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Yeronga PDA Development Scheme Gets Nod From Queensland Government

Villa Street Yeronga (Photo Credit: Google Street View)

Yeronga residents can expect more high-quality residential properties and local business opportunities now that the Yeronga Priority Development Area (PDA) development scheme finally gets the green light.

Under the recently mandated scheme, approximately three hectares of land in Yeronga will be redeveloped into an integrated and inviting mixed-use community precinct.

Part of the development scheme is the construction of a permanent home for the Yeronga Community Centre, creation of diverse residential options, small-scale retail and improved public transport.

In a media statement, Member for Miller Mark Bailey said transforming the old site into a vibrant mixed-use precinct involves three years of investigating, planning, and consulting the public.

“The Palaszczuk Government is grateful for the feedback provided by the Yeronga community, who’ve collectively played a key role in the rejuvenation of this area,” Mr Bailey said.

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the scheme will give Yeronga residents confidence about the scale and scope of future development on the site.

“The final development scheme provides planning guidance to transform the site into a predominantly residential community,” Mr Dick said.

Mr Dick added that the diverse living options will be complemented with a neighbourhood retail precinct, connected by open space, which together will shape a great lifestyle for those living and working here in the future.

Economic Development Queensland will partner with a private sector developer to deliver the precinct. The successful proponent is expected to be appointed by mid-2019.

About Yeronga Priority Development Area (PDA)

Yeronga PDA boundary map (Photo credit: dsdmip.qld.gov.au)

Yeronga PDA comprises three hectares and includes land bound by Villa Street to the south, Park Road to the west, the Beenleigh-Gold Coast rail corridor to the north and Yeronga State High School to the east.

The area is approximately 5 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD and 400 metres from Yeronga train station, providing frequent train services to the CBD, Gold Coast and interim stops.

To receive updates on the Yeronga PDA, visit www.dsdmip.qld.gov.au.

Property Acquired for New Inner City South State Secondary College in Dutton Park

Some demolition work has begun in Dutton Park to make way for the construction of the new Inner City South State Secondary College (ICSSSC). Reports revealed that nearly $17 million was spent to acquire the property, which will stand across at least eight lots along Gladstone Road and Grantham Street.

Two large buildings on this stretch will be completely gone following the demolition while at least 14 other properties will be relocated or will be offered for reuse, per the State Government.

The new ICSSSC building should meet the growing needs of the state to provide more inner-city secondary schools, especially with a projected 3,000 rise in students in the next five years.

The target is to open this new school by Term 1 in 2021.

Jackie Trad of BVN, the Brisbane architecture firm, has been tasked to lead this project.

“Stage One of the new high school will be completed in time for foundation Year 7 students to commence in term 1, 2021, with the school continuing to grow a year level each year through to 2026 when the school will offer Year 7 to Year 12,” Ms Trad said.

Despite public consultations, some quarters continue to question the project’s cost, location and design.

Jarrod Bleijie of the opposition said that taxpayers are forced to shoulder millions due to the failure of the state to plan and prepare new schools ahead.

Griffith University professor Dr Tony Matthews said that the new building may pose some health risks for the students as it will be close to high traffic, where large volumes of vehicles emit smoke and bring the noise.

The new building is the second vertical educational facility to be built in Brisbane. Vertical schools, as opposed to the suburban or traditional school model, have common outdoor facilities like a basketball or netball court integrated indoors.

“The green spaces at Dutton Park will provide an area for students to have a seat at lunchtime, but where students use off-site sporting fields, it immediately raises questions about liability and child health and safety,” Mr Matthews said.

“There’s a lot of merit to building up if it will create more green space for the students but the new high school at Dutton Park doesn’t achieve that because it doesn’t have an oval,” he added.

But BVN’s plan for the Inner City South State Secondary College building includes a learning oasis or green space that will interconnect with the nearby Gair Park. The school will also have a health and wellbeing hub to house the canteen, hospitality and food sciences facilities.

To view the complete masterplan, visit the State Government’s website.

Annerley Community Bookshop Turns its Last Page

After two decades, the Annerley Community Bookshop is winding down to its last few days with all books currently going on sale for $1 until 21 July 2019.

*Photo Credit: Annerley Community Bookshop / Facebook*

The Community Bookshop is the only bookstore of its kind in Australia, offering some of the best selections of classic literature, as well as Australian literature at bargain prices. Whilst most of the books are placed on the shelves, some titles get listed online for sale through ABE book.

Rising operating cost, cost of rent, and declining sales due to the growing popularity of e-books have forced the book store to close down.

The Annerley Community Bookshop and Neighborhood Centre, located at 478 Ipswich Road in Annerley, was originally established by the Anglicare Refugee and Migrant Services in 2000 to fund literacy classes for refugees and migrants.

The bookshop was incorporated in 2003 to its current form through the efforts of the local community, after the Literacy Centre was moved to a new location.

The bookshop, primarily staffed by volunteers working on different days and shifts, has since been selling affordable second-hand books donated by various organisations and private donors. All profits go back to the community and development of the organisation.

