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Toohey Forest Illegal Biking Trails Re-Opened Despite Council Blocks

A group of environmentalists has claimed that mountain bikers have been cutting through logs and illegal biking trails blocked off by Brisbane City Council to protect parks and nature reserves like Toohey Forest in Nathan have been re-opened without permission. This has sparked another debate on whether Councils’ new Off-Road Cycling Strategy will be able to stop people from using unauthorised biking tracks.

In December 2020, Council released the draft for the Off-Road Cycling Strategy, which will allow mountain bikers access to some of the protected nature sites whilst decreasing the construction of illegal trails.

“The protection of significant habitat and wildlife corridors is a very important component of this project,” Council stated. “The early planning process reviewed bushland reserves and parks across the city for suitable locations for off-road cycling facilities. Suitable low-impact locations, where the natural environment can be preserved include existing fire trails and shared use of other tracks. Unvegetated areas were also explored for supporting facilities such as skills tracks.”

Over 4,000 respondents answered the Council’s draft survey. Whilst this strategy is under review, Toohey Forest Wildlife discovered the re-opened trails.

“Brisbane City Council spent time and money shutting down this trail only to have someone deliberately open it up again,” frustrated advocates wrote on Facebook.

According to members of Toohey Forest Wildlife, Council should have drafted a conservation strategy first before opening the reserves and nature sites to human impact.

On the other hand, Brisbane Off-Road Riders Alliance(BORRA) said that they support the strategy and are open to working with conservationists. In a petition, Tarragindi local Dan Crawford, who is also BORRA’s president, called on the Council to expedite the confirmation of the Off-Road Cycling Strategy to best stop the unauthorised trails. He also pointed out that the biking community is growing and could have significant economic value to local businesses.

“It is globally accepted that the most effective way to stop unauthorised trail building is to have a well-managed authorised network which is embraced and cared for by the community,” Mr Crawford said.

Calling out the claim that there are “hundreds of unauthorised trails being accessed freely and without consequence in Toohey Forest every day,” Mr Crawford also explained that the claim just isn’t possible.

“Toohey Forest is 260 Hectares. If there were 100’s of trails, it would be the largest trail network in Australia by far. I’ve been to many destination trail networks in Australia and I’m yet to find one that has 100’s of trails. By contrast, the most famous trail network in Australia (Blue Derby) has 34 trails. There are no unauthorised trails getting built at Derby. Zero,” Mr Crawford said.

Check this Map: Toxic African Tulip Trees in Tarragindi!

Toxic African tulip trees are killing off the stingless bee population and Tarragindi has 30 of the trees, according to beekeeper Phil Baskerville. The Brisbane beekeeper has conducted a study to map the locations of all African tulip trees in Brisbane and other Council areas up to the Gold Coast.

Given how difficult it is to pinpoint the exact location of Brisbane’s African tulip trees, local beekeeper Phil Baskerville has made it his mission to find and pin them using Google Maps though it’s clear such a task is too much for one man alone. That’s why he’s asking everyone who can, to help.

African tulip trees, also known as Spathodeas, are native to tropical Africa and have been brought to Australia to be planted as street trees. Initially coveted for their orange flowers, it was eventually discovered that their nectar was toxic to the country’s native stingless bees.

The flowers of an African tulip tree
Photo credit: CC-BY-SA/Tatters ✾/Flickr

The trees have since been classified as a category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014. Giving them away, selling them, or releasing them into the environment is a criminal act with a maximum penalty of $66,725.

Mr Baskerville, who took up beekeeping as a hobby, asks the community to put a pin on the digital map for every African tulip tree they encounter. In Tarragindi alone, over 30 of these toxic trees have been discovered.

The digital map made by Phil Baskerville, with each pin representing an African tulip tree.
Photo credit: Google Maps/African Tulip tree

Though their planting ceased over 20 years ago, the damage to Queensland’s ecosystem had already been done. An estimated 2,000 of these old tulip trees still remain in Brisbane, however their numbers have spread and increased all across the state — likely the result of birds eating the flowers of the trees and scattering the waste.

Those interested in helping Mr Baskerville can keep an eye out for these invasive trees, which can be distinguished from regular trees through their vibrant orange flowers. Once spotted, locals can mark them on Google Maps by placing a pin on their location.

African tulip trees stand out amidst more common trees.
Photo credit: CC-BY-SA/bobosh_T/Flickr

Famous Tarragindi Retro House on the Market After 38 Years

A distinctively familiar retro house on Marshall Road in Tarragindi is going on the auction block for the first time in 38 years and it’s one with an equally interesting history as Mater Prize Home No. 22.

