Locals can look forward to an upgraded outdoor workout experience with the upcoming exercise equipment upgrade at Tarragindi’s Shaftesbury Street Park.
The upgrade will include the installation of new equipment and upgrading of existing equipment, enhancing the functionality and user experience of the outdoor gym at the Tarragindi park.
Councillor for Holland Park Ward Krista Adams announced that the works for the exercise equipment upgrade at Shaftesbury Street Park are set to begin on 27 March 2023 and anticipated to be complete by May 2023, weather permitting.
Photo credit: Councillor Krista Adams/Facebook
During the construction period, residents in the vicinity may experience minor detours or closures, as well as noise and dust associated with the use of construction tools. Additionally, there may be a reduction in available parking in the area.
For everyone’s safety, Brisbane City Council will limit public access around the construction area for the duration of the project. Work hours will be from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
To find out more about the works or the project, contact Council at 3403 8888.
The park is located at 59 Shaftesbury Street. It has a barbecue, basketball half court, dog off-leash area (including a small dog dog off-leash area), outdoor fitness/exercise trail, picnic area, playground, toilet – accessible , shared pathway and water (bubbler/tap).
The existing outdoor gym, which can be accessed via Laura St, features exercise equipment perfect for strength, cardio, and mobility training.
Tarragindi’s Shaftesbury Street Park also has its own scooter track, which is one of the four new tracks for Brisbane. Others can be found at Paul Conti Park in Hemmant, Kathleen Street Park in Richlands; and Wittonga Park in The Gap.
New shade sails at Chester Park Reserve in Mount Gravatt East and other playgrounds across the city, under BCC’s Sun-safe suburban playgrounds program.
The first 41 playgrounds to be retrofitted with shade covers were revealed in late 2022 which Cr Schrinner said will ensure every playground in Brisbane has shade will help protect parents, carers and children and potentially save lives.
Under this $10 million program, Council will identify those playgrounds that need cover and ensure they receive it over the next three years.
Installation of poles and frames, measurement and installation of shade sails, and, when required, temporary closure of playground equipment will be part of the construction works. The time required for installation, which normally lasts between three and five weeks, depends on the size and site conditions of each playground.
“Brisbane has an enviable lifestyle as well as a network of more than 2000 fantastic parks that make for great free fun for families,” Cr Schrinner said.
“However, we also live in a state that’s known as one of the world’s skin cancer capitals.
“While we incorporate shade in all our new playgrounds when required, there are unfortunately some that still need to be retrofitted with some form of cover.
“This program is in addition to our ongoing investment in new and improved parks and playgrounds throughout Brisbane suburbs.”
According to Cancer Council Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mr Andrew Donne, Australia has the highest rate of melanoma globally, and skin damage can occur in just 15 minutes without sun protection. However, he also emphasizes that skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer.
He also praised the efforts of the Lord Mayor in creating shaded recreational areas for children in Brisbane and suggests that individuals can also take measures to improve their sun safety by wearing protective clothing, applying SPF 30+ sunscreen, wearing a broad-brimmed hat, seeking shade, and using wraparound sunglasses.
The playgrounds to receive shade over the six months period are the following:
Park
Suburb
Timing
Akuna Street Park
Kenmore
March – April
Austin Uhlmann Park
Morningside
March – April
Bacton Road Park
Chandler
To be confirmed
Barwin Street Park
Wakerley
May – June
Beckett Road Park
McDowall
May – June
Bliss Street Park
Gaythorne
April – May
Breene Court Park
Carindale
To be confirmed
Broula Park
Stafford Heights
April – May
Buckley Street Park
Carina Heights
March – April
Cannon Hill Bushland Reserve
Cannon Hill
March – April
Castamore Way Park
Richlands
May – June
Chester Park Reserve
Mount Gravatt East
April – May
Crawford Road Park
Wynnum West
April – May
Dianthus Street Park (South)
Wakerley
March – April
Doulton Street Park
Calamvale
March – May
Ed Kuepper Park
Oxley
April May
Ekibin Park East
Greenslopes
To be confirmed
Ekibin Park South
Annerley
April – May
Fernwood Place Park
Taigum
To be confirmed
Ferny Grove Picnic Ground Park
Ferny Grove
April – May
Fiddlewood Crescent Park
Bellbowrie
March – April
Fig Tree Pocket Riverside Reserve
Fig Tree Pocket
April – May
Frank Sleeman Park
Boondall
To be confirmed
Garrett Park
Runcorn
March – May
Gordon Crescent
Wakerley
March – April
Greenhills Park
Alderley
March – April
Hamish Street Park
Calamvale
To be confirmed
Harry Kirby Park
Aspley
April – May
Heers Park
Manly West
April – May
Kalinga Park
Kalinga
May – June
Kings Park
Keperra
April – May
Kitchener Park
Wynnum West
To be confirmed
Kuranda Street Park
Balmoral
March – April
Lambertia Close Park
Mount Gravatt East
To be confirmed
Linacre Street Park
Durack
April – May
Milton Urban Common
Milton
To be confirmed
Mingoola Park
Murarrie
To be confirmed
Moora Park
Shorncliffe
April – May
Narrung Street Park
Middle Park
April – May
Nixon Park
Oxley
April – May
O’Callaghan Park
Zillmere
To be confirmed
Orleigh Park
West End
To be confirmed
Robert Hanley Park
Seven Hills
March – April
Robinson Park
Richlands
To be confirmed
Ross Park
Nundah
To be confirmed
Rotary Park
Heathwood
March – May
Sanananda Park
Darra
April – May
Selkirk Crescent Park
Upper Kedron
To be confirmed
Sunset Place Park
McDowall
To be confirmed
Tryon Street Park
Upper Mount Gravatt
March – May
Cr Schrinner remarked that parents, like himself, are aware that playgrounds lacking shade are unavailable for extended periods in Brisbane’s hotter months, but this initiative will make the city’s parks cooler for all.
