Homepage Latest News Archives - Page 20 of 23

New Queensland State Netball Centre in Nathan to Host Suncorp #TeamGirls Cup

Photo Credit: Queensland State Netball Centre/Facebook

The new $44 million Queensland State Netball Centre in Nathan will host a Super Netball pre-season tournament. Dubbed the Suncorp #TeamGirls Cup, the sports event will take place from the 8th to the 10th of March 2019.

The games will have all eight teams of the Suncorp Super Netball present. Each team will play four matches per session scheduled on Friday evening, the whole day Saturday and Sunday morning.

To check the full schedule and to find out which team will go up against each other, sports fans may download the full fixture provided by Suncorp Super Netball.

*Photo Credit:* *Queensland Firebirds/Facebook*

The pre-season tournament in the new Queensland State Netball Centre will be up for 10-minute quarters only. Nevertheless, the Queensland Firebirds are excited to welcome other players to their new state-of-the-art homebase.

“It is an incredible moment for Netball Queensland as we welcome the world’s best netballers to our new world-class venue here in Brisbane,” Netball Queensland CEO Catherine Clark said in the official press release. “What a fantastic way to open the Queensland State Netball Centre. This arena will become synonymous with the world leading steps that we are taking for female athletes and women’s sport in this country. The access and opportunity that it will provide for our upcoming athletes and spectators is unprecedented,”

Last 25th of February, no less than Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk threw the first ball to signal the official opening of the new Queensland State Netball Centre.

The upgraded facility features a 5,000 seating capacity, eight indoor hard courts, a gymnasium, a changing area, a medical and science section, the administrative offices, as well as the cafe and food outlets. The centre also has an ample parking space that will be able to support the capacity of spectators during practice games and actual tournaments.

Construction of the new site started in mid-2017 and was funded by the Queensland and Federal governments. Brisbane City Council, on the other hand, donated the land where the new Queensland State Netball Centre stands on Mains and Kessels Road.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Firebirds will be hosting their first home game against the Collingwood Magpies in this arena on the 4th of May. The 2019 Suncorp Super Netball season will officially open in April.

Share Shed: Salisbury’s Library of Things

Head on over to one of the warehouses at Textile Crescent in Salisbury to witness and experience a one-of-a-kind library called the Share Shed.

Share Shed Inc, is Queensland’s first “library of things” which seeks to provide a variety of useful quality items that can enhance people’s lives without the need for people to buy and store more items. It was co-founded by Nicole Bray and Sarah Pember back in September of 2017. Since then, this initiative of shared economy has blossomed, making it a finalist for the 2018 Bankasia Community Award.

Share Shed follows the maxim of “Do More, Own Less” and promotes it to all its members. They believe that the act of sharing in itself can multiply a number of positive outcomes.

By borrowing an item, people get to acquire a positive borrowing experience which then allows them to be free from the concept of ownership without having to sacrifice their needs.

In addition to the positive borrowing experience that it gives, Share Shed members also support the overall growth of a more sustainable and less wasteful economy. A by-product of this initiative is the development of stronger ties amongst the members of the community.

Truly, purchasing an item from the store cannot beat the incomparable feel-good experiences that Share Shed brings to all its members

Check out these items borrowed by some of the Share Shed’s members:

How Share Shed Works

Share Shed works on an annual membership basis. Anyone who lives in Brisbane that is 18 years old and above may apply for membership that costs $80.

Click here to sign up for Share Shed. You can also purchase a gift membership for someone who might be interested in joining the Share Shed community too

By being a member of Share Shed, you get to borrow up to five items per week for each item on a seven day period. Share Shed also allows its members to borrow more than 5 items at a time for an additional cost of $5 for each additional item. Members can also extend their item’s borrowing period for another week if no one else has reserved it yet.

Share Shed offers a wide inventory of useful items that are both new and used items. In fact, many of the items found are donations from the community. But at the same time, Share Shed also acquires new items that are placed under the members’ wishlist category through the collected annual membership fee.

You may click here to view all stored items available at Share Shed.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can send a message to Share Shed via email or Facebook message.

Operating Hours

Monday	9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Friday	5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
Saturday	9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

Dog-Friendly Cafes In and Around Tarragindi

Photo Credit: Black Lab Coffee/Facebook

Are you looking for a cool hangout where you can get your coffee fix, watch dogs play, and enjoy a tasty meal? If you’re a coffee lover and a dog lover, these establishments in and around Tarragindi might just be your next stomping grounds.

