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ASPLEY SPECIAL SCHOOL INVOLVED IN PILOT PROGRAM FOR CONTAINER REFUND SCHEME

Aspley Special School Takes Part in Pilot Program for Container Refund Scheme
Photo credit: Aspley Special School Parents Page/Facebook

Aspley Special School is one of the 30 state schools that will pilot the newly launched Container Refund Scheme (CRS).

The Container Refund Scheme offers a ten cent refund on every eligible container. This includes containers made from glass, plastic, aluminium or liquid paperboard and can range in size from 150ml to 3L.

“This is a fantastic scheme and one that I would love to see school communities from across the state get behind,” Education Minister Grace Grace said.

Ms Grace also said that the government is providing a $1000,000 grant towards the $150,000 total cost for P&Cs Queensland‘s pilot program. The program seeks to find out the best ways for schools to get involved and maximise the benefits from the CRS.

Participating State Schools

Under the plan, participating schools will trial ways to collect containers within their school communities. Everyone associated with their school, including parents and carers, students and teachers can get involved in the project.

“P&Cs Qld will report back to the government by mid-2019 on the success of the pilot project and we hope to use these findings to encourage more schools to join the scheme,” said Ms Grace

Apart from Aspley Special School, the following state schools are also participating in the pilot program:

Cairns

  • Balaclava State School
  • White Rock State School
  • Yorkeys Knob State School

Townsville

  • Currajong State School
  • Pimlico State High School
  • Townsville Central State School
  • Townsville Community Learning Centre
  • Townsville South State School
  • Woodstock State School

Toowoomba

  • Harristown State High School
  • Highfields State School

Brisbane Southside

  • Chatswood Hills State School
  • Kimberley Park State School
  • Loganholme State School
  • Mansfield State High School
  • Mansfield State School
  • Robertson State School
  • Rochedale South State School
  • Shailer Park State High School

Envirobank – Bag Drop Pilot

Brisbane Northside

  • Albany Creek State School
  • Aviation High
  • Earnshaw State College
  • Eatons Hill State School
  • Mitchelton State Special School
  • Nundah State School
  • Wooloowin State School

Sunshine Coast

  • Mountain Creek State High School

Gold Coast

  • Bellevue Park State School
  • Coombabah State School

Ms Grace is positive that most Queensland schools will benefit from this scheme. Currently, CRS aims to increase the approximate 40 per cent recycling rate Queensland has now to upwards of 80 per cent. Such an increase in the recycling rate was observed in other countries when financial incentives are offered to recycle containers.

P&Cs Queensland Container Refund Scheme Pilot Program

P&Cs Qld President Gayle Walters said they were very excited to be partnering with the State Government to get schools involved in the innovative scheme.

“We see the Container Refund Scheme pilot program as an ideal opportunity to establish on-site donation points in Queensland state schools and we will be working with Refund Point Operators on a sustainable and safe plan to maximise benefits flowing to these schools,” Ms Walters said.

“The scheme has the potential to provide invaluable education for our students on caring for their environment as well as providing a real boost to P&C funding.”

Read more about P&Cs Qld’s pilot program from their official CRS website.

ASPLEY VILLAGE PRECINCT PROJECT 2019

Gympie Rd Aspley Before the Project Begins.

The Aspley Village Precinct Project of the Brisbane City Council is all set for a 2019 launch after the project team’s presentation of their improved proposal.

In September 2018, the Council introduced this $5.9-million streetscape improvement project which aims to refurbish and revitalise the shopping district at Gympie Road in Aspley.  Its main objective is to boost local economic growth within the neighbourhood. 

The project is part of Brisbane’s Future Blueprint, which aims to create a city of neighbourhoods with vibrant, connected, and safe centres for both locals and visitors.

