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Boutique Apartment Projects Continue to Transform Lutwyche

Lutwyche is continuing to add new housing, with three apartment developments currently under construction set to deliver a combined 84 new homes. The projects, all selling off the plan, highlight ongoing residential development in Brisbane’s inner north while contributing to discussions about housing supply, affordability and how established suburbs are accommodating growth.

Read: ‘The Rockwell’ in Lutwyche Secures Strong Pre-Sales Ahead of Market Launch

The developments are located within a few streets of one another and promote spacious floorplans, contemporary design and convenient access to transport, shopping and green space. Rather than large apartment towers, each project adopts a boutique format, with several specifically promoting owner-occupier appeal.

The Rockwell Brings the Largest Addition

The Rockwell, at 21 Norman Avenue, is the largest of the three developments, adding 52 apartments to Lutwyche’s housing supply. The project offers two and three-bedroom residences featuring subtropical architecture, generous balconies designed for outdoor living, timber flooring, stone benchtops and premium kitchen appliances.

Located near Lutwyche Road, public transport and the Kedron Brook recreational corridor, the development sits about five kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD while providing convenient access to shopping and dining. Marketing material positions The Rockwell towards professionals and downsizers seeking contemporary apartment living in a boutique setting.

Savia Offers Low-Density Apartment Living

At 59 Thistle Street, Savia Lutwyche delivers 16 residences in a low-density building developed. The apartments feature open-plan layouts designed to maximise natural light and liveability, with interiors intended for entertaining and everyday comfort.

Positioned in a quieter residential pocket, the development remains close to Lutwyche’s retail precinct, transport links and local amenities. Marketing material promotes the project as boutique apartment living, appealing to buyers including downsizers and owner-occupiers seeking a smaller residential community.

Celestia Focuses on Spacious Three-Bedroom Homes

The third project, Celestia Apartments at 23 Windsor Avenue, will add 16 premium three-bedroom residences, bringing the combined total across all three developments to 84 new homes.

Currently under construction, Celestia offers apartments ranging from approximately 134 to 186 square metres, depending on the residence. Selected homes include dedicated studies, while oversized entertainer balconies, designer kitchens with sculptural finishes and secure two-car parking are among the key features. Advertised prices start from approximately $1.51 million, with the project targeting downsizers, professionals and families looking for apartment living with larger floorplans.

The development is located close to Kedron Brook’s walking and cycling network while remaining within walking distance of Lutwyche’s shopping precinct, cafés, public transport and major health facilities. Brisbane CBD and Brisbane Airport are also easily accessible.

Boutique Projects Add to Local Housing Supply

Together, the three developments will add 84 new homes to Lutwyche, with each project favouring a boutique format over large-scale apartment towers. Their locations close to public transport, shopping, Kedron Brook and major employment centres, including the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital precinct, are central to their appeal.

Read: Lutwyche Queenslander Seeks New Family After 98 Years With the Palmers

The projects also reflect Brisbane’s ongoing focus on delivering new housing in established suburbs with existing infrastructure. While each development targets a slightly different market, advertised prices above $1 million for some residences position them within the premium apartment segment.

Published 17-July-2026

From New Mexico to Stafford Road: The Restaurant Introducing Brisbane to New Mexican Food

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Stafford Road has a new addition — and it’s unlike anything else Brisbane has on offer. Sancho, a taqueria and tequileria dedicated to the food of the American state of New Mexico, opened its doors on 18 June at 1/240 Stafford Road. Behind it are Amanda and John Scott, the couple already well known in the area as the operators of Farmhouse Kedron and Oh Boy Bok Choy next door.

For Amanda, bringing New Mexican food to Brisbane has been a long time coming. She first considered opening a venue along these lines 17 years ago, but held off — settling instead on a more broadly Mexican concept — because she wasn’t convinced Brisbane diners were ready for something more specific. The surge of quality contemporary Mexican restaurants that followed, including Baja, Cartel del Taco and La Bodega, helped shift the landscape. “The wave of contemporary, high-quality Mexican restaurants… helped clear the way for Sancho,” she told Broadsheet.

The restaurant takes its name from Sancho Panza, the loyal companion of Don Quixote in Cervantes’ classic novel. It’s a fitting choice for a place that aims to introduce Australians to a cuisine that is frequently misunderstood or overlooked.

