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Puppy Carers from North Brisbane in Demand for Vision Australia

Would you like to volunteer to take care of a puppy and raise it to become a well-adjusted, future seeing-eye dog? Vision Australia has a program for Kedron families and other North Brisbane residents to become full-time foster carers.

The puppy carers for Vision Australia’s Seeing Eye Dog program will be expected to take care of an eight-week-old pup for the duration of 12 to 15 months or for as short as six months. The carer’s main roles are to interact with the animal, provide them with regular exercises, and facilitate socialisation with other dogs or humans.

The foster dog parents should also spend some time toilet training pup, as well as teaching basic commands like sit or stay and help them learn to walk on the lead. However, the puppy carers will not be expected to train the animals for their future jobs as there are actually development trainers tasked to work with the young dogs.

What’s vital at this stage is for a North Brisbane family to monitor the pup since these animals should not be left alone for more than three hours. Humans have to be committed to the animal because consistency is an important factor in their development as future service dogs.

Aside from the time, puppy carers need to have a secure yard where they can interact and play with the dog. If they are renting the house, they will also need to secure approval from their landlord to have a new animal living with them, albeit temporarily.

According to Vision Australia: “Your puppy can ‘free run’ with your supervision if your property/backyard is safe and secure. The pup should not be left unsupervised as they may learn undesired behaviours such as digging. Letting pups have a ‘free run’ is a fantastic way to burn off some energy and teach them to respond when called.”

To learn more about this program, you can download the FAQs outlining the duties and requirements of a puppy carer. However, do note that your application might take some time to be assessed, depending on the new litters that will need placement in a new home.

Vision Australia’s Seeing Eye Dog has over 200 pups living with carers at a given time. The costs involved to become part of this program will be shouldered by the company, including the crate for the puppy to sleep, retreat or settle in after a long day of training and play.

Kedron Local Opens a Successful Removalist Company Before His 30s

A young Kedron local has managed to launch a successful start-up that has steadily grown in three years. Matt Baker, the owner of Shift Buddies, was only 26 years old when he opened his removalist company, which earned him recognition at the 2019 Moreton Bay Region Business Awards for his excellence as a young entrepreneur.

Shift Buddies, founded in mid-2018, was hatched after Matt realised the challenges of moving houses. His father’s friend had a difficult experience with a provider that not only broke some of her items but also overcharged her for their services.

Matt saw the opportunity to provide a better removalist service and got started by opening a depot in Kedron. His first truck, bought after he sold his ute, was hired for small jobs like furniture pick-ups. Not long after that, he acquired four more trucks and employed 10 other people to help with the business.

The young entrepreneur credits the success of his removalist company to a very simple business model. His trucks are only allowed to book one team and one job per day to avoid a blowout. However, this means that they could lose out on other opportunities to earn more as they have to turn down other enquiries.

“We do local house moves around Brisbane and SEQ and 1-2 long haul trips inter or intrastate a month.”

Matt aims for slow but steady growth for Shift Buddies but he’s set for another expansion with the onslaught of opportunities coming in from families moving interstate to the Sunshine State. The opportunities could mean that this start-up would soon cross the million-dollar profit threshold.

To learn more about their services visit their official site or Facebook page. Shift Buddies is also paying it forward by helping out local charitable organisations.

Kedron Residents Say No to 5th Service Station

Residents of Kedron have come together to oppose a planned 7-Eleven service station on Gympie Road, which will become the fifth service station in the suburb if approved.

Submitted by Wolter Consulting Group Pty Ltd (DA A005697131) and designed by Cottee Parker, the proposed service station will replace the Eagers Holden showrooms on the lot.

The development plans include a canopy with four fuel dispensers next to the convenience store and a potential row of fast food outlets. It also allows for 15 car parking spaces and one PWD parking with the main access on the corner of Kedron and Childers Streets.

Whilst the project doesn’t require community consultation, as a code assessment location, more than 50 locals, both residents and frequent visitors to Kedron and nearby suburbs, filed submissions with Brisbane City Council citing why they don’t recommend the plan’s approval.

