News and other stories about real people, places, and events in Bardon and nearby suburbs.
The REIQ recently reported the latest housing market statistics which showed Bardon median house price increased to $970,000, up 9% over the last 12 months and 32.2% over the last 5 years. In the 2nd quarter of 2018, there were 35 homes sold in the suburb.
Bardon is one of the reported suburbs where thieves are actively targeting homes, garages, and storage cages.
In a Sept 25 report from the Inner West Patrol Group warned residents that thieves have been reported in the following Inner West suburbs:
Residential Dwellings
Communal/Residential Garages/Storage Cages
Things that have been stolen from these locations include laptops, wallets, handbags, jewellery, cash, game consoles, bicycles, tools, and vehicles such as cars and motorcycles.
Thieves usually enter homes through unlocked doors or garages or by smashing doors and windows. They may also access garages and storage cages by cutting or manipulating locks and padlocks.
Other times, stealing may happen even when the residents are home.
The police have provided these simple tips to make your home more secure:
As thieves continue to target Inner West Suburbs, police have increased patrols in the area and strongly advise residents to be vigilant.
Locals are also encouraged to appropriately secure their homes, storage areas, and vehicles, as well as record details of electronic equipment and take photos of valuable items such as jewellery.
Residents who want to check the level of security in their home may take advantage of the police’s ‘Free Home Security Audit Service’. Just call the Indooroopilly Crime Prevention Unit on 3377 9421 or the Ferny Grove Crime Prevention Unit on 3872 1542 to make an appointment.
To report any information for the police, call the Policelink on 131 444 or use the online form.
You can also anonymously provide information about a crime to Crime Stoppers. You may contact the organisation 24/7 by calling 1800 333 000 or by visiting their website.
The Brisbane City Council has finally submitted the development application for the Mt Coot-tha zipline for public scrutiny. However, a number of locals are not pleased that the DA was released a few hours before a public meeting on 3 September.
The project has long been met by opposition from the community. But the council remains steadfast in pursuing the zipline as it believes this will help the city’s push to bolster ecotourism, which has been cited as one of the top tourism industries today.
Prior to the release of the DA, the council released the detailed designs of the zipline project. According to the plans, there will be twin ziplines: a treetop canopy zipline spanning to 1.2 kilometres and a scenic zipline that will run through a 1.1-kilometre line.
The scenic zipline will start from the Summit Lookout to the Botanic Gardens, running up to 60 kilometres per hour and showcasing sweeping views of the city. It is planned to be open between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
“The Scenic Zipline has been designed to deliver the best views in Brisbane, with the zipline travelling a minimum of three metres above the top of the tree canopy all the way down the mountain,” Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said.
The treetop canopy zipline is intended to provide a more personal experience within the Mt Coot-tha forest and will be connected to a 335-metre cable-suspended bridge walk. The plan is to operate the treetop canopy zipline from 7:00 a.m. to sunset.
“Users will travel through nine treetop platforms along ziplines of between 20 metres to 330 metres in length and each of the platforms will be secured to the trees using brackets that carry the weight of the platform, without damaging the tree,” Cr Quirk added.
This project is expected to deliver over $230 million economic benefit over 30 years.
Among the concerns of the local community is the impact of the of the project on the environment. In August, the Save Mt Coot-tha – Stop the Zipline group staged a protest in Toowong and launched an online petition opposing the privatisation of Mt Coot-tha and the Botanical Gardens.
Following the release of the DA, the local community remains unhappy and have called the proposal “vague.”
Sabre, a five-year-old child with a heart of gold, recently started a project named Parcels of Hope. The project is an invitation to Brisbane kids to put together a parcel for children in the drought-affected areas.
“My son is called Sabre and he attends prep at St Joseph’s Bardon, where they are taught from the words of Mary Mackillop ‘Never see a need without doing something about it.’ The children from grade 3 in St Joseph’s Bardon have compiled wonderful letters and the preps are finalising their parcels. The children of St Peter Chanel in The Gap were one of the first schools to jump on board and have done an amazing job decorating their lovely parcels of hope,” Sarah Yip, Sabre’s mother said.
Sabre’s vision is to let the children of farmers of drought-affected areas “know that we care.”
Parcels of Hope is a chance for children to reach out to other children in need, through a letter of inspiration and a gift. The intended recipients of the collected parcels are the children attending The School of Distance Education in Charleville, Longreach, Mt Isa, and St Mary’s Charleville.
“He had been watching the news and asking about the drought and commented that there was lots of money being raised, but what about the children? Is anyone looking after the children? He came to me the next day and asked to write a letter to let the children know that he cared about them and he was hoping for rain for them. He wanted to give them something special too,” Sarah said.
Sabre then asked his mum to help him invite other children to do the same. He said there are too many letters to write and he can’t do it alone.
Sarah decided to set up an Eventbrite page where the children who want to help can register. “We have had an amazing response so far with close to 70 parcels collected and ongoing collections between now and the 14th of September,” she said.
Sarah is going all out in her support for her son’s passion project. In her consulting work as Owner and Managing Director of KEASE. Sarah is a subject matter expert in Emotional Intelligence, Mindful Leadership and Applied positive psychology in the workplace. She knows that encouraging him to reach out in such a caring way would be a great learning experience for him and will help cultivate his emotional intelligence from a young age.
