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Hayden Hume: Tarragindi Teen Racer Vying for the 2022 MRA State Championship

After his motorsports debut in 2021, Tarrandi teen racer Hayden Hume is vying for the top spot at the 2022 MRA State Championship in Eastern Creek in Sydney.

Happening on Saturday, 5 Feb 2022, Hayden will race in his Toyota ’86 in the first round of the SUPERTT category, a one-hour endurance race, against 39 other drivers. The 2022 MRA State Championship spans eight rounds, which are spread out every month until November 2022. Two of the races are held as a two-day weekend competition in May and August.

Motor Racing Australia was established in NSW in 2005 as the home of grassroots motorsport. Since its creation, MRA has evolved with the addition of the two-day weekend race and the Festival of Sports Car series to promote the sport.

In July 2021, Hayden marked his debut in motorsports racing at the 2021 Supercars Championship after three years of kart racing. Hayden finished in 13th place out of 21 drivers for the first race, 12th out of 26 drivers in the second race, and 18th out of 25 in the third race.

The teenager from St Laurence’s College got his start in 2016, kart racing with Auskart before moving on to race in the higher level for the Ipswich Kart Club. After achieving the third top spot in the state championships, Hayden was ready to transition into motorsports in 2020.

Hayden had immense support from Steve Owen in his very first motorsport race to prepare him for the 2022 MRA State Championship.

“If all young drivers could receive this advice, it would assist in the development of skills needed for the racetrack,” Hayden said.

“I feel more attention should be put into the media presence of the series, as the talent of the up and coming young drivers is high, there are potentially drivers in this series who will become professionals in the future.”

Follow Motor Racing Australia on Facebook for updates.

Improvements Underway at Tarragindi Reservoir and Two Salisbury Parks

Upgrades and improvements at the Tarragindi Reservoir and in two Salisbury parks will start rolling out in January and February 2022.

Tarragindi Reservoir Bay Fire Shed Construction

Construction of a bay fire shed at the Tarragindi Reservoir will start in February 2022, according to Cr Steve Griffiths. The shed will house fire suppression units, equipment, and consumables.

Prior to the construction, work will be scheduled to trim down the weeds and emergent vegetation in order to mitigate the fire risks around the reservoir’s public spaces.

The location of the fire shed was specifically chosen to minimise tree loss. Nevertheless, at least three trees will be removed to make the space for the shed. However, these trees that have been scheduled for removal were determined to have faults that could bring about long-term risks.

The construction is expected to take three months. This includes the introduction of onsite native planting to replace the other trees.

Tarragindi Reservoir is a heritage-listed site atop the Tarragindi Hill. Originally built in 1923, it is still a functioning water storage facility.

Wilcox Park Fencing & Salisbury Recreation Reserve Remediation

Over at Salisbury, work has started for the construction of a cliff-edge protection fence, spanning 380 metres. This project aims to prevent pedestrian access to the exposed cliff face found at the boundary of Wilcox Park and the Toohey Forest.

Meanwhile, remediation and repurposing of the hard courts at the Salisbury Recreation Reserve into two roller derby tracks and a lawn area have begun as well. This project is aimed at improving the sports and recreation facilities near the Rocky Waterhole, where the hard courts are in such a state of disrepair.

The project covers the following scope:

revitalising and resurfacing six of the netball courts and turning them into two roller derby tracks
removing the three netball courts closest to the creek as they are in disrepair
installing turf in the location of the three removed netball courts
installing drainage and a seating mound in the turf area

Visitors to the parks should expect some slight obstructions because of the ongoing work. There should be signs and fencing to ensure that the construction areas are safe for pedestrian access.

For concerns and questions about these upgrades, phone Council at 07 3403 8888.

Umu Kitchen in Tarragindi Shifts to Takeaway Indefinitely

Umu Kitchen will be shifting to takeaway service indefinitely, in light of the continued rise of Covid-19 cases and new guidelines affecting their Tarragindi operations.

In a statement shared on their social media pages, the owners of the Polynesian fusion-style cade, Emily and Soane Seiler, said that they will temporarily shift to takeaway service indefinitely, at both their outlets in Tarrigindi and Coorparoo, even as the Queensland Government has allowed restaurants to open for dine-in customers.