New Mexican food is not simply a regional variation of Mexican cuisine. It is known for its fusion of Pueblo Native American cuisine with Hispano Spanish and Mexican culinary traditions, shaped by a state that is home to 23 Native tribes, pueblos, and nations, each with their own languages, cultures, and ways of life. The indigenous people of New Mexico — including the Navajo, Apache, and Pueblo tribes — were the first to cultivate and harvest crops that are now essential to the state’s cuisine, including corn, beans, squash, and chile peppers. Amanda draws a parallel to home: “New Mexico is a bit like Australia. It’s a melting pot.”

The menu reflects that layered history. Pride of place goes to sopaipillas — puffy, fried pastry dough made from Amanda’s mother’s recipe. Sopaipillas are considered one of New Mexico’s signature dishes, and at Sancho they’re served as a starter alongside red and green salsa. The two salsas are themselves a New Mexican institution. Cultivating specific chile pepper varieties and emphasising dishes featuring red and green chiles became defining features of New Mexican food. Diners who want both are said to ask for “Christmas” — a term Amanda reports has proven the most popular choice at Sancho since opening.

The “Three Sisters” — winter squash, corn, and climbing beans — are the three main agricultural crops of various Native American groups in North America, and all three appear across Sancho’s menu. They come together most explicitly in a dish of the same name developed by head chef Julius Villamor (formerly of Baja): roasted pumpkin mole, bean hummus and chilli crisp, served with tortilla chips.

The tortillas themselves carry a notable credential. Sourced from Melbourne’s La Tortilleria, they are among the recipients of the Sello M — an official recognition awarded to businesses preserving authentic Mexican cuisine outside of Mexico, backed by the Mexican government and awarded in collaboration with the Academia Mexicana de Gastronomía. La Tortilleria was recognised for both its restaurant and wholesale tortilla operation, highlighting its long-standing commitment to traditional Mexican cooking techniques and ingredients.

There are some deliberate concessions to local tastes too. New Mexico is an inland state, meaning fish tacos aren’t part of the traditional repertoire — but head chef Villamor pushed for their inclusion, and the compromise landed well: the dish uses a local catch of the day paired with New Mexican flavours.

Sancho’s space is more unusual than a single shopfront might suggest. The restaurant’s U-shaped layout — seating 84 across a verandah, a laneway and two shopfronts on either side of the Little Birdie hairdresser — means diners can order a drink while waiting for a blowdry next door.

For Amanda and John, the unconventional concept is a considered risk backed by years of relationship-building with their local community. “We’ve been brave [with Sancho] because it’s our fourth or fifth venue in this area, so we are quite well known by the locals… They trust that we’ll do something that’s an adventure,” Amanda said.

So far, the trust appears to be mutual.

Sancho
1/240 Stafford Road, Stafford
(07) 3916 3009
Mon–Wed: 5pm–9pm | Thu–Sun: 12pm–9pm
sancho.com.au | @sanchotaqueria

Published 15-July-2026

When Telstra Went Down, Kedron Kept Triple Zero Running

When Telstra’s mobile network began failing early on Wednesday, July 8, the first signs seemed ordinary enough. Mobile signals disappeared. EFTPOS terminals stopped working. Commuters struggled to access transport apps, while businesses across Australia dealt with interrupted phone and data services. In Kedron, however, the outage carried a different weight.

The Brisbane suburb is home to one of Queensland’s emergency communications centres, where Triple Zero calls are received before being transferred to police, ambulance and other emergency services. On most days, that handover takes only seconds. On Wednesday, the nationwide outage made it harder for emergency responders to reconnect with some callers using affected Telstra services.

The Void on the Other End

Health Minister Tim Nicholls said emergency calls continued to be received through the Kedron communications centre during the outage. The biggest challenge came after the initial call.

As Queensland Ambulance Service and other emergency responders tried to call some people back for more information, the network disruption prevented some of those calls from getting through immediately.

Queensland Health said emergency crews later made contact with every affected caller. Even so, the outage highlighted how heavily emergency services rely on stable telecommunications networks to stay connected with the public.

A Fog of Disinformation

As Telstra worked to restore its network, authorities began piecing together the full impact on emergency communications.

Mr Nicholls said Telstra had not initially told the Queensland Government about 17 missed Triple Zero calls affecting the Queensland Police Service. Most of those calls came from regional Queensland. He said Queensland was seeking a clearer explanation from Telstra, including whether the company’s callback systems operated as intended during the disruption.