Initial Proposal

Aspley Village Precinct Project Draft
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
Aspley Village Precinct Project Draft
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council

The initial improvements planned by the Council’s project team for the Aspley Village Precinct Project include:

  • Upgraded signalised pedestrian crossing on Gympie Road to secure safety in the area. This is still subject for final approval from the Queensland Government.
  • Upgraded footpaths for improved accessibility, maintenance, and visual amenity.
  • Realignment of existing pedestrian crossings and placing of additional cautionary tactile pavings on kerb ramps for improved safety.
  • Additional planting of trees and groundcover plants  for improved visual and physical amenities.
  • Additional street furnitures and public artworks for people to use and enjoy.

Community Consultation

The community consultation period was completed in September 2018. All the feedback and ideas given by the concerned members of the community were collected through an online survey and three community consultation sessions. 

At present, the council is still developing its updated proposal as a response to the feedback given by the community. The new and improved proposal is expected to be released soon.

Aspley Gympie Road
Satellite View of Aspley Village Precinct Project. Photo credit: Google Maps

What’s Next

Onsite construction will follow after the presentation of the project team’s improvement proposal. With both time and weather permitting, it will be ideal for construction to begin early of 2019 and  be completed by the end of the year.

To ensure minimal disturbances occurring during the construction phase of the Aspley Precinct Project, the Council will conduct a consultation meeting amongst the businesses located in the shopping centre. By doing so, the Council also safeguards the shops’ access during their business hours.

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  • Pantry Tidying
  • Washing
  • General Tidying
  • Fridge Cleaning
  • Ironing
  • Surfaces Wiped
  • Oven Cleaning
  • And any other reasonable cleaning request

When it’s time to move house we can provide a professional bond clean. All of our bond cleans come with a three day guarantee – if your property manager is unhappy with the job we will come out and clean the identified area at no extra cost. We also clean all exterior windows where accessible from ground height.

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CARSELDINE MARKETS: FRESH PRODUCE, GREAT FOOD & LIVE MUSIC

Carseldine Markets: Fresh Produce, Live Music, and Lots of Delight to Grab Interest
Photo credit: Carseldine Markets/Facebook

The Carseldine Farmers and Artisan Markets brings together a few of life’s simple pleasures: listening to music, eating, and appreciating art. Every Saturday, locals from Carseldine and neighbouring suburbs like Aspley, Fitzgibbon, and  Bridgeman Downs get to unwind at the market located at the old Queensland University of Technology.

Carseldine Markets, which opens 6:00 a.m. and closes at noon, is a five-minute ride from the Aspley Hypermarket. It houses more than 180 stalls for products of every kind. There is a stall for deli lines; Artisan baked breads and pastries, and traditional foods as well as fresh local seafood. There are stalls dedicated for arts and crafts, where visitors could find handmade accessories, soy candles, and wooden toys.

Carseldine’s addition to the list of the best Queensland’s markets does not come as a surprise. Aside from livening up the locals’ weekends, it supports local farmers. One of the most frequented stalls is The Organic Stall, where visitors can delight in farm fresh organics. The owner drives down to the Byron farms every week to hand select his produce.

“There are some delicious food stalls serving great food. Then after breakfast walk through all different types of stalls ranging from fresh foods to flowers, nick nacks, doggie stuff,” suggestsLouise, a Brisbane local.

LOUISE FROM TRIPADVISOR

The market offers interesting things to do for people of all ages. Children could have fun in the rides. Dogs will enjoy their day out with the doggy treats available at the market stalls. Free yoga classes are available from time to time, for visitors who want to de-stress from the hustle and bustle of city life.

For more information, visit the Carseldine Markets website and Facebook page.

ACTIVE COLLISION TECHNOLOGY ON TRIAL AT BUSY ASPLEY INTERSECTION

Robinson Road West on intersection with Gympie Road in Aspley is currently testing the Hold the Red technology as part of efforts to reduce collisions caused by motorists running red lights.

The Ministry for Transport and Main Roads selected the Aspley intersection after it was identified as a potentially dangerous intersection. It is one of the busiest intersections in Queensland, with more than 68,000 vehicles passing through the intersection every day. In the past five years, there were 24 crashes and 11 serious injuries due to crashes at the intersection.

