CAOS, the store dedicated to outdoor adventures, has moved into a new site on Robinson Road East in Geebung and will host a grand opening party where $35,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs.
Outdoor lovers may check out the new CAOS store, which is just around the corner of its old location in Zillmere Road, and join the big celebration on Saturday, 6 November 2021, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bring everyone in the family as the owners have prepared face painting, balloon artist, jumping castle, showbags, and heaps of food trucks.
Some special guests, influencers, and entrepreneurs were also invited so campers and offroad drivers may gain some tips as they plan out their next adventures:
To celebrate the grand opening of the new store, CAOS has a relocation sale on the site and online, where customers may score needed items at huge discounts and avail of free delivery (for online purchases).
CAOS launched in early 2020 as a camping and 4×4 shop for outdoor enthusiasts looking for quality tools and equipment. Established by good friends Greg Bloom, Peter Ellemor, and Wes Funk, CAOS was borne from their collective love for adventure.
“The name CAOS came from Anne, Greg’s wife and it symbolized for us all the one thing we all wanted to avoid in our life – “CHAOS” – but knew if we got stuck in mud or up to our axles in the sand with the tide coming in, we have to be ready for CHAOS.”
A significant number of suburbs in Brisbane have shown strong performance in the property market, including the family-friendly suburb of Aspley where the median prices for houses and units have risen and average days on market reflect brisk buyer activity.
Data from Property Market Updates show a 9.67 per cent increase in Aspley’s house price for the period of July 2020 to June 2021, pulling its median house price up to $680,000. The data also reflects a quick turnaround in buyer activity as houses stayed an average of only 33 days on the market.
Some 223 properties were sold during the said period as families put “access to top schools” as their foremost criteria for house-hunting, regardless of their budget. Many are drawn to Aspley because of the popularity of Aspley State School or Aspley East State School. These two educational institutions rank within the top 25 per cent of good schools across Queensland, retaining their over 90 score over the years, according to Better Education.
Along the tree-filled streets of Roebig Street, a 978-square metre house sold for $1,375,000 in February 2021, the highest price within the 12-month period from July 2020 to June 2021. Featuring emerald granite floors, high ceilings, and a commercial-grade kitchen space, this spacious family home has multiple living areas for entertaining and recreation, and bedrooms with its own private balcony.
The house is a short drive to Aspley State School and several secondary schools, and is within walking distance of several bushland walking trails in the north for outdoor activities. It is also very close to convenient shopping sites with a diversity of options, such as the Aspley Hypermarket. All these underscore the value placed by people on homes near good schools, recreational places, and lifestyle amenities.
Unit Price Growth
Moderately more robust than the housing market, Aspley’s unit market has grown by 12.70 per cent. Although Aspley is not traditionally a unit demographic as buyers in the suburb tend to look for houses first, savvy buyers consisting mostly of downsizers, retirees, and renters keen on low maintenance homes were quick to snap up value-packed two to three-bedroom apartments, pushing the median unit price up to $415,000 for the period ending June 2021.
Some 51 units sold during this period, with transactions lasting an average of 45 days on market.
About Aspley
Some 13 kilometres away from the CBD, Aspley is an entrenched location with access to good schools, medical facilities, transportation, and shops like Hypermarket and the redeveloped Robinson Road Marketplace (formerly Aspley Village Shopping Centre). Once a sleepy suburb for mature families and older couples, Aspley has become a burgeoning residential suburb for professionals who work in the city, the Brisbane Airport, or the trade coast precinct, who also have young kids.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Active community and sports clubs for both ageing residents and young families abound in Aspley. Urban renewal is happening at every turn. Whilst Westfield Chermside is quite close, residents basically have all they need within their reach. Though there is no railway line in Apsley, an extensive bus network more than makes up for its accessibility.
“The convenience is amazing, and the people are friendly. We have settled and enjoyed our 7 years in Aspley so far – it is the perfect location to raise a family. NBN connection is excellent, and working from home has been seamless. The kids have friends and other families all around.”
Siobhanr2, Homely
“We moved to Aspley one year ago and this has been such a good decision. We have all the conveniences nearby, the massive Marchant Park, heaps of shopping options, restaurants, cafes, medical centres, bus terminus and inspite of all these amenities you can live on a good-sized block.”
Richa Nahatar, Homely
“Friendly neighbourhood with established gardens. Quite hilly with views over Chermside, Clayfield to the city. We walk/ride everywhere – Westfield Chermside, Aspley village, Marchant Park, kid space, bus stops. We are so lucky to live in such a convenient area.”