All books are currently on sale for $1 until Sunday 21 July. Remaining stock after the closing down sale will be donated to Braille House in Annerley.

Its last three days of trading will be on Friday — 9.30am-5pm, Saturday — 9.30am-5pm, and Sunday — 10am-2pm.

Inaugural Graduation Held for Young Emerging African Leaders at Yeronga State High School

Yeronga State High School recently hosted the inaugural Young Emerging African Leaders (YEAL) graduation. YEAL is a joint project between the school, Queensland Police Service, AFL Queensland, and the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (R.A.I.L.S).

The inaugural six-week program saw young women from various African nations taking part in team-building, knowledge sharing, peer mentoring, and sports participation.

“We are very proud of our Young Emerging African Leaders (YEAL). They’ve participated in a range of activities and learning experiences designed to promote positive sense of self-worth, increase self-confidence, increase knowledge of personal safety and gain the skills to make good decisions leading to a brighter future. Our students have done really well in the YEAL program and they’ve graduated with flying colours!” – Yeronga State High School

“It takes strong leaders to keep our communities united,” Chief Superintendent Brian Swan said whilst acknowledging the active involvement of the school and the pilot program participants.

“It is through a united community that we can work together to keep our communities safe.”

Photo Credit:State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service) 2019 / mypolice.qld.gov.au
Photo Credit:State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service) 2019 / mypolice.qld.gov.au

Highlights of the ceremony included an interactive reflection and slideshow presented by Robert Lachowicz and Blane Mehari from RAILS.

“We were so impressed by the confidence of the students involved and we applaud their passion for being involved” Blane Mehari said.

Queensland AFL’s Multicultural and Indigenous Engagement Officer – Darren Allie said that the YEAL program provided them an opportunity to learn a lot from the students about their respective cultures.

“We as an organisation appreciate the support of the Queensland Police in delivering this program and we look forward to more future initiatives that bring our diverse communities together,” Mr Allie said.

For his part, Principal of Yeronga State High School, Bob Logan expressed how he was “immensely proud of his students and expects big things to happen to these young emerging leaders.”

Do the Downward Dog with Cats at Annerley Yoga Session

Cats, with their agility, balance and flexibility, are a lot like yogis, aren’t they? Did you know that you can enjoy a good workout with these graceful felines at this monthly “Yoga With Cats” session in Annerley?

For June 2019, Yoga With Cats will take place on Saturday, the 30th, at the Lucky Cat Cafe on Ipswich Road. From 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., this fitness session, guided by a teacher from Iris Yoga, will be quite informal because participants may pause from doing the stretches to pet or play with the resident cats.

Beginners or expert-level yogis are welcome at Yoga With Cats. Be forewarned, though, as the cats might judge you on those the Downward Dog poses or show the proper way to arch your back — so pay good attention to those movement masters!

Slots to this event are limited so advanced booking is required. The hour-long yoga class cost $29 per person. You may bring your own yoga mat or borrow from the cafe.

Annerley: Among SEQ Suburbs With Largest Drop in Unit Sale Asking Price

An analysis of the average rate of discount on properties sold throughout Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast revealed Annerley as one of the SEQ suburbs with the largest unit sale asking price reduction.

As analyzed by Domain, the study, which used a minimum of 30 observations and excluded properties that were sold through auction or were without a listed price, showed that some vendors are dropping their asking price by as much as 12 percent.

Chermside was the top suburb where vendors provide the biggest discount on their unit asking price with an average of 8.90 percent whilst Annerley ranked sixth with 7.70 percent.

According to Domain, the median price of a two-bedroom unit in Annerley, based on sales within 12 months, is $361,000 or a growth of 3.1 percent from 2018. The average days on market for the same period was 73 days with a total of 54 units sold.

Other suburbs on the list with the highest average price discount for units are Redcliffe (8.60%), New Farm (8.10%), South Brisbane and Coorparoo (8.00%), Fortitude Valley (7.50%). Kangaroo Point, St Lucia, and Brisbane City round out the list with a unit price discount average of 7.20%.

Carindale was the top Brisbane suburb with the highest average price discount on house sale price, with 8.50 percent followed by Clontarf with 7.70%. Redcliffe (7.60%),Rochedale South (7.40%), Cleveland (7.30%), Kippa-Ring (7.20%), Banksia Beach (7.10%), Margate (7.00%), Redbank Plains (7.00%), and Scarborough (6.90%) round out the top ten.

Experts say that whilst the average price discount is a good indicator of the current market conditions in a certain suburb, such indicator does not tell the complete story. Despite good buyer demand, some suburbs saw vendors eventually discounting their price because expectations were unrealistic thus leading to overpriced house or unit and longer days on market.

Vintage Collective Moves to a Bigger Shop in Annerley

Annerley’s vintage haunt, the Vintage Collective, has moved to a new and bigger site at the Annerley Arcade on Ipswich Road.

Sustainable fashion lovers and collectors of staple pre-loved pieces can find the store just across its old site with more space for showcasing a treasure trove of vintage clothes, handmade accessories and up-cycled creations for the home.