“Currently, there is very little support out there for small businesses and regulations do not favour our little café,” the statement read. “Yes, we are allowed to operate as a dine-in venue, but if a customer who dines with us tests positive to COVID, we are required by QLD Health to isolate all of our staff for a minimum of 7 days. This would mean that we would be unable to open our café.

“With growing cases, the risk to our staff and our customers is growing. Our staff depend on their jobs and their income. As a business, we rely on being able to keep our doors open in order to survive. This isn’t a risk we can take any longer.

“We understand that providing take-away only is not ideal, but it means that we can keep our doors open and our staff can continue to gain income.”

Patrons of Umu Kitchen sympathised with the owners and said that they will continue to support the cafe for their takeaway orders.

“It must be so hard as a small business to navigate these troubled times. You are making this decision in the best interest of your business and your staff, so it is totally understandable,” one commenter said.

“You guys are well practiced at changing your business model to suit the changing Covid environment. This is definitely the right decision for now – see you tomorrow for some scrambled eggs, takeaway for now,” another customer replied.

“Umu is my favourite cafe. I bring all my friends there for dates and I love the atmosphere of the dine in experience. I’m very sorry to read this but I will continue to support the cafe where I can.”

Umu Kitchen has been a local favourite since it opened in 2018. The Seiler couple serves traditional dishes culled from Soane’s Tongan roots to adapt to today’s modern trends and taste palate.

Follow Umu Kitchen on Instagram for cafe updates. Check out their online order system as well for order pick-ups.

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A post shared by Umu Kitchen (@umukitchen)

“Always a friendly greeting from the lovely staff, taking a leaf out of wonderful Emily’s book. Indoor and outdoor spaces to sit are great so I can take the pups sometimes. Delicious food – some simple stuff and also some more exciting options so there’s something for everyone. Highly recommend.”
Maddie Lucas

“I have visited a few times now, for breakfast with the family and a couple of times to meet friends for coffee, or just to take my laptop and have breakfast and a couple of great coffees while I work. Staff are always very welcoming and attentive. Service is fast and the coffee is delicious. The atmosphere is perfect – the music is at a great volume for hearing but still being able to have a conversation or concentrate on work, and the greenery around the walls is very calming. Highly recommend this cafe.”
Ornella Outen

Spotted in Tarragindi: Captain Australia for The Big Walk for Kids With Cancer

While everyone else was on the lookout for Santa Claus on Christmas day, some Tarragindi locals were able to spot a different bearded man. Captain Australia, a local legend, is on a mission to complete The Big Walk from Brisbane to Sydney and to Melbourne.

Helga Lückhoff of Tarragindi saw Captain Australia strolling in the neighbourhood in his easily-recognised costume. He was also carrying his fundraiser flag for The Big Walk, which aims to raise money for The Kids Cancer Project.

Captain Australia is dad, Simon Harvey, in his non-superhero life. He decided to embark on this challenging journey, which kicked off on 26 December 2021, after his experiences with the enemy — cancer.

In 2016, doctors told Simon that he had six months to live.

“I have three young children. My youngest son was three years old when I was diagnosed. I had to deal with the idea of ‘abandoning’ them,” he said in one interview with The Project. Simon said that more than anything in his life, being a father was his most important job and to think about leaving them broke his heart.

“I fought as hard as I could but cancer is a tricky enemy.” More than four years since his diagnosis, Simon beat the enemy but he said he is still “dealing with side effects and the threat of recurrence for the rest of your life.”

During his battle with cancer and the frequent trips to the hospital for his therapies, Simon also witnessed young kids with cancer struggling with the disease.

“No child should have to endure that,” the dad said.

Thus, he decided to mount The Big Walk for The Kids Cancer Project, an organisation devoted to improving cancer treatments for children.

“I will walk from Brisbane to Melbourne over 10 weeks, sleeping rough, no help, planes, trains, or automobiles.”

So, far he has raised $37,797 but his goal is to reach $250,000. To donate to his cause and to follow Captain America’s journey, visit the official site or follow his live stream on Facebook.

“I’m going to Forrest Gump my way through your town, and if you wanted to say G’day, part of the Quest of it… the Pilgrimage of it .. is about coming alive, meeting people, getting out into the natural world and wandering down a garden path. I’ll be doing daily live streams to share in the adventure,” the Captain shared on Reddit.

“I’d also love the chance to earn your support. Answer your questions. Show you the purity of what I’m trying to do.”

