Chermside Archives - Page 12 of 18

Chermside Beauty Wins First Miss Voluptuous International Crown in Nashville

The first Miss Voluptuous International pageant, held in Nashville U.S., has crowned its queen and it is none other than Chermside beauty, Amber Jane Powson.

Ms Powson bested several gorgeous plus-size women and role models over 14UK/AU from all over the world, including U.S., Greece, Wales and Ireland, during the April competition. Country representatives competed in the following areas: Panel Style Interview (40%), Personal Introduction (10%), National Wear (25%) and Evening Gown/Formal Wear (25%).

The pageant, however, was also about showcasing how these women are making a difference in their communities. The 25-year-old is an advocate for mental health support, after having been diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and depression in 2017.

Miss Voluptuous — Photo Credit: Supplied

Ms Powson has been raising awareness about mental health and body positivity after she overcame her own struggles, including a previous attempt to take her own life. The young advocate decided to join Miss Voluptuous as she knows the platform will help reach more people to break down the stigma associated with mental health.

“Around 30% of young Australians say they’re extremely, or very, concerned about their body image. This creates a higher risk of anxiety, depression and other mental health problems,” Ms Powson said.

“Only with awareness and support about body positivity and mental health was I able to graduate with a university degree, while working a part time job at a hotel, acting as an extra on blockbuster film sets, and be a plus size runway and print model.”

Apart from her new achievement as Miss Voluptuous International, Ms Powson is also an ambassador for the Mental Health Foundation Australia and Women’s Mentoring Foundation.

“The advice I give during these talks includes having compassion for yourself like you do for those you love.

“I would never tell my own sister the things I tell myself. I would never say she is a waste of space – so why on earth did I say that to myself?

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A post shared by Amber Jane Powson (@amberpowson)

“I’ve had countless women around the world reach out to me lately after hearing this message and reminding them to be more compassionate to themselves and their bodies.

“I’m truly hoping to share this message as much as possible.

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A post shared by Amber Jane Powson (@amberpowson)

Natalie Carley, the Director of Miss Voluptuous Pageants, said that the candidates were judged not so much on their beautiful face but also on their “passion for making a difference, a willingness to work hard and a determination to be heard.”

Whilst a beauty contest, Miss Voluptuous is also focused on platforms, volunteerism, hard work and efforts to build confidence from within. The pageant is open to all ladies aged 18 and above, size 14+, married, divorced, single, with or without children.

Meanwhile, Ms Powson’s next public appearance will be on the runway for award-winning Australian Designer Sonia Stradiotto at the Spring Fashion Show on the 28th of September 2022 in aid of The Carers Foundation Australia.

Chermside Nominees for 2022 Westfield Local Heroes: Who’s Your Pick?

Make your pick known for the 2022 Westfield Local Heroes and shine the spotlight on the inspiring individuals who make such a positive impact in their communities. Here are the nominees from Chermside.

The 2022 Westfield Local Heroes awards program recognises the people whose work and advocacy contributes to the upliftment of the community. About 126 grants will be given across Westfield outlets in Australia and New Zealand.

These individuals, and their organisation, are recognised for their work in in areas like family and youth support, health and wellbeing, inclusion and equity, community resilience, and environmental sustainability.

Here are the nominees from Chermside.

Kerry Gordon

Kerry, a paediatric nurse practitioner, is also the founder of Precious Wings, which helps families and educates the healthcare staff of those caring for the bereaved. If Kerry is successful, Precious Wings will use its funds to set up its new premises with storage racking, furniture, and IT equipment.

Rebecca Adams

Rebecca founded the First Light Widowed Association, which offers practical and emotional support for widows, especially those who have lost their spouses at a young age. If Rebecca is successful, the First Light Widowed Association will use its funds to cover the cost of producing information packs and running support events.

Uncle Gary Cobbo

Uncle Gary, a respected Aboriginal Elder runs the Kurbingui Youth and Family Development, which mentors hundreds of young locals. If Uncle Gary is successful, Kurbingui Youth and Family Development will use its funds to run programs that provide assistance and linkages to employment and training for the youth.

Learn about their work and VOTE here.

Winners of this recognition per centre will receive a $20,000 grant that will support their work for the organisation they represent. Each of the finalists, on the other hand, will get $5,000.

Check the full list of nominees here.

Voting closes on Monday, 22 Aug 2022.

