Kedron Archives - Page 7 of 10

Experience Thrills For the School Holidays at the Futuristic Playscape in Bradbury Park

Kedron’s Bradbury Park has undergone a remarkable transformation just in time for the school holidays, with a new, futuristic playscape for older kids, updated play areas for activities that include cricket and netball, and spaces for the whole family to gather, pets included.

Located at 91 Kitchener Road, Bradbury Park has long been a popular recreational spot for the community. Designed to cater to children aged 10 to 15, the park now boasts a revitalised playscape, complete with climbing towers, bridges, and whimsical play structures. The exciting additions to the park aim to provide older kids with an engaging and thrilling outdoor experience.

Aside from the new playscape, families can enjoy a range of amenities, including shady spots for picnics, electric barbecue facilities, and various sporting facilities like cricket nets and a netball facility.

The introduction of the futuristic playscape fills a gap in the recreational offerings for older kids in the area. With indoor play centres often being expensive, this innovative outdoor play area provides a more accessible and affordable option for families.

Bradbury Park Kedron — Photo Credit: BrisbaneCityCouncil

The park also features a dog off-leash area, making it a suitable destination for the entire family. Parents and children alike have expressed their gratitude for the addition, praising the park as an amazing and much-needed facility.

However, one visitor did offer a word of caution, advising others to wear dark clothes when visiting the playscape. The wooden structures in the park have been charred, resulting in black residue. Whilst this may not deter the adventurous spirits of children, it’s important for parents to be aware.

The Bradbury Park improvement project is part of Brisbane City Council’s commitment to enhancing and maintaining over 2100 parks across the city. As the Marchant ward continues to grow, it is crucial to ensure that parks can cater to the recreational needs of residents.

The project has been a collaborative effort between Brisbane City Council and the community. Extensive community engagement was conducted in late 2019 to gather feedback and ensure the park’s enhancements align with the community’s desires.

Published 3 July 2023

$35 Million Allocated to Check Viability of Toll Tunnel from Kedron to Carseldine

Would a toll tunnel from Kedron to Carseldine alleviate traffic congestion? That is the $35-million question. The proposed 7-km tunnel would potentially traverse the long-preserved North West transport corridor and closely follow Gympie Road to connect the two suburbs.

This proposal for a tunnel from Kedron to Carseldine comes after Brisbane City Council’s North West Transport Network plan, which included two options for a road tunnel, was rejected by Infrastructure Australia earlier this year.

Council’s proposal had yet to sufficiently consider a cheaper surface route, although this alternative faces community opposition and environmental concerns due to its impact on ecologically sensitive areas.

To undertake the necessary assessments and analysis, a new entity named North Brisbane Infrastructure will be established by the Queensland Investment Corporation. This entity will be responsible for detailed transport modelling, technical assessments, and financial analysis.

In addressing traffic congestion, the project will also consider public and active transport needs, including bicycle lanes.

A recent statement outlines the potential benefits to be examined as part of a detailed investment proposal, including:

shorter commuter times
better connections with the Bruce Highway to and from the Sunshine Coast
better connections to the west of the city through Legacy Way and south through the Clem7 to the M1
improving amenities and liveability for locals by removing through traffic from Gympie Road

Treasurer Cameron Dick is confident that the tunnel could be constructed within eight years if it proves viable.

Mr Dick emphasized that the state government’s proposed toll tunnel offers a new solution to the long-standing challenge of easing congestion in Brisbane’s north. The forecasted population growth in the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay region is expected to increase traffic into Brisbane, making it an opportune time to address this issue.

“This is a new solution proposed for a long-established challenge – easing congestion through Brisbane’s north,” he said. As a world leader in funds management, the Queensland Investment Corporation has nearly $30 billion worth of infrastructure assets under management.

“It has the expertise to give us the clearest answer in the shortest time to decide whether a Gympie Road toll tunnel stacks up.

“Forecast population growth on the Sunshine Coast and in the Moreton Bay region will increase the traffic into Brisbane, so now is the right time to do this work. Based on Brisbane’s most recent road tunnel projects, from this point the tunnel could potentially be built within about eight years if it stacks up.”

