Intermittent civil works will be underway at the Salisbury Station, where an under track crossing area is being prepared for the Cross River Rail project. Residents and commuters are advised to expect some noise, vibration, dust and road closures during this preparation.
The under track construction will take place between 3 July to 5 July 2021 outside of working hours but access to Fairlie Terrace will be temporarily closed to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. A sign will be put up to redirect and manage the flow of traffic with this slight interruption.
Work on Salisbury Station will entail the following:
Under track crossing using a directional drilling rig
Installation of under track crossing conduits for services
Cable route and service trenching and installation
Installation of fencing
However, major construction of the Cross River Rail in this area will not start until mid-2022, per the official project page.
During this period, the Salisbury Station will be upgraded with a new building, a third platform, and an upgraded platform finish with a new canopy for weather protection. The new station will also feature an overpass, lifts and switchback stairs for accessibility, as well as a new bicycle storage shelter for 40 users.
Photo Credit: Cross River Rail Project
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said that the Salisbury Station upgrade is part of the State and Federal Governments’ key investments for 2021–22 to 2024–25.
“Train stations across southeast Queensland will become more accessible under our $500 million station upgrade program,” the minister said.
“Construction of Cross River Rail is continuing, with that $5.4 billion project being delivered in addition to our record $27.5 billion transport and roads budget. Cross River Rail is on track to open in 2025.”
Found at a small corner of a row of shops along Windmill Street in Tarragindi is a family-owned business serving what many of its patrons say are the best “value for money” burgers and seafood meals. Little is known about the owners of Georgie’s Corner but the shop could easily be south Brisbane’s hidden gem waiting to be discovered by more customers.
The store quietly opened in early 2019, offering heaps of burgers and chips combo to satisfy the preference of every burger lover. They have Americana-style or Southern-style burgers, a selection of grilled fish burgers, as well as big servings of Australian beef burgers.
The crew also offers grilled or fried chicken burgers matched with salads and housemade dressing. Vegetarians or those who want a healthy option may also order their grilled mushroom and spinach burgers with a generous helping of Turkish rolls.
Photo Credit: FacebookPhoto Credit: Lee Chi Lee/Google Maps
Georgie’s Corner used to be part of Ekka before the government-mandated lockdowns prevented the re-opening of this major Brisbane event. They offered delicious batches of Dagwood Dogs (corn dog) which are easily sold out. However, the corn dog isn’t part of their regular menu at the Tarragindi eatery but perhaps the customers could make a special request.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Meanwhile, every Tuesday, this burger and chips joint serves side dishes for free for customers coming in for takeaways or dine-ins between 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Georgie’s Corner has no official site but you can check out their menu via Uber Eats or keep tabs of their deals on their Facebook page.
“Best fish and chips we’ve had, and ultra consistent. Good selection, friendly staff, fantastic prices (usually feed a family of 3 for approx. $30 with leftovers) prepared quickly. Awesome local spot.”
Blockface, Google Reviews
“They had me at chips covered in chicken salt – yum! I got the classic burger, it was great – juicy beef patty and fresh mixed salad. The food was made pretty fast, friendly service and decent pricing. I was very impressed. Great local takeaway, will definitely come again.”
Amy Alexander, Google Reviews
“Friendly service always. Fabulous old fashioned and tasty burgers and chips. A wee gem in Tarragindi. Lovely cooked fish also.”
Sixteen-year-old Hayden Hume, born and raised in Tarragindi, is set to make his debut in the second round of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Australia (TGRA) 86 Series’ grassroots support category for the 2021 Supercars Championship in Winton at the end of July.
Hayden, a Year 11 student from St Laurence’s College in South Brisbane, is excited to take the next step in his motor racing career after three years of kart racing experience, winning two Junior Club Championships in 2019.
Photo credit: Supplied
The grassroots support category for the 2021 Supercars Championship will pit three teenage motor racing drivers against one another, lining them up on the grid for the first time ever for some exciting wheel to wheel action. This year’s entrants for the category include Hayden, Kai Allen, and Connor Roberts.
According to Hayden, he first got into kart racing in 2016 at a small local club called Auskart where he learned the basics before moving on to Ipswich Kart Club after he was ready to compete at a higher level in both two and four stroke karting. In 2019, he then took part in, and won, two Junior Club Championships.
Photo credit: Supplied
“I would consider the 2020 season in karts, racing in Ka3 junior, competing in the state championships and finishing third in the club championship at Ipswich as my greatest accomplishment so far,” says Hayden, who now intends to focus all his efforts on improving and accumulating the experience and skills necessary to become an even better motorsports driver.
He only made the switch to motor racing after his father took him to Norwell Motorplex for some coaching in race cars with professional drivers, and, in his words, he “…was hooked.” Hayden and his father then purchased a Toyota 86 in 2020 to compete in the TGRA 86 Series in 2021 in order to prepare himself for his transition into circuit racing in motorsport.
Photo credit: Supplied
The TGRA 86 Series was envisioned to be the perfect developmental environment for aspiring motorsport drivers. Competitors all drive identical Toyota 86 automobiles that have been modified for high-performance racing, and these modifications are provided via an affordable package that can have them on the track for $50,000 — and that’s including the price of the original car.