New Salvos Housing in Chermside Opens for People At Risk of Homelessness

After two years of construction, The Salvation Army welcomes residents who could be at risk of homelessness at the new Salvos Housing in Chermside. The beautiful facility is funded by philanthropist Doug Cory.

The Cory Centre, located at the former Glenhaven complex, is a three-storey apartment with 21 two-bedroom units and five three-bedroom units for single parents with kids or families of vulnerable households. It has its own basketball and tennis court, a rebound wall, vegetable and flower gardens, a children’s playground, a common room indoors, and a library.

The Salvos Housing in Chermside was designed as a contemporary residential complex that blends well with its neighbours. It is meant to be an inner sanctuary where the kids can enjoy their childhood.

Photo Credit: DA A005168702/Developmenti/BCC

Mr Cory donated $5.5 million so that The Salvation Army can rebuild the Glenhaven complex for families. The businessman will never forget how the Salvos helped him, his eight siblings, and his single mum, Irene, when their family arrived in Brisbane.

Before this complex became a women’s centre, it was a motel with 13 units. In 1988, the Salvos bought the property for its charitable work.

Mr Lambert said the housing complex will no longer be called Glenhaven.

“Internally, we’ve been calling it the Cory Centre because of the donor’s relationship with the project but there hasn’t been a designated name for it,” Tim Lambert, the Army’s senior development manager with the property department in Queensland, said.

“If you are an average person with an average job and you’re walking down an average street…you couldn’t tell the difference between us and anyone else. You should be able to live in the same street and have the same rules and show the same respect as everyone else. It’s meant to be a true blended community.

“It will have a mixture of men and women and it’s not a women’s crisis centre. It’s not a domestic abuse centre. It certainly will have people who have suffered all those things, but there will be enough separation and security for people coming out of those situations … but will have the ability to feel safe and secure within the complex itself.”

118 New Homes For Construction in Ethel Street, Chermside and Sutton Street, Redcliffe

Soon, Ethel Street in Chermside will be part of the largest investment in affordable housing in Queensland, where 118 new, social dwelling options to suit the needs of a typical Brisbane family will be built.

The homes are aimed at downsizing seniors or empty nesters. Chermside is getting around 28 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units. Redcliffe will have 84 single-bedroom apartments.

The projects for Chermside and Redcliffe are part of the largest concentrated investment in social housing in Queensland’s history – $2.9 billion in funding, including $1.9 billion over four years for the new Queensland Housing Investment Growth Initiative.

Construction in Ethel Street in Chermside is expected to start at the end of 2022 with tenants ready to move in by September 2023.

“These projects will also generate more construction jobs for our state, with the two builds to support a combined 128 jobs,” Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said.

He confirmed the housing initiatives for Ethel Street in Chermside and Sutton Street in Redcliffe in a recent press release.

“These developments at Redcliffe and Chermside are just the first of many that will be delivered under the Housing Investment Fund and the HIF will keep delivering funding every year through its management by the Queensland Investment Corporation.”

He said that this will deliver social and affordable housing through a range of fit-for-purpose initiatives.

“Locating developments like this in communities such as Chermside will help alleviate the housing supply pressures we’re currently facing,” Member for Stafford Jimmy Sullivan said.

Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch confirmed that the leading community housing provider, BHC, will deliver the houses.

“BHC has a proven track record developing secure and affordable homes in Queensland for two decades,” Ms Enoch said.

“Our strong working partnerships like this are vital for providing Queenslanders with more affordable housing options.

BREAKING: We’re building 118 new social & affordable homes on Brisbane’s northside, at Sutton St, Redcliffe & Ethel street, Chermside.

These housing projects are the first of many that will be delivered from my government’s $1 billion Housing Investment Fund. pic.twitter.com/tLL6jMrpxC
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 4, 2022

The Queensland Housing Investment Growth Initiative will deliver accelerated supply of 7,400 social and affordable housing homes, as part of an overall Action Plan.

Westfield Chermside Asked to Remove Boom Gates, Allow Free Parking As Traffic Situation Worsens in Area

Some residents are appealing to the Scentre Group, owner and operator of Westfield Chermside, to temporarily remove their boom gates and allow free parking during weekends. If granted, residents hope the move will help ease the increasing traffic issues in the area exacerbated by the closure of Toombul Shopping Centre in Nundah.

As a result of the closure of the Toombul Shopping Centre in Nundah, traffic has become such a nightmare for those who live in the Chermside, Stafford and Lutwyche areas.

