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Aspley’s Local Fruit and Vegetable Shop Has a New Owner

Photo credit: Facebook / Top Spot Fruit Mart

After two decades of serving locals with the highest-quality local produce, the owners of Aspley Hypermarket’s fruit and vegetable shop have announced their retirement. They handed the reins over to the new owner, a former employee who has worked for them for four years.

Top Spot Fruit Mart owners Barry and Debbie have recently announced their retirement. They have been operating the store for the past 20 years and have recently sold their business to their former employee, Raj.

“Raj previously worked at Top Spot for four years and was a highly valued staff member, who was an incredible support for us,” the couple said in their social media post.

“We couldn’t be more proud that he will be the person who is taking over the shop.

Raj has been working hard at the markets with Barry to develop relationships with quality wholesalers and will strive to supply our valued customers with the quality that they are used to.”

Rana, his brother, and other family members will be joining Raj to provide support as he enters this new venture. Barry and Debbie and their daughter, Leah will be working with him, though, as he transitions to his new role.

Aspley’s Local Fruit and Vegetable Shop Has a New Owner — Photo credit: Facebook / Top Spot Fruit Mart

“As this door closes and we move onto the next chapter of our lives, we just want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Barry and Debbie

“Congratulations on your retirement. Sad to see you go but you deserve a happy time for yourselves, your children and grandchildren. Enjoy your retirement and the new adventures,” – C. Holt

“Thank u for being there through the past few years it’s been a roller coaster!!! now get out there and enjoy life to the full!!” – J. Gilvarry

“Congratulations and Best Wishes Debbie and Barry in whatever lies ahead. Your shop has provided us well over the years , and we always say , Support Local Business..❤️🎉❤️.” -L. Anderson

Family-owned and operated Top Spot Fruit Mart has been the leading fruit and vegetable shopping destination in the area for the past twenty years. The shop also offers a range of gluten-free products, dairy and deli products.

Their store is located at Shop 24 of Aspley Hypermarket Shopping Centre at 59 Albany Creek Road, Aspley. You can also order online here or visit their social media page here for store operating hours.

59 Albany Creek Rd, Aspley QLD 4034, Australia

Aspiring Ballerina From Geebung Gets Scholarship At Australian Ballet School

Hani Green, a student from the Prima Youth Classical Academy in Geebung, has been offered a full year’s scholarship to the Australian Ballet School, an opportunity that will build up her dance training through working with high-aptitude peers and renowned ballet teachers.

Read: St John Fisher College in Bracken Ridge Submit Plans for New Food Tech Building

Green received the ABS scholarship under the Intra/Interstate and International Training Program (ITP), a unique training program which provides training opportunities to Victorian, interstate, and international students at Levels 1-3.

The ABS ITP Program allows students outside Melbourne to join the school, since most of their programs, such as the After School and Full-Time training takes place in their Melbourne facility.

Australian Ballet School — Hani Green (Photo credit: Prima Youth Classical Academy/Facebook)

Green was one of the many students who have been offered scholarships after attending the Youth America Grand Prix Brisbane masterclass.

The two-day semifinals, held between August and September 2022 in Sydney and Brisbane, saw participants attending masterclasses led by ballet luminaries, such as ABS director Lisa Pavane and Cuban-Canadian ballet star Cesar Corrales.

Besides the scholarship at Australia’s premier training facility for ballet, Green has also received an acceptance at John Cranko Summer School.

Rett Davies from Perth Classical and Contemporary Coaching has also been offered a full year’s scholarship to the premier ballet school.

About the Australian Ballet School

The school serves as the country’s national centre for elite vocational classical dance.

They have a total of eight level programmes aimed to produce graduates of the highest calibre who are capable of integrating effortlessly into The Australian Ballet and top professional dance companies in Australia and around the world.

Read: Developer Seeks 125-place Childcare Centre In Bracken Ridge

The school is located at Kavanagh Street in Southbank, Victoria.

Proposed Childcare Centre in Bracken Ridge to Meet Growing Demand for Long Day Care Services

Plans have been submitted for a 125-place childcare centre in Bracken Ridge, to meet the demand for long day care services within the area.

