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Residents Oppose Childcare Centre Development in ‘Dangerous’ Bardon Intersection

A Bardon childcare centre development proposal has received hundreds of resistance from residents because of its dangerous intersection location on Chiswick Road.

Public submissions continue to pour on the development application (A005563407) lodged with Brisbane City Council in October.

The developer, Corella Property Investment Trust, wants to build a childcare centre with a left-in, left-out Chiswick Road access and a 22-vehicle parking space. A traffic assessment indicated that the planned driveway will not bring any significant impact to a pedestrian refuge island near the crossover.

However, residents are voicing out serious concerns about safety. Chiswick Road is opposite the hilly Cecil Road, which peaks in traffic during school runs and pick-ups since there are three primary schools in the area.

Multiple chicanes have been installed on Cecil Road to encourage cars to slow down but locals said that driving through this particular street might be comparable to the challenging Bathurst racing car course.

“This part of Bardon is already burdened by 2 schools that jam traffic up in the morning and the evening—and now you want to add a third hazard?” one resident said.

“The T-intersection adjacent to the site is extremely busy now especially during peak hours which is not good considering small children will be thrown into the mix. Secondly. the area is already well serviced by child care centres, there are at least ten. Thirdly, the community demographic is not one of the families with very young children, most are primary or secondary school age, so why the need?” another local shared in the public submission.

Michael Berk, Greens MP for Maiwar, posted on Facebook that he also submitted his reasons for opposing the Bardon childcare centre development after residents informed him of their concerns. Mr Berk said he’ll make a formal submission to the Council as well.

“We would like to see significant safety upgrades, especially to make sure parents can safely walk with their kids for drop-off and pick-up,” Mr Berkman said.

6 Impressive Street Art Displays Making West Brisbane More Colourful

The best things about street art are that it’s unrestricted, creative and diverse. Lucky for those living in Brisbane, an abundance of these interesting public art displays are everywhere, including West Brisbane.

In Bardon, Melanie Mons Wolff’s flowery canvas, titled Samsara (main photo, can be spotted at the intersection of Jubilee Terrace and Coopers Camp Road.

Commissioned in 2017, this creation was inspired by the various flora and fauna found in Bardon that grows and declines by the season. The mural reflects the constantly changing life and beauty of the locale.

If you’re planning on exploring and rediscovering great sights around the western suburbs, be sure to look out for these street art displays at these locations:

ARTIST	LOCATION	ARTWORK
Melanie Mons Wolff	Jubilee Terrace, Bardon	Samsara
Adam Busby	Walker Street, Taringa	Portrait of a Dynamic Future
Deb Mostert	Bolton Clarke Fairview Retirement Village Moggill Road, Pinjarra Hills	Free Form Birds
Xana Denruyter	Moggill Road, Bellbowrie	Living organism
Thomas Jackson	Milton Road, Milton	Follow the Leader
Matt Stewart	Coronation Drive pillars, Milton	Evolution

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Portrait of a Dynamic Future by Adam Busby
The two faces, placed on opposite bridge pillars, portray the diversity in culture and gender with each looking in an equal and understanding gaze. The mural, inspiring and uplifting, encourages discussion around what the future can look like.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Freeform Birds by Deb Mostert
A quirky and whimsical combination of animal and domestic object – the optimism of the baby Tawny Frogmouth perched atop the familiar humble teapot.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Follow the Leader by Thomas Jackson
This piece brings elements of nature to remind people of the site’s history as a thriving bushland.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Evolution by Matt Stewart
Inspired by Cirque Du Soleil, the viaduct and adjacent Bicentennial Bikeway river walk area, is transformed with the vibrant, dynamic, colourful murals to four pillars of the Coronation Drive overpass.

Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council
Living Organism by Xana Denruyter
This represents a cohesive and healthy flora eco system. Celebrating the Bellbowrie area the mural encourages discovery of the depicted colours, shapes and creatures in the world around them.