*Photo Credit: Vintage66 Studio/Facebook*

The new Vintage Collective digs, which opened its doors last April, transferred from Shop 5 to Shop 9. The trading hours remain the same, however, from Wednesday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and until 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday.

Vintage Collective has also expanded its changing rooms to three stalls and the shop front has a better flow and layout for displaying the lovely and curated finds of the store owner, Tania. She has worked in the fashion industry for more than 30 years as a stylist, head buyer, designer, and product development manager.

Some items at this shop, however, are sold on consignment. Thus, if you have edgy, vintage, pre-loved, or gently-used second-hand pieces to unload or even handmade items, you may also ask Tania about this arrangement.

*Photo Credit: Vintage Collective/Facebook*

Vintage Collective also carries Tania’s Label Xchange for barely worn designer, modern & quirky fashion.

This Cafe Brings A Taste of Vietnam to Annerley

Photo Credit: Cafe O-Mai/Facebook

Vietnamese cuisine is all about intense flavours and fresh ingredients and this is evident in the menu of Cafe O-Mai, a restaurant in Annerley.

Take your tastebuds on a journey to Vietnam with a serving of the comforting Pho soup, freshly baked Banh Mi, or the veggie-packed spring rolls.

For lunch, the cafe serves a mix of light snacks and heartier dishes: a vegetarian Pho topped with tofu, mushroom, carrot, and seasonal Asian greens; beef wrapped in betel leaf; and pork meatballs in rich tomato sauce.

The cafe pumps out a heap of delicious dishes, but if savoury isn’t your thing, the toasted fruit and nut bread or their housemade granola is sure to satisfy.

Drinks come courtesy of Toby’s Estate Woolloomooloo, a smooth spicy blend excellent for milk coffees. But if you want to discover more of Vietnam’s coffee culture, taste their ca phe phin (iced coffee) or Vietnamese Coffee Affogato.

The restaurant follows the hawker style, which means all their food is cooked to order and wait times may be up to 30 minutes during peak times. The well-lit ambience and the colourful mural gives the place a retro-chic vibe.

Cafe O-Mai is located at 15 Cracknell Rd Annerley and serves breakfast and lunch six days a week.

The cafe opens Tuesday to Friday from 6:30 am – 3:00 pm and on weekends, from 7:00 am – 2:00 pm. For more information about them, check out their Facebook page.

Concept Master Plan and Design for New Inner City South State Secondary College Released for Community Feedback

The concept master plan and design for the new Inner City South State Secondary College in Dutton Park, which is slated to commence construction in late 2019, has been released for community feedback.

Deputy Premier and Member for South Brisbane Jackie Trad released on 29 March the new high school’s concept master plan and designs developed by BVN architects.

“The concept master plan for the new state high school is a key milestone, bringing this project to life through the design of contemporary learning centres set around an inspiring outdoor learning plaza that will form the heart of the school site,” Ms Trad said.

New Inner City South State Secondary College Master Plan

*Photo Credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) / yoursay.buildingfutureschools.advancingeducation.qld.gov.au*

“The learning plaza will become the central gathering space at the school and provides a strong sense of community in this inner-urban context.

“This game-changing project is part of the Queensland Government’s $800 million Building Future Schools Fund,” she said.

The site of the new Inner City South State Secondary College sits on land bounded by Gladstone Road, Annerley Road, and Grantham Street.

The master plan includes six elements:

Creative hub – will include facilities like visual arts, music, performing arts, multimedia and enterprise as well as an information hub.
Learning Hubs – will include classrooms and specialised facilities for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics), communication and humanities and social sciences.
Health and wellbeing hub – located adjacent to the multipurpose hall and will include the canteen, food science facilities, and hospitality facilities.
Administration hub – will include student services, staff areas and offices, and the lecture theatre.
Sports – a multi-purpose hall that will include two indoor multipurpose sports courts; an additional outdoor sports court located adjacent to the hall.
Green space – will provide outdoor space for learning and social interaction. Additional green space will also be provided along Gladstone Road with an active park adjacent to Gair Park.

Artist impression of the New Inner City South State Secondary College from Annerley Road

“I am really impressed by the concept master plan and I encourage local residents to visit the Building Future Schools website for their first look at the designs and provide valuable feedback.”

“The community have been great advocates for this much-needed school and have already provided excellent ideas and suggestions which have guided these concepts and designs.

“I encourage the local community to take the time to look at the concept drawings and images and provide their thoughts and feedback. This will shape the detailed design that the design team will finalise in coming months,” Ms Trad said.

Community feedback sessions were held last 23 and 27 April, with another one scheduled 4 May 2019 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Gair Park. Feedback can also be lodged online until Sunday 12 May 2019.

Construction of Stage One is expected to be completed in time for foundation Year 7 students to commence in Term 1, 2021. The school will grow a year level each year, offering Year 7 to Year 12, through 2026.

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3:00 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.	Part 2	Pro tips to being on time and how to never miss a move
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