Every year, Bardon State School holds an annual fair called The Bardon Mayfair. Now in its 37th year, this much-anticipated event will be on the 28th May. Plenty of stalls with great food and awesome entertainment will be around, along with exciting auctions that will transform the school into a action-packed wonderland.
Photo credit: Bardon Mayfair / Facebook
The Bardon Mayfair is held to raise money for the school. Funds go directly toward the improvement of the school’s facilities. For the auction, the school reaches out to business and organisations in the community to donate an item or vouchers for services. The school also offers sponsorship for the rides, equipment or services used for the fair. They also accept cash.
In return, the sponsors and donations are featured on the Mayfair’s website, blog, and Facebook pages in the months leading up to event, and up to the entire year. They are also featured in the school’s eNewsletters and in the Mayfair flyers that are delivered to over 5,000 people.
Photo credit: Bardon Mayfair / Facebook
Have fun on the amazing rides. Treat yourself to delicious homemade treats. Get creative at the arts and crafts stalls, which cater to both adults and children. Don’t miss out on the auctions because items like luxury hotel accommodation, and even children’s tuition, are up for grabs.
A terrier was found dead by his owners at their house in Northam Avenue on 21 April in Bardon. The dog, it seems, was brutally strangled using a towel from the owners’ clothes line. The dog was found dead, with a towel tied around his neck, and then bound to a plant at the rear of the dwelling.
The 17-year-old dog Scruffy, a West Highland terrier who has been a beloved member of Cath and Liam Proberts’ family since their daughter was six, was believed to be attacked some time between 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Friday. The Proberts were at a wedding when they got the phone call from their son saying that Scruffy was attacked.
Mr Proberts recalled how distraught his son was when he rang. Mr Proberts described their initial reaction as disbelief, which later grew to anger at the “unfathomable” crime. The family couldn’t help but wonder how and who could do such a horrible thing to a helpless dog. Blood was also found at the scene and the Proberts are hoping that the blood could be from the attacker.
Detectives have announced an animal cruelty investigation on Monday, seeking assistance from anyone who may have seen what happened in the Bardon residence. Police are now looking for the person responsible for the dog’s cruel death. Any related information may be reported to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or to Policelink on 13 14 44.
Yarran Jenkins, owner of 24-hour book shed Logical Unsanity, sells books in Bardon the way his family used to sell fruit at his childhood home in Mt. Tamborine. People come in and select what they want, and then just pay whatever they can.
Customers who pass by this book shed along Morgan Terrace will see an eclectic collection of books in a shop that lets them browse freely, and then just put their payment in the store’s cashbox before they leave.
Photo credit: The Weekend Notes
The shop runs on an honesty system that, while risky, seems to be turning out well for them. Mr Jenkins said that he’s been running the system for a year already and he sees money in the box everyday. However, he does know that there are some people who just take the books and don’t pay. Still, he has faith that there are more people who actually pay for the books than those who take advantage and just leave with a book in hand without putting cash in the till.
“They come in at night, browse through the books and nobody disturbs them, nobody asks if they need a hand. They can just get whatever they want, put a few dollars in the box and be on their way without having to talk to anyone,” Mr Jenkins said. No frills. No fuss. No questions asked.
Photo credit: The Weekend Notes
Mr Jenkins has been collecting books for nine years now and he said that he really doesn’t put expensive books in the book shed. He said that he can only recall one incident when someone pried open the cash box with the intention of stealing the day’s earnings. Fortunately, there was no cash inside the box at the time. After that incident, he decided to move the cash box to a different location, making it a bit harder to access and open. Since then, there have been no untoward incidents.
Yarra Jenkins (owner) with Neil Gaiman Photo credit: Logical Unsanity / Facebook
Mr Jenkins also sells books in music festivals up and down the East Coast. His unique selling method is a tribute to the “honesty system” that he experienced as a child. “We had avocados at the end of the gate that we used to sell like that. I knew how that worked – driving in the country, you see it all the time – and with the books it was just a natural progression,” he said.
