Brisbane Archives - Annerley News

Six Terrace Houses Proposed for a Villa Street Address That Knows Its Own History

A development application to demolish a house at 15 Villa Street in Annerley and replace it with six three-storey terrace homes has put one of Brisbane’s most historically layered streets at the centre of a familiar inner-south tension between character and density.

The proposal, lodged with Brisbane City Plan authorities last March 2026 under reference A006982385, seeks approval for six three-bedroom townhouses, each with private outdoor space, a garage and a large balcony. The northern end of the terrace strip could offer city skyline views, given the property’s position about five kilometres from the CBD. The estimated construction cost is $5 million, with completion targeted for 2027.

The site is covered by a traditional building character overlay and zoned low-to-medium residential, making the development impact assessable. Demolition of the existing house was separately approved in a prior application, meaning the building itself is not a barrier to the proposal proceeding.

While the block can be cleared under a prior permit, the new design is not a done deal. Because the project is impact assessable, the community has a formal say, meaning every local objection must be weighed before the first brick is laid

A street that carries a lot of memory

Villa Street is not just any Annerley address. The Cilento family home sat on the corner of Villa Street and Ipswich Road, and was the family home from the 1930s to the 1960s. Lady Phyllis Cilento had a medical practice attached to the residence and was a respected gynaecologist, obstetrician and paediatrician.

Sir Raphael Cilento was an expert in tropical medicine who became the first Queensland Director-General of Health and Medical Services in September 1934. Their daughter, actor Diane Cilento, later married Sean Connery.

The street’s literary connection runs just as deep. Australian author Jessica Anderson, whose novel Tirra Lirra by the River won the Miles Franklin Award in 1978, grew up at 56 Villa Street in the 1920s and early 1930s, drawing on her Annerley childhood throughout her writing life.

In 1951, Kath Walker, later known as Oodgeroo Noonuccal and the first Aboriginal Australian to publish a book of poetry, became the housekeeper for the Cilento family at the corner of Villa Street and Ipswich Road.

It is a street that knows it matters. In 2025, the Annerley-Stephens History Group published Villa Street Revealed, a dedicated history of the strip. The group, which has been researching and publishing local history since 2013, meets monthly at the History Room in nearby Yeronga.

The design argument the developer is making

The developer describes Annerley as a growing area close to the CBD, the University of Queensland and the Princess Alexandra Hospital, framing the six terrace homes as providing much-needed family housing in an accessible inner-city location.

On the question of character compatibility, the application points to specific design elements, particularly the skillion roof, as evidence that the proposal is sympathetic to the traditional character of the area.

The terrace format itself is also relevant: the traditional building character overlay is intended to ensure that new development is appropriate in scale, character and design to the existing neighbourhood, and terrace housing has historical precedent in Brisbane’s inner suburbs.

The developer also notes the proposal is consistent with the direction of Brisbane’s residential planning framework. Low-to-medium residential areas, which account for around 14 per cent of the city, are flagged for an increase in allowable height from two storeys to at least three storeys. The developer says the Villa Street proposal lays the groundwork for construction ahead of those changes.

Where the community concern sits

The development has drawn concern from local residents focused on what would be lost rather than what would be gained. The worry is straightforward: Villa Street is not a generic inner-city street, and the removal of a character home from a block covered by a traditional building character overlay chips away at something that cannot easily be replaced.

Community voices have pointed to nearby examples where developers have kept the character home on the street frontage while building new units behind it, a layout that preserves the visual continuity of the streetscape while still achieving density.

That approach has been used elsewhere along Villa Street itself, and plans lodged earlier this year for 391 Ipswich Road, about a kilometre away, propose a similar configuration.

“The loss of character homes would be a hard blow to the community,” one resident said in response to the proposal. “It would be better if the character home on this block could be kept with townhouses to the rear, as has happened in other parts of the street.”

The application remains under assessment. Members of the public can view the full application documentation under reference A006982385.

Published 30-April-2026

“It Makes Life Easier”: The Hospital Bathroom Designed by a Patient Who Pushed for Change

Metro South Health/Facebook

Princess Alexandra Hospital has unveiled the first ostomy-friendly toilet in Metro South Health, a purpose-built accessible bathroom on the ground floor of the main building designed specifically for people living with a stoma, brought to life by a patient named Jordan who raised the idea after his own surgery last year.

The bathroom sits alongside the standard wheelchair accessible toilet symbol and carries a new Ostomy Friendly Bathroom sign. This makes the space immediately identifiable to the 50,000 Australians who manage an ileostomy, colostomy or urostomy every day. Jordan identified the gap himself during his own treatment at the PA.

After a cancer diagnosis led to surgery and an ileostomy last year, he took his observations directly to the clinical team to find a solution.

“Living with the ileostomy is actually not bad, I mean it saved my life,” Jordan said. “But using the bathrooms anywhere, not just at the hospital, was a struggle and it was messy.”