Read: School Fees Increase Looms in Shorncliffe Catholic School, Other Qld Private Schools

The proposed childcare centre in Bracken Ridge, designed for children between the ages 0-5, would have two storeys. Renders by Husband Architects show the centre would have outdoor play areas and activity rooms.

Ground floor plans (Photo credit: Husband Architects/BCC)

Upper floor plans (Photo credit: Husband Architects/BCC)

Located at 173 Norris Road, Bracken Ridge, the centre would provide a total of 25 car parking spaces, which includes 11 for staff with one disabled space on the ground floor. Vehicle and pedestrian access will be provided via Norris Road.

childcare centre in Bracken Ridge — (Photo credit: Husband Architects/BCC)

An assessment undertaken by Business Geographic for the applicant found that the existing childcare centres within the catchment area have an average occupancy rate estimated at 85.41 percent, indicating a restricted supply which is not adequately meeting demand in the area.

“With consideration to the capacity of established centres within the catchment, it is estimated that an additional 100 – 150 places per day is required to meet local demand within the catchment,” the report reads.

Meanwhile, the subject site is being surrounded by residential areas. To facilitate the development, two existing dwellings and driveways will have to be removed.

“The building has been designed to provide a bulk and scale that is compatible with the surrounding residential area, with a significant portion of the lower level of the building being substantially cut into the allotment,” planners at Atomic Town Planning said.

If approved, the childcare centre in Bracken Ridge will operate from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Read: Hidden World Playground To Get Sun Shade As Part Of Fast-tracked Program

To learn more about the plans, visit Brisbane City Council’s PD Online and look for the reference A006057473.

School Fees Increase Looms in Shorncliffe Catholic School, Other Qld Private Schools

JPhoto Credit: Wokandapix / Pixabay

With rising inflation and costs associated with delivering educational services, private schools in Queensland including a Shorncliffe Catholic school, are sounding the alarm on impending school fees hike.

During the past two years, many private schools have chosen to freeze fees to stem the exodus of children of pandemic-impacted families to public schools. But now, it looks like the inevitable has come.

Private schools in Queensland have begun announcing or are considering school fee increases for next year whose uptick rate could even surpass the current inflation rate, between four and ten per cent.

St Patrick’s College is no exception. In mid-September 2022, the college sent notice to parents about possible higher fees with increases that could be as much as ten per cent for the next couple of years.

St Patrick’s College pointed to several factors that impacted the school’s budget for 2023 that led to possible increase in fees including the rising operational cost and inflation as well as insufficient federal and state government funding. Still, the school assured its commitment to delivering quality education amid the inevitable school fees hike.

According to a report from Blueprint Institute released in early September this year, fees at independent schools nationwide have increased by more than 50 per cent over the last decade. In major cities, the increase went as much as 54 per cent and up to 80 per cent in some instances. These increases far outstrips inflation and wage growth, the report said, which creates an affordability crisis for families across the country.

The Blueprint paper noted that, presently, there is a lack of transparency around non-government school expenditure which often “feeds into the uncontrolled year-on-year fee increases.”

“The taxpayer spends $18 billion per year on funding private schools under the guise of providing ‘educational choice’ to families. But this justification becomes indefensible when that choice is removed unless families take on credit card debt or remortgage their homes to pay for school,” Blueprint CEO David Cross said.

Blueprint, hence, proposes “the creation of a statutorily independent ‘Non-government School Transparency Advisory Committee’ by each state government.” This would in turn result in extensive self-regulation that could limit school fee increases and stop exorbitant spending.

“Non-government schools will be more reluctant to spend money earned from fees on superfluous capital works, exorbitant executive salaries, travel, and luxury items if they know they have to publicly defend said expenses to the Committee and fee-paying parents,” the report said.

Kerbside Collection Is Coming to Brisbane’s Northside

Photo Credit: manfredrichter / Pixabay

Heads up, people on the northside! Kerbside Collection is coming to Brighton, Deagon, Sandgate, Taigum, Shorncliffe, Boondall, Zillmere, Virginia, and Geebung this October.

