Residents to Get Free Native Plants at the Green Heart Fair in Chermside

Achieving a more eco-friendly life and adapting to practical and sustainable ways of living are just some of the objectives of this year’s Green Heart Fair in Chermside, where the residents may also get free native plants from the Brisbane City Council.



The popular event, to be held on Sunday, 30 May 2021, at the 7th Brigade Park, Newman Road, is an opportunity for both homes and businesses to become “waste warriors.” The activities designed for all ages and abilities will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

Over 3,000 plants will be distributed to guests on a first-in, first-served basis.

“When it comes to sustainability, we all have to start somewhere, and small, everyday decisions by households will continue to have a big impact on our city’s sustainability,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

Some of the Green Heart Fair highlights include a session from Green Living Australia and Bee One Third on maintaining a green home and garden. The kids will also be entertained at the Dirt Girl show, where they can participate in various nature play and craft workshops.

A special Waste Zone will also be established, where every member of the family could learn how to reduce wastes whilst the children could have the chance to see how a garbage truck operates. 

Photo Credit: Supplied
Photo Credit: Supplied

The Grow Zone will feature a hands-on workshop for the participants to work with plants or bees, as guided by the experts. There will also be showcases from Brisbane’s best artisans, who will demonstrate how to make trinkets and other handmade pieces from recycled items. Celebrities from Channel 7 will also grace the activities whilst the guests may also test-drive electric scooters and vehicles for sustainable travel. 



“From composting tips to how to keep bees at home, Green Heart Fair will feature more than 120 of Brisbane’s leading experts with innovative environmentally-friendly products and services, as well as a whole day of talks covering a range of sustainable living topics,” Mr Schinner said.

Photo Credit: Supplied

“Attendees will also be invited to enjoy some of Brisbane’s best local food trucks with more plant-based food options than ever before and take home two native plants to grow at home or in the local community.”

The Green Heart Fair is a COVID-save event. To learn more about this event, visit the official site.

New Affordable Homes for Vulnerable and Low-Income Households Planned for Chermside

Brisbane City Council has received a development application for a multiple dwelling on a 4,158-sqm site at 1004 Gympie Rd in Chermside.

Lodged by The Salvation Army (Queensland) Property Trust, the proposal is seeking to build a three-storey residential building with 21 two-bedroom units and five three-bedroom units.

The development aims to provide housing choice for vulnerable and low-income households who are transitioning out of crisis accommodation services offered by The Salvation Army.



If approved, the applicant will include 1,427 sqm of communal open space at the ground level that will have a sports area, turfed lawn, and a variety of informal seating.

Prepared by DC8 Studio, the architectural design showed the central communal meeting spaces will be connected to outdoor space to provide added amenity and space for families in addition to their private home and balcony.

It will include an undercroft level for 20 car park spaces, with 16 of the car park spaces allotted for the residents and the rest for the visitors.

1004 Gympie Rd, Chermside (Photo credit: Google Street View)

The proposed three storeys exceeded the building height expectations in Gympie Road, as the subject site is located in a low-density residential zone where dwellings are predominantly one or two storeys in height.

TSA believes the additional height and density are required to maximise the amount of housing choice they offer to vulnerable persons.

The proposal has not received any public submissions yet but the applicant needs to provide further details regarding the DA based on the initial review carried out by BCC.

To know more about this proposed residential building, see Full DA- A005168702.



Green Heart Fair, Brisbane’s Biggest Sustainability Festival, is Coming to Chermside

The Green Heart Fair is back and this time, the biggest free bi-annual community and sustainability festival in Brisbane will be at the 7th Brigade Park in Chermside on Sunday, 3 June 2018.

Photo credit: Facebook/Green Heart Fair

In partnership with the Brisbane City Council, the Green Heart Fair promotes innovative green living in a fun-filled, family-friendly environment for local residents to enjoy.

The Fair starts at 9:00 am to 3:00 p.m. and over a hundred sustainability organisations, community groups, artisans, conservationists, and experts will be sharing their expertise and knowledge on living more sustainably.

Photo credit: Facebook/Green Heart Fair

Tons of fun entertainment will be up for kids on the Channel 7 Main Stage including Queensland Urban Utilities ‘Water Warriors’ Live Stage Show, PJ Masks Live Stage Show, and Live Music from Hailey Calvert, and Pat Tierney.

In the Love Food Hate Waste Cooking Zone, fairgoers will learn how to become more conscious with food consumption as 31% of the average Brisbane bin consists of food waste.

Celebrity presenters including Matt Golinski, Sam Thaiday and Dominique Rizzo, and Alison Alexander, a Food Consultant from Queensland Food Fellow, will be sharing simple tricks to help transform the way you plan, shop, and eat. Such valuable techniques can significantly help you save up to thousands of dollars every year while reducing food waste.