Designed for Real Life, Not Just Accessibility Boxes

The modifications are targeted and practical. Clinical Nurse Consultant Lucy Perovic from the PA’s Stomal Therapy team outlined exactly what the upgrade involved.

“This modification includes an Ostomy Friendly Bathroom sign alongside the wheelchair logo, accessible hand hygiene, a bench for people to place their ostomy products on for changes, and a clinical waste bin as well as the ability to use the mirrors for changes,” Perovic said.

Princess Alexandra Hospital has unveiled the first ostomy-friendly toilet in Metro South Health. — *Photo Credit: Metro South Health/Facebook*

Each of those details addresses a specific, real problem. The bench means a person changing their ostomy pouch has a clean surface to work from rather than balancing products precariously or placing them on the floor.

The clinical waste bin handles disposal correctly and discreetly. The accessible mirror positioning allows for changes that require visual guidance. The signage both identifies the space and, Jordan hopes, does something broader.

“I’m hoping even the sign itself will catch people’s attention as they walk past and create some curiosity or education,” he said.

The response when Jordan used the bathroom for the first time told him the design had landed exactly right.

“I used it last time I came for chemo and it’s awesome,” he said. “It’s exactly what I wanted it to be and makes me feel super proud to be at PAH. This is great for the community.”

A Daily Challenge Most People Never See

Thousands of Australians live with a stoma, an opening in the abdomen that allows bodily waste to exit into an external collection bag after surgery to the bowel or bladder. Stomas are created to treat conditions including colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and bladder cancer, among others.

Some are temporary; others are permanent. The Princess Alexandra Hospital, as Queensland’s principal academic and tertiary health centre for colorectal and bowel surgery, treats a significant proportion of the state’s ostomy patients.

*Photo Credit: Metro South Health/Facebook*

Managing an ostomy in a public bathroom has always been one of the more practically challenging aspects of living with the condition. Standard accessible toilets were not designed with ostomy care in mind, and the absence of a bench, appropriate waste disposal and usable mirror means people are often forced to manage a bag change in awkward and undignified conditions.

Those living with an ostomy long-term frequently describe scanning every public bathroom they encounter before committing to any outing.

The community voices that followed the announcement made clear just how widely this gap is felt. People who have lived with colostomies for decades said they often rely on parents’ rooms in shopping centres for the privacy and usable surfaces they need.

Others described the looks they receive when using accessible toilets, unsure whether their needs are seen as legitimate. One commenter said it had taken years of living with an ileostomy before they came across a space actually designed for them.

The facilities are common in parts of Europe and the United Kingdom, where dedicated ostomy-accessible bathrooms have been advocated for by patient groups and in some cases mandated in public buildings. Australia has lagged in this area, making the PA Hospital’s installation, and Jordan’s role in making it happen, genuinely pioneering for Metro South Health.

A Patient Advocate Who Made It Count

What is notable about this outcome is not just the facility itself but the path that produced it. Jordan raised the idea from lived experience, took it to the hospital’s clinical team, and the PA listened. Clinical Nurse Consultant Perovic and the Stomal Therapy team worked to make it a reality.

“Well done to everyone involved, and thank you to Jordan for being an incredible advocate for patients,” Metro South Health said in acknowledging the achievement.

For patients coming to the PA for treatment who live with an ostomy, the ground floor ostomy-friendly bathroom in the main building is now available. For more information about stomal therapy services at Princess Alexandra Hospital, call (07) 3176 2111 or visit metrosouth.health.qld.gov.au.

Published 29-April-2026

Dutton Park’s Newest School Hits Its Stride, but Brisbane’s South Still Hungers for More Secondary Places

Brisbane South State Secondary College/Facebook

Brisbane South State Secondary College has reached a milestone in 2026, with its first cohort of students completing Year 12, and enrolments growing faster this year than at any established school in the region. But the wider pressure on secondary education across Brisbane’s inner south remains unresolved.

The school, which opened in 2021 as one of Queensland’s most distinctive secondary campuses, recorded 1,444 students in February 2026, representing growth of 201 students in a single year, more than any established state high school in the area managed over the same period. It sits at 94.8 per cent of its current built capacity, with room to grow further as construction of its final stage completes.

For families like Ellen Rigbye’s, the school has become an increasingly compelling alternative to the private and selective options that have long dominated inner-south Brisbane’s educational conversation.

A School Built on Two Big Ideas

Ellen withdrew her daughter Charlotte from a western Brisbane private school in 2025, drawn across the river by something she hadn’t expected to find in a state school: a genuinely elite AFL pathway. Charlotte, a competitive AFL player, had won selective entry through the school’s AFL Academy, which operates in partnership with AFL Queensland and the Brisbane Lions, providing high-performance training alongside academic study. The combination of structured elite sport and a mainstream schooling environment was rare, and it showed.

“We went along to an AFL Academy open night, where they do a presentation about the school and about the academy, and it just sounded really good,” Ellen said.