The 2022 Kerbside Collection pick-up schedule will be as follows:

3 October – Brighton, Deagon, Sandgate, Taigum
10 October – Shorncliffe
17 October – Boondall, Zillmere, Virginia, Geebung

For the schedule of other suburbs, Brisbane City Council has a Kerbside Collection calendar.

Check the calendar

For periodic reminders so you won’t forget your schedule, download Council’s free Brisbane Bin and Recycling app and keep push notifications enabled.

Residents are advised to place all acceptable materials for collection on the kerbside the weekend before the collection starts. These items should be on the kerbside in front of your home by 6 am at the start of the collection period.

Some of the acceptable items for collection include bath and laundry tubs, bicycles and sporting equipment, carpet and rugs, electronic waste* (e.g. televisions and computers), furniture and white goods (e.g. fridges and stoves), small household appliances (e.g. fans and toasters), and wood products less than 1.5 metres.

You may also consider donating your still-usable items to organisations that can recycle or find other uses for them including GIVIT, Charitable Recycling Australia and BCC’s Treasure Troves.

GIVIT

This not-for-profit organisation serves as a link between the communities in urgent need of essential items and those who have and are willing to donate. GIVIT was established in 2019 by Juliette Wright. Their platform allows charities to make potential donors aware of what are the exact items currently needed by the individuals that they support.

DONATE to GIVIT

Charitable Recycling Australia

Charitable Recycling Australia proudly supports circular economy transition through charitable reuse and recycling. With the help of member enterprises who provide their decades of expertise in the collecting and sale of donated goods, the organisation has been extending the life of about 285 million products each year and pioneering the concept of circularity even before it was officially named.

donate to Charitable Recycling Australia

Treasure Troves

Council currently operates two second-hand shops which sell donated items for Brisbane residents. The items come from BCC’s resource recovery centres.

Brisbane City Council’s Treasure Troves are open from 8 am to 4 pm every weekend (excluding Easter Sunday, as well as Christmas Day and New Year’s Day when these days fall on a weekend).

Visit Treasure Troves

These shops are located at 46 Colebard Street West in Acacia Ridge and at 27A Prosperity Place in Geebung.

The resource recovery centres are located here:

Chandler Resource Recovery Centre, 728 Tilley Road, Chandler
Ferny Grove Resource Recovery Centre, 101 Upper Kedron Road, Ferny Grove
Nudgee Resource Recovery Centre, 1372 Nudgee Road, Nudgee Beach
Willawong Resource Recovery Centre, 360 Sherbrooke Road, Willawong

Nationwide AmpCharge Rollout Includes Ampol Foodary Carseldine

EV owners in Carseldine can soon avail of AmpCharge fast charging at the Ampol service station on Gympie Road as Ampol announces plans for a national rollout, after launching the country’s first electric vehicle fast-charging solution, in Sydney.

Read: REDcycle Initiative Helps Turn Plastic Marine Waste Into Convenient Coles Shopping Bags

Each equipment will be capable of charging an EV at up to 150kw and has the capacity to charge at least two vehicles concurrently. The site will also feature solar panel systems and battery storage provisions.

Charging time using a 150kw ultra-fast charger usually takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes, which equates to roughly 100-200 km.

The AmpCharge on the road charging points have industry standard CCS Type 2 and CHAdeMO connectors attached to charging connectors as required by Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), which means they are generally compatible with most electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles available in Australia.

Ampol Carseldine (Photo credit: Google Street View)

Matt Halliday, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Ampol, said it’s part of their vision to become Australia’s leading distributor of energy, providing mobility solutions for any of the vehicles their customers drive, anywhere and anytime they need it.

Aside from opening AmpCharge in Ampol service stations, depots and terminals across the country, Mr Halliday said they will also be entering homes, workplaces, and shopping centres for the first time, as part of their plan “to deliver simple and efficient charging solutions at convenient locations to keep people moving.”

Brent Merrick, Ampol’s Executive General Manager, International and New Business said Ampol is looking to establish the leading EV charging network in Australia by 2030.

“Electrification and electric vehicles will play a critical role in reducing emissions across Australia’s transport sector over the coming years and we have an important role to play in supporting this transition,” said Mr Merrick.