The Kedron to Carseldine tunnel’s construction would be tolled due to the project’s significance. The project’s proponents anticipate that the tunnel would improve connections with the Bruce Highway to and from the Sunshine Coast, as well as facilitate better connections to Brisbane’s west via Legacy Way and south through the Clem 7 to the M1.

A community consultation will be conducted in the last half of 2023 to gather input from local residents, businesses, and other stakeholders. The work on the investment proposal is set to begin in the 2023/24 financial year.

Published 11-June-2023

From Flipping Houses to Flipping the Real Estate Industry on its Head in Kedron

The Brisbane property market is maturing. As the 2032 Olympics looms on the horizon, it’s a rare analyst that sees anything other than substantial growth over the next few years. Did you know that there’s a new agency in Kedron who’s building market share with a fresh approach to the real estate agency space?

After selling homes for the last three years from his home-office, Daniel Hooper opened his new office at 7/359 Gympie Road, Kedron in January 2023 and has already built a reputation as the highest sales volume agent in Kedron.

He spent 4 years buying, renovating and flipping houses between 2016 and 2019 which gave him an insight into the main drivers of improving value in property. From the value of a new kitchen to the flow of a home to removing stud walls to open up living space, Daniel developed a fundamental understanding of what buyers value most.

“We would increase the value between 30k and 150k over the course of a four-week renovation,” he said.

One Percent Property Daniel Hooper — Photo Credit: One Percent Property/Daniel Hooper

Though he says the main thing he learnt was that the flipping “gave me insight into how to structure a sales agency from the customer’s point of view as I dealt with so many agents, which gave me an opportunity to assess the things I wanted as a buyer and vendor, as well as the things I didn’t want in an agent.”

Over the last three years, Daniel Hooper has sold over 160 properties in his new agency, One Percent Property, which as he says gives him incredibly fresh data.

“As we are selling so many properties due to our much more attractive commission and business model, our buyer data is incredibly fresh. Every week, we have a lot of buyers that miss out on a property which means the new listings we take on will be placed immediately in front of those pre-qualified buyers” says Daniel.

A recent listing, 15 Parkdale Street in Kedron was on the market for three months with another agent at the peak of the market but failed to sell.

“We were approached by the owner of 15 Parkdale Street to take over the listing last month. We had it sold before we could even get the sign up.”

Another successful sale by Daniel Hooper and his team at One Percent property

Other recent sales in Kedron by One Percent Property include homes on Glenhaven Street, Seventh Avenue, View Street, Sixth Avenue, Armentieres Street, North Street, Childers Street, Eleventh Avenue, Somerset Road, Achilles Street, Figgis Street, Tanimbla Street, Homebush Road and Emerald Street.

Daniel’s real estate model looks beyond the standard “fixed fee”commission structure. He has instigated a policy of “pay what you wish” commission, giving vendors the option to pay less or more at the end of the transaction.

“Decide our fee AFTER the sale! – Our revolutionary commission structure allows you to decide how much we get paid after you have seen how hard we have worked for you and the price we have achieved. What better way to know I will strive to get you the absolute best possible result? No Sale, No Fee – We do not ask our clients to pay massive sums of advertising upfront. Instead, we have a small marketing levy that covers all advertising costs and it is charged out of the settlement. If I can’t sell your home, you don’t pay me a cent!”

One Percent Property is a proud partner of Kedron Today, helping us to bring new stories to Kedron locals.

Mount Alvernia College Kedron Students Compete in ESU Public Speaking Competition Finals

Three talented students from Mount Alvernia College in Kedron have secured spots in the grand finals of the prestigious English Speaking Union (ESU) Public Speaking Competition.

The three students, Metben from Year 8, Millicent from Year 7, and Amaeh from Year 10 . will advance to the ESU finals in June, July, and August 2023.

The achievement is already a win for the school’s public speaking program. In early May 2023, the school concluded its first-ever public speaking workshops, titled “Mt A Speaks.” which were aimed at enhancing students’ confidence, pronunciation, and non-verbal presentation skills.

The participants described the workshops as a “safe environment” where they gained valuable insights into elements such as tone and body language. The college congratulates the students who completed the workshops, applauding them as pioneers in the field of public speaking.