Queensland Police later confirmed every affected caller had been identified and contacted. Officers carried out welfare checks by phone and, where necessary, in person. Queensland Ambulance Service also confirmed that people who required medical assistance received help.

A software fault with nationwide consequences

While emergency services responded to the immediate challenges, Telstra worked to restore its network.

The company apologised for the outage and said a software fault affecting its network timing systems caused the disruption. It also said there was no evidence the incident was linked to a cyberattack.

For several hours, customers across Australia were unable to make calls or use mobile data. Businesses experienced EFTPOS outages, transport services were disrupted in several states and some customers needed extra time to reconnect once services began returning.

Kedron’s role comes into sharper focus

The outage has prompted a federal review into what happened and how emergency communications were affected. Communications Minister Anika Wells said authorities would work with the Triple Zero Custodian and the Australian Communications and Media Authority as investigations continue.

Kedron is simply another Brisbane suburb for many people. Wednesday’s outage offered a reminder that it also plays an important role in Queensland’s emergency communications network. While the disruption originated elsewhere, emergency calls continued to flow through the suburb as authorities worked to reconnect with callers and help those who needed assistance.

Published 9-July-2026

From Kedron to Glasgow: Locals Power Australia’s 2026 Gymnastics Team

Photo Credit: Gymnastics Queensland/Facebook

Delta Gymnastics Kedron has three reasons to be proud ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Ruby Pass, Georgia Godwin and James Hardy all named in Australia’s artistic gymnastics team.

Kedron Threads Through Australia’s Glasgow Squad

The Australian artistic gymnastics team for Glasgow 2026 was announced on 11 June 2026, bringing together experienced Commonwealth Games medallists and first-time Games athletes.

Among those selected are athletes whose pathways have intersected with Delta Gymnastics Kedron at 60 Boothby Street, a venue equipped with international-standard apparatus for high-performance training.

Ruby Pass and Georgia Godwin both spent formative years training through Delta Gymnastics, while James Hardy’s introduction to the sport began there before he progressed through other elite programs.

Ruby Pass: Rising Talent With A Delta Base

Ruby Pass will make her Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow as part of Australia’s women’s artistic gymnastics team.

The 19-year-old Queensland gymnast has already competed on the Olympic stage. She was the youngest member of Australia’s women’s artistic team for the Paris Olympic Games and has been recognised as a Paris 2024 Olympic finalist.

Ruby Pass on uneven bars — *Photo Credit: Gymnastics Queensland/Facebook*

Pass was born in Shellharbour and later moved to Brisbane after her 13th birthday to join Delta Gymnastics. She trained as a Junior International gymnast for around 30 hours per week, with uneven bars as her preferred apparatus.

Her senior results include All-Around, Vault, Uneven Bars and Floor titles at the Australian Gymnastics Championships before Paris. She had also won back-to-back Australian All-Around titles in 2021 and 2022.

Glasgow will be her first Commonwealth Games appearance, placing her among the debutants in an Australian women’s team that also includes Georgia Godwin, Emily Whitehead, Breanna Scott and Kate McDonald.

Georgia Godwin: Senior Figure Returning For Glasgow

Georgia Godwin will return for her third Commonwealth Games after missing the Paris 2024 Olympic Games because of an Achilles injury.

Godwin enters the Glasgow team with one of the strongest Commonwealth Games records in the squad. Her medal record includes silver and two bronze medals at Gold Coast 2018, followed by two gold and three silver medals at Birmingham 2022.

She is a Senior International gymnast training 28 hours a week, born on the Gold Coast, with floor as her favourite apparatus.

Georgia Godwin competing on floor — *Photo Credit: Gymnastics Queensland/Facebook*

Godwin’s career also includes qualification for the Tokyo Olympic Games, seven Australian All-Around titles and a named skill in the International Gymnastics Federation Code of Points.

The uneven bars skill, known as “The Godwin”, was added after she performed it at international events in 2023. She is one of a small group of Australian women’s artistic gymnasts to have a named move in the Code of Points.

James Hardy: Early Delta Start Before Glasgow Debut

James Hardy will make his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow as part of Australia’s men’s artistic gymnastics team.

The 23-year-old Queensland gymnast first tried gymnastics at age two and began taking lessons a year later at Delta Gymnastics in Brisbane. He later moved to Brisbane Boys Grammar Gymnastics Club and then trained at the Queensland High Performance Centre in Chandler.