Heads up, green thumbs of the community! The Salisbury Community Garden, located within Salisbury State School, will be hosting two FREE workshops this April and May 2023.
Salisbury Community Garden will be hosting these workshops so people could learn how to grow local food to save money and become healthier and connected to their community. Here are the details on the upcoming workshops.
To be held on Sunday, 2 April from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon, the first of the two workshops will focus on garden design and water saving strategies. You will also learn how to fill a raised garden bed sourcing local materials, such as compost, leaves, and branches.
The workshop will be facilitated by Doreen Jachmann from Bloomfield’s Homestead, who is an expert on Permaculture Consulting and Design. She has formal education in Environmental Monitoring of Soil and Water and achieved a Bachelor in Horticulture.
Register on Eventbrite to join Session One: Waterwise Gardening and Design.
How to Create a Food Forest
Photo credit: Salisbury Community Garden/Facebook
On Saturday, 6 May, from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon, Ms Jachmann will once again hold a workshop, this time focusing on creating a food forest. Soil health and nutrition will also be discussed, aside from introductory strategies on creating your own food forest in your own backyard.
Register on Eventbrite to join Session Two: How to Create a Food Forest. Registering is highly encouraged so they will be able to manage the guestlist and attendance.
Don’t forget to bring your own gardening gloves, a chair, water bottle and sun safe equipment for yourself when joining these workshops. Again, these sessions are free and open for all ages. You don’t also need to be a member of the Salisbury Community Garden to come along.
Did you know that Tarragindi, named after Tarragindi Tasserone, was first called ‘Sandy Creek?’ Here are some other interesting facts about Tarragindi.
Sandy Creek is a watercourse that has its source in Toohey Forest to the south and flows through the major part of the suburb. It can be hard to find the creek these days as it weaves its way from Toohey Forest through reserves and parks, but it was once home to a range of native plants and a home to wildlife.
It was named after Tarragindi Tasserone
Photo credit: State Library of Queensland
Tarragindi, or simply Tarra was believed to be originally from the Loyalty Islands (New Caledonia) but managed to escape from his plantation. He was taken in by Alfred Foote who found him sitting on the roadside. He worked for Mr Foote’s family until the last days of his life in 1913.
He also worked for Samuel Grimes, known as the founding father of the area and is connected to Mr Foote. Upon learning that ‘Tarragindi’ was synonymous to camp on a hill, Mr Grimes gave the name to his new home.
The entire area was officially called Tarragindi in 1931, almost two decades after Tarra’s passing.
It was a rural area until the interwar years
Circa 1871 (Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland)
A Congregational chapel, the Cracknell Road Congregational Church first held its services in the suburb by the early 1900s. However, there was no school and other church building or public hall in the area by that time.
Sandy Creek Progress Association was behind some of the early developments in the area. The group sponsored fund-raising for a public hall and lobbied for a district primary school.
The first land sales, advertised by Isles Love & Co Auctioneers, occurred only in October 1914.
It used to be separate from Ekibin
Photo credit: norman-creek-catchment.org.au
Ekibin is now one of the roads in Tarragindi, but did you know that it was a suburb before? It was identified as a census district between 1947 and 1971, covering the Boggo Road Gaol to the Tarragindi reservoir. Its name was subsumed by Tarragindi in 1976.