Brisbane Canvas supports these Street Art displays to boost the local art industry and if you want to become a part of this initiative, join the Creative Register.

Lutèce in Bardon Reopens As La Belle Vie Bistro & Bar

French bistro & wine bar Lutèce in Bardon has a new name and new owners who hope to continue the same high standards as its former owner, renowned Brisbane Chef Romain Bapst. La Belle Vie Bistro & Bar started trading on 18 Aug 2020, offering traditional French fare with some modern twists.

“We love the old name ‘Lutèce’ too, which was a part of Romain’s legacy, but we are hoping that we can continue giving our customers the same quality experience at La Belle Vie,” the new owners told Lutèce regulars. “We look forward to having you here soon.”

La Belle Vie translates to “The Beautiful Life,” which is what the new owners, Simon Lambert and Behrooz Farahnakian, and the head chef, Samuel Perrin, want diners to experience when they visit the restaurant. Their menu is a smorgasbord of delicious classics, elevated to match the growing batch of drinks list.

With his background in the European hospitality scene and his Michelin 4-star credentials, Mr Lamber has come up with a small set of organic wines from Australia and France. Choices of craft beers from Queensland, Tasmania, Italy and Belgium are also available, along with traditional cocktails and spirits.

The restaurant retains Lutèce signature’s dish, the sand crab lasagna, as a tribute to Chef Romain. But diners will also love main dishes (Plat Principaux) like Agneau (slow-cooked lamb shank, red wine jus, smoking thyme, roast Mediterranean vegetable) and Margaret De Canard (Honey and spice duck breast, fondant potato, confit cabbage).

Photo Credit: La Belle Vie Bistro & Bar/Facebook

Most choices have gluten-free options and the restaurant has a kids’ menu as well.

A lot of Lutèce’s structural elements in the dining room were kept intact when La Belle Vie took over, so it doesn’t feel disorienting for the regulars. Newcomers, however, will relish in the chic vibe of the formal dining room with its crisp white table linens and glass walls, which highlights the lush beauty of the greenery outside.

Chef Romain may have retired but he’s likely pleased to see that he left his bistro and bar among competent restorers.

For table bookings, phone (07) 3161 1858, or email hello@labellevie.com.au, or do it online via Bookit.

New Coles Local Proposed In Bardon’s Busiest Road

A Coles Local and Vintage Cellars bottle shop may soon open across a retail complex in MacGregor Tce, if a development application lodged with the Brisbane City Council successfully passes approval. While it may mean business and jobs coming to the ward, traffic concerns over the location could hamper its success.

Those opposed to the development said that the location of the mini-store is a busy area and a Coles Local will likely intensify the congested traffic in a known bottleneck. MacGregor Tce has two narrow lanes that easily fill up with cars coming from the retail stores.

The proposal also includes 105 parking spaces. This means more carpark access for shoppers but more traffic on the road, which could also lead to road accidents.

“The location of a shopping precinct in this area will negatively impact the flow of traffic in an already busy and difficult to exit area,” one opposition to the development application stated.

“The amount of car parking provided will encourage car trips levels that will have a significant impact on surrounding land, including amenity and pedestrian connectivity, ” another resident said.

Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council

But Pradella, the developer, sought a traffic assessment of the site from an independent consultant, which stated that a Coles Local may generate less traffic even during peak periods.

“The proposed development is anticipated to generate in the order of 250 vph (vehicles per hour) during the weekday PM peak period and 286 vph in the Saturday peak period,” Cardno stated in its assessment. “This indicates the proposed development generates 78 less vehicles in the weekday PM peak and 148 less vehicles in the Saturday.”

Councillor James Mackay said that Council should carefully weigh the proposal’s traffic implications in as much as he welcomes the development. MP Michael Berkman, on the other hand, also asked the Council to study the proposal and consult with the community as it will affect commuters and the neigbourhood.