Photo Credit: Developmenti/Brisbane City Council

Among the issues raised were:

traffic, especially near the intersection of Kitchener Road
impact on the surrounding narrow streets, which will be used as a rat run
danger to the students and pedestrians
increase in cars during peak hours
the planned 24/7 use of the site which is near a residential area
increased noise and pollution

Some residents also filed an e-petition with Council which has, so far, raked 134 signatures asking to “give due consideration to the concerns raised.” The residents said that they do not want businesses that will create major traffic near their homes. They also said that there are at least 14 service stations within the four kilometres of the site.

“493 Gympie Road is not a suitable site for any business that creates high volumes of traffic in a local residential street,” one local said in the submissions to Council.

Council has yet to decide on the application nor reply to the petition.

Enjoy Authentic Italian Pizza at the Popular Prova Pizzeria

Eager for a slice of authentic Italian pizza? Prova pizzeria has provided the Stafford Heights community with top-notch pizza for over four years now and its loyal following continues to grow.

Prova is a restaurant that takes great pride in its menu, which includes a selection of authentic Italian pizzas to choose from such as margherita, gamberi, or funghi. The restaurant provides its customers with unique dining experiences weekly through their Pizza Specials, limited-time pizzas that can’t be ordered from their permanent menu.

A popular example of these specials is a pizza made with white base, mozzarella cheese, rocket pesto, six-hours slow-cooked beef short rib, and walnut salsa.

Where It All Began

Prova Pizzeria, one of the busiest and most beloved pizza joints in Stafford Heights, was founded by Joseph Vecchio and Caterina Sullivan over four years ago. The duo remarked that witnessing the community grow up along their restaurant has been a heartening experience, as they got to see the students who dined at the restaurants with their families start to pay for their own bills after becoming young adults.

The restaurant first came about as a side-job as Mr Vecchio was working on building projects at the time. Soon after, their pizzeria became the focus of their lives, with Mr Vecchio working the kitchen and Ms Sullivan running the front-of-house.

Great Reviews

Satisfied customers have generally left positive reviews, lauding the restaurant’s excellent staff and service, as well as their delicious pizza.

One customer had even remarked that “Prova Pizzeria will never disappoint you,” and that it was a “fabulous local restaurant.” Another described their meals as “…food as if straight from Nonna’s kitchen to your plate…” which brings the restaurant’s comforting flavours to light.

Prova can be found at 61 Wilgarning St, Stafford Heights, open Tuesday to Sunday from 5:30 p.m. onwards. For more information, visit their website here. Check their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on meals, deals, dates, and other special announcements concerning the restaurant.

Council Urged to Find New Site for Stafford Skate Centre

Brisbane’s roller-skating community is calling on Council to find a new site for the Stafford Skate Centre after the lease for the privately-owned building, which has been the home of the rink for over four decades, was not renewed.

In a statement on Facebook, the former operator Rob Carter said that it was time for his family to “hang up the skates” as he looks forward to his retirement. Reports cited that the building owners are looking to turn the building into a World Gym, targetting a redevelopment date for September 2021.

Following the announcement, locals have expressed devastation as one of the last skating rinks in Brisbane could displace a growing skating community. Children between the ages of five to 15, who play inline hockey, speed skating, artistic skating, and roller hockey, will no longer have a safe indoor rink that protects them from the sun and road traffic.

The closest skating rinks, found in Albany Creek and Browns Plains, might not also be able to accommodate the number of skaters that frequent the Stafford Skate Centre. Meanwhile, Stafford has an abundance of gym facilities.

Stafford locals have set up a petition to save the skating rink and nearly 4,000 have signed their support, as of press time. Councillor Fiona Hammond also opened her office for the community to discuss potential new locations with her.

Some residents suggested that Council must consider an outdoor park with more undercover areas so people can still skate and exercise when it’s hot or raining.

The skating centre first opened its doors in 1972 and Mr Carter used to work as a skating coach before he took over the lease in 1981. Mr Carter said he’s the first to be devastated by the closure but he understood the business decision made by the building owners. As per his lease agreement, the Stafford Skate Centre will close after 12 Sept 2021.

Triciclo: New, Mobile Coffee Cart at the Popular Kedron Brook Bikeway

A new mobile coffee cart, Triciclo, will soon be a familiar sight at the Kedron Brook bikeway, one of the most popular exercise routes in the suburb.