A field hospital was built during WW2
Photo credit: Sara Juanita Volpe/Google Maps
One of the most interesting facts about Tarragindi is that it was once home to the Ekibin Hospital which was built in 1941, within Sexton Street and Toohey Road.
Shell-shocked soldiers during World War II were treated to the Ekibin Hospital. It was also occupied by the 102nd Australian General Hospital which treated patients suffering from psychoneurotic disorders.
Under the arrangement, Catchment takes a majority stake in the business and chief executive Matt Newberry will assume the group CEO role. Ballistic founder David Kitchen, meanwhile, remains a shareholder of the business and will serve as a strategic advisor to the board.
With more than $5 million in debts including more than $2 million in unpaid taxes, Ballistic Beer entered into voluntary administration last January 2023.
Mr Kitchen said that the business is confident that the capital injections from partners and the strategic input to the plans they have been working on will see Ballistic remain a large, relevant and popular craft beer brand in the Australian Craft beer Industry.
Meanwhile, Mr Newberry said that Catchment believes that Ballistic Beer will add value to their portfolio and offer a truly independent QLD craft beer company with a terrific suite of brands and venues.
He added that they will retain as many of the Ballistic team and breweries as they can to preserve as many QLD jobs as possible and keep the Ballistic brand alive.
Ballistic Beer has established its name as one of Queensland’s high-profile independent and multi-awarded brewing companies since it was launched in 2017, winning nearly 100 gold, silver and bronze medals at various national and international competitions.
Ballistic Beer has a presence in Salisbury, West End, Springfield, Bundaberg and Airlie Beach. Its products are now sold in more than 2,800 outlets, independent bottle shops and venues across the country including BWS, Dan Murphys, First Choice and Liquor Land.
Did you know that in early March 2023, Tarragindi Community Garden turned over a total of 350 kg of bottle caps for recycling to the Resitech recycling plant?
Tarragindi Community Garden has partnered with The Resitech Group, a plastic resin manufacturer based in Wacol to recycle bottle caps.
Resitech collects clean industrial plastic waste, granulates, wash and extrude it for re-use into the market by either returning the recycled waste to their original supplier (Toll Recycling) or selling the plastic as a high-quality resin.
In March 2023, Tarragindi Community Garden collected 350 kg of bottle caps in total.
“A massive effort from everyone in our community but especially to our king of bottle tops Darryl Simpson! Thank you to Councillor Krista Adams, Brisbane Sustainability Agency and the Brisbane City Council who support our unique recycling hub,” fonder Renae McBrien shared in a social media post.
Photo credit: Renae McBrien/Facebook
The group’s bottle top lids’ recycling bin has been added to their recycling station in 2021. They also have a separate recycling bin for metal bottle tops, which usually come from wine, beer, soft drinks etc.
Once collected, metal battle caps usually directly go to United Scrap Metal at Hemmant who will process them back into reusable metals.
Tips Before Bringing Your Bottle Caps
Photo credit: Renae McBrien/Facebook
If you’re planning to give plastic cups, they advise sorting them and cleaning them first. You should also remove any foam inserts from the bottle caps. These are loose pieces inside juice containers.
They normally aim for #2 (high-density polyethylene) and #5 plastic (polypropylene). High-density polyethylene or HDPE plastic is among the safest sorts of plastic and can be reused without any harm. They are commonly seen in milk jugs and bottle tops.
Polypropylene, on the other hand, is a widely-used type of plastic because it’s light, heat-resistant and sturdy. They are often used for bottle caps because of their durability and cost effectiveness.
Once cleaned and sorted, you can bring your bottle caps to the Tarragindi Community Garden recycling hub located at the Wellers Hill Bowls Club, Esher St Tarragindi. You can learn more about their initiatives by checking them out on Facebook.
From early March 2023 until April 2023, access to these tracks will not be available so frequent visitors to Bloodwood and Tallowwood tracks must find alternative routes.
According to Council, the restoration works are necessary as the tracks have had damage sustained due to the severe weather event in February 2022. Repair work, patching, and reinstatement of the drainage features are expected for this project.
Photo Credit: CrSteveGriffiths/Facebook
Bloodwood track, spanning 500 metres, is a fire road climb that leads to Isabella St in Tarragindi, which is the entrance of the Tallowood track, spanning 800 metres. This then leads up to the Toohey Ridge track. It is often used by hikers who love the challenge of the climb but still prefer these tracks because it’s easy to follow.
Along the way, locals may spot koalas, possums and gliders, as well as owls, kookaburras and fairy wrens as the Toohey Forest is home to over 100 species. Bikers, however, are not allowed on these tracks to ensure the safety of the hikers.