Read: Carseldine Childcare Centre Aims for 5-Star Green Rating

Ampol is planning to open approximately 120 sites by December 2023. The other three, aside from Carseldine, will be launched in Northmead NSW, Altona North in Victoria, and Belmont in Western Australia as part of the initial rollout this year.

Barktoberfest Returns to Carseldine Markets

For the sixth year in a row, Barktoberfest returns to Carseldine Markets in 2022 with heaps of activities, entertainment, and gourmet food, all to celebrate a fun doggy day for some of Brisbane’s most beloved pets.

Barktoberfest Photo 1 — Photo Credit: Supplied

Barktoberfest offers pawsome fun from 6:00 a.m. until noon, Carseldine Markets at Dorville Road turns into a pooch paradise that no pet-loving person should miss.

Barktoberfest Photo 2 — Photo Credit: Supplied

Think competitions and prizes galore, doggo fashion and dancing demos, and dozens of stalls featuring specialty businesses. There will be live music and kids’ entertainment to round out the fun!

Barktoberfest Photo 3 — Photo Credit: Supplied

Doggie competitions include Strike-A-Paws where four-legged cuties will strut down the catwalk (or dogwalk, as the case may be!), a Pawparazzi contest for photogenic pets, and the Lick-a-Mat race.

Barktoberfest Photo 4 — Photo Credit: Supplied

There will be rehydration stations at the site to ensure that all pets stay healthy amidst all the springtime excitement. Last year’s hit Barktoberfest attraction, Splash Zone, is also making a comeback in 2022, thanks to Gumtree Greys.

Barktoberfest Photo 5 — Photo Credit: Supplied

Also, get a chance to meet some of Gumtree Greys’ lovely greyhounds and learn more about the organisation and their rescue work.

Happening on 15 October 2022, this year’s Barktoberfest is proudly sponsored by Dogtraining101 and Brisbane North Barbell.

Entry to the event and parking are free. Click here to register for the event.

Other reminders:

Register to win a dog hamper: https://bit.ly/lucky-door-prize-2022
Fashion Parade Entry Form: https://bit.ly/strike-a-paws-2022
Pawparazzi Photo Competition Entry Form: https://bit.ly/pawparrazi-2022
Lick-a-Mat Race Entry Form: https://bit.ly/lick-a-mat-2022

Carseldine Markets | 133 Dorville Road, Carseldine

Point-To-Point Speed Cameras at Stretch Between Nudgee Rd and Deagon Deviation of Gateway Motorway

Photo Credit: davepaku, CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Did you know that the nine-kilometre stretch between Nudgee Rd and Deagon Deviation of the Gateway Motorway will soon be monitored by point-to-point speed cameras?

Plans are in place to install new point-to-point speed cameras later this year along the busy northbound and southbound sections of the Gateway Motorway, the Department of Transport and Main Roads announced.

Speed reminder signs have already been installed but the new devices are expected to be switched on next year.

The three-lane stretch will be Queensland’s third major highway to be policed by average-speed cameras since it was first rolled out in 2011. A 100-kph speed limit is currently implemented at Gateway Motorway but that may change depending on the traffic flow on either side.

With the exception of Tasmania and the Northern Territory, all of Australia’s states and territories are using point-to-point speed cameras.

QLD, like all other jurisdictions (except NSW), will use point-to-point speed cameras to target both cars and trucks. In NSW, these cameras are used to enforce speed limits on heavy vehicles only.

Point-to-point speed cameras are proven devices in reducing instances of speeding along locations that are considered high risk as well as improving traffic flow and density — Point-to-point speed cameras are proven devices for reducing instances of speeding along locations that are considered high risk as well as improving traffic flow and density | Photo Credit: PublicDomainPictures / Pixabay

These speed cameras are capable of recording a vehicle’s registration plates at fixed points and then calculating the average speed it travels between the two points.

The system can also be used as a tool to catch unlicensed drivers and motorists driving an unregistered vehicle.

Transport and Main Roads said that point-to-point speed cameras have been proven to reduce instances of speeding along locations that are considered high risk. They also improve traffic flow and density.