Customers have experienced more snarls than ever before as Toombul regulars flock to the surrounding retail precincts for alternative options.

Toombul had more than 1,700 car parking spaces at its premises but the shopping centre has permanently closed due to significant damages caused by the February floods.

Four-Hour Traffic Snarls in Westfield Chermside Area

Over the past weekends of May 2022, Westfield Chermside shoppers have complained about the nightmare traffic situation in the area, particularly instances of some locals taking up to four hours just to exit the car park.

Some motorists had been forced to ditch their cars for the day because they could no longer get out of the area. Those that managed to get out also ended up stuck in horrific bumper-to-bumper traffic outside.

Some said that this situation will become like the holiday rush traffic every weekend if no solutions are set in place.

“I was caught up in the madness on the weekend of Mother’s Day,” Glenda Macklin said. “I was stuck in the actual centre for two hours. The problem on that day was not that the boom gates were down, they were up, but there was that much traffic trying to get out of the centre and very very few exit points from the actual car park spots to down ramps.”

“I was on the second level and really there was only one exit to try and get down on to Kitty Hawk drive this was also joined by three or four other exits from different levels creating a mess on Kitty Hawk Drive,” she added.

“This is my local shopping centre and I have never seen it like this was the first time I’ve ever been caught in traffic like that at the centre.”

Asking for Help

In a statement, MP Anika Wells said that she has written to the Scentre Group concerning the boom gates and the free parking. The MP also said that she will ask the Federal Government to “commission a Gympie Road/Hamilton Road planning study to investigate the best solution to this notorious intersection.”

The Scentre Group has not made any comments about the traffic issues. Westfield Chermside has around 7,200 car parking spaces. In 2020, shoppers were upset when the Scentre Group cut the hours for free parking and the traffic issues did not improve.

Less Stress, Exciting Future For New Chermside Millionaire

A Chermside man in his early 20s has found himself on the receiving end of some unexpected good fortune. He was in the middle of work when he received the welcome news, particularly since he had been feeling particularly stressed over the rising cost of living.

“Everything is getting so much more expensive, and wages aren’t matching the changes, so I’ve been stressed lately,” the young man said.

At first, he didn’t believe the call informing him that he will pocket $1,146,608.15.

“I’m taken aback by this! I’m a millionaire. What the hell? I think it’s starting to hit me now. I’m starting to shake! This is amazing!”

The Chermside man holds one of the five division one winning entries in Saturday Gold Lotto draw 4225, drawn Saturday 26 March 2022. He purchased the ticket online at The Lott.

“I’m at work right now, and I haven’t checked my Gold Lotto ticket yet. I rarely check my tickets after buying them,” he said.

“I’ll keep working for the rest of the day. I can’t leave now and let my boss and my team down, but I’ll do some celebrating this evening.

“I’ll pop a few beers. I’m not sure if I’ll tell anyone just yet. It still doesn’t feel 100% real.

“I’m only in my early 20s, so this prize will set me up for the rest of my life.”

Meanwhile, Across Australia, there were five division one winning entries during the draw — two each from Queensland and Victoria and one from Western Australia.

The Saturday Gold Lotto has made 210 Australians millionaires in 2021.

Police Gather At Chermside To Remind The Public Of Personal Safety

Police officers are handing out leaflets at the Chermside shopping and public transport precinct to remind the public to take some preventative measures to increase their personal safety when out in public spaces.

Read: Woman with Confirmed Case of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Now Being Treated in Chermside

Queensland Police Service (QPS) has partnered with Westfield Security and BCC security to create a safe environment for members of the public, by handing out more than 3,000 Safer Living for Queenslanders booklets.

The booklets cover core personal safety strategies; dealing with confrontation; and situational strategies for in the home, online, out and about, public transport, in the car, for children, for seniors, in the workplace, and in the social scene.

personal safety booklets — Photo credit: https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/

Whilst we all have the right to be safe and it is important for people to be aware of it and exercise this right, QPS reminds the public that they also have responsibility for their own safety.

“Adopting practical safety strategies can help reduce the risk of victimisation and assist you to respond effectively if your safety is threatened,” QPS stated.