James Hardy during vault routine — *Photo Credit: Gymnastics Queensland/Facebook*

Hardy has already competed at World Championships level. During his debut World Championships campaign in Antwerp, he established himself among the top 20 vaulters in men’s artistic gymnastics.

He was born in Auchenflower and competes in men’s artistic gymnastics. He had previously identified the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games among his long-term goals.

In Glasgow, Hardy will join Jesse Moore, Benjamin Foster, Tru Hagens and Ritam Malik in Australia’s men’s artistic gymnastics team.

Glasgow Gymnastics Schedule

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will run from 23 July to 2 August.

Artistic gymnastics events are scheduled from 24 to 28 July at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and Arena.

Australia’s women’s artistic gymnastics team includes Georgia Godwin, Emily Whitehead, Breanna Scott, Kate McDonald and Ruby Pass. The men’s artistic gymnastics team includes Jesse Moore, Benjamin Foster, Tru Hagens, James Hardy and Ritam Malik.

Published 2-July-2026

Future of Gympie Road Tunnel Remains Unclear as Questions Grow Over Delivery Timeline

Motorists hoping for relief from congestion along Gympie Road may face a longer wait, with comments made during Brisbane’s latest budget suggesting the proposed bypass tunnel could remain in the planning phase until after the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Read: $335-M Earmarked for Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel, Surface Upgrades

The proposed project would create a nine-kilometre bypass linking Kedron and Carseldine, including a seven-kilometre tunnel intended to provide an alternative route to the congested Gympie Road corridor.

Discussion about the project’s timeline intensified after Cr Adrian Schrinner indicated in his budget speech that the tunnel would be among the first major infrastructure projects to get underway after the 2032 Games. While no formal construction schedule has been released, the remarks have prompted renewed debate about when the project might move beyond the planning stage.

Timeline in focus

The proposed tunnel was a key transport commitment ahead of the 2024 state election and has been promoted as a way to ease congestion along one of Brisbane’s busiest arterial roads.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles argued the comments suggested northside motorists could face years of additional traffic delays before any major construction begins.

Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg did not provide a specific timeframe for the project when responding to questions about the remarks. Instead, he said planning work was continuing.

Labor transport spokesman Bart Mellish also questioned the project’s future delivery schedule, pointing to planning and pre-construction funding allocated in previous budgets that is due to reach the end of its current funding period.

In response, Cr Schrinner’s office said the comments reflected the reality that major underground infrastructure projects often require lengthy planning and construction timeframes before they can be delivered.

Proposed route from Kedron to Carseldine

The Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel would be a two-lane tolled bypass extending between Kedron and Carseldine. The project was announced in June 2024 and has been progressed by North Brisbane Infrastructure, a subsidiary of Queensland Investment Corporation.

The bypass has been proposed as a way of reducing congestion along Gympie Road, one of Queensland’s busiest road corridors. Traffic bottlenecks are particularly common around intersections including Stafford Road, Rode Road, Hamilton Road and Beams Road.

The project could affect communities along the corridor, including Kedron, Chermside, Aspley and Carseldine, depending on its final design and delivery.

Read: Public Consultation Opens on Proposed Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel

Planning review continues

Transport and Main Roads is currently reviewing planning work previously undertaken by Queensland Investment Corporation after responsibility for the project transferred on 1 July 2025.

The department has not yet announced a construction timetable and says the review process is continuing. With planning still underway and no construction timetable announced, the project’s next stages remain subject to the ongoing review process.

Published 24-June-2026

The Epitome of a Maroon : Lindsay Collins

Photo Credit: NRL

For a bloke that relishes the state of his dental work, one thing you really don’t want to see is Lindsay Collins galloping towards you with his high knee lift and contorted face IN A MAROONS JERSEY.

His dental work are now featured on a Channel 9 advert where a local neighbourhood topiary features his gapped front teeth, with Cam Munster commenting, “Nice Choppers, Lindsay.”

Lindsay Collins, Padua College alumni, epitomises the Maroon jersey.

The ridiculous bunker decision in Origin 2 to not pay out the Captain’s Challenge on a loose carry by Collins when it was clearly a shoulder charge, as well as noggin on noggin with no arms wrapped, could have been vital.

At the time the Maroons were in the ascendency but soon after the bunker’s decision, Mark Nawaqanitawase went over to put the Blues back in with a shout.

The last laugh was with Collins, who barnstormed through from a beautiful Harry Grant break and well-timed pass, to dive over the white chalk for the Maroons try that put them well out of reach, and setup a thriller at Suncorp on July 8.