Black Lab Coffee

6/11 Kuring Gai Avenue
Opens Mondays to Saturdays – 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. | Sundays -7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Black Lab Coffee is the brainchild of Luke, an entrepreneur who also runs Maluka Produce in Noosaville with his brother Matt. The coffee shop is named after Luke’s beloved black Labrador Audrey and she’s usually at the store to socialise with the four-legged guests.

The dog-friendly nook, located on Kuring Gai Avenue, is meant to be a takeaway coffee spot, where customers can text the store to pick up their orders. However, Black Lab Coffee also has a spacious seating area where guests can linger, drink their coffee, or have breakfast with their furry pets.

*Photo Credit: Black Lab Coffee/Facebook*

The coffee spot uses roasted Di Bella coffee beans but there’s also a good selection of smoothie blends, milkshakes, and other delectable drinks. The food choices are mostly takeaways like rolls, toasties, cupcakes and organic treats.

Dogs, on the other hand, can have fresh drinking water as Black Lab Coffee provides water bowls for guests who bring their pets. Customers may also buy Discuit dog treats, which are handmade and baked without preservatives and artificial flavours.

Since it opened, Black Lab Coffee has hosted many pet adoption events with various animal rescue groups. The store has also mounted fundraising efforts for these organizations and it continually promotes responsible pet ownership.

“Did not realise that my last review has been over 2 years and it ought to be the time for a re-visit. Explored this morning and I am happy to see that the café has extended to provide nice indoor dining area for customers. Business is as busy as before, which is expected due to the fact that the coffee made of Locale bean (should it be Di Bella? not sure?) delivers very good depth of flavour. Tried a mini jam donut to go with my flat white. Although I am not very keen on sweet treats, the donut is surprisingly match well with the coffee. Overall production is consistent and wish they all the best in business. Cheers!”
~ Ronnielui2003, via Zomato 

Todd & Pup

398 Tarragindi Rd
Opens daily 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Todd & Pup is known for its gourmet coffee selections, brunches and dozens of sweet treats. Owned and managed by Kate Whitlock, this cafe on Tarragindi Road has been in business since 2014.

Over the years, Todd & Pup has seen a few menu upgrades as well as a site expansion to accommodate more diners. The cafe, however, is still an ideal place for puppy meet ups with its spacious and comfortable outdoor seating area.

Todd & Pup also offers a special kids menu and a puppy menu.

*Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Todd & Pup/Facebook*

“What we lack in human children we make up for in fur-babies. We take our pooch Thor everywhere with us and were absolutely delighted to read that Todd and Pup in Moorooka not only have insta-worthy human dishes – but they also have a Pooch Menu. That’s right ladies and gents, while you’re filling your belly with the outlet’s signature dish – the Fried Chicken Benedict (super soft buttermilk chicken and that sirarcha hollandaise with tantalizing tickle) – your furry friend can be snacking on their own brekky. We chose the sweet potato + bacon doggie hash brown for Thor and it disappeared pretty quickly! Personally we think $7 for a full dog meal is a bargain, especially considering a single scoop of doggie ice-cream costs $7 these days. Next time he wants the Pho. We know because he told us.”
~ The Other Jenners, via Zomato

Esher St. Cafe and Deli

46 Esher Street
Opens weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m; weekends 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Esher St. Cafe and Deli has quite the indiscriminate and relaxed atmosphere with its recycled wooden pallet furniture. The restaurant is perfect for families with small kids and pets.

*Photo Credit: Esher St. Cafe and Deli/Facebook*

The cafe is also a favourite among health buffs with its vegetarian and gluten-free options. Guests especially love to order the avocado smash, which is their best-selling dish but they also have sumptous servings of poach eggs, baked haloumi, and pumpkin fritters with sourdough toast.

Esher St. Cafe and Deli also serves the best West End roasted Veneziano Coffee.

This restaurant is owned and managed by the same group that runs the Alcove Cafe & Deli in Wilston and Samson & Sophie in Teneriffe.

I really like the avo smash here, and the serving size is generous for the price which is quite reasonable in comparison to most others in the area. The back deck area is a shabby chic style, its interesting but not the most comfortable. Coffee was very nice and the service is pretty good. All up – I’ve quite enjoyed the couple times I’ve been here, I’m sure I’ll be back again.