It’s time to raise the woof and let the dogs out as Carseldine Markets prepares to host an absolutely pawsome Barktoberfest! Whilst their paw-rents enjoy a traditional celebration of beers and drinks this October, fur-babies can have the time of their life on Dorville Road.
Barktoberfest 2021 will feature a flurry of exciting activities that will have tails wagging and families enjoying heaps of gourmet food, workshops and entertainment, competitions, arts and crafts, and hundreds of market stalls.
Set for Saturday, 9th October, Barktoberfest will run from 6:00 a.m.to 12:00 p.m. with highlights like the Doggo Demos, Dog Fashion Parade, and the Splash Zone from Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWL).
The Splash Zone features a special pool designed for the doggos’ waterplay. The corner will also have a rehydration station for the thirsty pups.
AWL will also set up an information corner where humans could ask about getting involved and supporting the animal charity.
Every year, the animal advocacy group helps find a home for more than 10,000 stray and homeless animals in Queensland and they’re getting behind Barktoberfest to raise awareness for their cause.
Photo Credit: EventBrite
Also gracing this event is Winnie the Cattle Dog, a TikTok su-paw-star, with her furmum, April. They will be on stage for a Q & A session with furparents and fans about Winnie’s famous life on social media despite battling a congenital disease called fragmented medial coronoid process.
Meanwhile, registered guests may get a chance to win a doggo hamper from one of the sponsors, which will be drawn at 11:30 a.m. The winner must be on the site or answer the call to receive the prize.
St John Fisher College, a secondary girls’ school in Bracken Ridge, has submitted plans to build a new food technology building where the students can train and improve their culinary skills.
The proposal (DA A005794488) lodged with Brisbane City Council calls for a demolition of one building to make way for two new structures that will serve as a training facility for food and design. The developers said that the project will not impact the surrounding buildings which are also part of the school’s property.
Photo Credit: Developmenti/BCC
Improvements to the Kolega Cafe, which have already begun, will be incorporated into the development to provide for a better dining space with proper ventilation for the students and staff.
“The proposed buildings are designed fit for purpose, being specialist learning facilities within an existing school campus, and are considered in keeping with the existing character and amenity of the school and the surrounding locality,” the DA stated.
The new facility should be a worthy addition to a school that develops well-rounded students who excel in academics, sports, music and theatre, science and technology, and culinary.
Catering to Year 7 to 12 students, St John Fisher College, administered by Brisbane Catholic Education, has fully-equipped facilities that support the students’ various interests.
The school’s strong academic outcomes combined with vocational experiences and a strong pastoral community provide the students with the best opportunities to pursue further education or rewarding careers when they graduate.
A development application has been lodged to turn one precinct in Taigum into a mixed-use site with food outlets, a service station, childcare and medical centres, and sports and community venues. The developer also plans to build a multiple dwelling retirement area within the Beams Road location.
Mewing Planning Consultants stated in DA A005727469 that the project’s nature and scale anticipate the needs of an Emerging Community Zone without impacting its ecological surrounding, including the existing swim school nearby. Covering 2.1 hectares, the proposal details a vision for a precinct with at least five distinct areas.
One area will entail repurposing an old church into a health care centre, where it will be surrounded by four other retail buildings with dining options, including a few fast-food drive-thru services.
However, whilst the plan has the support of the residents, some suggested that the precinct should have cafes and fewer fast-food restaurants.
“There are plenty of fast-food restaurants within a short distance,” one resident said in the DA submissions. “What the area does need is a cafe precinct for the community. The area is lacking decent cafes and a development that supports community connection and small business is much needed. I believe a cafe precinct would be of particular value when retirement/aged care living is proposed for the area.”
The DA, filed in May 2021, is still under assessment with Brisbane City Council.
There’s a new place to get a taste of India in Brisbane. Those hungry for dishes such as dosa and idli can head to Sankalp, a world-famous Indian restaurant that recently opened in Aspley.
Here, diners can order authentic South Indian dishes including dosas or thin crepes that come with non-vegetarian flavours; idli or rice pancakes; and uthappa, a thicker version of dosa usually served with toppings.
The restaurant is the brainchild of Sunil Thakkar and Kandarp Makadia, who opened the city’s first Sankalp restaurant in Annerley in 2017. The two Sankalp restaurants in Brisbane are among the 150 Sankalp locations worldwide.