About the ESU Public Speaking Competition

The English Speaking Union Public Speaking Competition is an internationally recognized event that brings together students aged 16 to 20 from over 50 countries around the world. It serves as the cornerstone of the English-Speaking Union’s mission, promoting oracy, cultural exchange, and fostering friendly rivalry among participants.

The ESU, an international educational charity, is committed to advancing international understanding and human achievement through the English language. In Queensland, the ESU operates as a not-for-profit organization led by a board and supported by dedicated members and volunteers.

Throughout the year, the ESU (Queensland Branch) hosts a diverse range of events aligned with its objectives. These include the public speaking competition for secondary schools, featuring Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions across South-East Queensland, Toowoomba, and North Queensland. Additionally, the ESU organizes the Roly Sussex Short Story Competition, the annual Churchill oration and formal dinner, lectures, discussions, and cultural events. It also conducts workshops focused on public speaking, English language, and communication.

Mount Alvernia College takes immense pride in its students’ achievements and their representation in the grand finals of the ESU Public Speaking Competition. The college recognizes the importance of fostering effective communication skills and remains committed to providing opportunities for personal and academic growth for its students.

For more information about the ESU (Queensland Branch) and its programs, please visit their official website.

Published 1-June-2023

From the Zone Bowling Alley to a New Medical Centre: Reimagining 278 Gympie Road

After the Zone Bowling Alley closed in 2017, the once-thriving establishment fell into disrepair. The location could soon get a new lease on life, however, thanks to a redevelopment plan aiming to transform the site into a medical centre.

Read: Windsor Air Raid Shelter: A Remnant of WWII in Lutwyche

Since the closure of the bowling alley on 278 Gympie Road in Kedron, what was once a space for community camaraderie over a night of bowling has become a canvas for acts of senseless destruction by vandals.

Local residents, witnessing the disarray, likened the scene to a bomb site, with shattered windows and deteriorating walls, a striking testament to the extent of the ruin.

According to reports, Ardent Leisure, sold its Australian bowling alleys and arcades for $160 million, aiming to allocate funds towards expanding its entertainment venues in the United States, and attracting customers back to its Gold Coast theme parks.

Following the closure of the Zone Bowling Alley in Kedron, Carbone Developments has submitted its plans to transform it into a fresh food centre. Designed by CDI Architects, the original development objective was to revamp the facility into a modern space that offers fresh produce to the community.

The development blueprint entailed the inclusion of an anchor tenant, along with five additional tenancies to accommodate supporting businesses. After the initial submission, however, the developer was unable to find suitable tenants for the initial concept. A Material Change of Use for a 24-hour medical centre with a shop was submitted to replace the original concept.

Read: The Cod Father: Serving Up Traditional Fish And Chips In Kedron For Years

Hundreds of locals expressed their concerns regarding plans for a medical centre, due to significant issues with parking, traffic and congestion within the area.

The development application for the site, located at 278 Gympie Road in Kedron, received Council approval in 2021.

Tenancies are available at 278 Gympie Rd in preparation for a 2023 opening. Currently, the medical centre has been confirmed to include GP, Pathology, and Pharmacy tenancies.

Published 9-May-2023

One-of-a-Kind Bradbury Park Playscape in Kedron Almost Ready

Photo Credit: CrFionaHammond/Facebook

The much-awaited upgrades at Bradbury Park in Kedron, including a unique playscape, are nearly complete and will soon provide local children and families with a diversified space for recreation.

The working team behind the project expects the playscape to open sometime in April 2023, weather permitting, and have been working double time to deliver what may likely be one of Brisbane’s best playgrounds, according to Cr Fionna Hammond.

“Bradbury Park will quickly become a favourite destination of northside families, as well as residents from right across Brisbane,” the councillor said whilst giving locals a glimpse of the project’s progress in a video.

“I can’t wait to see this one-of-a-kind park in action, with kids smiling from ear to ear when they see the gigantic new playscape and take a turn on the winding slide.”

The upgrades are part of Council’s $22 million investment in park improvements across Brisbane. Work commenced in late 2021 after extensive consultation.

