Chermside Archives - Page 14 of 17

H & M Tipped to Close Multiple Australian Stores, Including Chermside

Fashion retailer H & M is closing down multiple stores in Australia, including Chermside, due to the economic impact of the pandemic and the massive shift of people’s shopping habits to online platforms.

H & M has already quietly shut down its outlet in Chatswood, NSW in January and industry insiders said that four more NSW stores are due to fold. In Queensland, at least three stores have been identified as underperforming and could close their doors as well: Chermside, Townsville and Rockhampton.

H & M outlets lease over 2,000 square metre spaces at various shopping centres and its closure will also impact the landlords who will need to find new tenants or come up with an alternative usage for the empty space.

In Chermside, the store is at Westfield Chermside on Gympie Road, owned by the Scentre Group.

According to reports, H & M’s sales fell by 18 percent in 2020, prompting its operations to consider closing 250 stores around the world. In October 2020, the retailer debuted its online store in Australia and said that it will pour more investments into its digital properties.

H & M has not released a statement regarding the closures. The company first opened its Australian store in Melbourne in 2014 and soon expanded to 49 outlets across the country.

Queensland Welcomes 776 New Junior Doctors at Prince Charles Hospital, 44 Other Sites

Queensland Health welcomed 776 new junior doctors in a special meeting with Health Minister Yvette D’Ath and other local officials at the Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside.

Of these new doctors, 163 medical interns will be taking up residence in Brisbane northside facilities, including Prince Charles Hospital. The rest will be assigned to 44 public hospitals for a full year.

“Best of luck to all of Queensland’s new medical graduates as they embark on this next stage in their medical career!” Member for Aspley Bart Mellish posted on Facebook.

“It’s great to see these new recruits at Prince Charles Hospital out there on the frontline, delivering the services northside residents need,” Mr Mellish said in a separate statement. “I’m proud to be a member of a government that’s investing in a record $21.8 billion health budget that’s delivering exceptional services for Queenslanders.”

These new interns will be joining training programs covering various clinical procedures and practices. The doctors will be under three rotations between Emergency Medicine, General Medicine and General Survey, as well as two elective specialised areas to safely and effectively transition into their chosen path.

“These medical interns and graduate nurses have worked extremely hard to get to this stage of their career and I congratulate them on their achievement,” Ms D’Ath said.

“I’m especially grateful they are joining Queensland’s health system during a global pandemic, where they will no doubt face extra challenges they may not have anticipated when they commenced their study.

“Queensland’s doctors and nurses have kept us safe during COVID and these new health workers will help that work continue.”

It comes as the State Government aims to have 9,475 medical and health practitioners providing services in Queensland in the next four years.

Chermside West Tipped for Property Growth in 2021

For the last five years, Chermside has achieved more than 30 percent growth in Brisbane’s property market. This has apparently created a ripple effect on its neighbouring suburb, Chermside West, which has been projected to grow in 2021.

According to AusProperty Professionals Director and Founder Lloyd Edge, Chermside West is one of 10 suburbs with a huge potential for growth this year following “a high level of gentrification” in recent years.

Mr Edge said that Chermside West, located 12 kilometres off the CBD, has been building up and is now at its prime as the “markets really heat up” in Brisbane, despite the economic impact of COVID-19.

Apart from its proximity to Chermside, the suburb has two hospitals providing employment for the locals and has the popular Craigslea State School. The improvements in Westfield has provided accessibility and convenience without the busyness of a city hub.

The top 10 Brisbane suburbs with a huge potential for market growth in 2021 are:

1 Mansfield
2 Indooroopilly
3 Moorooka
4 Logan Central
5 Mt Gravatt
6 Chermside West
7 Stafford and Everton Park
8 Wishart
9 Woolloongabba
10 Hemmant

A profile of Chermside West showed that property investments for this suburb have had a capital gain of 2.71 percent for the period ending 2020 October. The median price of a Chermside West house is $625,000 with a gross rental yield of 3.91 percent.

Post-COVID, homebuyers have been looking into suburbs in Brisbane for affordability, education and migration. Brisbane has heaps of the most sought-after catchment area, with surging demand from the Asian community.

The Prince Charles Hospital Emergency Services Expansion Fast-Tracked

The Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside will get an additional $3 million from the state government to fast track the expansion of its emergency services department.

Deputy Premier and Minister Health Steven Miles confirmed in a press briefing that the northside hospital will soon have additional beds, treatment spaces and better capacity for treating outpatient services.

Mr Miles said that this expansion will “future proof” The Prince Charles Hospital as demand in the region grows. The population serviced by the hospital is expected to increase in the next few years, especially among the over 70 years old.

“These projects will ensure the hospital continues to meet the current and future health needs of the Brisbane northside’s growing population. The ED expansion project will address the projected increase in ED presentations with more adult and paediatric treatment spaces, including resuscitation,” Mr Miles said.

The expansion will bring in additional jobs as well, boosting the region’s recovery plan following the pandemic.