Anyone who has walked or driven past this house for the last 57 years has admired its quirky beauty. Designed by architect John Dawson and builder Les Smith, it’s one of 100 houses built for the Mater Prize Home Art Union fundraising initiative.

“I’ve only been eyeing it off for about 6 years when I drove past it for the first time and almost crashed while staring at it,” one local said in the Facebook group Retro Houses for Sale.

“The amount of times I’ve driven past and audibly sighed at this home’s beauty…and now it’s for sale!”

But in 1964, when Mater Prize Home No. 22 went up the market for the first time, it was billed as “the latest ultra-modern Mater prize home.”

The house features four “dazzling bedrooms,” an “ultra-modern kitchen,” a deluxe dining room, lounge with a built-in sofa, patios and two garages. It also has a well-manicured garden with a “secluded barbecue area,” which was quite forward-looking at that time.

Some time ago, the former owners added security grills on the patio as an airy pet enclosure. Over the decades, this house has retained almost all of its original retro features, including the original hardwood flooring underneath the carpets.

Mater Prize Home No. 22, protected as local heritage-listed property, went up for auction on-site Sunday, 28 March 28, 2021.

People Went Out of Their Way to See It

When Mater Prize Homes were first sold, people would queue to see the properties and marvel at “modern conveniences” like airconditioning, plus design features like open-plan living, en suite bathrooms and built-in wardrobes. Today, these may be common features in many middle-class homes but these were considered “high-end” and “cutting edge” decades ago.

In those days, families would pack in their cars and drive down to look at a Mater Prize Home, if they have one near their area, as if they were on an excursion.

What is the Mater Prize Home initiative?

The Mater Prize Home initiative was established in 1954 and aimed to raffle off beautiful houses to Australian families to support the projects of Mater Foundation. Proceeds of this initiative went to supporting the patients’ financial needs during hospitalization, purchasing new life-saving equipment, funding research and diagnostics to treat and prevent even life-threatening diseases, and providing for the patients’ mental health care.

The Mater Foundation received more than $6 million in donated properties that were offered to the public via the house raffles. Tickets to the raffles had an initial cost of $2.

Upgrades Underway to Improve Wellers Hill Bowls Club in Tarragindi

If you’ve been by Wellers Hill Bowls Club in Tarragindi in recent weeks, you may have noticed the ongoing construction work to the front of the community space. Some upgrades are being done to improve the outdoor areas and further renovations will continue indoors in the next four months.

The club confirmed the redevelopment in a post on Facebook as the first stage of the earthworks has gotten underway. This phase covers the construction of the wheelchair-accessible path to the entrance and the removal of the front garden section whilst changes will also be made to the courtyard.

Despite the construction, Wellers Hill Bowls Club will continue to trade and serve visitors. The normal activities guests have enjoyed through the years, such as the Thursday Trivia Nights and Jack Attack (barefoot bowling), will not be interrupted.

It is business as usual at the club! In fact, the weekend food truck showcase is still in full force with the following line-up for the month of March:

The upkeep and harvest from the Tarragindi Community Garden next door will not be affected by the renovations. However, the gardeners might have to make some sacrifices and use the rear entry for some weeks.

Meanwhile, Wellers Hill Bowls Club is seeking suggestions from the community for someone with a creative idea to turn a white wall into a beautiful mural. Do you know an artist who could make use of this free canvas?

“We’re interested in some pieces that represent our club, the community or even just something nice to look at while we undergo renovations,” the club officials said.

Email bookings@whbowls.net if you have brilliant ideas on what design could go on this wall.

The renovation works are expected to finish by June 2021.

Dispose of Old Pool Toys, Air Mattresses at the Tarragindi Recycling Bin

Do you have old pool toys, air mattresses, umbrellas or lunch boxes for disposal? As the Council’s kerbside collection remains suspended until mid-2022, consider dropping these items at the Tarragindi Community Garden at Wellers Hill Bowls Club, where there’s a Tarragindi Recycling Bin.

The bin, an initiative by Tarragindi resident Renae McBrien, is accessible 24 hours a day and collected regularly. Ms McBrien’s team brings these broken or popped items to PLOYS, an initiative that repurposes old stuff into trendy bags, backpacks, smartphone cases, pouches or wallets to promote recycling and achieve zero waste.

At the end of December 2020, Ms McBrien was able to collect a substantial number of recyclables that were taken to PLOYS’ Bundaberg site, where the items will be cleaned, repaired and sewn to become new products.

Incidentally, PLOYS celebrated its first year of operation on 9 Jan 2021 with a price cut on its online eco-friendly items.