DONATE TO THE BIG WALK

Captain Australia was “borne” more than a decade ago as a vigilante who believed that doing kindness will change the world. He gave up his alter ego in 2012 when his second son became ill as his medical needs were the priority over his weekly street escapades.

Tarragindi Community Garden Celebrates WasteSMART Award Wins

Photo credit: Charmaine Consolati - Tarragindi Community Garden / Facebook

Tarragindi Community Garden, together with its founder, Renae McBrien, celebrate back-to-back wins at Brisbane’s WasteSMART Champions Awards 2021.

They were recognised for helping Brisbane hospitals adopt smarter clinical recycling methods and responsible waste management.

The 2021 WasteSMART Awards is a collaboration between Brisbane Sustainability Agency and Brisbane City Council with a prize pool of more than $4,000.

During the ceremony held at City Hall on 18 November 2021, eleven awards were handed out to recognise individuals and groups who have contributed to the preservation of the city’s natural environment.

University of Queensland Brisbane’s WasteSMART Champion Renae McBrien was recognised for her role in mitigating waste from Brisbane landfills. Ms McBrien established the Tarragindi Community Garden Group in 2019 and has since devoted more than 850 hours doing volunteer work.

Photo credit: Charmaine Consolati – Tarragindi Community Garden / Facebook

Through her small waste diversion and resource recovery projects, the city has mitigated about 9 tonnes of domestic and commercial organic waste since January 2020. As part of her advocacy, Ms McBrien also educated over 1,200 hospital staff about responsible waste management and clinical recycling methods.

“Tarragindi’s Renae McBrien has helped Brisbane hospitals adopt smarter recycling methods and she also dedicates time to educate the community about waste initiatives through her War on Waste Brisbane Facebook page,” Cr Steven Toomey said.

The Tarragindi Community Garden won the WasteSMART Community Award along with Ocean Crusaders Foundation Ltd. The Tarragindi Community Garden currently has over 1,000 social members. This community space has collected over 150 compost caddies and rescued over nine tonnes of food waste in the past 10 months.

The community garden provides free harvest and garden produce, conducts sustainable education sessions, and runs their own Recycling Hub.

The other WasteSMART category winners are:

Councillors’ WasteSMART Choice Award – Karana Downs & Surrounds Community Garden Hub
WasteSMART Business Award (<19 employees) – Vessel Nundah
WasteSMART Business Award ( >20 employees) – Howard Smith Wharves
WasteSMART Early Learning Award – Bellbowrie Early Education Centre
WasteSMART Schools Award – Joint Winners: Mt St Michael’s College and Pallara State School Environment Club
Outstanding WasteSMART Award – Save Our Supplies
People’s Choice WasteSMART Award – Mt St Michael’s College.

The finalists were judged by a panel of experts, except for the People’s Choice Awards which was determined through public voting.The other two finalists for the WasteSMART Champions Award were Holly & Charlie Garrity (Highly Recommended) and Pamela Gibson. On the other hand, Care Kits for Kids Qld Inc was WasteSMART Community Award Highly Recommended awardee. Other WasteSMART Community Award finalists were Save Our Supplies, eWaste Connection Limited, and Moreton Island Protection Committee.

Tarragindi Community Garden | 34 Esher St Tarragindi QLD 4121

Talented Kids from Wellers Hill Girl Guides Crafted Wooden Reindeers for The Salvation Army

The young members of Wellers Hill Girl Guides got busy weeks before Christmas as they handmade wooden Reinders at The Salvation Army home in Carindale. These handcrafted gifts will go to disadvantaged families across Queensland so they could enjoy the spirit of Christmas.

The girls not only helped make wooden toys but also learned of the valuable work undertaken by The Salvation Army Carindale, especially during the gift-giving season. The kids showed interest in understanding how these presents are going to help families.

Wellers Hill Girl Guides encourages a well-rounded development for young girls by running activities that build their leadership, confidence, resilience, and empathy. Their involvement also raises awareness for diversity, issues in the community, and interests in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The group meets every week during the school term at the Wellers Hill Girl Guide Hut.

Meanwhile, despite COVID-19 last Christmas, The Salvation Army was able to distribute more than 64,000 hampers with 26,000 gifts to Australian families in need and as the pandemic continues, donations and contributions to this cause will allow more people to have a festive season despite the crisis.