Charlotte, now in Year 10, said the AFL program was a significant drawcard among her peer group too, including several students who had previously attended Brisbane State High School before making the switch.

The school’s second selective entry pathway, the Biomedical Science Academy, draws students aiming for careers in medicine and research. Developed in collaboration with the University of Queensland, the program sits within what planners have long called Brisbane’s knowledge corridor: the stretch of inner-south Brisbane that takes in UQ’s St Lucia campus, the Translational Research Institute, the PA Hospital and the CSIRO Ecosciences Precinct. For a school that only graduated its first Year 12 cohort this year, the calibre of its institutional partnerships is unusual by any measure.

What the School Was Built to Do, and What It Hasn’t

When the $140 million Dutton Park campus was announced in 2017, it was pitched as the primary solution to the overcrowding at Brisbane State High School (BSHS). Situated just over a kilometre away, BSHS remains the nation’s largest public high school and continues to warn families that local residency doesn’t guarantee a spot.

Brisbane South State Secondary College — *Photo Credit: BSSSC*

Five years later, community advocates argue that relief remains a mirage. Seleneah More, a member of the West End Community Alliance, notes that the college’s catchment was flawed from the start. By placing BSSSC outside the State High boundary and making only minor tweaks to neighbouring schools like Yeronga and Coorparoo, planners failed to tackle the core congestion.

Yet, raw data suggests BSSSC is serving as a critical pressure valve. By housing 1,444 students in its vertical campus, the college has mopped up demand that would have otherwise flooded the inner south. While these students might not be direct defectors from State High, the new school is undeniably doing the heavy lifting for a saturated region.

The 2026 figures highlight the ongoing struggle. BSHS enrolments dropped by only 19 students this year, missing the 100 student reduction predicted by official modelling. The school currently redlines at nearly 120 per cent capacity, operating 588 students above its intended design.

This creates a stark gap between nominal capacity and the reality of operational capacity. While BSSSC tracks toward its own limits, State High relies on aggressive split timetabling and staggered breaks to remain functional. With 92 per cent of local catchment students choosing BSHS alongside 1,000 selective entry places, the infrastructure remains under immense strain.

Filling Up, Tightening Up

Back at BSSSC, the path in for out-of-catchment students is narrowing. Charlotte noted that younger year levels at the school are already showing a lower proportion of out-of-catchment students, a shift that reflects the school’s own enrolment management plan as in-catchment demand grows year by year. Ellen confirmed the school is enforcing its catchment rules more strictly.

“Really, the way in is through the AFL Academy or the Biomedical Science Academy,” she said.

That tightening is by design. BSSSC’s enrolment management plan makes clear that selective entry places for out-of-catchment students are only available once in-catchment demand has been met and sufficient capacity has been reserved for future local growth. As the school’s first cohort moves through and the catchment population of the inner south continues to grow, those out-of-catchment selective entry windows will narrow further.

The school opened its 2027 selective entry application round for the Biomedical Science Academy in Term 2, 2026. Families interested in the AFL Academy or Biomedical Science Academy can find information at brisbanesouthssc.eq.edu.au.

Published 20-April-2026

Dr Phil Aitken: The Doctor Who Helped Build Australia’s Leading Stroke Unit

Metro South Health

When Dr Phil Aitken walked into the Princess Alexandra Hospital as a medical trainee in the early 1980s, geriatrics was barely a specialty in Queensland. When he retired recently, the PA’s Stroke Unit was the highest-performing in Australia. That arc, from a reluctant geriatrics rotation to founding one of the country’s best stroke services, is the career of a doctor whose influence will outlast him by generations.

The PAH sits in Woolloongabba, a few kilometres from the centre of Brisbane, and it has been Aitken’s professional home for nearly his entire working life. He graduated from the University of Queensland in 1980 and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1988, building a career at the PA that shaped not just the hospital’s capabilities but the trajectory of geriatrics as a discipline across Queensland.

A Rotation That Changed Everything

Aitken did not set out to become a geriatrician. He was drawn to gastroenterology, but staying at the PA required him to take a geriatrics rotation. It was a term he took out of necessity and came to love out of conviction.

“I did rotations in General Medicine and Gastroenterology, and I really liked gastro but to remain at PAH I had to do a term of geriatrics,” he said. “This was when I realised what I wanted to do.”

Dr Phil Aitken required him to take a geriatrics rotation to stay at the PA. — *Photo Credit: Metro South Health*

He was the first Queensland medical trainee in geriatrics in 20 years when he undertook that placement, stepping into a specialty that was still finding its feet. The doctors who taught him there left a mark that shaped everything that followed. Under the mentorship of Dr Glenise Berry, Dr Keith Hirschfeld, Dr Glenda Powell, Dr Ian McCracken and Dr Paul Hopkins, Aitken found not just a clinical direction but a model for what good medical teaching looked like. He would spend the rest of his career trying to replicate it.

“I found PAH was a friendly and supportive environment for learning and I have been proud to call this hospital home for most of my career,” he said.