The MP’s call comes as Cr Peter Matic said that the proposed development fits with the zoning requirements, which means it’s code-accessible and won’t require appeals from residents. He said that State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) should also look into the traffic implications since Macgregor Tce is a State Government controlled road.

If approved, the development will knock down three mixed-use commercial and retail buildings. Coles said it’s not the developer or the owner of the site but it advocates for safety and will ensure that this is a key consideration in the planned site.

Brisbane Investor Readily Pays Nearly $9M for Bardon Central

The sale of Bardon Central has just been settled, for $8.85 million, and ownership is now in the hands of a private investor.

An Expressions of Interest campaign was run by Jon Tyson and Michael Harcourt of Savills which generated more than 130 enquiries and fielded multiple offers from both local and interstate buyers.

The deal to acquire the retail and commercial complex along MacGregor Tce was actually struck in March, with pricing that reflected pre-coronavirus levels. The listing specifies the net income of Bardon Central to be at $616,290 per annum.

As an established, modern convenience retail and professional centre, Bardon Central is known locally for its mix of tenants that residents of the affluent suburb find convenient and accessible. The centre is situated on a 2,208-sqm lot, with a basement parking facility that can accommodate up to 56 cars.

Anchored by a Friendly Grocer Convenience Supermarket, the centre also has multiple retail tenancies and professional tenants such as a bakery, a hairdresser, pizza takeaway shop, a day spa, Lutece Bistro & Wine Bar, a financial planner and a physiotherapist.

Read: Busy Bardon Road to Get Better

“MacGregor Tce is also a very busy road … a lot of people use that road and so the property is exposed to a high level of passing traffic and potential trade,” Mr Tyson said.

About Bardon

Bardon is an affluent, well-established, and tightly held suburb in Brisbae’s inner West. It is located within 4 kilometres of Brisbane’s CBD. The median income in Bardon is 80% higher than the Queensland average.

The suburb is situated in a highly desirable area of inner-western Brisbane. Much of Bardon is accessible to MacGregor Terrace, where Bardon Central is located. MacGregor Tce is the main road which links Bardon to its adjacent suburbs like Toowong, Auchenflower, Paddington, Ashgrove and The Gap.

Busy Bardon Road to Get Better

Commuters traveling on one of Bardon’s busy roads will soon notice that their trips have taken a turn for the better.

Local state MP Michael Berkman (Greens) is pushing for the improvement of several dangerous sections of MetRoad 5 and the roundabout at the Rainworth, Boundary, and Rouen Roads intersection.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads, under Minister Mark Bailey, and Mr Berkman have been working together to identify and address safety hotspots.

Signages and Handrails

The Bardon roundabout is a notoriously dangerous spot for pedestrians. It is a hub for community traffic from the nearby Bardon shed, a childcare centre, shopping strip, Rainworth State School, and Norman Buchan Park.

“I have recently secured some simple safety improvements at the roundabout including high-vis signage and handrails, much better warning signs for motorists and some vegetation trimming to improve visibility,’’ Mr Berkman said in a statement for the press.

Meanwhile, portions of MetRoad 5 running through Bardon are included in the safety campaign, from Kedron to Toowong, including MacGregor Tce, Boundary Rd, Rouen Rd, and Frederick Street.

Speed Limit Downgrade & Traffic Light Upgrades

The major changes being recommended along MetRoad 5 include a reduction of the speed limit along the stretch between the MacGregor Tce shops and the roundabout on Rouen Rd and an upgrade of the visibility of traffic lights at the MacGregor Tce and Simpsons Rd intersection.

Residents have long complained about speeding drivers disregarding traffic lights at the intersection around that shopping strip.

It is unlikely, however, that any speed limit change could materialise soon. Such changes need to have the support and participation of stakeholders from the QLD Police Service and BCC, along with a plethora of technical research and recommendations from traffic engineers and inspectors.

Barrier-Protected Pedestrian Crossing

Pedestrians will also have a barrier-protected refuge to make crossing the area of MacGregor Tce located south of the roundabout at Latrobe Tce, safer and easier. This would be particularly helpful for people pushing prams, older people and those with limited mobility, and those in wheelchairs.

