Boggo Road Gaol Urban Village: Residents Want Child-Friendly Green Space on Proposed Development

A development application for a proposed urban village/shopping center near the historic Boggo Road Gaol is drawing much dissent from Dutton Park residents. The planned $300 million urban village will apparently take up the green space currently used by pedestrians, families and cyclists.

Filed in 2019, the Boggo Road Gaol urban village will have 500 housing units and a shopping centre with a carpark (DA A005260979). The Department of Housing and Public Works and Leighton Holdings partnered for this project, which has the endorsement of the National Trust.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council

However, residents said that they want the green space especially once the planned Cross River Rail station is completed. With an expected 22,000 commuters a day, the locals said that the area between the Gaol and the Ecosciences building will be more rare and valuable to the community.



Brad Schultz, a resident of Wollonggaba, proposed a different plan to enhance the green space without turning the site into an urban village. 

“[Here are]some information on the issue and an amazing concept for what the precinct COULD be like if we all advocate for it,” he shared on Facebook.

Photo Credit: Brad Schultz/Facebook

The locals urged its South Brisbane officials to keep Boggo Road Gaol car-free and push the Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni to “call-in” the development application. 

“The area is currently ideal for travelling by foot and bicycle, connecting bikeways, homes and workplaces. Cutting through that active transport path with a new road open to cars and promoting parking motor vehicle goes against everything we know concerning sustainability,” an unnamed resident said in the public notice.



“The developer wants to convert the existing safe pedestrian way into a shopping centre car park. This space will be used by thousands of students commuting by train, bus, foot, bike and scooter to the new State Secondary College, Dutton Park Primary School and UQ. The car park will put our children’s safety at risk. It also reduces community green space and ignores the cultural sensitivities of Goal site. These outcomes are unacceptable,” nearby Woollongabba resident Jeremy Kirby said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing and Public Works, however, said that the development approval will still hinge on some stipulated requirements, including pedestrian access and bikes or footpaths over private cars. 

Important Safety and Access Issues Raised About New High School in Dutton Park

Concerns have been raised on safety and access issues surrounding plans for a new, signalised intersection on Gladstone Rd and TJ Doyle Memorial Drive next to the new Dutton Park State High School.

“It’s great that we’re finally getting some lights here, but the design leaves a lot to be desired.” Cr Jonathan Sri posted on Facebook recently.

“Normally, intersections on council-controlled roads like this one would go through a proper public consultation process and I would have a fair bit of input as the local councillor,” Cr Sri added.

He explains, however, that the planned changes for the intersection are being delivered as part of a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) for the new high school. The MID means that Council will have no direct control or influence over the design at all.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Concerns raised over the design include the lack of a direct pedestrian crossing over Gladstone Rd on the northwest side of the intersection. To a local resident walking from Lochaber St, this means crossing four different sets of lights before reaching the Dutton Park picnic area or to the “Harmony Gardens” playground. Both areas are popular community hubs that should be easily accessible to residents.

Cycling groups and concerned parents are also lobbying for barrier-separated bike lanes in the area, particularly since Gladstone Rd is a major cycling corridor. In recent months, Council and various schools have encouraged school students to cycle to and from school. For the new high school, barrier-separated lanes in lieu of painted bike lanes are perceived to be safer.

Photo Credit : Facebook/Cr Jonathan Sri post

Also, under the new design, cyclists heading north on Gladstone Rd will encounter an indented bus stop, which will have buses pulling back and forth across the path of cyclists. Locals are suggesting the installation of floating bus stops instead, similar to those installed by Council along Annerley Rd near Gloucester St.

The planned installation of slip lanes from Gladstone Rd into TJ Doyle Memorial Drive, and for southbound traffic turning from Gladstone Rd into the new street next to the school.

Construction of both slip lanes will mean cars turning into the path of cyclists and pedestrians which include school students. Environmental impacts have also been raised as this will also involve cutting down trees along the edge of Dutton Park.

“I’m very disappointed that the State Government is proceeding with such a poorly designed intersection adjacent to a new high school. We should be supporting active transport to and from the school, with safe, separated bike lanes and a road layout that minimises the number of roads (that) pedestrians have to cross. Instead, the government has done the opposite, and designed an intersection that’s all about cars,” Cr Sri said.

Share Your Ideas and Name the New Inner City South SSC in Dutton Park

Inner City South State Secondary College or Inner City South SSC is changing its name. In line with the relocation, expansion and construction of a new state-of-the-art building in Dutton Park, The Department of Education is calling on the community for ideas of a new and official school name.

Name suggestions can be made online through a survey, which will be open until Sunday, the 17th of Nov 2019. 

The Department of Education will consider name suggestions that encompass the promotion of location or identify local flora and fauna, Indigenous names, cultural or heritage significance. The name may also have the word “State” in the title.

Photo Credit: Queensland Government


The construction of Inner City South SSC along Annerley Road started in July 2019. Two large buildings have been demolished to make way for the new structures, whilst 14 other buildings were removed and temporarily relocated in storage facilities to be reused and refurbished for the new facilities.

Once completed, the site will have the following amenities: 

  • learning oasis
  • learning hub
  • creative hub
  • active park
  • outdoor court
  • multi-purpose hall
  • health and wellbeing hub
  • production garden
  • pocket park
Photo Credit: Grace Grace MP/Facebook

Inner City South SSC is the first state high school to be built in the area in the last 60 years. Kirsten Ferdinands, formerly of the Murrumba Downs College, will serve as its principal. 

Ms Ferdinands recently had a meet and greet with parents and students interested in enrolling for Year 7 at the new school once it opens in 2021. 

For more details about the new state high school’s construction progress, visit the official Queensland Government site. 



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. 

Photo Credit: Queensland Government

“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.  

Photo Credit: Queensland Government

New Cafe In Dutton Park Resurrects An Abandoned Building

Occupying a formerly abandoned building on Annerley Road, Penny Coffee Co is a welcome addition to Dutton Park.

What once was a dilapidated building has been transformed into a modern and contemporary cafe. The cafe, which recently opened in March 2018, is owned by Geoff Grundy who has a great deal of experience in the Melbourne coffee scene. He finally decided to open his own when he came across the perfect location, an abandoned building that housed a photo-developing studio.

Through Penny Coffee Co, Mr Grundy wants to deliver the best of food and coffee in Brissy. The cafe offers an all-day breakfast menu, which focuses on Australia’s local flora and modern eats.

Their french toast is also a hit with the guests. It uses a cinnamon brioche served with poached stone fruit, toasted almonds, chocolate soil topped with malted honeycomb ice cream.

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It's french toast kind of weather.

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They serve coffee on pour by Parallel Roasters, whilst tea lovers can enjoy delicious tea from Storm in a Tea Cup.

You can take your pooches with you to the cafe. Aside from the seats inside, there are also available seating outside for you to enjoy the fresh air.

Don’t forget to take a photo by the mural, created by local artist Shani Finch. It’s worthy of a ‘gram post!

Address: 109 Annerley Rd.