Building the Stroke Unit From Scratch

After his formative years at the PA, Aitken went to England as a registrar in neurology and geriatrics, where he contributed to stroke studies that had lasting consequences. One of his studies was later used by renowned Professor Peter Langhorne to validate and establish stroke units as a model of care, laying the research foundation for what Aitken would eventually build back home.

When he returned to PAH, that research informed a mission. In October 1997, Aitken established the Stroke Unit at PAH alongside colleagues Graham Hall, Jon Chalk and Chris Staples, creating what would become the template for integrated stroke care in Queensland.

“One of the proudest moments of my career was my involvement to start the Stroke Unit which opened in October 1997,” he said. “We set up as a triumvirate of geriatrics, general medicine and neurology, taking turns being on-call but we all looked after these patients. We worked hard on the Stroke Society guidelines and KPIs and PAH is now consistently the highest performing Stroke Unit in Queensland and Australia.”

That result did not happen by accident. It came from a deliberate commitment to collaboration across specialties, and from a clinician who understood that the quality of a unit is inseparable from the culture built inside it.

Making Geriatrics Stick for the Next Generation

Aitken has always been quick to point to the team around him. He is the first to acknowledge the neurologists, general medicine physicians, nurses and allied health professionals whose work made the stroke unit what it became. But his influence on the generation of doctors who trained under him is harder to deflect.

He taught at the old Schonell Theatre at the University of Queensland and brought to those lectures the same quality that defined his clinical work: warmth, humour and a genuine belief that caring for older people is one of medicine’s most meaningful callings.

“At the end of one of my lectures at the old Schonell Theatre, a bloke congratulated me on keeping the student’s attention,” he said. “If that’s the measure then I can probably say I succeeded in making geriatrics sexy to the next generation of medicos using anecdotes and humour.”

“Ultimately, the collaborative and collegial atmosphere we have created for learning and treating patients is key to anyone gravitating to geriatrics and I hope my mentorship and commitment to these patients has influenced others.”

A Career Woven Into the Fabric of Woolloongabba

For the Annerley and Woolloongabba community, the PA Hospital is not just an institution on Ipswich Road. It is a place where tens of thousands of local families have had their lives changed, or saved. The people who build that place from the inside, who stay for decades, who start new units and teach new doctors and push the quality of care upward year after year, are the reason a public hospital becomes something more than a building.

Dr Phil Aitken is one of those people. His retirement leaves a gap, but it also leaves a stroke unit that is the best in the country, a specialty that is healthier in Queensland for his presence in it, and a long line of doctors who chose geriatrics partly because someone once made it feel like the best job in medicine.

Published 30-March-2026.

Two New Businesses Are Taking Over the Former Southside Antiques Building on Ipswich Road

Murray Bell/Google Maps

The building at 484 Ipswich Road in Annerley that housed Southside Antiques for more than four decades is preparing to welcome two new occupants, with Brisbane fashion label dogstar and a kintsugi-inspired business called Kintsugi both confirmed as incoming tenants.

The arrival of the two businesses marks a new chapter for one of Annerley’s most recognisable commercial addresses, which fell quiet when Southside Antiques closed its doors permanently on Christmas Eve 2024. For residents of Annerley and the surrounding southside suburbs, the transition signals the next life of a building that has been a community touchstone since the early 1980s.

The End of an Annerley Institution

Southside Antiques operated at 484 Ipswich Road for more than 40 years, becoming one of Brisbane’s largest and most respected antique centres before the McGuigan family announced their retirement and closed the store permanently in December 2024. At its peak, the centre spread across two levels and housed more than 150 display cabinets, stocking everything from English fine china and Australian pottery to militaria, vintage fashion, antique furniture and paper collectables. It drew collectors from across Brisbane and interstate, and its position at Annerley Junction made it a natural stop for anyone travelling the Ipswich Road corridor.

Southside Antiques in 2023 — *Photo Credit: SLM/Google Maps*

The site at 484 Ipswich Road itself carries a longer history still. Before becoming an antiques centre, the building operated as Lunn’s Cake Shop, run by Olive and Fred Lunn and a well-known local business in the Annerley community. That layered history gives the address a significance that extends well beyond its most recent use, and the arrival of two creative, design-led businesses continues a tradition of the site serving as a gathering point for people who care about craft and quality.

Dogstar Returns to Its Southside Roots

Dogstar was founded in 1998 by Brisbane fashion designer Masayo Yasuki and has built a reputation for fashion designs defined by careful attention to cut, comfort and quality. The label is known for unique cuts and impeccable craftsmanship, a strong commitment to using natural fibres and the ability to make clothes fit beautifully, with design, quality and sustainability at its core.