Bardon Residents Rank Among Brisbane’s Heaviest Drinkers

Did you know that Bardon ranks among Brisbane’s heaviest drinkers? The latest data reveal that 21.9 percent of Bardon residents consume more than 14 standard drinks per week, which is above the suggested threshold according to the proposed new Alcohol Guidelines.

The latest national Social Health Atlas data shows that 21.9 percent of Bardon residents consume more than two standard drinks per day or an equivalent of 14 standard drinks per week. On top of the list are Brisbane Port – Lytton and Wynnum with 23 percent each.

According to the Australian Department of Health, excessive alcohol drinking could put one at risk of illnesses including heart disease, liver disease, cancer, diabetes and damage to the brain.

The National Health and Medical Research Council is currently in the process of revising its Alcohol Guidelines to reduce the risk of alcohol-related disease, injury and other harms to health, as well as reduce the risk of harm to a pregnant woman’s unborn child.

The proposed guidelines include suggested drinking of no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day, which according to evidence and mathematical modelling keeps the lifetime risk of dying from alcohol-related disease or injury remains below a level of 1 in 100.

The top Brisbane suburbs where residents drink more than two standard drinks per day include Brisbane Port – Lytton/ Wynnum ( 23%), Victoria Point (22.6%), New Farm (22.3%), Wellington Point (22.2%), Ashgrove/ Bardon (21.9%), Cleveland/ Ormiston ( 21.8%), Paddington – Milton/ Red Hill (Qld) (21.6%), Albany Creek/ Eatons Hill (20.9%), Belmont – Gumdale/ Birkdale/ Thorneside (20.9%), Redland Islands (20.3%).

“We’re not telling Australians how much to drink. We’re providing advice about the health risks from drinking alcohol so that we can all make informed decisions in our daily lives. This advice has been developed over the past three years using the best health evidence available,” Professor Anne Kelso, CEO of the National Health and Medical Research Council said.

Public consultation on the draft guidelines concluded last February 2020 and will undergo expert review before it is finalised by the third quarter of 2020.

5 Beautiful Parks In Bardon To Enjoy Social Distancing

Big, wide-open spaces like public parks are great for social distancing. In these trying times, when public health is a critical global issue, experts said that it’s better to be outdoors, in Bardon parks, than indoors only if you’re planning to enjoy some time for recreation.

Bardon is fortunate to have heaps of public parks where you can relax, embrace the scenery in peace and lower your stress levels. Here are five beautiful parks in this suburb to visit and enjoy some social distancing.

1. Norman Buchan Park

Location: 53 Rainworth Road

This is a dog-friendly park with plenty of shade trees, a large grassy area and a cemented path for disability access. There is a set of play equipment for children (be sure to sanitise with alcohol!) and ample amenities like clean toilets, undercover seating, water stations and parking.

2. Rainworth Park

Location: 67 Main Ave

This is a smaller park with an abundance of shaded areas. It’s perhaps the best place to do your daily exercises or read a book in a cool setting, while social distancing, as this park isn’t designed for big get-togethers. There is, however, a small jungle gym for kids.

3. Colorado Avenue Park

Location: 81 Fifth Avenue

This is another tiny park with a single walking track next to a creek. If you’d like to enjoy a morning walk or a late afternoon romp without fear of getting lost in the bushland, check this site out. There are no other facilities in this park.

4. Sunset Park

Location: 105 Barnett Road

An off-leash dog area (for small dogs only), this park also has a BMX facility for teens and kids. It’s close to Bardon Esplanade Park by the road reserve, where there are plenty of trees but no facilities. Thus, you can walk and exercise to your heart’s delight around these sites.

5. Purtell Park

57 Carwoola Street

Sports activities dominate this park but it’s big and spacious so you can enjoy the scenery in peace, especially during the early evenings. Occasionally, you may spot some kookaburras here. Dogs are welcome, too.