Triciclo, aptly named for its three-wheeled mobile conveyance, is the brainchild of hospitality industry newcomers Aly Hope and James Marshall.

Before venturing into this new business which opened in late April 2021, Aly and James worked as a hospital pharmacist and a surveyor, respectively. Today, the two are trying their hand at an entirely new industry with hopes of supplying some of Brisbane’s morning crowd and bikeway regulars with their morning coffee fix on the go.

Kedron Brook Bikeway, oft-visited for its picturesque scenery, stretches approximately 12 to 16 kilometres depending on the route taken. Cyclists can expect a path that starts at Mitchelton and ends at Nundah, or vice versa. Triciclo will be set up at Gordon Park just beside the bridge that leads to Kokoda Park.

For more information on Triciclo, and for the latest updates and announcements concerning the coffee cart, follow their Instagram page. Learn more about the Fonzie Abbott coffee roasters at their website here.

Two Popular Kedron Hotels To Be Put Up For Auction

Two of Kedron’s most iconic hotels are to be put on auction, offloaded and sold with leases in place until 2028, with options to extend until 2068.

Both Kedron Park Hotel and Edinburgh Castle Hotel, which have been leased to Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH), are owned by the ASX-listed ALE Property Group.

Despite their history, interested parties have singled out these two sites given their significant land holdings. The fact that ALH — which is, in turn, 75 per cent owned by Woolworths — was involved made it more attractive for potential investors given their reputation.

These hotels are being marketed by the commercial real estate firm Burgess Rawson. Investors from abroad, across the state, and even within the state have allegedly expressed interest in the properties, according to Burgess Rawson agent Glenn Conridge.

Kedron Park Hotel and Edinburgh Castle Hotel are particularly attractive due to the size of the land and their potential for future developments in the long run, however it is also clear that they possess a certain degree of historical value as a result of their age.

Kedron Park Hotel

Established in 1881, Kedron Park Hotel was designed by the architect John R. Hall for the hotel’s owner and licensee, Frederick Morris. The building was set up on the intersection of what was formerly known as Gympie and Bald Hills Rd, opposite where the Kedron Park Racecourse once stood.

Morris was involved with organising picnic race meetings at the racecourse as a means of attracting customers to the hotel. During this time period, the hotel had a variety of facilities such as cricket, a bowling green, skittles and quoits, archery, rifle practice, and pigeon shooting. The hotel’s ownership eventually changed hands, and in 1919, James F Cavill became the new licensee.

Kedron Park Hotel, 1960. Photo from Russell Parry. https://www.facebook.com/groups/260531423995348/
Posted by Lost Brisbane on Sunday, April 6, 2014

Under Cavill’s ownership, a popular zoo ran behind the hotel. The zoo was renowned for being the home of exotic animals such as crocodiles and monkeys, as well as a parrot capable of swearing.

Kedron Park Hotel

Edinburgh Castle Hotel

On the other hand, Edinburgh Castle Hotel’s origins date back to 1865, where the original building was built by a man named William Orr, and it was positioned on the opposite side of Edinburgh Castle Road.

The hotel received its name from the Scottish settlers who resided in the Bald Hill area, and was owned by the Orr family until Michael Goodwin obtained the license in 1885. By 1888, however, the hotel fell into a state of disrepair after coaches were replaced with railway lines.

Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Kedron, 1929.
Posted by Lost Brisbane on Friday, November 22, 2019

In order to adapt, Goodwin applied for the license of a new hotel on the corner of Gympie and Edinburgh Castle Rd. The new Edinburgh Castle Hotel on Gympie Rd, which still stands to this day, was eventually constructed in 1892. The original hotel that Orr built reopened and adopted a new identity as Bonny View.

Edinburgh Castle Hotel

Both of the properties will be available to purchase in an auction held on March 31 at Melbourne’s Crown Casino starting at 10.30am. Registered bidders will also be able to bid remotely through their phones, the online auction app, or from Burgess Rawson offices in their nearest capital city.