Founder Masayo Yasuki — Photo Credit: dogstar

Yasuki launched dogstar by selling her designs at the Fortitude Valley markets before growing the label into a multi-store retail and manufacturing operation. The brand has weathered significant challenges over 25 years of Brisbane-based business, including the 2011 floods which destroyed an earlier studio, and has emerged as one of the most enduring independent fashion labels in Queensland. Dogstar currently operates boutiques in Paddington, Indooroopilly and the CBD, and the Annerley studio at 484 Ipswich Road is currently under renovation ahead of its opening. Dogstar’s contact page confirms the address is currently under renovation and coming soon, with the Annerley location set to serve as the label’s head studio.

The move to Annerley brings dogstar back to the southside of Brisbane where the brand has long had a presence and a loyal following. For Annerley residents, having a design and production studio of this calibre operating from Ipswich Road adds a genuinely distinctive creative anchor to the suburb’s commercial strip.

Kintsugi Brings a Philosophy of Repair and Beauty

The second incoming tenant, Kintsugi, takes its name from the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold, silver or platinum, treating the repair itself as something to celebrate rather than conceal. The philosophy behind kintsugi holds that an object’s history, including its breakages, is part of what makes it beautiful and valuable. As a business name and concept, it carries a strong resonance with the kind of considered, craft-focused approach that suits the Annerley building and its history.

Further details about the Kintsugi business and its opening timeline are expected to follow as the renovation progresses.

A New Chapter for a Familiar Corner in Annerley

The transition at 484 Ipswich Road reflects a pattern playing out across a number of Brisbane’s inner southside suburbs, where character buildings that once housed earlier commercial uses are finding new life as creative, design-led businesses. For Annerley, which sits at the junction of Ipswich Road and Annerley Road and carries a strong identity as an honest, community-minded suburb with deep local history, the arrival of dogstar and Kintsugi represents exactly the kind of considered new energy that respects what came before while bringing something fresh to the neighbourhood.

Residents wanting to stay up to date on the Annerley studio opening can follow dogstar at dogstar.com.au or on Instagram at @dogstarclothing.

Published 27-March-2026.

Souths Rugby Union Club Opens New Clubhouse at Annerley’s Chipsy Wood Oval

Queensland Sport and Recreation

Souths Rugby Union Club has officially opened a new clubhouse and upgraded facilities at its Chipsy Wood Oval home in Annerley, completing a $2.1 million redevelopment that brings the Magpies’ infrastructure into line with the club’s standing as one of Australia’s most decorated rugby union clubs.

The Stage 2 redevelopment received $1 million through the Games On! Grassroots Infrastructure Program, with a further $370,000 contributed toward the upgrades. Combined with Queensland infrastructure funding that supported Stage 1, total contributions from these programmes reached $1.65 million across both stages of the project.

For a club that has been part of Brisbane’s southern suburbs since 1948, the new facilities mark a significant moment in a long and storied history. Souths Rugby Union Club fields players from under-6 all the way through to Premier Grade, and the new infrastructure serves that entire community, from the youngest Magpies taking their first steps on the field to the senior men’s and women’s sides competing at the top level of Queensland rugby.

A Club Built on Decades of Excellence

Founded in 1948, Souths Rugby Club competes in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition and has built a strong reputation as a pathway to elite rugby. The club has produced more than 70 Queensland representatives and over 30 Australian representatives. Souths has secured ten Queensland Premier Rugby premierships, highlighted by a dominant run of five consecutive titles from 1991 to 1995. On the national stage, the Magpies claimed the Australian Club Championship in 1987, further cementing the club’s status as a powerhouse of the sport.

The club has produced five Australian captains: Nev Cottrell, David Codey, Andrew Slack, Tim Horan and Jason Little. Andrew Slack led Australia to their Grand Slam in 1984, one of the most celebrated achievements in Wallabies history, and Tim Horan and Jason Little remain two of the most recognised names in Queensland rugby.

The Junior and Senior clubs merged in 2016, and the club now fields players from under-6 to Premier Grade. Training and matches take place across two locations: Chipsy Wood Oval at 104 Frederick Street in Annerley, and Shaftesbury Street Oval at 111 Shaftesbury Street in Tarragindi. The Annerley site carries particular significance as the club’s senior home, and the new clubhouse redevelopment centres on that ground.

What the New Facilities Deliver

The completed redevelopment delivers a new clubhouse alongside purpose-built female changing rooms, addressing two of the most pressing infrastructure needs that the club had been carrying for some time. The clubhouse upgrade benefits every member of the Magpie community: junior players and their families, senior athletes, coaches, volunteers and supporters who give their time to the club across the season.

A modern, well-equipped clubhouse changes the experience of being part of a club on multiple levels. It provides a comfortable gathering space for families on game day, a functional base for the coaches and administrators who keep the club running and a welcoming first impression for new members considering joining. For junior players especially, the quality of a club’s facilities shapes the overall experience of the sport at a formative age.

Souths Rugby Chair of Building Infrastructure and Community Chris Hourigan described the new facilities as a gamechanger for the club across the board, covering the needs of junior boys and girls and senior women and men alike, as well as volunteers and supporters. He acknowledged that the full scope of the redevelopment would not have been achievable without the combined funding support the club received.