Ms McBrien is a radiographer, horticultural therapist and consultant on community gardening and recycling. She has been instrumental in helping Brisbane hospitals adopt smarter recycling methods.

“We have a responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of the health care service and to improve our hospital environments to increase our wellbeing and connection with nature,” Ms McBrien said.

The Council has recognised Ms McBrien’s contribution by awarding her the Waste Innovation 2019 award. She was also honoured with an International Woman of the Year citation and a Planetree Kindness Award in recent years.

Photo Credit: Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner/Facebook

Griffith University Experts in Nathan Cited for Scientific Breakthrough of 2020

The work of a team of archeologists from Griffith University in Nathan was cited as one of the Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2020 in Science Magazine.

Members of the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research (GCSCR) and the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE) did extensive research on the world’s oldest known rock art early this year. Their discovery confirmed that Asia, instead of Europe, was the birthplace of modern humans’ very first figurative artwork.

Professors Maxime Aubert and Adam Brumm, along with Griffith PhD students Adhi Agus Oktaviana and Basran Burhan, studied cave paintings from 44,000 years ago in Indonesia. The artwork showed humans with spears or ropes and animal figures.

Photo Credit: Griffith University/Facebook

“It represents our species first evidence of storytelling,” Mr Brumm said. “The figurative depiction of hunters as therianthropes may also be the oldest evidence for our ability to imagine the existence of supernatural beings, a cornerstone of religious experience.

“This is the first time such a detailed visual narrative or ‘story’ has been identified so early in the vast record of prehistoric cave art worldwide.”

Mr Oktaviana said that the cave paintings have started to peel off at “an astonishing rate” due to age, thus the importance of the study.

“It would be a tragedy if these exceptionally old artworks should disappear in our own lifetime. But it is happening, so we need to understand why this globally significant rock art is deteriorating – and now.”

According to Science Magazine, this discovery from the Griffith University experts “unseats Europe as the first place where modern humans are known to have created figurative art.” It also showed that the human species could “imagine beings that do not exist” during those periods.

This is the second time Griffith University has landed in Science Magazine‘s Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs, following the first recognition in 2014.

“In what has been a very tough year for Griffith it is wonderful to see our researchers making world-class discoveries that are changing our understanding of the human story,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans.

“This is a well-deserved recognition of the bold contributions of our students and academic staff. The work illustrates beautifully the confluence of the arts and sciences and has profound implications for modern understanding of people, human thought and behaviour,” added Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mario Pinto.

Revisiting the Cycling Trails of Toohey Forest

For bike riders who want to explore Brisbane’s natural areas, Toohey Forest Park is an interesting pathway to explore. Let’s revisit this 260-hectare reserve from a biker’s eyes.

Toohey Forest Park is located 10 kilometres south of the Brisbane Central Business District (CBD). It adjoins bushland owned and managed by Griffith University.

Set on 260 hectares, the forest vegetation is typical of the open eucalypt and vine forests that once covered Brisbane. There are sandstone outcrops, stunning grass trees, and banksias scattered throughout, which are particularly spectacular during late winter and spring when wildflowers are in bloom. The understorey has wattles, she-oaks, heath species, creepers, and grasses.

Toohey Forest Guidepost — Photo credit: Lyle Radford/Widimedia Commons

The forest is the habitat of over 400 species of native wildlife and plant species. It is home to koalas, short-beaked echidnas, squirrel gliders, possums, and flying foxes. There are a variety of reptiles like lizards, goannas, skunks, and geckos as well as an array of butterflies and frogs.

It is also the abode of more than 75 species of birds such as kookaburras, grey shrike-thrushes, white-throated treecreepers, rainbow lorikeets, eastern spinebills, and yellow-faced honeyeaters.

Plant & bird at Toohey Forest — Photo credit: Lyle Radford/Wikimedia Commons

Echidna — Photo credit: Gunjan Pandey/Wikimedia Common

Most of the forest tracks are recommended for bushwalking but the park also has designated mountain bike trails, namely Lophostemon Track, Toohey Ridge Track, Nathan Ridge Track, Dellwood Track, and Intercampus Link. These cycling trails differ in length, accessibility and difficulty.

Photo Credits : https://www.trailforks.com/

Here is a map of the mountain bike trails in the area.

Bike path Toohey Forest — Photo credit: Brizpom/Wikimedia Commons

Picnic area Toohey Forest — Photo credit: Lyle Radford/Wikimedia Commons

With several kilometres of bike pathways and picnic spots, Toohey Forest is a great place to enjoy a scenic ride. As you listen to bird songs in the background, it really does feel like you’ve escaped the city, even if it’s only for a short while.