Indeed, faith in the system and a belief that people are inherently good are the secrets to Logical Unsanity’s success.
Sundays at the Bardon Community Market bustles with organic food, fresh produce, and bread and pastries. Aside from food, the market also caters to artists, hobbyists, and photographers. Choose from many handmade, unique or quaint finds, such as a line of beautiful coffee mugs for your home. Your children will marvel at the massive selection of toys on sale.
Reserve your Sundays and make sure you’re up before the sun rises. As early as 6:00 a.m., stall owners have already set up their areas, ready to welcome the early-bird shoppers with their fresh produce and other wares. The market closes at 12 p.m.
Start your Sunday morning with a strong cup of joe. Wiley Fox Coffee currently offers two blends of coffee to give you that much-needed caffeine boost.
Photo credit: Wiley Fox Coffee / Facebook
If you are looking for something fresh and nutritious, check out these delicious looking fruits offered by some of the market’s regulars.
Photo credit: Bardon Community Market / Facebook
If you have a green thumb, check out George’s collection of indoor plants and succulents.
Photo credit: Bardon Community Market / Facebook
The Bardon Community Market is also a great place to enjoy a beautiful Sunday morning with your loved ones. Go on, grab a sausage roll, enjoy a cup of coffee, people watch or just simply immerse yourself in what it has to offer. Enjoy the weekly performances that entertain the crowd whilst selling and shopping.
Photo credit: Bardon Community Market / Facebook
This growing market still has room for more stalls. If you’re thinking of setting up your stall every Sunday at the market, whether you plan to sell some of your old stuff, or market your business products, you are welcome to join the growing community of stall owners in the market.
If Sunday is market day in your household, then the Bardon Community Market is exactly where you should be every Sunday morning.
Creativity is one of the strongest traits of the Jubilee Parish in West Brisbane. Recognising the challenge that young families, in particular, go through with first-time home ownership, a West Brisbane Catholic came up with a brilliant solution to help them acquire their own house. In 2008, they launched the Head Start Program. By 2017, the parish has already helped three families and aspires to help more in the coming years.
A Fateful Donation
The Head Start Program is all about giving people a head start in home ownership. It all started with Mrs Quinn, a Bardon parishioner who endowed her house to the parish in 2008. The eponymously named Quinn house has since become a haven for families seeking living assistance, as they struggle to find a place to stay, while saving up to find a home within their means.
How Does it Work?
The Head Start Program allows a family to move into Quinn house for a certain period of time, paying rent within their means. There may be an optional rent increase, depending on the family’s budget. Once the rent is up, the family gets back everything they paid for, which they can use as a deposit to buy their own house.
The Catch
While in the program, the family must nurture and preserve a relationship with the parish community. The parish covers Bardon and other nearby suburbs such as Ashgrove, Paddington, Newmarket, Petrie Terrace, Red Hill and Herston.
Alex and Yenny Malaver with 4-year-old son, Alex, are grateful to finally have a home of their own. Photo Credit: Emilie Ng / catholicleader.com.au
Alex and Yenny Malaver plus Gabriel, their son, are the third family from Colombia who has taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Alex, who is still studying, really thought at first that it would be impossible for them to get their own house right away. All of that changed when they came across the parish newsletter that contained details about the Quinn House. They spent three years in the house and finally, last month, they were able to pay the downpayment for a house in Herston.
The Malavers with Fr Peter Brannelly. Photo Credit: Emilie Ng / catholicleader.com.au
Fr Peter Brannelly, the Jubilee parish priest stresses that they do not only accommodate young families. Refugees, pensioners, overseas students, and asylum seekers are welcome.
“The most valuable asset we have as a parish in this part of Brisbane is accommodation and we have consciously tried to be creative with what we have and how we use it,” Fr Brannelly said.
Next month, the parish will start the process of looking for a new family again, to use the Quinn House. Fr Brannelly said that while they honour Mrs Quinn’s generosity, they see the use of her house as an act done “in services of the Gospel.” Mrs Quinn would definitely agree.
