats; tickets are now on sale.

The tours will depart from the following stops:

Chermside Shopping Centre (Stop D) to northern suburbs
City to northern suburbs (Ann Street, Anzac Square Stop 7)
Carindale Shopping Centre to eastern suburbs (Stop H)
Garden City Shopping Centre to southern suburbs (Stop J & K)
Indooroopilly Shopping Centre to western suburbs (Stop C)

*Photo Credit: James Baldwin / Unsplash*

About 4KQ Christmas Lights™ Competition

The 4KQ Christmas Lights™ Competition is an annual competition for Brisbane residents and business owners to put up their best christmas lights display and have a chance to win a share of cash and prizes worth over $20,000.
From December 6th – 24th December 2018, all displays must be on between 7.00 P.M. and 10.00 P.M. for the public viewing evenings.

Christmas Lights Bus Tours ticket details:

Adults: $22
Adult Admit + 1 Free Child under 4 years (Admit 2): $22
Adult Admit + 2 Free Children under 4 years (Admit 3): $22
Adult Admit + 3 Free Children under 4 years (Admit 4): $22
Adult Admit + 4 Free Children under 4 years (Admit 5): $22
Pensioners: $11
Children (4 to 14 years): $11
Full time students: $11.
Children under 4: free
Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children): $50

The two children’s tickets in the family rate can be substituted for any two patrons entitled to a concession fare. Transaction fees will apply for ticket purchases.

Buy Tickets

Westfield Chermside bus interchange, Stop D, Corner Gympie and Hamilton Roads, Chermside

New $27-Million Facility at Chermside’s The Prince Charles Hospital to Support Young People with Mental Health Illness

Work has begun on a $27-million mental health facility at The Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside to support young people suffering from mental health issues.

According to the Queensland Government, the new centre is their response to the closure of the Barrett Adolescent Centre. Until its closure in 2014, the Barrett Adolescent Centre was the state’s only youth mental health centre that provided accommodation for patients.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that the project is part of the government’s $68.2-million investment to rebuild and expand mental health services for young people.

“My government is committed to making sure Queensland’s most vulnerable young people have access to highly specialised healthcare services to help them recover and return to their family, friends and communities,” the Premier said.

“We are delivering for young people experiencing mental health issues who were abandoned by the LNP.

“I want to thank the patients of the former Barrett Adolescent Centre and their families, and other young people with a lived experience of mental health services for their invaluable input which will ensure that this facility and its services will be safe and effective.”

The new facility will include 12 beds, a full-time daily school, a common space as well as space for training and classes.

Minister for Health Steven Miles thinks the construction of the new facility ushers in a new era in the treatment of teens aged 13-18 years with severe and complex mental illness.

“The centre will provide assessment, treatment and rehabilitation that fully integrates mental health services with educational programs delivered by teachers from the Department of Education.

“It will also provide a structured environment with a focus on improving the overall function of young people to increase their capacity and confidence to successfully transition back to their community.”

The mental health centre is expected to start operation in 2020.

Gympie Road Top Car Crash Hot Spot: Data Revealed

Motorists driving down Gympie Road beware! The said road that runs through Chermside, Aspley, and Kedron ranks as the top car crash hot spot, latest insurance claims data revealed.

RACQ revealed the list of 20 most accident-prone areas based on insurance claims data from 1 January 2015 – 31 October 2018. Many are not surprised with the list, RACQ spokesperson Kirsty Clinton said.

“Unfortunately, the top 20 list is made up of a lot of the usual suspects. Gympie Road took out the top three spots, with Mains Road at Sunnybank and Logan Road at Eight Mile Plains rounding out the top five,” Ms Clinton said.

“These roads are typically heavily congested, high volume, multi-lane roads with many intersections and locations for interactions between multiple vehicles,” Ms Clinton said.

“A large portion of the crashes will be rear-end crashes which happen during congestion and at traffic lights and sideswipes and crashes where drivers have failed to give way properly.”

“As always when behind the wheel, but even more so on busy roads, drivers need to avoid distraction, obey traffic signals, give way correctly, travel at a safe following distance and carefully check blind spots and indicate when merging or change lanes,” Ms Clinton concluded.