~ Spice Dad via Zomato

Tarragindi Among Brisbane’s Best Performers for House Rentals Growth

As oversupply is slowly being absorbed by growing demand, Tarragindi emerged as among Brisbane’s best performing suburbs in 2018 in terms of house rental increase — the latest Domain Rental Report says.

Tarragindi recorded a 10 percent year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter house rental price growth for a median weekly rent price of $495, according to the Domain Rental Report for December quarter 2018. Demand for dwelling in Tarragindi appears to be very high indeed as the suburb recorded 1,046 visits per property compared to QLD’s average of 381, the realestate.com.au suburb profile report says. The suburb profile report also indicates the median rental price for houses in Tarragindi, from 1 Feb 2018 to 11 Feb 2019, at $498 whilst the state average stands at $400.

Tarragindi joins top-ranked Manly in the list of best performing suburbs for house rentals with 14.50 percent change for both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter. Rounding out the list are Ascot, South Brisbane, Nudgee, Fairfield, Petrie Terrace, Dakabin, Banyo, and East Brisbane.

On the other hand, the top performing suburbs for units rental list shows Holland Park taking the top spot with a 12.10 percent increase year-on-year. Completing the list are Clontarf, Bardon, South Brisbane, Balmoral, Herston, Bulimba, Alderley, Coorparoo, Fairfield, and Mount Gravatt. Overall, the median asking rent for units rose to 5.4 percent over the past year.

The rental price increases may well be an indication of an overall turnaround happening across Brisbane rental market, from the previous supply glut that affected dwelling demand in 2017. Also, according to property valuation firm SQM Research, Brisbane’s rental vacancy rates continue to fall with to 2.7 percent in January 2019 as compared to 3 percent in June 2018 and 3.5 percent in May 2017.

Salisbury: From Industrial Estate to Revitalised Suburb

Located just 10 km from the CBD, Salisbury nowadays is proving to be more than just the industrial estate that it used to be. Trendy, newly opened cafes, studios, and community events such as street parties, are giving the neighbourhood a hip and creative vibe, attracting more people into the area.

With easy access to transport facilities such as the railway station, and the substantial number of open spaces, local shops, and well-established schools, Salisbury has become a worthwhile option for those looking for affordable, yet strategic, housing.

A Glimpse of Salisbury’s History

Salisbury Munition Factory — Rocklea Ammunition Factory Photo credit: ozatwar.com

Brisbane, specifically Salisbury, played an important role during the Second World War.

Given Salisbury’s expansive, rural and remote location, a large munition factory, named Rocklea Ammunition, was built along the area of Compo Road, currently named Evans Road, during the 1940s. Large-engine test cells were also placed within the vicinity of Compo Road.

Evidence of munition works in Salisbury can be seen at present time in the suburb’s street names, such as Assembly, Bearing, and Lathe Streets.

By 1943-1944, the Rocklea Ammunition factory had been terminated and its buildings were soon taken over by different groups, converting the entire estate into a base workshop, tank workshop, and an engine refurbish site.

From 1955-1959, series of road structures and extensions were made in order to connect Orange Grove Road, Lillian Avenue, and Evans Road all together. Salisbury was then linked to Tarragindi by September of 1959 via Toohey Road.

In these post-war years, Salisbury’s short distance from Brisbane safeguarded its urban settlement. What was once an industrial wilderness soon became a residential development site given its speedy growth from 1960s onwards.

Year	Population
1911	84
1921	564
1976	6537

Source: queenslandplaces.com.au

Present Day Salisbury

A large number of families have been recently seeking to make Salisbury their new home.

Salisbury Demand Market — Photo credit: realestate.com.au

Read: Tarragindi Median House Price Rises to $777,000 Amidst Strong Demand

With more people dwelling into the neighbourhood, a few residents have opened up their own small enterprises in the area for a more sustainable living.

Different small businesses are now well-established in Salisbury, including coffee shops, brewery, organic restaurants and diners, art galleries, dance and yoga studios, and bookstores.

These businesses in town have further led the owners to assert themselves into fostering a sense of community amongst the people of Salisbury.