Photo credit: Facebook/Green Heart Fair

The Live for Less and Move for Less zones will feature expert talks and stalls on sustainable living and transportation for all households.

To learn more about the exhibitors that will be present in this huge sustainability festival, check out Green Heart Fair’s What’s On page.

Photo credit: Facebook/Green Heart Fair

Don’t forget to bring your own reusable coffee cup and water bottle to the Green Heart Fair to get discounts on your coffee and free water refills from the Queensland Urban Utilities Hydration Station.

Photo credit: Facebook/Green Heart Fair

Free native plants will be up for grabs at the fair. Fairgoers can choose from Thyme Honey Myrtle and Tea Tree or Bottlebrush and Coastal Rosemary  Better. You can also drop by the Rocky Point AU Grow Zone to get expert advice on how to look after these plants before heading home.

The Green Heart Fair is sponsored by the Brisbane City Council, Channel 7 Queensland​, Queensland Urban Utilities,  Rocky Point AU, and Cleanaway.

To learn more about the event, visit the Green Heart Fair’s website or check out their Facebook page.

 

Plans for New Synthetic Hockey Pitch in the Burringbar Park Facility in Chermside Lodged

A new synthetic hockey pitch in the Burringbar Park Facility at the Kedron Wavell Hockey Club, at 21 Kittyhawk Drive, is the subject of a development application lodged by John Giles Associates, a company of architects, planners, and interior designers, in behalf of the Brisbane Hockey Management Group (BHMG). BHMG is an initiative of the Brisbane Hockey Association and Kedron Wavell Services Hockey Club to manage the Burringbar Park site.

 

Proposed Plans

Photo credit: D.A. No. A004691193, Brisbane City Council

John Giles Associates’ proposed plans seek to install another “hybrid” synthetic surface hockey pitch on the northern eastern section of the site that will complement the existing synthetic surface pitch. It will be constructed in accordance to the Chermside Centre Neighbourhood Plan (Community Use and Sports Precinct). The new synthetic facility does not require any irrigation system.

 

Synthetic Facility

Photo credit: D.A. No. A004691193, Brisbane City Council

Hockey was traditionally played on natural turf. However, synthetic pitches were made mandatory for major competitions in 1976. The development in the Burringbar Park complies with the standards of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). FIH is the international governing body of the sports of hockey that is responsible for the major international tournaments, such as the World Cup.

Due to the changing nature of hockey, there is a greater demand for this modern facility. The construction of an additional synthetic surface hockey pitch is foreseen to ease the demand of this kind of facility across regional Brisbane.

The application stated that the synthetic facility will help in the continued development of the skills of the teams. Upon completion, the development will be utilised for hockey training, matches, and competitions across Brisbane.

 

Several Upgrades

Photo credit: D.A. No. A004691193, Brisbane City Council

Although the existing Clubhouse and other hockey pitches will be left untouched, several upgrades and improvements are included in the plan. The existing security fence will be extended and the pitch surround will be improved on the internal kerb and gates. Concrete pathway pitch surrounds will also be constructed.

For better trainings and matches, ball stop nets, open technical and team bench, and electronic scoreboards are included in the field improvements.

Photo credit: www.kwhockey.com

The development application is still waiting for BCC’s approval. The community can still lodge their submissions on the BCC PD Online page.

Kerbside in Chermside: Collection Soon!

Chermside is next up for BCC’s Kerbside Collection on Monday, the 28th of August. This is the perfect time to get rid of those unwanted clutter and those pieces of furniture and appliances that are too big for the wheelie bins.

Be mindful of the items that you will take out on your kerb. There is a list of acceptable and unacceptable items. You can’t take out household waste that normally goes into the waste and recycle bins. The Council will not collect glass, mirrors, car parts, car tyres, and car batteries.

Photo credit: www.1coast.com.au

Kerbside collection happens only once a year, but you can’t just dump everything at once this day. The Council will only collect piles that are not larger than two cubic metres, in order to cater to the whole neighbourhood.

If you have items that are not included on the approved list or reached the Council’s kerb limit, you can take these items to these places.

 

Resource Recovery Centres

Photo credit: www.bmigroup.com.au

The Resource Recovery Centres is open for both recyclable and green or general waste. There are four recovery centres in Brisbane, formerly known as transfer stations, located in Willawong, Chandler, Ferny Grove, and Nudgee. The upgraded centres will help in reducing waste to landfill by making recycling easier and faster.

Vehicles that are under 4.5 tonnes Combined Gross Vehicle Mass (CGVM) can use the drive-through recycling area for free, whilst vehicles above 4.5 tonnes CGVM can still recycle, but with fees applied.