Here are some road rules for everyday driving according to the Queensland Government website:

Changing Lanes

Give way to any vehicle in the lane you are moving into, even if your lane is ending and you have to cross a lane line.
Before you change lanes, you must indicate for long enough to give warning to other road users
You must turn off your indicator after you have changed lanes or merged.

Merging

On roads where there are lanes marked on the road—if your lane comes to an end, you must give way to traffic already in the lane you are moving to.
On roads where there are no lanes marked on the road—when lines of traffic merge, you must give way to any vehicle that is ahead of you.

Queensland Road Rules – merging

Video Credit: TMRQld/YouTube

Giving way

You need to give way if:

the rules say that you must
there’s a give way or stop sign
there are stop or give way lines on the road
you’re turning right across the path of an oncoming vehicle at an intersection
you’re turning left or right at a T-intersection
you’re moving onto a road from a driveway or land next to a road
you’re moving off from being stopped on the side of the road
you’re doing a U-turn
you’re turning left at an intersection with a ‘left turn on red after stopping’ sign.

Queensland Road Rules – giving way

Video Credit: TMRQld/YouTube

Safe Following Distance

Drive at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle in front during ideal conditions.
When driving a vehicle towing a trailer or caravan, you should add 1 second extra for each 3m of trailer length.

Queensland Road Rules – safe following distances

Video Credit: TMRQld/YouTube

The top 20 most accident-prone locations in Brisbane:

Gympie Road, Chermside
Gympie Road, Aspley
Gympie Road, Kedron
Mains Road, Sunnybank
Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains
Moggill Road, Indooroopilly
Sandgate Road, Clayfield
Ipswich Road, Annerley
Anzac Avenue, Kippa-Ring
Anzac Avenue, Rothwell
Sandgate Road, Virginia
Milton Road, Milton
Pacific Motorway, Greenslopes
Logan Road, Mt Gravatt
Hamilton Road, Chermside
Coronation Drive, Milton
Beaudesert Road, Calamvale
Ipswich Motorway, Oxley
Old Cleveland Road, Carindale
Ipswich Motorway, Darra and Gateway Motorway, Nudgee.

Tramway Museum Tour to Reminisce Chermside and Other Northside Tram Routes

History buffs are in for a treat as the Brisbane Tramway Museum commemorates the closure of the Adelaide Street Tram with a bus tour of tram routes including the Chermside Tram Route.

It will be a nostalgic day on Sunday 2 December 2018, when Leyland Panther buses from Queensland Omnibus & Coach Society (QOCS) travel along some of the old tram routes in Brisbane’s northside.

This year marks the 50th year since the last tram service was completely terminated to make way for bus services.

Brisbane tram — Photo credit: brisbanetramwaymuseum.org

Event Details:

What:	Brisbane Tramway Bus Tour
When:	Sunday, 2 December 2018 12:15 p.m. departure
Where:	Buses depart from Brisbane Police HQ, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane
Fare:	$45 per person

The buses will travel along the Rainworth, Bardon, Chermside, Stafford, Grange and the Enoggera tram routes. Throughout the tour, a Tram Museum member will point passengers to interesting spots with historical significance.

Once the tour bus arrives at the Old Enoggera tram terminus, the bus will continue on to the Brisbane Tramway Museum for some afternoon tea and a tour of the museum. There will also be free tram rides up to 4:50 p.m. before the bus heads back to Roma Street Transit Centre at 5:00 p.m.

Last day of booking will be at 11:00 p.m. 28 November 2018.

Find out more about this nostalgic tour of the old tram at brisbanetramwaymuseum.org.

Why Napoleon Perdis’ Stores Closed

Former site of “big boot” in Paddington﻿

QUT Brisbane pollen forecast to help allergy sufferers

About 4KQ Christmas Lights™ Competition

Westfield Chermside bus interchange, Stop D, Corner Gympie and Hamilton Roads, Chermside

Changing Lanes

Merging

Queensland Road Rules – merging

Giving way

Queensland Road Rules – giving way

Safe Following Distance

Queensland Road Rules – safe following distances

Event Details:

Former site of “big boot” in Paddington