Currently, The Prince Charles Hospital has 630-bed capacity and locals affirmed that it’s always full.

There is no projected start date of the expansion’s construction but Member for Aspley Bart Mellish said this needs to happen “as quickly as possible so we can meet rapidly growing healthcare needs here on Northside.”

Chermside Man Wins $1 Million After Playing Same Gold Lotto Numbers for 20 Years

A fortunate Chermside resident bought a Gold Lotto ticket at NewsExtra Chermside and woke up an instant millionaire following the draw on Monday, 14 Sept 2020.

The man said that he’s still recovering from a sleepless night because he could not believe his luck, he told The Lott.

“My wife and I saw we had won at about nine o’clock last night and we didn’t get much sleep after that,” the winner said.

The Chermside local is the lone winner from Brisbane of the $1 million prize money of Monday & Wednesday Gold Lotto draw. He said he’s been playing the same numbers for the last 20 years so this win has been unexpected.

His winning numbers were 31, 16, 23, 43, 1 and 24, with 18 and 36 as supplementary numbers.

“I can’t believe they’ve finally come up,” the man said. “It’s incredible. Honestly, I never thought this would happen, you hope, and you pray, but you never think you will actually win the lottery!”

The lucky Brisbane player will use his million-dollar prize for a trip to Easter Island if travel restrictions are eased off.

NewsExtra Chermside’s Shannon Hickey congratulated the winner, who becomes the 86th millionaire of the Monday & Wednesday Gold Lotto across Australia.

“We have sold plenty of division one prizes across our stores, and it’s always so exciting,” the store manager said.

What Really Happened to the Baby Saltwater Crocodile Found in Chermside?

A baby saltwater crocodile is now safely in the care of Queensland wildlife officers after a family stumbled upon it near the creek at the 7th Brigade Park in Chermside last Thursday.

The reptile, which is about 40 centimetres long, was badly dehydrated and distressed. It was definitely out of place at the suburban park.

Warren Christensen of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service facility in Moggill said that the juvenile estuarine crocodile was left in a “pretty bad way” by whoever was supposed to be transporting it.

Crocodiles might be common in the north side of the state but Mr Christensen said that the 7th Brigade Park in winter is not the place for such a young animal.

The wildlife official also said that had the crocodile not been found and contained then it would have posed an even bigger public threat in a few month’s time.

The family who stumbled upon the crocodile kept it inside an Esky when they transported the animal to the wildlife services’ facility in Moggill, where it is currently recovering in a pond.

Officials have a theory about what really happened to the animal. They think that the crocodile was meant to be raised and kept as a pet originally but it may have been left for dead at the Chermside park.

“Transporting wild animals – and in this case, a dangerous one – is completely unacceptable,” a representative from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES) said. “Apart from being very cruel, doing so can cause serious issues such as the transmission of disease and introducing them into the unsuitable habitat.”

Queensland laws prohibit keeping crocodiles as pets but certain provisions will allow having the animals for education or farming purposes.

DES is going to re-home the baby saltwater crocodile, at the right time, in one of the wildlife centers southeast of the region. The department, however, is hoping to get more information about the animal. For leads, phone 1300 130 372.

Medical Centre Proposed in Chermside to Meet Demand in Area

Photo Credit: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Construction company Cornerstone Building Developments is seeking approval for a three-storey medical centre with supporting retail uses at 425 Rode Road and 621 Gympie Road in Chermside.

The applicant is seeking to establish an integrated health service on the site which may include general medical practice, pathology and chemistry. It will also have a food and drink outlet for both staff and patients.

The subject site has an area of 2,663 sqm which will be reduced to approximately 2550 sqm, to allow the construction of Council’s possible future bikeway along Rode Road.

Photo Credit: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Plans rendered by Aspect shows the “Chermside Health Hub” has been designed to provide a considered interface to adjoining residential properties. The subject site currently houses a used car dealership and three-storey residential apartment buildings to the north and east of the site.

The proposal is also seeking a total of 179 car park spaces. Car parking is provided across three basement levels, with a vehicle crossover to be provided towards the site’s eastern boundary on Rode Road in order to provide adequate sight distances and to avoid the disruption of Gympie Road’s arterial function.

Extensive research by the applicant reveals that the current utilisation of healthcare services in the community indicates there is a current demand for day hospital beds. The report also noted that there is long term demand for multiple new and expanding day hospital services to be located in the area.

“The site provides an opportunity to enhance the health and medical service provision to an area where existing health care services are lacking in both quality and quantity. The site meets all of the requisite needs identified by CBD,” RPS Group reported on behalf of the applicant.

Cornerstone is behind some health and medical centres across Australia, including North Lakes Specialist Medical Centre, Mackay Specialist Medical Centre and Canberra Specialist Medical Centre.

If approved, the General Practice and Pharmacy will operate from 6:00 am – 10:00 pm. All other uses would have conventional daytime hours. For full details about the proposed medical and health centre, see Council Reference A005364844.