Like the members of the Wellers Hill Girl Guides, you can also get involved by supporting The Salvation Army’s Christmas charity drives for food for families or toys for the kids.

Planning For Stages 2 And 3 Of The Park N’ Ride Expansion Now Underway

Photo credit: Google Street View / google.com/maps

Planning for Stages 2 and 3 on the Salisbury train station park n’ ride expansion project is currently underway. This comes after Stage 1 of construction was completed last June 2021.

The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads is now in the planning process for Stage 2 and 3 of the park n’ ride expansion. And whilst no start date has been announced yet, the next phase of the project will entail the relocation of public utilities and a service road to make way for the construction of a second car park. The suburb currently has 52 parking spaces which would be increased to around 300 upon completion of the expansion project.

In mid-2021, the department completed Stage 1 of the construction works on the $14.5 million park n’ ride expansion project situated on the corner of Beaudesert Road and Lillian Avenue.

Stage 1 of construction delivered some 140 additional parking spaces, allowing an increase in capacity which would in turn reduce congestion during peak hours, help ease traffic congestion, and enhance commuters safety.

Along with the additional parking spaces, the project is expected to install new CCTV cameras and lighting whilst four of the accessible parking spaces at the existing park n’ ride will also be upgraded. Also, a new pedestrian footpath going to the entrance of the Salisbury station will be constructed along Lillian Avenue and Dollis Street.

In early July 2021, an under track crossing construction was also undertaken. The construction work at the Salisbury Station involved the installation of under track crossing conduits, service trenching and installation of cable route, and installation of fencing.

Photo credit: Cross River Rail / crossriverrail.qld.gov.au

Salisbury Station is just one of the six stations currently undergoing upgrades along with Rocklea, Moorooka, Yeerongpilly, Yeronga, and Fairfield as part of the ongoing Cross River Rail project.

Tarragindi Property Market Shows Strong, Consistent Performance

The Tarragindi property market has been a consistently strong performer among Brisbane’s suburbs even during the pre-pandemic period and that hasn’t changed, as buyers home in on areas with affordable rates and the best lifestyle offerings.

Highlights

Tarragindi’s property market grew by 9.78 per cent from July 2020 to July 2021.
The median house price increased from $830,000 to $911,000.
Houses sold at a brisk pace, spending an average of 31 days on market, with 223 properties sold for the period.

House Price Growth

Data from Property Market Updates showed that house prices in Tarragindi Tarragindi moved upward by 9.76 per cent during the period July 2020 to June 2021, raising the median house price from $830,000 to $911,000.

Properties spent an average of 31 days on market, with 223 properties sold during this period. Nearly half of the properties sold were three-bedroom houses located in the large, leafy residential blocks that the suburb is known for.

A three-bedroom split-level house on Pring Street, boasting of a unique pavilion-style design from Shaun Lockyer, sold the highest price in June 2021 at $2,325,000. The home has an open plan kitchen, living, and dining areas surrounded by lush greenery for al fresco dining and leisure, as well as a balcony with a wonderful view of the Brisbane city skyline. It’s located within a 12-minute drive to the city but its owners can easily walk to various establishments, shops, and primary schools.

About Tarragindi

Tarragindi has an uncommon topography that makes it attractive to locals and visitors alike because it’s very close to the city — about six kilometres — yet it has 260 hectares of green space that delivers the country vibe. The Toohey Forest Park provides a generous area where groups can enjoy heaps of recreational activities like bushwalking, biking, or picnics.

The community spirit remains alive in this suburb despite its evolution and gentrification. Neighbours still send out lunches or snacks to each other as a gesture of goodwill. Thus, Tarragindi draws young families and discerning parents who plan on sending their kids to two most sought-after primary schools in the area — St Elizabeth’s School and Wellers Hill State School, with its Japanese language program. The suburb has easy access to good and reputable hospitals as well, such as Mater, Princess Alexandra, and Greenslopes.

Brick houses and post-war or tin homes built in the 60s and 70s were once prevalent in the suburb but in recent years, many house designs in Tarragindi have been upgraded to luxury-style properties for modern living. The main retail hub is on Denham Terrace but new cafes and other establishments have opened doors along Cracknell Road.