For more information on Toohey Forest Park, refer to the Brisbane City Website.

Tarragindi Has the Second Most Number of Reported Animal Attacks in 2019

Are Tarragindi residents more at risk of being victims of animal attacks? Whilst data from Brisbane City Council shows that Inala has more than double the incidents, Tarragindi, along with Acacia Ridge, is second in the most number of reported animal attacks in 2019.

According to the Council’s animal complaints data, the suburb of Inala has topped the list with 33 reported attacks in 2019, followed by Acacia Ridge and Tarragindi (14), Moorooka and Manly West (11), and Camp Hill (10). Other animal-related complaints reported include cat trapping, fencing issues, menacing, defecating in public, wandering, and attack on other animals.

Whilst aggression is seen as normal instinctual behaviour, it can escalate and lead to attack if not handled correctly. According to RSPCA, a dog’s tendency to bite depends on five interacting factors: heredity, early experience, socialisation and training, health, and the behaviour of the victim.

Photo credit: David Mark / Pixabay

As defined by RSPCA, dog aggression is a threat, challenge, or attack that is directed towards one or more individuals.

Some of the recognised forms of aggression include:

Territorial aggression – the dog protects the property by barking, growling, snarling, biting
Predatory aggression – usually demonstrated through silently stalking small animals and birds, and may also stalk infants. Drooling is also a common sign
Fear aggression – the dog shows fearful body posture, with its tail and ears down, and may bark, growl, snarl as it backs up in response to people, or other animals. The dog may bite from behind, run away and look for escape routes when cornered
Pain aggression – usually in response to being manipulated or an aversive event
Sibling rivalry aggression – observed in dogs living in the same household and show signs of not get along
Sexually-related aggression – usually occurs between intact male dogs.

Council strongly suggests you consult your veterinarian if your pet is showing signs of aggression. The Council proactively patrols areas to enforce Animal Local Law and to educate pet owners about responsible pet ownership.

To report dog attacks, dangerous, menacing and restricted dogs, you may phone Council on 07 3403 8888. Council is ready to respond to and investigate reports related to aggressive dogs and dog attacks, as well as take necessary actions, including issuing fines, seizing the dog, or making an application to have the dog destroyed.

This Special Salisbury Cafe Satisfies Your Thirst For Top-Notch Coffee

When a store is named Supernumerary Coffee you can expect to be completely impressed by its top-notch standards. Well, this recently-opened Salisbury cafe along Toohey Road is certainly aiming to live up to its name.

To be supernumerary is to exceed and this Salisbury cafe seems to have that part all worked out. Equipped with a top-notch, high-end espresso machine from Seattle’s Slayer Espresso, Supernumerary Coffee serves specialty brews that even the most discerning coffee-lovers will likely endorse.

Photo Credit: Supernumerary Coffee/Facebook

This Salisbury cafe also uses only the best beans from Padre, one of Melbourne’s finest blended coffee suppliers. Non-coffee drinks are sourced from premier Chinese tea supplier Kuura.

The food selection at Supernumerary Coffee, however, is simple and straightforward — avo toast, Wholly crumpets, banana bread, fruit loaf, and some vegan treats. The menu is not excessive for one good reason: they go perfectly well with its delicious coffee, its top-drawer and foremost product.

Owners Simon Flanagan and Chin Wu are passionate coffee lovers. In planning out their cafe, the partners wanted their coffee and coffee counter as the centrepiece. Thus, the restaurant’s minimalist interiors also work well with their concept.

As an added delight, Supernumerary Coffee is a dog-friendly establishment. On the menu are lactose-free puppacinos and cookies for four-legged visitors.

From time to time, this Salisbury cafe also has select coffee-related merchandise for sale.

Supernumerary Coffee opened in late 2019 and serves breakfast and light lunch daily.

“I absolutely love coming to this boutique little establishment. The coffee is great, prices are reasonable. Highly recommend the avo on toast and the crumpets! The birthday cards on sale are super cute too! Pet friendly.”
Jonathan Chang, Google Reviews

“Supernumerary is my happy place. They offer a unique selection of tea, smooth, rich coffee and locally sourced food (my favourite is the crumpets served with fresh honeycomb!). It’s a cute little spot, and the owners are exceptionally kind. The cafe is a brilliant addition to the local community.”
Natassja Sharp, Facebook

“Favourite new regular spot. The owners are super friendly and super knowledgeable of the coffee they serve. Thee crumpets are addictive and the other items on their menu are delicious too!”
All About Food, Zomato