The restaurant, which occupies the space previously occupied by Fasta Pasta on Gympie Rd, looks very similar to its first location in Annerley. The 125-seat venue’s simple interiors, dominated by hues of red and touches of wood, keep the customers’ focus on the food.
Sankalp Aspley (Photo credit: John Smith/Google Maps)
They are proud to use traditional recipes for their curry bases, which are all made with gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients. They use tandoor, a special type of oven made of clay when cooking their naan. Naan is a bread made from maida, an Indian white flour that is similar to pastry flour.
Aside from their flavourful dosas, Sankalp’s paneer methi garlic, a curry made with 28 spices is a crowd favourite in their original location.
Sankalp offers takeaway and delivery services in addition to dine-in. For more information about Sankalp Aspley including trading hours and contactless delivery, visit their website or follow them on social media.
A developer from New South Wales has submitted plans to reconfigure one lot into a 50-lot residential subdivision and create a 5,000-sqm park space in Taigum.
Located at 502 Church Rd in Taigum, the 6.72-ha lot is one of the last untouched blocks of land in north Brisbane. Back in 1981, it was sold for only $25,000. At present, the property is estimated to cost around $1.3- $1.8 million. The value would eventually go higher once the proposed residential subdivision is approved.
Plans (A005748925)lodged by JFP Urban Consultants on behalf of the applicant reveals that the residential lots would be designed to accommodate detached one and two-storey residential dwellings.
Based on the attached documents, there are also plans to fill in an existing dam and build new roads connecting Church Rd and Brushbox St. However, a large portion of the land will be retained for a drainage reserve area.
The subject site has been identified within the Local Government Infrastructure Plan as requiring a 5,000-sqm future trunk park. The LGIP stipulates land within the subject site is to be acquired and embellished to provide local recreation infrastructure between the years 2021 and 2026.
In response to this, the applicant stated during a pre-lodgement meeting with the Brisbane City Council in December 2020 that the proposed development has been designed to dedicate the 5,000-sqm trunk park in accordance with the application LGIP mapping.
“This can be further increased via the dedication of additional parkland on the property at 468 Church Rd. On-street bicycle pathway connections will be provided in accordance with the applicable overlay mapping and it is anticipated that Council will condition any development to provide this,” said the applicant.
To stay updated regarding this development, see DA-A005748925.
Dylia* was 16 years old when she ran away from home. She was fortunate enough to have found refuge at a Bald Hills shelter that provides crisis accommodation and emergency housing for young people. At Carinity Orana, she found a “very positive environment” where she got the support and encouragement to turn her life around.
While at the Bald Hills centre, Dylia was able to complete a course in business studies that led to her acceptance at the Queensland University of Technology, where she has received her dual degree in Social Work and Justice.
Coincidentally, Dylia, now 23, received her diploma during National Homelessness Week.
The young woman still has a vivid recollection of the hand-written letter given to her by the Carinity Orana staff when she moved out to finish a degree.
“We know that you will continue to move forward and we know that you have the determination to make things happen for yourself,” those were some of the encouraging words in the letter.
Dylia was a resident of Carinity Orana for four months. Despite the short period, the staff made her feel that she could achieve something with her life.
“They were never judgemental, and I never felt I had been shamed about my life choices,” said Dylia. “I was trying to figure myself out. I was 16. I had only recently run away from home. They helped me to open up and figure out what I want to do with my life.”
Photo Credit: Supplied. Carinity Orana Program Manager Dave McNair with former managers Nikki Brown, Helen Ford and Kim Bertwhistle at the house which has accommodated around 6,000 homeless youths.
“If you can overcome homelessness, you’ve already done something incredibly difficult,” Dylia added. “If you want to take up a passion or become a doctor, you’re no less talented than anyone else. You are no less deserving of working towards a dream or goal than anyone else.”
For 40 years, Carinity Orana has been helping homeless people between 16 to 21 years old through develop new social networks, secure education, counselling, training, employment, or find more permanent accommodation. Residents usually stay a maximum of six months before they moved to long-term accommodation.
For enquiries or to support the shelter through donations phone (07) 3261 3969 or visit their official site.
It’s Kaylee McKeown’s first Olympics game and she went for the gold and got it, clinching the top spot in the women’s 100-metre backstroke final at the Tokyo Olympics. The 20-year-old Redcliffe swimmer was nervous going into the race but four-time Olympian and Bracken Ridge local Emily Seebohm, who finished fifth, helped her fend off the nerves.