Why This Matters to the Annerley Community

For residents of Annerley and the surrounding southern suburbs, Souths Rugby Union Club is more than a sporting organisation. Chipsy Wood Oval has been a fixture of the local landscape for decades, and the club’s junior programme has introduced generations of local children to rugby union, providing them with coaching, teamwork and community in a suburb-level setting that no stadium or elite programme can replicate.

The new clubhouse strengthens that community function at every level. It gives the Magpie Army a home they can be proud of, supports the volunteers whose efforts sustain grassroots sport week after week and signals to families across the southern suburbs that Souths Rugby is invested in its future. With Brisbane building toward the 2032 Olympics and rugby union enjoying growing participation across Queensland, the timing of the Annerley upgrade positions the club well to attract the next generation of players and continue its long tradition of producing representative talent.

For more information about joining Souths Rugby Union Club or attending matches at Chipsy Wood Oval, visit southsrugby.com or call the club on (07) 3848 3215.

Published 17-March-2026.

PA Hospital’s Spinal Injuries Unit Completes Bedside Technology Rollout as Part of Major Rehabilitation Upgrade

Metro South Health

The spinal injuries unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital has completed the installation of a bespoke patient experience system across its 40-bed ward, giving patients with spinal cord injuries access to upgraded bedside technology designed specifically for varying levels of upper limb function.

The rollout was completed in January 2026 as part of the Queensland Spinal Cord Injury Service Enhancement Project, a multi-stage upgrade of Queensland’s only specialist spinal injuries rehabilitation unit. The system was developed by Rauland Australia in collaboration with technology experts, patient advocates, consumers and clinical staff at the hospital.

What the New System Provides

The Patient Experience System delivers upgraded screens, computer functionality and touchscreen capability from the bedside, along with an adaptable menu covering entertainment, connectivity with family and friends, and nurse call capacity. The system includes accessibility features tailored to patients with higher levels of spinal injury, including sip-puff navigation and touchpad controls that allow patients with limited or no hand function to operate the system independently.

QSCIS Enhancement Project clinical lead Beth Walter said the installation is a pilot for hospital settings, reflecting the complexity of meeting the technology needs of a highly specialised ward. Walter said the team spent considerable time ensuring the functionality worked correctly across all devices, and that the collaborative process between consumers, clinicians and technology providers was central to the result.

Part of a Broader Rehabilitation Upgrade

The bedside technology installation is the latest in a series of enhancements to the spinal injuries unit under the QSCIS Enhancement Project. Earlier stages of the project delivered a renovated and relaunched dining room and kitchen, which reopened in late 2025 with internal ward access and improved communal space for patients undergoing long-term rehabilitation. The physiotherapy team also received new equipment earlier in 2025, including a TyroMotion Lexo robotic gait training machine, a HUR resistance machine and a NuStep unit.

Spinal Cord Injury Service Delivery Model — *Photo Credit: Queensland Health*

The TyroMotion Lexo enables therapists to support neurological patients through simulated walking, improving strength, circulation, muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness while reducing falls risk. Together, the equipment and facility upgrades represent a sustained investment in the rehabilitation environment for patients who may spend extended periods in the unit during recovery.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital provides statewide spinal injury services and is one of Queensland’s two largest tertiary referral hospitals. It sits on Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, near the Annerley and Dutton Park borders, and is accessible via public transport on multiple bus routes and the nearby Dutton Park train station.

Further Information

Further information about the spinal injuries unit and the Queensland Spinal Cord Injury Service is available at metrosouth.health.qld.gov.au. The Princess Alexandra Hospital is located at Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba QLD 4102.

Published 3-March-2026.

This Week in Brisbane: Horror Icons and Arthouse Classics from 26 February to 4 March 2026

Cinemas across Brisbane light up this week with the terrifying return of a horror icon and a brand-new drama. Whether you’re ready to face Ghostface once again or looking to dive into international cinematic masterpieces at GOMA, there’s something fresh to enjoy on the silver screen.

Opening This Week

Scream 7

In cinemas from 26 February

Do you like scary movies? Ghostface is back to terrorize a new set of victims in the highly anticipated seventh installment of the iconic slasher franchise. Catch it at Event Cinemas (City, Carindale, Chermside, Indooroopilly, Mt Gravatt), Palace, Dendy, Five Star Cinemas, Cinebar, Angelika, Reading, Cineplex, and HOYTS.

Solo Mio

In cinemas from 26 February

A fresh new drama hits the screens this week. Catch it at Event Cinemas (City, Carindale, Chermside, Indooroopilly, Mt Gravatt), Angelika, Cinebar, Cineplex (Balmoral, Victoria Point, Redbank), Reading, HOYTS, and United Eldorado.