“In a grassroots series like this, it is vital for drivers to receive support, as some competing in the series will become future professional racers. I would like to see all young racers in motorsport, to have the opportunity to be supported by professional drivers, in order to improve their skills like the Toyota 86 series does,” Hayden explains.
“Coming into the first race, I have received support from Toyota 86 driver and mentor, Steve Owen, which has greatly improved my skills that are needed to race these cars. If all young drivers could receive this advice, it would assist in the development of skills needed for the racetrack.”
“An area where I feel more attention should be put into, is 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,” he adds.
Though the tournament was initially scheduled to take place at the end of May 2021, rising COVID-19 cases in Victoria led to the race’s postponement, with the state announcing 12 new cases and a raft of exposure sites. The new proposed event dates have been marked as the 31st of July to the 1st of August 2021.
Catch Hayden’s motor racing debut at the Winton Motor Raceway in Winton, Victoria. For more information and future updates, visit the TGRA 86 Series’ page on the Toyota website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates concerning cars, dates, racers, and other special announcements concerning the event.
A Salisbury birthing program focused on the best health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and babies has been recognised by a renowned international science journal.
The Lancet Global Health featured the Birthing in Our Community (BiOC) program, which ran for more than seven years. The program saw a significant decrease in deaths during baby deliveries and admittance to neonatal care for high-risk First Nations babies. It also saw through the improvements of breastfeeding awareness among First Nations mums.
The Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane (ATSICHS Brisbane) worked with Mater Mothers’ Hospital to establish this program in 2013 in Salisbury, as the experts recognised that standard health services in the country are often unable to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“Even though First Nations health is a national priority, there has been no change in babies being born preterm – or too soon – since Closing the Gap in 2008,” Charles Darwin University Professor in Midwifery Sue Kildea said in a statement on the Lancet Journal. “We have evidence, gathered over seven years, that culturally safe birthing services significantly improve the health of Indigenous mothers and babies.”
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Also involved in the program were dieticians and diabetes educators, aside from women’s health experts. There are also various staff members helping out the new mums who may need assistance from other departments, such as housing.
Because of the success of the BiOC model, Indigenous women now have access to wider care to support their health and well-being. The study experts, however, recommended that health services for First Nations communities must be given Federal Government access like Medicare so mums and babies can benefit from the best midwifery services.
IUIH CEO Adrian Carson plans to expand BiOC to north Brisbane, Logan and the bayside next before going national.
Come celebrate the life of the late Michael Ulrich, a beloved Tarragindi teacher and director, with the upcoming Wellers Hill Bowls Club family fun day event “Here Comes the Sun”. The best part? It’s all free!
Taking place on the 23rd of MAy 2021, the event celebrates the life of the Tarragindi War Memorial Kindergarten’s colleague Michael Ulrich. Mr Ulrich was a kindly director and teacher who strived to provide the community with a safe environment for children to learn, live, grow, and develop themselves into becoming valuable contributors to the future.
Throughout the day, event-goers will be able to partake in an array of activities such as games, a bouncy castle, rides, kids’ activities, a raffle, and treat themselves to some food and drink, as well as live music. Here Comes the Sun aims to celebrate not only Mr Ulrich’s life, but also hope for the future by inspiring children and their family.
Activities throughout the day will raise funds for the Black Dog Institute — a non-profit organisation which advocates for mental health awareness and support, as well as suicide prevention.
Here Comes the Sun will be hosted at Wellers Hill Bowls Club at 34 Esher St, Tarragindi. The event will run between 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and entry will be completely free!
Those interested in confirming their attendance can do so by visiting their Facebook event page. For more information, and for the latest updates and announcements concerning the family fun day, follow their main Facebook page.
Share Shed, co-founded by Nicole Arby, first opened its services to the Salisbury community in 2017. It was a non-profit organisation that allowed people to borrow a wide range of items such as bread makers, kayaks, disco balls, and hundreds of others — and all people had to do was sign themselves up for an annual membership.
One of the organisation’s key philosophies revolved around giving people the means to do more and own less. Borrowing items instead of buying them could help people save money and the planet. Proceeds made by the organisation would then go to numerous charities.
Earlier in March 2021, however, Share Shed closed down due to the complications brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdowns that followed. Receiving funding became especially difficult.
In one of the organisation’s Facebook posts, Nicole had written that the reasons for closing were “…various and interlocking, but in summary, there were too many battle-fronts to fight at the same time.”
Hi Shed Family…Nicole here.That's me in the kayak about to run into the wheelbarrow. Hi 🙂 Along with the original…
Items that were previously donated to Share Shed were available for reclamation before the organisation shut down for good, with a special party hosted on the 26th of March 2021 to commemorate their four-year run. Leftover items were promptly sold at a garage sale a month later from the 9th to the 10th of April.
Share Shed, which has now closed down, was located at Shed 7, 8 Chrome Street, Salisbury.
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.
Photo Credit: Toohey Forest Wildlife
“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.
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
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.”
Photo Credit: realestate.com.au
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.
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:
Photo Credit: Facebook
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?
Photo Credit: Facebook
“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.