Meanwhile, for information on COVID-19 Health Alerts, visit Queensland Health’s official site and Brisbane City Council’s Coronavirus: Council Updates and Impacts page.

Begonias-A-Plenty 2020 Brings the Largest Unique Showcase In Queensland

The largest begonia display in Queensland is back for another year at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens. Begonias-A-Plenty 2020 is a great opportunity for gardeners, horticulturists and green fingers to find a wide variety of begonias, including new hybrids, rare and endangered species.

Hosted by the Queensland Begonia Society, Begonias-A-Plenty will be underway on Saturday, the 29th of February 2020 at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens Auditorium. The plant showcase will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

This will be the best time to buy begonia varieties that are not available at most nurseries. Did you know that begonias do not grow naturally in Australia? Well, on display at this event are hundreds of begonia varieties created by Queensland and Australian growers.

Photo Credit: Queensland Begonia Society

Aside from admiring the quality and variety of the begonias on display, guests may meet and talk to members of the Queensland Begonia Society for tips and advice on caring and growing begonias.

By 10:00 a.m., a full-hour plant workshop will be underway, which will be followed by a “Name This Begonia” competition and a raffle draw. Guests may also peruse books for sale, as authored by local begonia experts.

Begonias-A-Plenty is guaranteed to be an enjoyable and enriching full day for plant lovers.

For further details about this event, phone (07) 5502 2579 or email shevi71b@gmail.com (Shevanti Seneviratne).

Two Bardon Women Are 2020 Order of Australia Honourees

At the recently held 2020 Australia Day Awards, almost half, the highest percentage so far, of the recipients were women, including two distinguished women from Bardon.

A total of 1,099 awards were announced on 26 January 2020 by the Governor-General and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd).

There were 837 recipients of awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia, 26 recipients in the Military Division of the Order of Australia, and 236 recipients of meritorious awards.

Almost 45 percent or 375 were awarded for outstanding service or achievement in the community. The oldest recipient is 97 years old whilst the youngest is 19.

Read: State Government Installs Solar Panels at Bardon State School, More Qld Schools on the Way

A record 41.6 percent of the award recipients in the General Division of the Order of Australia were women — the highest ever. Included were Bardon’s very own Ms Sarah Bradley – for distinguished service to the law, and to the judiciary, to women in the legal profession, and to the community; and Ms Marita Louise Cowie – for significant service to community health in rural and remote areas.

Congratulations to Order of Australian Honours recipients! Let’s celebrate the achievements of these wondereful people who inspire us every day #ItsAnHonour #DiversityInHonours #AustraliaDay https://t.co/OsZlCSFS9D pic.twitter.com/JHtOOFDMj2
— PM&C (@pmc_gov_au) January 25, 2020

Judge Sarah Bradley was honoured Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia. She has served as a judge of the District Court of Queensland (Cairns, 1999-2009, Ipswich 2010-2016). She was also a Member (2000-2009) then Chair (2009-2012) of the District Court Judges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee.

Her awards and recognition include Woman in Excellence Award, Women Lawyers Association of Queensland, 2016; and Honorary Life Member, Queensland Law Society

Ms Marita Louise Cowie was appointed Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia. She served at the Asthma Foundation of Queensland as Director (2013-2015) and Chairman (2014-2015).

She has been the Chief Executive Officer and Company Secretary of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, since 1998; Director and Deputy Chair of Asthma Foundation Queensland and New South Wales, since 2015; and Director and Deputy Chairman of Asthma Australia since 2014.

Her awards and recognition include Honorary Doctor of Medicine, James Cook University, 2018; Honorary Member, Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, 2009; Distinguished Service Medal, Rural Doctors Association of Australia, 2007; and Honorary Member, Rural Doctors Association Queensland.

See for the full list of Australia Day 2020 Honours List.

Read: Rainworth State School Now on the Queensland Heritage List

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