When out and about, these are some things people can do to appear confident in their surroundings:

Always exhibit strong and positive body language to appear self-assured.
Be aware of your surroundings and alert to what is going on around you.
Listen to, trust, and act on your instincts and if you sense danger from someone, something or a place, immediately remove yourself from the situation
Remove headphones or use of your mobile phone while out walking or crossing the road – distraction reduces your awareness of what is happening around you and can make you more vulnerable to a potential offender.
Wherever possible, walk in well-lit areas and face oncoming traffic.
Ensure you inform someone where you are going and an ETA for your return.

qld police — Photo credit: https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/

According to QPS’ Online Crime Map from 16 September 2021 to 15 March 2022, Chermside has recorded 62 cases of assault, 10 cases of robbery, and 9 cases categorised as ‘other offences against the person.’

Read: FOGO Food Waste Recycling Service Pilot Coming to Chermside

If you observe suspicious or threatening behaviour, contact police immediately and if it is safe to do so, respond to any calls for assistance.

You can report via Policelink or via 131 444 for non-urgent concerns and 000 for emergency.

FOGO Food Waste Recycling Service Pilot Coming to Chermside

https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/brisbane-let-s-go-fogo

Did you know that Chermside is among the suburbs chosen to participate in the pilot run of the FOGO initiative, a trial that will reduce food waste in a pilot batch of 6,000 households across 30 suburbs in Brisbane.

What is FOGO (food organics garden organics) pilot?

The FOGO pilot is a food waste recycling initiative of the Brisbane City Council aimed at diverting food waste from landfills.

Council selected eight existing green waste collection routes to be part of the pilot: four from Brisbane north and four from Brisbane south. Beginning 1 March 2022, Council will collect food scraps from participating households from routes one and two. And then from 8 March for routes three and four, including parts of Chermside, Geebung and Wavell Heights.

Collection route four map - Brisbane North — Collection route four map – Brisbane North | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au

Why participate in the FOGO?

Here are some troubling facts about food waste in Australia as noted by NFWS Feasibility Study:

An estimated $20 billion is lost to the Australian economy each year due to food waste.
Apart from the economic costs, over 5.3 million tonnes of food intended for human consumption is wasted from households and the commercial and industrial sectors each year.
Households throw away 3.1 million tonnes of edible food, equivalent to almost 17,000 grounded 747 jumbo jets.
Food waste costs Australian households between $2,200 and $3,800 each year.

National Food Waste Strategy Feasibility Study Launch
Video Credit: Admin FIAL / YouTube

What we can gain from minimising food waste:

Food waste can be converted into valuable compost for use by farmers and in gardens both big and small
Reduce food waste, reduce food costs
Reduce foul odour coming from rotting food and reduce the potential source of disease and vermin infestation.
Reduce food wastes in Brisbane where around 80,000 tonnes are thrown each year.

FOGO Food Waste Recycling Service Pilot Coming to Chermside — Photo Credit: Facebook/ Lord mayor Adrian Schrinner

What the pilot program entails

A letter will be sent to households in the pilot suburbs inviting them to participate in the free service. Before the service commences, each participating household will then receive a six-litre kitchen caddy and an education pack.

Food scraps will go to the kitchen caddy, before and after meals. It is important to line the caddy with a newspaper, paper bag or paper towel and then store it in a place where flies can’t swarm over it; but don’t use plastic bags.

Every one or two days, residents will empty their caddy of their food waste such as fruit and vegetable scraps, along with their garden waste into their green waste recycling bin. Take your green bin out for collection as part of the regular fortnightly bin collection process.

But don’t put these in your green bin

Food waste

dairy products (yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, all milk types)
meat products (bones, red and white meat)
seafood

Garden material

rocks and stones
branches too big to fit in the bin
plastic plant pots
garden tools, hoses, gloves, fuel, oil cans

Other items

plastic bags and food packaging
all types of plastic or polystyrene containers
cooking oil
fruit and vegetable stickers
coffee pods and capsules
tape, ties, rubber bands
cigarette butts
vacuum dust and hair
nappies (including compostable), baby wipes, flushable wet wipes
kitty litter, animal waste

Food wastes will be collected and taken to a resource recovery centre and will hand it over to a Council partner’s green waste recycling facility. The food wastes will then be converted into compost according to Australian standards to be used by local farmers, urban growers and businesses.

Chermside Local Pleads Guilty to Animal Cruelty; Queensland Reviews Animal Care and Protection Act 2001

A resident of Chermside has entered a plea of guilty to animal cruelty and will be barred from having a pet for three years after he mistreated Sam, his American Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Andrew Vlaisan, 42, was charged for animal cruelty after he failed to care for Sam and physically abused the dog by kicking, punching, and hitting the animal with objects.