“The genes of a speed machine with the physique of a warrior and the bravery of a lion.”

*Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons – flickr/naparazzi*

Lindsay’s grandfather, Lionel Williamson, was known as the “Innisfail Flyer,” a speed machine on the wing representing the Innisfail club, 50 years before Billy Slater scorched the Innisfail touchlines.

For a massive unit, Lindsay can create some serious heat off the back fence.

Williamson went on to play first grade for the Newtown Jets in Sydney and represented Queensland and Australia, including scoring two tries in the 1968 World Cup final win over France.

Padua College in Kedron has developed several State of Origin players, including Paul Vautin, Dave Shillington, Dane Carlaw, David Stagg and Paul McCabe as well as other NRL players, including Rohan Ahern, David Bouveng, Shane Perry and Brad Watts.

Harris Andrews, co-captain at the Lions was also a Padua boy, as was Qld Red and Wallaby, Dominic Maguire.

A Broncos junior, Collins played for the under-20s before heading south to the Roosters, though an ACL injury in 2021 forced him to learn how to run again.

Who can forget him outjumping his Roosters teammate, James Tedesco to create a crucial Maroons try in Origin 2023?

Lindsay’s appearance at Suncorp on July 8 barring injury for Origin 3, the decider, is surely guaranteed — because when you x-ray his entire body, it is maroon.

Published 18-June-2026

Kedron Café and Stafford Heights Butcher Share A Local Food Success Story

Photo Credit: Queensland Day/Facebook

Kedron and Stafford Heights have more than two award wins to celebrate, with Farmhouse and Rode Meats recognised as Queensland favourites after years of building their names around local produce, loyal customers and the kind of everyday service that keeps communities coming back.

Kedron And Stafford Heights Winners Reflect Local Loyalty

Farmhouse in Kedron and Rode Meats in Stafford Heights have been named among Queensland’s All the Best winners, with the two businesses recognised in separate food categories after a record 74,630 votes were cast across the 2026 campaign.

Farmhouse, located at 9 Somerset Road in Kedron, was named Best Café, while Rode Meats, at 269 Appleby Road in Stafford Heights, was named Best Butcher. The awards covered 15 categories, including cafés, butchers, bakeries, burger shops, fish and chip shops, pizzerias, pubs, gyms, florists, tourism attractions and other local favourites.

Farmhouse Kedron — *Photo Credit: Farmhouse, Kedron/Facebook*

While the titles mark a public vote result, the story behind the two winners is also about consistency. Both businesses have built their identities around food, produce and repeat local support. Their connection is also practical, with Farmhouse noting that Rode Meats already supplies it with produce.

That link gives the recognition a stronger local thread. One winner serves meals from a Kedron café grounded in regional produce, while the other has spent decades trading as a Stafford Heights butcher. Together, their wins show how local food businesses can grow through daily trust, steady service and a clear sense of place.

Farmhouse Kedron Carries A Produce-Focused Story

Farmhouse’s story is tied to the memory of Farmer Joe’s, a family-owned produce store that closed in 2009 to make way for a new road. Farmer Joe’s had been remembered as a community hub, and Farmhouse has shaped its own identity around fresh food producers, family farms and local and regional supply.

The café presents itself as a tribute to dairy farmers, local farms and fresh food producers. It says it buys from many local and regional producers and aims to add more farmers to its list each season. That focus gives the Kedron café a clear point of difference beyond its Best Café title.

Its approach is simple but effective: bring food from farms to plates with as little fuss as possible. That idea sits at the centre of the café’s public story and helps explain why its win carries weight with customers who value local food connections.

Farmhouse operates from 6:30am to 2:30pm, seven days a week, and offers food, drinks, catering and bookings. After being named Best Café in Queensland, the business marked Queensland Day with lunch and drink specials and acknowledged its team and supporters.

Rode Meats Builds On More Than Four Decades In Stafford Heights

Rode Meats has been part of Stafford Heights since 1980. The family-owned butcher operates from Rode Road Shopping Centre and lists beef, chicken, lamb, pork, roasts, sausages, low-and-slow meats and ready-to-go items among its products.

Its Best Butcher recognition adds to earlier honours listed by the business, including a 2020 Brisbane butcher title and a 2020 Australia’s Best Continental Sausage award. Those earlier achievements help give context to the latest win, showing that the All the Best result is not a sudden appearance but part of a longer record of recognition.