The centres are open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. every day of the year, including Christmas Day and other holidays.

 

Tip Shops

The Resource Recovery Centres turn over all recyclable items to the tip shops in Acacia Ridge and Geebung. These items include household furnishings, collectables, books, toys, and sporting equipments.

The tip shops are operated by the Endeavour Foundation, one of the largest non-government organisations in the country that helps people with disabilities.

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council

These shops aim to reduce the amount of waste to landfill by reusing, recycling, and recovering valuable resources. The shops urge people to rethink, recycle, and upcycle our rubbish.

The tip shops are only open on Saturdays and Sundays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. All of the proceeds are reinvested back into providing assistance to people with disabilities.

Photo credit: matthew_newkirk_art/Instagram

From July to August, the Salvage Recycling Art Exhibition at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts display the works of artists that used items from the tip shops. There is also free upcycling workshops that will demonstrate how to effectively restore items.

 

NACRO

Photo credit: www.nacro.org.au

One man’s trash can be another man’s treasure. Why don’t you save these items from getting dumped and donate the items to charity?

According to the February 2017 NAB Charitable Giving Index, total charitable giving fell in Queensland by 2.5% over the year course since February 2016. This has made Queensland the lowest of all the states in terms of total donations.

The National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations Inc. (NACRO) is the peak organisation that holds several charities and tip shops all over Australia. The Endeavour Foundation is also under NACRO.

Everyday, NACRO is assisting people across Australia through home visitations, refugee assistance, hospital and health services, aged care services, and other essential programs that are beneficial to the society.

 

GIVIT

Photo credit: GIVIT – Goods For Good Cause/Facebook

GIVIT is a national non-profit virtual organisation founded by CEO Juliette Wright. They support all agencies, services, and charities in Australia to store, sort out, and distribute the donations to specific individuals or communities who exactly need the items. This virtual organisation is currently supporting over 1,240 charities and community service providers all over Australia.

Interested donors can either check the list of the items needed by other people and the charities or pledge the items into the virtual warehouse by registering every item on their website with specifications on the delivery preferences. Just be mindful of the list of prohibited items to avoid inconveniences.

You can donate as much as you can, but make sure that these items are usable. People in need deserve to receive quality items, too.

Temporary Bus Stop Relocation to Take Effect to Give Way to Chermside-Aspley Bikeway Construction

The bus stop Gympie Road at Marchant Park, Stop 40, Chermside is temporarily closed until the end of August. Bus routes 335, 338, 680, and P341 will be transferred at Gympie Road near Murphy Road, Stop 39, Aspley.

The closure and re-routing are part of the temporary adjustments being made due to the ongoing North Brisbane Bikeway – Chermside to Aspley project. View the timetable here.

 

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council

The North Brisbane Bikeway – Chermside to Aspley project is a part of the $100 million Better Bikeways 4 Brisbane program. It is a four-year program that aims to extend the Brisbane’s network of bikeways that was launched in 2016.

The bikeway extension on Gympie Road, between Webster Road, Aspley and Murphy Road, Chermside, will complete an important link in the North Brisbane Bikeway. It will also complete a circuit link around the cricket fields at the Marchant Park.

The ongoing construction will include:

  • 875 metre-wide pathway along Gympie Road
  • 15 metre-long path over the drainage line at Marchant Park
  • Linkages off the main shared pathway for bus connections; and
  • Installing overhead LED bikeway lighting.

After the construction, there will be a connected commuter route for people from the Northern suburbs to the Central Business District (CBD). The project will also bring secured connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians and safe off-road link between the existing shared pathways.

 

Other Impacts of the Construction

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/Flickr

Apart from the bus stop relocation in the area, the community can expect to experience other inconveniences, including construction noise, dust, and increased truck movements.

Pedestrians and cyclists around the area will also be affected as there will be temporary access changes between the two bus stops southbound on Gympie Road, near Marchant Park.

For motorists, there will be access changes to some parking areas around Marchant Park. The speed limit may also be reduced for the safety of everyone: motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and workers.

 

Environmental Offsets

7th Brigade Park, Chermside
(Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/Flickr)

The biggest impact of the construction on the environment is the removal of 18 trees from the area, and the relocation of 12 trees from the bikeway, for ensured safety of both cyclists and pedestrians.

The Queensland Environment Offsets Act (QEOA) of 2014 requires infrastructure projects to offset their impacts to the environment through activities such as revegetation and planting. Native trees and shrubs will be planted on Marchant Park and on 7th Brigade Park.

Full details about the North Brisbane Bikeway – Chermside to Aspley can be viewed on the Brisbane City Council’s website.