Where these cameras will be located depends on the analysis of the lengths of roads, such as motorways and highways, with speeding-related crash history. They are particularly useful at enforcing speed limits, particularly in locations where using other speed enforcement systems may be difficult or dangerous to implement.

New Childcare Centre in Deagon Proposed

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

A new childcare centre may soon open on Braun Street in Deagon, as part of an approved development on the site currently occupied by Connect Baptist Church.

The proposed childcare centre, which can accommodate 96 children and would have 12 staff members, is part of the second stage of a single-storey building to be built on a vacant portion of land at 21 Braun Street.

Master plan proposed 21 Braun Street, Deagon development | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

The centre will have a gross floor area of 436 sqm, with five activity rooms, kitchen, office/consultation room, staff room, sleep area and two outdoor stores.

View of proposed childcare centre from the carpark | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

There will be 52 car parking spaces, a basketball court, and two outdoor play areas measuring approximately 199 sqm and 550 sqm, respectively.

Stage 2 of proposed 21 Braun Street, Deagon development | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Vehicle access will be provided via the existing driveway/crossover on Depot Road.

View of proposed childcare centre from south | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

According to the Needs Assessment report prepared by Business Geographics, there are five long daycare centres in the catchment area, offering a total of 402 places, with an average occupancy rate of 84.58 per cent.

Whilst the supply is meeting current demand, the report said that the major catchment could still support an additional 50 to 80 places up to 2026.

“In conclusion, a new purpose-built childcare centre on BraunStreet at Deagon would improve local childcare choice and amenity and support the day to day needs of the immediate residential community. The subject site is approprite for the proposed use and would be expected to represent an attractive alternative in this market.” – Business Geographics

The proposed operating hours will be to operate from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Mondays to Fridays.

21 Braun St, Deagon QLD 4017

Former Aspley Local Justin Turner Climbs in Australian Chess Players Ranking

Justin Turner, a former Dux of Aspley East State School, has climbed the ranking of Australian chess players after gaining a chess rating of 1873 following two successful tournaments in Spain.

The son of Madeleine Turner of Aspley is now in the top 160 Australian chess players after he managed to tie in 6th place at an Alicante tournament for Under 2200, where he won in the final game against a player with a 2020 chess rating.

Prior to the tournament, Justin was ranked 26th among the entrants consisting of 89 players from 10 countries.

He then competed in the Under 2400 tournament in Valencia, where he finished 3rd place among 101 entrants, beating the 4th seed with only 15 moves. His competition was a 12-year-old prodigy, who had gained 800 points in a year to be currently rated at 2214.

The wins come after Justin had a successful season at the Valencian Chess League, where won against a player rated 2040 in the final round in May, where eight teams from 70 clubs in the Valencia Region competed in five divisions.

Justin worked as a former civil engineer before deciding to shift careers and re-train as a teacher of English as a second language. He flew to Valencia in Spain a few days before the pandemic lockdown in March 2020 and found a place to live off his savings for more than a year.

The move, however, accorded Justin a Spanish Government contract as an English language teaching assistant for the 2021 to 2022 school year, which was recently renewed for another full year until 2023.

“The primary school at which I worked last year, and again for another year from this October, has a special focus on chess,” Justin said. “I did not know that before being assigned to that school. There is a dedicated room for chess tables and about 80% of the children play regularly.”

Students who finished their tasks in the classrooms may choose to play chess. During the end-of-school-year activities, Justin played 12 games simultaneously in each class.

Justin Turner has pretty much established a routine in his life in Spain: three hours of chess study; three hours studying languages, Spanish and Italian; and five hours at school.

“Despite the frustrations, I find the successes that come with working with young people are more enjoyable than being bound in an office faced with computer-aided design for much of the working days.

“For example, in May one new student arrived from Ukraine. I played some chess with him. Teachers are struggling a bit, given that he speaks Ukrainian and a few words in English, but zero Spanish. Not ideal but at least he’s safe from bombs.

“I decided to let him win the second game. It’s amazing how hard it is to lose on purpose, given I spend 3 hours a day studying how to win. Winning is like a natural reflex.

“I let him take my Queen but it got a smile out of him when he checkmated me.”