Videos of the abuse were apparently caught on camera in 2020, according to Sophie Taylor, the RSPCA prosecutor. Though Mr Vlaisan had no prior convictions, his use of brute force against an animal resulted in one-year probation and the order barring him from pet ownership for three years. However, the magistrate allowed Mr Vlaisan to keep his current household cat.

Mr Vlaisan told the magistrate that he was “embarrassed and ashamed” of his actions. He said he had no intentions to purposely hurt the dog but admitted that he took out his frustrations on the animal because of his personal circumstances and his poor health.

The news comes as Queensland Government is in the middle of reviewing the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (ACPA) after 20 years of enforcement. Community consultation was undertaken in April 2021, which received 1439 survey responses and 914 written submissions.

DOWNLOAD THE REVIEW’S DISCUSSION PAPER

Among the amendments to be considered are:

a review of enforcement options to ensure they are appropriate
an infringement notice scheme for on-the-spot fines for certain animal welfare offences
a review of the oversight and governance arrangements for externally appointed inspectors to ensure they are appropriate
options to assist animal welfare professionals, including veterinary surgeons, to report animal cruelty

Following the review, the amended Act will be introduced at Parliament, which will decide on passing, communicating, and implementing the changes.

Chermside Property Market Continues Steady Growth for Q3 2021

House prices in the Chermside property market continue their upward trajectory, with the median house price increasing by 14.28% for the period covering October 2020 to September 2021. Despite a shortage of stocks and the imbalance between supply and demand, the competition among buyers with urgent demands has been putting much pressure on prices to scale up.

Highlights

The property market in Chermside has increased by 14.28 per cent for October 2020 to September 2021.
House prices have settled at a median price of $746,250 whilst the median unit price is at $630,000.
In Chermside, the imbalance between demand and supply has contributed to the rise in property prices.

House Price Growth

For the said 12-month period, Chermside’s property growth is up by 14.28 per cent compared to the same period in 2020 and the median house price has settled at $746,250, up from $653,000 last year, according to Property Market Updates.

From October 2020 to September 2021, market transactions in Chermside have been fast-moving at 61 days with 79 houses sold. More than half of these were three-bedroom homes with an average house price of $718,750.

A three-bedroom, one-bathroom house on Henry St sold for the highest price in July 2021. Though largely without any renovations or upgrades, this transaction closed at $2,670,000. The house, with a fully-fenced yard and plenty of storage and a laundry room underneath the house, has not been on the market since 2021 when it sold for just $430,000.

Unit Price Growth

On the other hand, downsizers and young professionals working in offices and medical hubs in and around Chermside, who are also in the market for dwelling options, have pulled the unit market’s growth up by a modest 3.75 per cent. In the past five years, Chermside’s property market has had impressive growth due to its gentrification as a medical and commercial hub.

There were over 314 properties apartments sold within an average of 74 days on the market from October 2020 to September 2021.

The unit median price is now at $630,000. Two-bedroom units were high on demand with 176 sold for the 12-month period, as opposed to one-bedroom apartments where 23 transactions took 133 days to close on the market.

About Chermside

Chermside has slowly been gaining a reputation as a mini-CBD with many high-density developments around Westfield Chermside, the largest Westfield shopping complex in the country. The Chermside area also has numerous medical hubs and a major transport corridor in the suburb.

Chermside has been attracting investors as well because of increasing job opportunities in and around the suburb. Since this North Brisbane suburb is still within the city fringe, properties are viewed as attractive, yet prices are still more affordable. Amidst the gentrification, there are still plenty of houses with sprawling backyards that drive demand, particularly in the last two years when a trend towards more spacious dwelling options became more popular among buyers stuck at home due to COVID-19.

“We love its lovely green, tree-lined area that is very convenient to everything. We have great neighbors, there are a lot of established older houses that have been built well back in the 70s when they used hardwoods so they are built to last, not like the rubbish they throw up in 15 weeks these days. Perfect for a renovation or if you’re like us, buy something that has already had the work done. Definitely on the radar for most northside buyers as the surrounds are still close to the CBD/Milton for commuting and homes are still somewhat reasonably priced.”
Quizl

“When my parents bought here twenty plus years ago it was definitely lower socio-economic, many more migrant families, and single parents etc. Now the area is mostly younger white families.”
AussieMakeupFan

“I live in Chermside and find the suburb differs so much depending on where you are, it’s quite interesting. Lots of old houses getting bought and knocked down though.”
Sam