The technology uses radar to see if vehicles are about to run a red light. When this happens, the opposing traffic lights are forced to stay on red to prevent a possible collision.

Preventing Collisions

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey revealed that the technology is already being used in Florida where it has been instrumental in the significant decline of collisions at intersections.

Mr Bailey said that around 11 percent of critical road casualties in the state happened at intersections with traffic lights.

“During the past five years, 42 people have been killed and more than 3,000 hospitalised in crashes at signalised intersections in Queensland,” said Mr Bailey.

“Red light running is a complex problem. There is no single reason why drivers do it but what we do know is that resulting accidents are likely to be T-bone crashes, which have a higher potential of causing death or serious injury.

“Hold the Red lowers the risk of a crash at sites where it is installed while still allowing for offenders to be penalised.

“This will keep other drivers safe, while still acting as a deterrence to offenders.”

Queensland’s peak monitoring body RACQ lauded the introduction of the Hold the Red technology at crash prone intersections.

RACQ’s Head of Technical and Safety Policy Steve Spalding believes that the system could help prevent T-bone crashes.

“We look forward to the results of the trial and are always interested in new technologies that can reduce crashes,” Mr Spalding said.

ASPLEY MEMORIAL BOWLS CLUB GREEN 1 COVER UP BY END OF MAY 2019

Aspley Memorial Bowls Club Green 1 Cover up by end of May 2019
Video Still Credit: Trevor Scott / YouTube

The Aspley Memorial Bowls Club will be installing a cover for its Green 1 which should be completed by end of May 2019, but Carseldine locals have concerns about the project.

The cover, fitted with lights underneath, will provide an all-weather shelter for its Club members and casual bowlers’ use, to enjoy the facility during daytime and at night, all-year round. The Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities under the Community Development Grant Programme, has made the project possible through a $590,000 grant.

Video walk-through from Lightweight Structures

At 7.5 metres at its highest point, residents are concerned about the structure’s height which will effectively block the view and sunlight from the houses close to the Club. Locals are also concerned about the rainwater going straight to the creek due to the structure, as well as causing more cars parking close to the shade thus increasing traffic in the area. 

Photo Credit: Google Earth

Overall, they are concerned the adverse impact could cause the values of neighbouring properties to fall. They suggest moving the structure close to the clubhouse instead and away from Nemira Street.

The Club said that the planned cover over Green 1 was voted upon with the elderly members in mind. Once the shade structure is in place, the covered green will provide a way for the members, especially the elderly, to stay active and socialise, rain or shine. In the future, its two other greens will also have their own covers installed. 

Brisbane Northside in World War I

Sunday 11th November, 2018 – By Michael Seabrook

Today as the world pauses to mark and pay tribute to the end of World War I, it is a great time to reflect upon the sacrifices that brave men and women made in their contributions to defend their nations. This year’s Remembrance Day commemoration marks 100 years since the guns went quiet with the signing of the Armistace in the French Compiegne Forest.

Australia’s total war contribution amounted to almost 417000 men enlisted, which saw over 60000 killed and 156000 wounded or taken prisoner. These men signed up and fought from every state of Australia. Of these enlisted men, 58000 were Queenslanders, and of those Queenslanders 10000 would never return home again.

Infantry march to Zillmere train station. Picture supplied by Chermside & Districts Historical Society Inc.

Brisbane’s northern districts played a key role in the training and deployment of troops sent overseas in World War I (as it would do so two decades later in World War II).

The first troops to be sent overseas from Brisbane were the 9th Battalion and the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, and they boarded two ships at Pinkenba on September 24, 1914. These men who set sail from Pinkenba were drawn from all over Queensland, and were trained for just one month at Enoggera.

 

Photo of the Chermside Military Training Camp taken in 1916. Photo supplied by the State Library of Queensland.