Before the winners were announced, Rode Meats had already been leading the butcher category leaderboard. The public vote put the Stafford Heights shop ahead in a competitive field and drew attention to the strong support behind the business.

The butcher’s profile has also grown online, helped by apprentice butcher Ethan Johns and sausage-making content that attracted wide attention. One video received more than 5.8 million views, showing how a traditional local trade can reach far beyond the shopfront while still being rooted in everyday craft.

A Shared Food Story With A Local Connection

The recognition of Farmhouse and Rode Meats stands out because the two businesses are connected beyond the winners list. Farmhouse has publicly noted that Rode Meats already supplies it with produce, giving the awards a direct local supply link.

That connection makes the story more than a simple list of winners. It shows one local business supporting another, with the café and butcher each playing a role in the area’s food scene.

For Farmhouse, the Best Café title reflects a business shaped around farmers, producers and community support. For Rode Meats, the Best Butcher title adds to decades of Stafford Heights trading, earlier awards and growing public attention.

The All the Best winners were announced on Wednesday, 3 June, ahead of Queensland Day on Saturday, 6 June. For Kedron and Stafford Heights, the result places two local food names on a Queensland-wide winners list while highlighting the value of steady support, trusted supply and businesses that continue to grow from their local base.

Published 4-June-2026

Kedron Community Shaken After Wrong-Way Driver Causes Multi-Vehicle Crash

Photo Credit: Queensland Police

A wrong-way collision in Kedron has left a local motorcyclist fighting serious injuries after a multi-vehicle pileup disrupted a major suburban intersection.

The incident unfolded around 8:30 a.m. on 3 June when emergency responders rushed to Gympie Road at the junction of Kedron Street. Early police investigations point to a white Volkswagen T-Roc crossing over onto the incorrect side of the road.

This sudden movement forced an immediate and unavoidable collision with a white Hyundai i30, turning a routine morning drive into a scene of chaos for local residents.

Multi-Vehicle — *Photo Credit:* *Queensland Police*

The force of the initial crash created a dangerous chain reaction. The Hyundai was pushed directly into the path of a grey Honda motorcycle, severely impacting the rider. Emergency medical crews quickly treated the 46-year-old Albany Creek man at the scene before transporting him to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

Authorities confirmed his condition as serious but stable, while noting that no other drivers or passengers involved required medical treatment for physical injuries.

Local law enforcement is now turning to the public to piece together the exact cause of the crash. Officers stated that any bystanders or passing drivers who might have captured the event on dashcam video should come forward to share their recordings with police. Community cooperation remains essential for the ongoing investigation to ensure local road safety measures are properly addressed moving forward.

Published Date 04-June-2026

Stafford Heights Butcher Leads Queensland-Wide Vote For Best Butcher

Photo Credit: Rode Meats/Facebook

A Stafford Heights butcher shop is leading a Queensland-wide public vote to name the best butcher in the All The Best competition, with Rode Meats sitting first on the latest leaderboard as local food businesses compete for community support.

Rode Meats Tops The Butcher Leaderboard

Rode Meats, based on Appleby Road in Stafford Heights, is currently listed in first place in the butcher category. The Bellmere Butcher on Bellmere Road is ranked second, while The Butcher Shoppe on Wynnum Road in Cannon Hill is third.

The competition asks Queenslanders to vote for their favourite businesses, food outlets and destinations across 15 categories. These include butcher, bakery, cafe, burger joint, fish and chip shop, florist, gym, hairdresser or barber, ice cream shop, pizzeria, pub, beach, camping and 4WD spot, bánh mì place and tourism attraction.

For the butcher category, the contest has become a friendly race among local shops, with public voting, social media attention and creative sausage-making helping draw interest.

Stafford Heights Shop Builds On Decades Of Trade

Rode Meats describes itself as a family-owned and operated butcher shop in Stafford Heights. The business has been operating since 1980 and is located at the Rode Road Shopping Centre.

The shop supplies beef, chicken, lamb, pork, roasts, sausages, low-and-slow meats and ready-to-go items. It also lists past recognition, including a 2020 Brisbane butcher title and a 2020 Australia’s Best Continental Sausage award.

Its current position in the All The Best butcher category adds to a period of wider attention for the business. Apprentice butcher Ethan Johns has helped Rode Meats build a large online following, with one sausage-making video receiving more than 5.8 million views.