New Restaurant Oh Boy, Bok Choy! to Open in Stafford

Brisbane’s northside is about to get another addition to its diverse cuisine as a new Southeast Asian restaurant — Oh Boy, Bok Choy! — featuring a wonderful blend of sweet, sour and spicy flavours, is setting its big opening in Stafford.

Oh Boy, Bok Choy! comes from the same team behind Farm House in Kedron. Owners John and Amanda Scott announced their plans to open the new restaurant as an offshoot of Farm House’s “lockdown specials” during the pandemic.

“It is going to be a Southeast Asian Kitchen & Bar with half the menu plant-based, gluten-free and with sauces and bao made from scratch,” the owners revealed to their regular Kedron patrons in a Facebook post.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Oh Boy Bok Choy (@ohboybokchoy)

Whilst Oh Boy, Bok Choy! will offer mostly Vietnamese dishes, there will also be food inspired by Filipino and Malaysian cuisine. Other details about this new restaurant are still under wraps but the Scotts are targetting a May 2021 opening date.

Mrs Scott said that they’ve come up with Oh Boy, Bok Choy! as a healthy option and this something she has been wanting to do in her 24 years in the food business. She used to own and manage Ashgrove’s Milk Bar and Cafe Conti in Wilston.

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering where the name comes from, Bok Choy is a type of cruciferous vegetable and a popular Southeast Asian ingredient for stir fry dishes or soups. Much like kale, lettuce wraps or mustard greens, this has a milder and sweeter taste but it is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Kedron Lot with No House Sells for Almost $1 Million

An empty lot without any house or structure recently went on the auction block in Kedron, attracting more than 100 bidders who wanted a slice of this up-market area. Within minutes, the 607-square metre property was sold to the highest bidder for $992,000.

Located at 52 Seventh Avenue, this lot became the second property to break the sales record in Kedron in under four months. The site’s selling price was even higher by $410,000 when the former owner first bought the property.

Six years ago, this lot had a single-storey post-war house, which the owner had taken down before putting the property back on the market. The owner has since moved to his new home in Aspley.

This Kedron site is within walking distance to Coles and several primary and secondary schools (both state and private). It’s also within a few metres off the parklands and bikeways. Needless to say, it’s the ideal place for setting one’s roots and building a family.

Apart from the location, interested buyers flocked to the auction for this empty lot because it provided an opportunity for the new owners to build their house on “a blank canvas,” according to one bidder.

Despite the record-breaking sale, however, property agents said that there’s has been growing frustration among buyers who could not take advantage of the low-interest rates due to a lack of supply. The agent, however, advised buyers to keep on looking for their forever home.

Miss Sophia’s Gelateria Brings Dozens of New Flavors to Kedron

What distinguishes the gelato from Kedron’s Miss Sophia’s Gelateria from that of other shops? Their ingredients.

This local gelateria uses Maleny milk as the base before adding local fruits and honey into the mix. The flavors of raspberries, mangoes, strawberries and countless other sweet fruits are enhanced with chocolate and peanut butter, as well as the richness of biscoff and cookie crumbs. All in all, these make for lovely serves of gelato capable of satisfying just about anyone’s palate. Those with dietary restrictions can even enjoy their vegan variants.

Vegan Toasted Coconut Caramel, Raspberry Custard, and Cookie Dough Gelato
Photo credit: Facebook

Even the tools and equipment employed by this gelateria contribute to the quality of their product, offering a chocolate tap to top orders off with molten Cadbury chocolate. The ingredients themselves are churned with machinery imported from Italy, making for an authentic experience.

Cadbury Chocolate Tap
Photo credit: Instagram

The menu doesn’t stop at gelato cones, however. Miss Sophia’s Gelateria also offers an assortment of gelato cakes that come in different shapes and sizes — bars, circles, extra large circles, and even domes in the case of their Cassata Dome. Occasionally, the gelateria also hosts pop-up bakeries, typically on Sundays, where pastries such as croissants and doughnuts can be purchased to accompany any orders of gelato.

Croissants from the Pop-Up Bakery
Photo credit: Facebook

Open all week from 12:00PM to 10:00PM, Miss Sophia’s Gelateria can be found at 9 Somerset Road, Kedron. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates concerning deals and dates, as well as information on their pop-up bakeries!