GOMA: Cinema Masterpieces

Special screenings at the Gallery of Modern Art

Days of Heaven (1978) – 27 Feb
Querelle (1982) – 27 Feb
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965) – 28 Feb
The Colour of Pomegranates (1969) – 28 Feb
The Lighthouse (2019) – 4 Mar

Still Showing

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert

The King’s immersive concert experience continues to rock major cinemas across Brisbane.

Fackham Hall

The hilarious British period drama spoof is still delivering laughs at Event, Palace, Dendy, and Five Star Cinemas.

Crime 101

Chris Hemsworth’s gritty heist thriller continues its run at Event, Palace, Dendy, and HOYTS.

Wuthering Heights

Margot Robbie’s modern take on the gothic romance is still showing across the city.

From edge-of-your-seat slashers to visually stunning art-house classics, Brisbane’s cinemas are packed with incredible stories this week. Grab some popcorn and enjoy a screening near you.

Weekend Arts Edit: Nell Gwynn Premiere and Candlelight Concerts on 27 February to 1 March 2026

This is a massive weekend for the arts in Brisbane. The blockbuster Art of Banksy exhibition enters its final days in the CBD, while QPAC is buzzing with everything from the lush cinematic sounds of The Music of John Williams to the lavish stage production of The Great Gatsby. For art lovers, Saturday offers a rare chance to hear directly from contemporary painters like Carlos Barrios and Helle Cook at their respective gallery talks.

The Art of Banksy “Without Limits” Chapter Two

20 February – 1 March 2026 | Uptown, Brisbane City
Get Tickets

Do not miss your last chance to experience the underground energy of the world’s most elusive street artist. This unprecedented new chapter features over 300 artworks—including more than 100 original pieces—alongside cutting-edge holograms, sculptures, and immersive installations.

The Music of John Williams

27 – 28 February 2026 | Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane
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Experience the cinematic magic of the world’s greatest film composer. The Queensland Symphony Orchestra brings the iconic, sweeping scores of Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, and Harry Potter to life in a spine-tingling live performance.

The Great Gatsby

12 February – 8 March 2026 | Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane
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Step into the roaring twenties. Queensland Theatre’s lavish production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece continues its dazzling run. Expect glitz, glamour, and tragedy as Jay Gatsby tries to win back his lost love in a world of excess.

Blanc de Blanc Encore

19 February – 19 April 2026 | The West End Electric, West End
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The champagne-soaked party is back in West End! Blanc de Blanc Encore serves up a hedonistic blend of vintage French cabaret, jaw-dropping circus acts, and cheeky comedy. It’s a high-energy, adults-only night out.

Nell Gwynn

28 February – 7 March 2026 | New Benner Theatre, Metro Arts, West End
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Travel back to 17th-century London in this vibrant, award-winning comedy. Nell Gwynn tells the story of an unlikely heroine who goes from selling oranges in the West End to becoming Britain’s most celebrated actress (and the King’s mistress).

Institute of Modern Art (IMA) Events

28 February 2026 | IMA, Fortitude Valley Immerse yourself in contemporary discussions and live art this Saturday at the IMA:

Platform 2026 Performances: Experience bold new performance art from emerging creatives pushing boundaries. More Info
Are the Arts for Everyone?: A thought-provoking panel discussion tackling accessibility, inclusion, and the role of art in modern society. More Info

The Other Side of Me

27 – 28 February 2026 | Cremorne Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane
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Catch this compelling theatrical exploration of identity, culture, and connection. It is a deeply personal and physically dynamic performance playing for two nights only in the intimate Cremorne Theatre.

Live Jazz at the Brisbane Jazz Club

27 February – 1 March 2026 | Kangaroo Point

Emma Pask Quartet (Fri 27 & Sat 28): One of Australia’s favourite jazz vocalists brings her effortless charm and swing to the riverside. Tickets
Andy Cowan Band (Sun 1 Mar): Wind down your weekend with some premier blues and roots piano. Tickets

Candlelight Concerts

27 – 28 February 2026 | Grand on Ann, Brisbane City

Experience the magic of live music illuminated by thousands of candles in a stunning heritage venue:

Tribute to Taylor Swift: Classical renditions of the pop icon’s biggest eras. Tickets
Tribute to Queen & The Beatles: A string quartet takes on the greatest hits of British rock royalty. Tickets

Gallery Exhibitions & Artist Talks

Various Locations

Carlos Barrios | ‘Heart Songs’ (Artist Talk: Sat 28 Feb, 2pm): Mitchell Fine Art, Fortitude Valley. Hear Barrios discuss his life-affirming, expressive paintings informed by his upbringing in El Salvador. More Info
Helle Cook | Nature of Light (Artist Talk: Sat 28 Feb): Jan Manton Gallery, Teneriffe. Engage with the artist on her luminous, atmospheric works before the exhibition closes this weekend. More Info
Fiona Omeenyo | Night & Day: FireWorks Gallery, Bowen Hills. Explore striking contemporary Indigenous works from the celebrated Lockhart River artist. More Info

Hush

1 March 2026 | Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane
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The Southern Cross Soloists present Hush, a sublime Sunday afternoon concert featuring exquisite chamber music designed to soothe the soul and showcase breathtaking virtuosity.