Queensland butcher — *Photo Credit: Rode Meats/Facebook*

Social Media Adds Flavour To The Contest

The butcher vote has also highlighted how Queensland shops are using social media to show how their products are made. The Bellmere Butcher has drawn attention for unusual sausage combinations, including hot chips with rump steak and pepper gravy, slow-cooked brisket with mac and cheese, and spicy ramen.

Rode Meats has been noted for its growing following, team focus and planned expansion, with two more sister stores expected to open in Brisbane within the next year.

All The Best — *Photo Credit: Rode Meats/Facebook*

Although the competition has been described as a battle among butchers, the tone remains friendly. The contest is centred on local support, customer loyalty and the public vote rather than direct rivalry.

Voting closes on Thursday, 28 May. Each vote gives the voter one entry into a prize draw for a Queensland Day prize pack valued at more than $1,800, including All World Annual passes, a Skypoint dining experience and a Flight Centre travel voucher.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, 3 June, ahead of Queensland Day on Saturday, 6 June. Rode Meats remains the Stafford Heights name at the top of the butcher leaderboard.

Published 25-May-2026

Kedron Brook tops Microplastic Count in QUT Study of Brisbane Creeks

Kedron Brook, which flows east through Enoggera, Stafford, Grange and Lutwyche before reaching Moreton Bay, carries the highest load of microplastic particles in its sediment of any of the Brisbane creeks examined in a new Queensland University of Technology study.

Read: Stafford’s Next Chapter: A Suburban Shift Along Kedron Brook

The research, published in the journal Environmental Pollution, found a median abundance of roughly 4,400 microplastic items per kilogram of dry sediment in the brook.

The study analysed sediment samples from Kedron Brook, Bulimba Creek, and Enoggera Creek, taking samples at six sites along each waterway, from the upstream headwaters right down to estuarine level, across four sampling periods over the course of a year.

What is driving the load in Kedron Brook?

Photo credit: CC BY-SA 4.0/Q8682/Wikimedia Commons

Lead researcher and QUT PhD candidate Heshani Mudalige, from QUT’s School of Chemistry and Physics, said the brook’s passage through commercial and industrial areas played a central role in driving the microplastic figure up.

Construction activity, single-use plastic disposal, food packaging waste and nearby recreational areas all contribute to elevated levels of polyethylene — the most abundant plastic type found in the brook’s sediment. Stormwater runoff from residential households, sports fields and parks adds further to the load.

The brook’s extensive flat areas, surrounded by impervious surfaces such as roads and car parks, create conditions where microplastics carried by runoff are deposited and retained.

Microplastic levels in Kedron Brook peaked in March, which Ms Mudalige attributed to high-flow conditions during the summer wet season pushing plastic particles into the sediment.

The dominant plastic types found across all three creeks were polyethylene (PE), used widely in packaging, bottles and pipes; polypropylene (PP), common in food containers and sportswear; and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Polystyrene (PS) was also present in Kedron Brook’s sediment.

How did the other creeks compare?

Bulimba Creek recorded the second-highest microplastic abundance at approximately 4,100 items per kilogram of dry sediment, with its load peaking in November. Ms Mudalige said Bulimba Creek flows through predominantly residential and commercial areas, with construction and maintenance sites contributing high amounts of PE as well as PP and PMMA, likely sourced from food and consumer packaging, textiles, industrial raw materials and household plastics.

Enoggera Creek recorded the lowest load of the three at approximately 2,800 items per kilogram. The presence of Enoggera Dam was identified as a key factor, with the dam regulating streamflow from upstream and trapping a significant portion of microplastics before they can travel further downstream.

Read: Kedron Brook Set for Major Transformation in Olympic Lead-up

A first step toward quantifying Moreton Bay’s microplastic inputs

Associate Professor Prasanna Egodawatta, Heshani Mudalige, and Professor Godwin Ayoko (Photo credit: qut.edu.au)

Associate Professor Prasanna Egodawatta, from QUT’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, described the study as a first step towards quantifying how much plastic pollution reaches Moreton Bay from land via the stormwater pathway. He said heavily urbanised catchments in South East Queensland are significant contributors to that pollution, and that the physical characteristics of a creek, its shape, slope and flow behaviour, determine how microplastics move through it.

Ms Mudalige said the overall findings indicate that seasonal variability exerts a dominant influence on microplastic abundance, while land use and the intensity of human activity in each catchment also shape how much plastic accumulates in the sediment.

Published 25-May-2026