Ballistic Beer Co. through its founder David Kitchen recently announced that the company has entered into voluntary administration. Jason Stone and Paul Allen from PKF Melbourne have been appointed as administrators, according to a notice filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) dated 24 January 2023.
The company was launched in 2017 and opened its flagship brewery and venue in Salisbury that same year. Ballistic Beer has since expanded to West End, Springfield, Bundaberg and Airlie Beach.
Photo credit: Ballistic Beer Co / ballisticbeer.com
Ballistic Beer established its name as one of Queensland high profile independent and multi-awarded brewing companies. Just months after it opened, it already won four gold medals. In all, the company won nearly 100 gold, silver and bronze medals at various national and international competitions.
Ballistic products are now sold in more than 2,800 bottle shops and venues across the country.
Mr Kitchen said that the decision is to let the company continue trading whilst they work with an experienced industry group to work out an investment and restructuring plan. Ballistic Beer will still be available to purchase online, in venues, and from local retailers.
Fans of the brewing company expressed support and hope that Ballistic Beer would come out of voluntary administration better and stronger.
“Please do not sell out to an overseas owned company.. that would be devastating!” writes one social media user.
“So sad to hear you’re in administration. Here’s hoping you come out the other side and stronger like @easytimes.brewingco with the help of pkf” another user wrote.
Just in time for the start of another school year, a Speed Awareness Monitor (SAM) was installed near St Elizabeth’s School in Tarragindi. It’s one of 22 ‘Slow for SAM’ sites added across Brisbane to ensure the safety of children.
Brisbane City Council announced that the initial installation for the 2023 school year is up at these locations but more sites will be determined as the program rolls out:
Acacia Ridge State School
Holland Park State School
Anglican Church Grammar School, East Brisbane
Villanova College, Coorparoo
Petrie Terrace State School, Paddington
Upper Brookfield State School
Mount Gravatt State High School
Seville Road State School, Holland Park
Sunnybank State School
St Dympna’s Parish School, Aspley
St Williams Primary School, Everton Park
Yeronga State School
St Elizabeth’s School, Tarragindi
Eagle Junction State School
Windsor State School
Speed Awareness Monitors, also known as SAM, was launched in 2013 to advise motorists to slow down, especially in school zones where pedestrian activity is high.
Since the launch, more than 200 SLOW for SAM monitors are actively in place in Brisbane. Motorists have also made it a habit to reduce an average of eight kilometres across all locations.
Photo Credit: BCC
The monitors do not issue notices but work to detect a speeding car and then display ether three messages:
a smiley face for vehicles going within the speed limit
the car’s speed with a “slow down” message for vehicles going beyond 9 kilometres per hour of the speed limit
a big “slow down” message for vehicles driving above 10 kilometres of the speed limit
The Transport Planning and Operations of Brisbane City Council determines where SLOW for SAM signs should be installed. However, locals may contact their ward office or phone Council via 07 3403 8888 if they think a location qualifies for a SLOW for SAM sign.
A major investigation is underway following a series of fast food outlet robberies in the south of Brisbane, including a shop along Kessels Road in Salisbury and elsewhere in Algester, and Rocklea.
The first incident happened on 15 January 2023, at around 9:30 p.m., wherein three people armed with a firearm and knives, entered a fast food outlet in Springfield and stole cash. They left the vicinity using a 2003 white Ford Falcon utility which was also stolen from Carole Park.
The same group robbed three more businesses across Salisbury, Algester, and Rocklea the next day, 16 January between 9:15 and 9:40 p.m.
Photo credit: Queensland Police
South Brisbane West Acting Detective Inspector Mick Manago said the three people involved are believed to be one male and two females and are suspected to be young adults. Police said they were accompanied by another offender who was waiting outside inside the Ford Falcon utility.
Authorities continue to remind fast food outlets to be extra vigilant and if they notice anything, anyone suspicious, or any suspicious vehicles, to lock their doors and immediately contact police.
Ford Falcon stolen by the armed robbers (Photo credit: Queensland Police)
Although the employees in Springfield were threatened with a firearm and knives, police confirmed no one was physically injured during the robberies across South Brisbane.
However, Inspector Manago said the staff who are working in these businesses, especially the young employees are still traumatised and shaken by what has occurred.
Meanwhile, the vehicle used which was a Queensland registration 120-FG7 was found abandoned near the intersection of Johnson Road and Stapylton Road, Heathwood.
Members of the public who have seen the vehicle in recent days are encouraged to contact Police by providing information as efforts to find the perpetrators of these fast food outlet robberies continue. To report any suspicious activity or provide information, please use the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.