A military training camp was later setup at Chermside, which was originally located at the western end of Marchant’s Paddock (now Marchant’s Park) and was shifted across Murphy Road to Alonzo Sparkes’ Paddock (which is now the site of Westfield Chermside and a large amount of houses). These military camps were initially used for the encampment of Light Horse and as the war progressed, infantry, signal, and artillery sections. The soldiers based at Chermside Military Camp would eventually march to Zillmere train station for departure overseas.

If you’d like to read further on the Chermside Camp, please click here.

 

Geebung RSL Remembrance Day Service 2018

Friday, 9th November 2018 – by Michael Seabrook

 

Geebung RSL Club

This Sunday 11th November marks the 100th anniversary since the signing of the Armistice in 1918 which ended the First World War. With the current ongoing construction of ANZAC Square in Brisbane CBD – which is the pinnacle for ANZAC commemorations in Brisbane – now running over the scheduled time, there is now a larger push to urge Southeast Queensland attendees to attend ceremonies at their local RSL or war memorial.

Geebung RSL will be hosting a memorial service on Sunday 11 November from 10:30am until 11:25am to mark the centenary of the signing of the Armistice. Originally opened as a memorial hall in October 1923, the Geebung Memorial Hall was officially dedicated as an RSL in April 1945, when it was dedicated as the Geebung-Zillmere RSL Sub Branch. In 1992 the Geebung Zillmere RSL merged with the Aspley Bald-Hills RSL. The Geebung RSL has since become the local host for ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day services.

If you’d like to check out further information on Geebung RSL, or to see how you can help or donate to support current and ex-service members, here is a link to their website https://www.geebungrsl.com.au/. A more detailed history of the Geebung RSL can also be found at this webpage http://rslbrisbanenorth.org/rsl-qld/geebung-zillmere-bald-hills-aspley-rsl-sub-branch/.

Carseldine Urban Village Campaign – An Update

Tuesday, 23rd October 2018 – By Michael Seabrook

 

As the deadline draws closer for final public submissions on Stage 1 of the Carseldine Urban Village, and with Stage S already approved, a local committee has come together to put a stop on the tracks for this development which they say will have a significant impact on the local community.

Established in 2016 after the project was announced, the Save Our Carseldine group has a large Facebook and word of mouth presence. They haven’t pulled punches and have been quite vocal about getting their message across the community and up to State Government by using social media networks and by featuring in the media.

A  quick look through the ‘Save Our Carseldine’ group’s Facebook presence reveals a large number of members have shared concerns about how the development will subtract from the greenspace and native trees in the area, which has often been an active outdoors space for locals both young and old alike. Other concerns include wildlife relocation and the removal of the existing dog park.

Set to be built on the former QUT Carseldine Campus, the proposed Carseldine Urban Village will bring an additional 900 homes for an estimated 2000 people to the 46 hectare site, as well as a new retail and commercial precinct. Some Carseldine residents argue that this will cause traffic to increase in the already tight area, as well as the additional residents and workers spilling out onto roads for parking, with 120 vehicle car parks allotted for the development.

Whilst the State Government has allocated a 22 hectare parcel of land for green space which includes a brand new 5 hectare sporting and recreation precinct, members of the Save Our Carseldine group say that the environmental impact could increase already existing localised flooding events and run off from the project may further damage Cabbage Tree Creek which the site backs on to.

As the project falls under a State Government legislated Priority Development Application which allows for the project to be fast tracked for economic purposes it presently doesn’t have to comply with the current Town Planning Act. This has further incensed some locals who feel they have no right to appeal any planning decisions.

A lack of collaboration between the Queensland State Government and the Federal Government on local roads, and the Queensland State Government and Brisbane City Council regarding nearby underdeveloped infrastructure has also been highlighted as an area of concern by an anonymous community development expert.

For further information on the Save Our Carseldine group they can be contacted at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SaveOurCarseldine/ otherwise feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Stay tuned for a follow up article with more details.