Once completed, the massive playscape will feature a “biological city” with tower-like structures (hollows) and bridges (byways) connecting these towers.

As explained in the project’s concept: “It is within these ‘hollows’, that lorikeets live, and that is where inspiration is found for the shape, form, and name of describing the playscape. ‘Byways’, meaning a road or track not following a main route. It is the road less travelled, but it also alludes to a sense of mystery.”

The looping playscape is highly suited for kids between 10 to 15 years old but there are also other sections that offer play opportunities for all kids, such as the Magic Forest for 3 to 10-year-old children, completed in July 2021, and the 200-metre scooter track for both beginners and advanced riders, opened a year before the Magic Forest.

For more information about this project, phone 1800 884 681 during business hours or 07 3403 8888 after hours.

Published 30 March 2023

Kedron Included In Full Fibre NBN Connection Rollout

Kedron and a number of other suburbs in Brisbane are set to receive a more reliable internet experience as NBN rolled out its full fibre connection.

Read: Kedron Brook Lighting Restoration Works Get Underway

The full fibre connection offers customers access to the higher speed tiers, promising faster uploads and downloads for homes and businesses, as well as faster game upgrades and streaming.

A Venture research commissioned by NBN revealed that online health consultations have increased by 147 per cent, online secondary educational engagement has grown by 114 per cent and a third of people who can work from home now expect to continue working from home at least one day a week.

The upgrades are part of the network’s fibre upgrade program, which was boosted by the Federal Government’s recent announcement of $2.4 billion investment.

NBN has selected the locations based on demand, workforce, and cost-effectiveness or the network’s ability to deploy at the location with speed and agility.

Kathrine Dyer, Chief Operating Officer at NBN said they have identified the suburbs and towns across Australia where customers living and working in around 3 million premises currently served by nbn Fibre to the Node will be able to access full fibre upgrades by the end of 2025.

“We are unlocking social and economic benefits across Australia by pushing fibre deeper into communities. Fibre is inherently more capable of delivering faster upload and download speeds, is generally more reliable than copper connections and reduces our ongoing maintenance and operating costs,” Ms Dyer said.

“In just six years data use has tripled on the nbn network – and that exponential growth is expected to continue as customer demands increase to meet new technology.”

Read: Starbucks Submits Plans For 24/7 Drive-thru Coffee Shop In Kedron

To see the full list of suburbs and to get more details about upgrading to their higher speed plan, visit NBN’s website.

Bring Your Pups to Celebrate Howl-O-Ween at Petbarn Kedron

Photo Credit: Nancy Sticke/Pixabay

Dress your precious pups in the craziest costumes and bring them to Howl-O-Ween at Petbarn in Kedron, where you can have a professional photographer take really cool souvenir snaps of your fur-babies and help raise money for Precious Paws Animal Rescue too.

Debbie from DK Imagery will donate her time on Saturday, the 30th of October 2022, for the exciting photoshoot that will allow pet lovers to have a very beautiful memento of their dogs for Halloween. Each photo session will cost $15 and the money raised will go to heaps of rescue dogs in desperate need.

Dogs in their fanciest costumes could win the Best Dressed Competition. Their humans do not necessarily have to be in costumes as well but wouldn’t it be extra fun if they came in matching attires?

Get your furry pals ready for the trick-or-treat competition. Pets who do not fancy dressing up will have a chance to also participate in this game.

Howl-O-Ween Fundraiser — Photo Credit: Precious Paws Animal Rescue/Facebook

Dog owners may also treat their four-legged family members to mouthwatering pupcakes from In My Belly. The money collected from the pupcake sales will also go to the fundraiser. London Spuds will also have a setup for their delicious baked potatoes for famished visitors.

Children will not be left out because there will be a colouring competition. In fact, the colouring pages may already be picked up from Petbarn Kedron or downloaded online, and then submitted to the store before the 30th. Pls fill out the name, age and contact number on the back of their entries.

All guests will have a chance to win in the raffle. The event will be from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Petbarn Kedron is located at Gympie Road.

Established in 2016, Precious Paws Animal Rescue is committed to helping at-risk dogs with injuries, life threatening illnesses, or those that try to thrive in communities with no animal rescue operations.