Salisbury Chrome Street Fiesta — Different kiosks geared up for Salisbury’s annual Chrome Street Fiesta.
Photo credit: Reload Espresso Bar/ Facebook

Gentrification has brought a newer, and more current “vibe” to the neighbourhood, further driving its growth. In what can be perceived as an attempt by residents to strike a balance between work and family living, today’s Salisbury has evolved to include trendier places where people can grow, enjoy, and feel a sense of belongingness.

Salisbury Compo Road — Aerial view of former Rocklea Ammunition Factory in Compo Road (Evans Road) in 1946
Photo credit: ozatwar.com

Salisbury Evans Road — Present day satellite view of Evans Road, showcasing Salisbury as a growing and revitalised suburb. Photo credit: Google Maps / google.com/maps

Get Into the K-Beauty Trend with Tarragindi’s Style Story

K-beauty is slowly invading Australia. To make sure you’re in on this beauty trend, Style Story in Tarragindi has been offering a range of K-beauty products for you to try.

Style Story is the brainchild of founder, Lauren Lee. What started as a personal journey for discovering the best skincare has turned into a much-loved business.

Ms Lee discovered Korean Beauty products when she was an exchange student at a university in Seoul in 2011. After she struggled in finding the best skincare products herself, Ms Lee was able to learn and discover K-beauty products that kickstarted her skincare journey.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by STYLE STORY (@style_story_au) on Nov 2, 2018 at 2:11am PDT

Falling in love with various K-beauty products, she began gifting her finds to her friends and family in Australia. With the positive responses she got from them, she continued to research new products and further learned the science behind the skincare and the ingredients.

Style Story

It was in 2014 when Ms Lee decided to open Style Story, Australia’s Korean Beauty Store specialising in innovative K-beauty products. The store easily became a household name when K-beauty products began to invade the beauty industry.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by STYLE STORY (@style_story_au) on Sep 28, 2018 at 4:01pm PDT

Now, Style Story offers a wide range of Korean beauty products such as skincare, makeup, and trending masks. Moreover, the store also provides their customers with the steps in Korean beauty routines as well as beauty and skin care tips.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by STYLE STORY (@style_story_au) on Sep 27, 2018 at 9:00pm PDT

To Lauren Lee, “the Korean Beauty routine is so much more than a set of steps to be followed or the search for perfect skin. Instead, it’s about caring for the skin you’re in and learning how to love it – even though it may not be loving you back.”

For further information, you may check out the official website of Style Story.

Tarragindi: Among Top Suburbs for House Price Growth in Brisbane

Tarragindi is among the top suburbs for house price growth in Brisbane, as the capital city continues to defy the current downward trend affecting the nation’s housing market with a new all-time high median-price for houses over the past year.

The Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast SD recorded growth of 3.8 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively, according to the September quarter of the REIQ Queensland Market Monitor report. Brisbane, on the other hand, posted a 2.3 percent increase from last year, hitting a new median-price high of $675,000.

“Queensland’s economy is proving itself to be a good performer, against a backdrop of national gloom, with new jobs bringing population growth and demand for housing,” REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said.

“The southeast corner is our powerhouse, without a doubt, but additionally we’re seeing strong results in regions that have been struggling.

“The resources sector is improving and we’re seeing regions such as Mackay and areas of western Queensland firmly in recovery,” Ms Mercorella said.

Kuring Gai Ave, Tarragindi, Queensland

The sought-after price range for Brisbane LGA is $500,000 – $750,000, representing almost half of the house sales for the past 12 months. The top suburbs for house price growth in Brisbane include Bardon, Brighton, Ashgrove, Wavell Heights, Bald Hills and Bridgeman Downs, Wynnum, Tarragindi, Eight Mile Plains, Mount Gravatt East, and Manly West.

It was a different story for the units market, though, as oversupply continues to put a dent on units price. Brisbane LGA annual median unit price dropped by 2.2 per cent and 3.4 per cent over the past quarter. It, however, managed to register a 5.5 percent growth over the last five years.

Despite the drop, eight suburbs still managed to post double digit growth, with Rochedale leading with 64.80% increase from last year. West End, Gordon Park, North Gate, Yeronga, Toowong, New Market, and Red Hill rounds out the list of suburbs with double-digit growth for units.

Tarragindi: One Of Most In-Demand Suburbs in Queensland

Queensland suburbs are defying the demand downturn that is hitting some of Australia’s biggest housing markets such as Sydney and Melbourne. Tarragindi ranked among most in-demand suburbs in QLD headed by inner-north suburb of Grange, an October property report said.