Seebohm, 29, has had talks with McKeown about her experience and gave the younger Olympian guidance and advice on how to fend off the nerves. When McKeown won first place, Seebohm swam to her to embrace her in the water.
During the press conference, Seebohm said McKeown did “effing special” whilst the latter said she hopes to reach Seebohm’s standard one day.
Highlights
Kaylee McKeown, 20, won gold at the women’s 100-metre backstroke final at the Tokyo Olympics.
Her idol, four-time Olympian Emily Seebohm, 29, also swam at the race and landed 5th place.
Seebohm, who nurtured the young swimmer, said McKeown did “effing special” at the race.
When McKeown was eight, she watched a 15-year-old Emily Seebohm win two gold medals as a first-timer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Seebohm is one of her idols, according to her sister, Taylor McKeown, who also swam with Bracken Ridge’s pride at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Taylor also said that Seebohm has been nurturing towards her sister in fulfilling her Olympic dream.
Passing the Baton
In a way, it was as if Seebohm was handing over the baton to McKeown. Tokyo Olympics could be Seebohm’s last.
In 2015, the swimmer had a knee injury from riding a horse and had been struggling with endometriosis before the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Seebohm has also gone public with her eating disorders.
Her appearance at the Tokyo Olympics surprised some but she was determined to return after missing out at the FINA 2019 World Championships.
Seebohm once said she plans on retiring after her fourth Olympics. Only a handful of Australian Olympians have had opportunities to make four stints. However, since the next one is just three years off, she’s considering her options and asking herself if she would still compete at 32.
Emily Seebohm’s Accomplishments
Emily Jane Seebohm, born in 1992 in Adelaide, moved with her family to Brisbane when she was a toddler. The Bracken Ridge local went to St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and St John Fisher College.
At age 14, Seebohm demonstrated her backstroke prowess at the 2007 Australian Championships. A year later, she became the one to watch at the Australian Championships, the Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics.
Following her impressive performance at various international competitions in her teens, Seebohm was given the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009. In 2016, Brisbane opened the Emily Seebohm Aquatic Centre in Fitzgibbon.
Seebohm continues to collect medals by representing Australia at various international relays. Until McKeown’s latest win, her personal best time for backstroke (58.23) was unbroken by any Australian swimmer.
Following the release of the amended Sandgate Neighbourhood Plan draft, residents have united to oppose the proposed construction of five-storey buildings in the bayside village.
If approved, Sandgate residents fear that the tall buildings in a mostly single and double-storey landscape would alter the area completely. Members of the Protect Sandgate’s Character community group have come up with a mock-up scale of the 5-storey buildings against the existing surround.
“These images do not illustrate building design (that’s entirely up to the developers), but instead illustrate the SCALE of the buildings that are allowed for in the draft plan, by showing the space in which buildings could be built,” Neil McCrossin said.
“These images make much clearer to us the building heights in the draft plan for the Lagoon St sub-precinct. Is this good for the historical suburb of Sandgate?”
Photo Credit: Neil McCrossin/Facebook
In a petition on Brisbane City Council’s official site, the residents stated their reasons for rejecting the Sandgate Neighbourhood Plan draft:
To protect the appearance of one of the entry points (Rainbow Street) for residents and visitors to the Historic Sandgate shopping village.
To protect our unique Historic Bayside Village identity and lifestyle of over 100 years of history.
To protect our heritage and character of commercial and residential buildings which are integral to the community village feel of low-level buildings and architecture with 360-degree views, no matter where you stand.
To protect our fragile environment, wildlife, lagoons, wetlands, parklands and waterfront from pollution and overpopulating such a small area.
To protect Residents and visitors alike from overshadowing, while preserving the exceptional views, right to privacy, unobstructed sunlight and natural sea breezes.
To prevent major problems with traffic congestion, parking, public transport, pollution, flooding issues, overfull schools. The safety of residents and children must come first with the problems this would raise in an already built-up Historical village.
Protect Sandgate Character members said that they are not against changes and have mostly agreed that the medical hub included in the plan would benefit the community. However, the group said that they want the changes to “incorporate the history of the area, and enhance the lives of people of Sandgate” by giving value to the suburb’s natural environment and open green spaces.
The plan’s draft is under review with Council and the Queensland Government after submissions for community feedback have been closed on 21 June. Should the plan go ahead, Council expects to adopt the changes by late 2021 or early 2022.