“Tarragindi is a highly desirable suburb to live in and it’s easy to see why; close to the city, friendly locals, excellent transport, and very green and leafy. My partner and I grew up in Coorparoo and were delighted when we bought our first property together in Tarragindi. We’ve been here for two years now and wouldn’t think of living anywhere else in Brisbane.”
Caps

“Great community to live in! Spent my twenties wanting to live in a place called “Tarragindi”. Have bought and sold twice in this suburb with my family in my 30’s! Will spend the rest of my days residing here. Close to town, great parks and 40mins to the northern tip of the Gold Coast. Excellent schools, with public transport to and from. Love the forest for walking and riding in and the choice of parks for the kids to play in. Live in a street where each year for the past 16years they have arranged a street party for Christmas. When walking the dog, everyone says hello and smiles.”
40with4

“Tarragindi is ideally suited to families and/or professionals needing easy access to the city and plenty of green spaces and a quiet environment. The area is replete with parks, reserves and forest and is far less built up than your average inner-city suburb. Close access to the SE freeway means you are in the CBD by car generally in under 10 minutes (in good driving conditions); most bus routes here join the busway which shortens trips considerably.”
UrbanChowboy

Wellers Hill Medical Centre Named Queensland’s General Practice of the Year

Wellers Hill Medical Centre, the long-established health facility on Denham Terrace in Tarragindi, has been named the General Practice of the Year for Queensland at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Awards.

Dr Nicholas Gianarakis accepted the award on behalf of the Wellers Hill Medical Centre staff during the ceremony at the City Hall. He said that this recognition is a tribute to the hardwork of the team, especially during this pandemic.

“At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this allowed us to restructure our practice to create an isolated respiratory clinic,” Dr Gianarakis said. “This has also enabled us to operate a busy Covid vaccination clinic delivering approximately one thousand COVID-19 vaccines every week.”

“We strive to maintain the caring and hardworking ethos of the late Dr Nicholas Conomos, who founded our practice in 1961,” the doctor added.

The RACGP Awards honour individual GPs, supervisors, GPs in training and general practices around the country. Also recognised for Queensland are Dr Joseph England of Townsville for GP in Training of the Year, Dr Sam Manger of Maleny of the Sunshine Coast for GP of the Year, and Dr Yvette Morcos of the Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Primary Health Care Service in Mareeba for GP Supervisor of the Year.

The award comes as the medical centre has also recently completed its upgrades and expansion to accommodate more patients and specialists to cater to a broad spectrum of healthcare issues.

Aside from onsite experts, the facility provides pathology services as well as allied health services related to psychology, podiatry, exercise physiology, dietetics, and audiology. Wellers Hill Medical Centre also conducts telehealth consultation as its standard operating procedure.

“We are now doing telehealth (video) consultations as our first preference. When the Doctor is ready, you will be sent a link to your phone via text message. Please click on this link and accept the call, you will then be connected with the Doctor via video. Your smartphone will need a camera and internet access for this to work.”

For appointments, phone 3848 2111 or book online.

Revival of the Tarragindi Bowls Club Included in The Green

The Green, the residential retirement facility set for construction in Tarragindi, also includes plans to ‘revive’ the Tarragindi Bowls Club.

In 2018, the Tarragindi Bowls Club moved to the Salisbury Sports and Community Club because of the planned redevelopment. In August 2021, RetireAustralia, the developer behind the retirement village project, received approval from the Queensland Planning and Environment Court to bring back the Tarragindi Bowls Club as a full competition bowling green.

RetireAustralia plans to put a championship quality 10-rink bowling facility with a new clubhouse, cafe, and car parking spaces for visitors. The site next to a 94-apartment complex will include large green spaces for the children to play and for the grown-ups to establish a productive garden.

Brett Robinson, the CEO of Retire Australia, said that The Green will be “a landmark development with a shared community” alongside the Yeronga Services and Community Club. The club’s officials believe that the redevelopment will help Tarragindi Bowls Club diversify and survive with new revenue streams amid the changing needs of the locals.

“All residents of The Green also enjoy free lifetime membership to the Tarragindi Bowls Club, which has been proudly brought back to life as the heart of this thriving community and neighbourhood,” RetireAustralia stated.

“Open and accessible to all, the Club is the go-to place for your daily caffeine fix, sunset drinks, leisurely meals or a game on the championship-quality green.”

The Green’s construction timeline has not yet been detailed but it is projected to take place for 18 months.

Follow the developments via the Tarragindi Bowl’s Club Facebook or the official site for the retirement village.