“Our rescue dogs aren’t broken or damaged, they have just experienced more in life than others.”

For more details about the Howl-O-Ween fundraiser, visit the Facebook event page.

Kedron State High School Debating Team Beats Powerhouses at State Debate

Once dubbed the underdog, the Kedron State High School debating team has emerged victorious at the 2022 Queensland Debating Union Grand Final, beating elite squads from private schools like Brisbane Girls Grammar and Brisbane Boys’ College.

Year 12 students Hugo Hall, Bede House, Calvin Liu, and Jack Turner did their school proud as they were named champions of the prestigious competition, after knocking back two of its toughest opponents in the quarter and semi-final rounds.

The loudest cheers were heard at the spot where a large continent of Kedron SHS watched the debates on implementing a Universal Basic Income at the Somerville House on Wednesday, 24th Aug 2022.

According to Lui, the team’s vice-captain, the community’s support “lit a flame” that pushed them to be confident about beating the powerhouses.

The victory has been sweeter as Kedron State High School is a fairly young and small team, under the mentorship of its former student and English teacher Ryan Taylor-Davis. They admittedly had nerves knowing the accomplishments of Brisbane Girls Grammar and Brisbane Boys’ College, which have been training longer and have bigger teams.

Also helping out the team as consultants were Jacob Morgan, James Shoring, Reily Chapman, Rowan Gray and Wilson Heslop, who were also part of the debating team when they attended Kedron State High School years ago.

“The entire 2022 QDU Debating season, Hugo Hall, Bede House, Calvin Liu and Jack Turner lived the school motto “to strive is to shine”, working hard and acquitting themselves as gentlemen and scholars, but on Wednesday evening, they also proved themselves champions,” the school stated.

Police Heightens Security at Kedron Brook Bikeway Over Stalking Incidents

Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gustavo Castillo, Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Police have heightened patrol at the Kedron Brook Bikeway following safety concerns recently raised by several women who experienced harassment whilst on the bikeway.

A Mitchelton man, who has since been arrested and charged with unlawful stalking, willful exposure, breach of bail, and obstructing police, had allegedly followed and approached a teenage girl walking on the bikeway.

Information provided by the community has led to the arrest of a 37-year-old man who was subsequently charged with unlawful stalking and wilful exposure in relation to two alleged incidents.

The man allegedly approached a teenage girl on the afternoon of 4 April. She was walking on the Kedron Brook bikeway at Gaythorne and was on her way to a Belleview address when she was allegedly followed by the man on a bicycle. He left the scene after the girl went inside the property.

Moreover, the Mitchelton man was also alleged to have exposed himself to a 49-year-old woman at a Keperra station last December 2021.

In response to these complaints, Inner West police conducted a coordinated operation and investigation, deploying a bike squad, highway patrol and mounted police units in the area. On 13 July, bike squad officers who were proactively patrolling the bikeway located the man who then allegedly ran when the police approached him.

Further investigations later led to the North Brisbane Tactical Crime Squad officers locating his Mitchelton address. He was taken into custody and was charged with unlawful stalking, wilful exposure, breach of bail and obstructing police.

“We’re grateful to local residents who report suspicious and criminal behaviour, which in this case helped us put an alleged offender before the court,” Inspector Allen said.

“Everyone has the right to feel safe in their community, and we encourage anyone who witnesses incidents like these to contact police.”

Before the man’s arrest, claims of harassment surfaced recently with several women recounting their individual experiences of being stalked, approached and even touched without permission by a man whilst on the Kedron Brook bikeway. Residents said that these incidents have been happening in the area for years now.

In early June 2022, Police sought public assistance in the investigations into multiple wilful/obscene exposure offences on Kedron, Grange and the Kedron Brook bikeway allegedly committed by a man in his early 20s. The incidents happened between 28 May and 2 June 2022.

Security within the bikeway area has been tightened following these reports with more patrols being conducted daily.

If you’ve experienced sexual assault, you can report it online by visiting this page, over the phone or face to face at a police station. If there’s an immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000).

For confidential information, counselling and support, call the State-wide Sexual Assault Helpline on 1800 010 120 or 1800 RESPECT for 24-hour help.