British Film Festival Premiere: Midwinter Break

1 March 2026 | Palace Barracks & Palace James St Cinema
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Get a sneak peek at the Russell Hobbs British Film Festival with this special preview screening of Midwinter Break, a touching and beautifully acted drama about a couple reflecting on their long marriage during a trip to Amsterdam.

This weekend is a pivotal one for Brisbane’s arts scene. With the blockbuster Art of Banksy exhibition finally closing its doors, this is your absolute last opportunity to experience its immersive installations. Meanwhile, theatregoers are spoiled for choice with the opening of the lively comedy Nell Gwynn in West End and the ongoing spectacle of The Great Gatsby at QPAC. Whether you are losing yourself in the sweeping cinematic scores of John Williams or exploring contemporary conversations at the IMA, there is a profound depth of culture to experience before autumn officially arrives.

Cultural Fun: Holi Festival and Lunar New Year Rooftop Party on February 27 to March 1, 2026

This weekend offers some truly spectacular, once-a-year experiences for families. From getting gloriously messy at the Brisbane Festival of Colour (Holi) in Mount Gravatt to exploring the dinosaur skeletons after dark at A Night at the Museum, there is plenty of magic to be found. It is also your absolute last chance to play the artist-designed mini-golf course at the Powerhouse.

Brisbane Festival of Colour – Holi

28 February 2026 | Mount Gravatt Showgrounds, Mount Gravatt
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Get ready for a vibrant, messy, and joyous Saturday. Celebrate the traditional Indian festival of Holi with music, dancing, and the iconic throwing of coloured powders. It is a wonderfully inclusive, high-energy event that kids absolutely love (just make sure everyone wears an old white t-shirt!).

A Night at the Museum

27 February 2026 | Queensland Museum Kurilpa, South Brisbane
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Have you ever wondered what happens in the museum after the doors close? Grab your torch and find out! This special Friday night event offers exclusive after-hours access to exhibits, hands-on activities, and a rare chance to explore the galleries in a thrilling, low-light atmosphere.

Lunar New Year Rooftop Party

28 February 2026 | Sunnybank Plaza – Cinema Rooftop, Sunnybank
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Sunnybank wraps up its Lunar New Year celebrations with a massive rooftop party. Expect a bustling evening filled with incredible Asian street food, traditional lion dances, cultural performances, and a festive atmosphere perfect for the whole family to enjoy together.

Swingers – The Art of Mini Golf

10 January – 1 March 2026 | Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
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Time is up! This is your final weekend to putt your way through this unique, artist-designed mini-golf course set up around the Powerhouse. It is a fantastic, interactive art experience that doubles as a fun, competitive game for the family.

Outdoor Cinema in the Suburbs: The Smurfs

28 February 2026 | Regent Park, Cannon Hill
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Pack a picnic rug and some snacks for a free movie under the stars. Regent Park is hosting a family-friendly screening of The Smurfs. Arrive early to grab a good spot on the grass and enjoy the community atmosphere before the film begins at sundown.

UQ Alumni Book Fair 2026

27 February – 1 March 2026 | UQ Centre – St Lucia Campus, St Lucia
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Build your home library on a budget! The famous UQ Book Fair is a treasure trove for families. Spend a few hours hunting through thousands of high-quality, pre-loved children’s books, educational materials, and young adult fiction at bargain prices.

Library STEAM & Museum Science Sessions

27 February – 1 March 2026 | Various Locations

Ignite your child’s curiosity with these free educational sessions:

Little Sparks (Fri 27 Feb): The final day of the Museum’s play-based STEM program for 3-5 year olds. Info
Family STEAM Morning (Sat 28 Feb): Science, tech, and art activities for families at Carina Library. Info
STEAM Sundays (Sun 1 Mar): Weekend science fun at Indooroopilly Library. Info

First 5 Forever & Storytime in the Park

27 February 2026 | Various Locations

Friday morning is all about early literacy and outdoor fun for the littlest Brisbanites.

Babies, Books and Rhymes: Held at Corinda, Wynnum, Annerley, Mt Gravatt, Kenmore, Stones Corner, Bracken Ridge, Sandgate, Carina, and Mitchelton libraries. Info
Storytime in the Park: Enjoy fresh air and a good book at Dorrington Park, Ashgrove. Info

Vipoo Srivilasa: Express Yourself

Until 13 September 2026 | Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), South Brisbane
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If you need an indoor, air-conditioned activity, the Children’s Art Centre at GOMA continues to host this delightful, interactive exhibition where kids can engage in creative, hands-on art-making centered around themes of joy and kindness.

This weekend is a brilliant mix of education and pure celebration. A Night at the Museum is an unforgettable way to kick off Friday evening, while Saturday is dominated by massive cultural parties with Holi on the southside and the Lunar New Year closing party in Sunnybank.