3 Reasons To Join The Multicultural Taste Of The World Festival

Multicultural Taste Of The World Festival is back to celebrate another year of harmony in diversity. The annual cultural event is a must-never-miss as it reflects the true essence of Australia’s heterogeneity.

For 2020, the Multicultural Taste Of The World Festival will be taking place on the 14th of March at the 7th Brigade Park’s Kidspace Playground in Chermside. Here are three reasons why you have to join this celebration:

Variety of Food

The festival is a chance for you and your family to try out and experience the flavours of different food and delicacies. There will be no shortage of choices from the food stalls. Similar to the festival from previous years, expect to taste Asian, European and Mediterranean dishes, along with Australian delights.

Photo Credit: Brisbane Malayalee Association Inc./Facebook

Heaps of Entertainment and Activities

Visitors will be treated to all-day entertainment and activities whilst they hop from one food stall to the next. Local communities, groups and bands have prepared special numbers to showcase the beauty of their culture or home country. There will also be free workshops from local experts.

These musical numbers, performances and workshops serve as a bridging tool for people to see the uniqueness of Brisbane’s residents. To be more organised, the park will be divided into different zones so that everyone can enjoy their favourite areas. Kids and teenagers will also have their special zones for youth-centred activities.

Community and Fellowship

The Multicultural Taste Of The World Festival was organised by the Brisbane Malayalee Association (BMA) to foster goodwill and enhance the tradition and culture of the city’s diverse communities.

“We want to emphasize and celebrate our difference,” says BMA. “By participating in Harmony Day activities, we can learn and understand how all Australians from diverse backgrounds equally belong to this nation and enrich it.”

There’s no need to register to attend the festival. The party starts at 2:00 p.m. and by 8:00 p.m., a fireworks display will be capping off the celebration.

How To Spice Things Up For An Amazing National Chilli Day

It’s National Chilli Day on Thursday, the 27th of February 2020, and El Camino Cantina in Chermside is turning things up to bring you a spicy good time. Whether you like your spicy food hot or mild, here’s how you can spice things up for the foodie holiday.

1. Ensure your seat.

Book a table at El Camino Cantina for the 27th to secure your seats. If you’re coming with a group, an advanced reservation online is better so you won’t have problems finding a spot if the place is packed.

2. Sign up for the games.

At 7:00 p.m. El Camino Cantina will run its hot wings competition. If you’re the ultimate chilli head and you want to win a $50 voucher, then sign up for the games and beat the rest to of the contestants.

*Photo Credit: El Camino Cantina/Facebook*

3. Order the Wing Roulette.

For National Chilli Day, the Mexican cantina will let you play with your food! Order the Wing Roulette (for 10, 30 to 50 wings) and take a chance. A serving has three levels of hot sauce, including the super extra spicy Facemelter Hot Sauce. From the sound of its name alone, you better be prepared!

Incidentally, El Camino Cantina will have the Facemelter Hot Sauce available until Sunday, the 1st of March.

National Chilli Day is celebrated every fourth Thursday of February. This holiday was established in the U.S. to celebrate the state of Texas’ official dish: chili con carne.

El Camino Cantina is proudly a Tex-Mex inspired restaurant with other outlets in NSW, VIC and QLD. In Chermside, it’s found on the second level of Westfield.

For enquiries or requests, phone the restaurant’s Chermside location at (07) 3053 5632 +61 7 3053 5632.

How to Grab Hold of Free Froyo at Yo-Get-It Chermside

What’s a great way to beat a scorching summer day? How about with a heaping bowl of delicious frozen yoghurt filled with all the toppings you want? Yo-Get-It recently opened a permanent home in Westfield Chermside. Did you know that you can get a tub of its frozen yoghurt for free?

Yo-Get-It is no stranger to the Queensland food scene, with its ever-present food truck frequently seen in various market events and expos. But now, you can easily grab hold of a dessert healthier than ice cream, with the opening of its shop at the second level of Westfield Chermside. They’re open every day!

At Yo-Get-It, you can create your own healthy or indulgent bowl. Eight different froyo flavours, from a rotation of 30 selections, are available at the store on any given day. On some days, you’ll find classics like vanilla, strawberry or cookies ‘n’ cream and on other days, you’ll get unique flavours like pina colada or burnt caramel.

After you’ve chosen your flavour, move on to the topping bar and fill your tub with delish choices from a veritable smorgasbord of toppings. Go healthy with fresh fruits, nuts and chia seeds, or load up on the sugar with gummy bears, M&Ms and drizzles of syrup — it’s all up to you!

When you’re satisfied with your yoghurt concoction, here’s where it gets even more fun. Get your tub weighed at the checkout counter and if you’ve guessed the correct weight you’ll get your froyo for FREE!

Yo-Get-It also serves yoghurt smoothies and soft-serve in a waffle cone. The dessert bar has gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan-friendly options as well.

The store opens from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Sunday. On Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, it’s lights off at 9:00 p.m.