For the past 12 months, Grange topped the list of the most in-demand suburbs according to the October Property Outlook from realestate.com.au. With Chandler, Burbank, Paddington, Red Hill, Camp Hill, Holland Park, Ashgrove, Tarragindi, and Wilston completing the elite list of most in-demand suburbs.

From one year ago, buyer demand for housing in Brisbane climbed by 1.4 percent. The median price for all dwellings is at $490,000, up by 1.0 percent year-on-year and 1.0 percent quarter-on-quarter. Whilst things are turning well for the Brisbane housing market, Sydney’s and Melbourne’s buyer demand numbers have gone south by as much 23 percent and 20 percent respectively.

The report attributes the QLD’s positive housing demand to better economic conditions in Queensland. The report sees positive outlook over the next 12 months as QLD’s economic performance will continue to pull the housing market up with premium Brisbane suburbs benefiting the most.

Video Still credit: realestate.com.au/realestate.com.au/news

The median price for houses in Tarragindi as of May 2018 is at $776,961 with a 15.31 per cent 3-year growth and 2.71 per cent growth from last year, according to homesales.com.au. CoreLogic, on the other hand, shows the Tarragindi median house price for the past 12 months at $773,000 for a one-year price change of 1.05 per cent. The median price for units for the past 12 months is at $482,000 with a one-year median price change of 3.55 per cent.

The following Queensland regions have shown positive demand growths: Brisbane Inner City by 8.2 per cent, East by 9.1 per cent, and North by 5.0 per cent. Whilst South and West dropped by -6.1 and -1.6 per cent respectively.

The report said, that Brisbane did well not only on buyer demand but rental demand and pricing, and offshore buyer demand as well. Offshore buyer demand, in particular, has been quite exceptional as affordability and education sector are luring overseas buyers into Brisbane.

Stage E Of The Veloway 1 Cycleway In Tarragindi & Nearby Suburbs Now Underway

The construction of Stage E of the Veloway 1 Cycleway (V1) is now underway. The $45-million Stage E is the biggest single package of works in the entire V1 project and will provide a 1.4 km path for cyclists between Birdwood Road, Holland Park West, and Gaza Road in Tarragindi.

The V1 is a cycleway that is dedicated to connect the City and Eight Mile Plains adjacent to the Pacific Motorway. The 17 km bicycle path from Eight Mile Plains to the CBD aims to make bikers’ lives easier and safer. Upgrades to the cycleway are being done in five stages, with the four stages already complete and in use.

Stage E will also deliver three dedicated bridges for cyclists:

Marshall Road
Sterculia Avenue
Bapaume Road near Gaza Road

Construction started in late August 2018 to be completed in mid-2020, weather and construction conditions permitting.

Upon completion of site preparation and earthworks, construction work will tackle drainage, retaining walls installation and the building of bicycle bridges, fences and signages.

The completed V1 stages, which are now in use, covered the following roads:

Stage A – Logan Road (exit 14) to Miles Platting Road
Stage B – Miles Platting Road to Gateway Motorway off-ramp, Eight Mile Plains
Stage C – Lewisham Street at Greenslopes to Birdwood Road at Holland Park West
Stage D – O’Keefe Street to Lewisham Street

Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Minister Mark Bailey is very excited about the construction of stage E of the project and how it will improve the safety of the bike riders.

“Safety for riders will be improved along the route by providing physical separation from motorists with bridges soaring over Marshall Road, Sterculia Avenue, and Bapaume Road at the Gaza Road off-ramp laying the foundations for future growth,” Mr Bailey said.

Tarragindi Median House Price Rises to $777,000 Amidst Strong Demand

The REIQ recently reported the latest housing market statistics which showed Tarragindi median house price at $777,000. The median represents an increase of 3.6% over the last 12 months and 41.3% over the last 5 years. In the 2nd quarter of 2018, there were 31 homes sold.

“Currently in the Tarragindi market, we are seeing a strong number of buyers for properties around the median price bracket for Tarragindi,” said Trent Thomas of McGrath Yeronga.

“These properties are usually selling within the first few weeks on the market if presented well. We are also seeing street records being achieved on a number of sales however the higher end of the market is taking a little longer to sell. This might be different post-school holidays.

“Buyer demographic and buyer origin is changing slightly with a noticeable increase in medical and allied health workers and interstate buyers moving into our suburb.”