If you would like to share your own Parcel of Hope, register now.
Bardon Latrobe Football Club (BLFC) is set to get a new changing room facility at Bowman Park following the Council’s approval of their development application.
The new building will be an addition to the existing clubhouse. There will be two modern, bright changing rooms with bathroom and shower facilities.
The first stage of the development has been led by the committee in response to the feedback of members from their annual survey.
A $250,000 grant from Kate Jones MP has made the building work possible. Moreover, the club is still actively pursuing grants for further development plans.
Club President Phil Cowlishaw said the new changing room facility will help in transforming their club.
“Not only are the new changing rooms going to finally address the concerns of our members around adequate facilities, they will also transform the way we are able to use the existing clubhouse,” Mr Cowlishaw said.
“The northern end of the current clubhouse can now be developed to provide modern bathroom facilities for our members and visitors. In turn, we will redevelop the ‘old’ changing rooms into a multi-function bathroom with baby changing facilities and disabled access,” he added.
Another part of the renovation is the transformation of the club’s old office. The old office will be developed and changed into two referee changing rooms.
Furthermore, the final stage of the renovation involves the upgrade of the canteen, kitchen, and club room. With these upgrades, the club can have a café style menu and bar in the revamped space.
Plans for the club’s development became a reality through the aid of the grant writer, Seweryn Bialasiewicz and their architect, David Stone.
“Whilst we announce these plans today I’d like to thank our members for their continued support. We recognise that our facilities, particularly for our female members, have been inadequate for some time. The spirit of this club and our members continues to inspire us,” Mr Cowlishaw said.
Visit the Bardon Latrobe Football Club website to learn more.
Bring your whole family for a day filled with fun and activities at the Rainworth State School’s Fair on 26 August from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
There will be plenty of entertainment and great rides. The Rainbow Singers & Creative Generation, the Premier Dance Academy, and the Guitar Gym will fill up the morning schedule with awesome performances.
Don’t miss Rainworth’s Got Talent at 11:00 a.m. followed by another line-up of entertainment such as Bazil Grumble and the Briswest Band.
Aside from that, there will be stalls of good food waiting for you. Get a BBQ, a burger, or perhaps, some sweets for your sweet tooth? For adults, there will be a bar and a coffee shop as well.
Kids can enjoy fun activities such as face painting and other games.
For more details, click here.
Address: Norman Buchan Park, 53 Rainworth Rd, Bardon QLD
Bardon has several restaurants serving up delicious comfort food to keep you warm this winter season. If you are looking for a hearty, delightful meal, check out these restaurants that are dishing up a specialised winter menu to give you the warm fuzzies to help you beat the cold weather.
One of the favourite brunch spots of Brisbane foodies, Smoked Paprika has a new menu includes a serious serving of flavourful dishes created by Hungarian head chef and owner Gabor Traub. Aptly named after Hungary’s favourite spice, Smoked Paprika has been delighting customers with their mouth-watering, Instagram-worthy, all-day breakfast and lunch meals.
One of the newest additions to their freshly revamped menu is the Nutella S’mores Almond Hot Chocolate that is ready to warm up your cold morning.
Another hit with the brunch crowd is their sensational serving of Crepes, a culinary creation filled with Hungarian beef stew, poached eggs, smoked paprika hollandaise, goats cheese, pan fried spinach, chickpeas, mushrooms, and parsnip puree.
Their menu also includes vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.
Smoked Paprika is open from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. Visit their official page to learn more.
Location: 9/65 MacGregor Terrace, Bardon
For those cold winter nights, warm dinner awaits in The Persian Restaurant in Bardon. Serving authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, the family-owned restaurant is beloved for their delicious Persian food that includes traditional Kebab dishes, lamb shanks, and more.
The restaurant is known for serving a special winter soup (Asheh e Reshteh) every other night and their menu also includes a gluten-free/vegan soup of the day.
The restaurant’s food options range from simple salads and light meals to hearty main course dishes, such as their gluten-free Baghali Polo that comes with Basmati long rice with broad beans and dill served with chicken or lamb.
The Persian Restaurant is open from 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Tuesdays to Thursdays and from 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m., Fridays to Sundays. Visit their website to learn more.
Location: 65 Macgregor Terrace, Bardon
Thinking of having a French degustation? Lutèce Bistro & Wine Bar has curated an exclusive Winter Tasting Menu and a Special Winter Lunch Menu to satisfy your cravings for an authentic French cuisine.
The Winter Tasting Menu includes their signature sand crab lasagne with a creamy crustacean sauce plus an extensive list of desserts and a selection of wine.
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu options are also available.
Lutèce Bistro & Wine Bar is open from 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. for lunch and from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. for dinner. For bookings, call 07 3161 1858 or email bookings@lutece.com.au. Visit their official page for more information.
Location: 1/60 Macgregor Terrace, Bardon
Looking for things to do in Bardon for the coming days? Check your schedules because here’s the list of what’s on in Bardon for the month of July.
Sunday, 15, 22, and 29 July 2018 (6:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Open every Sunday, the Bardon Community Markets let locals and visitors browse stalls and support the local community. Visit the market and grab a bite to eat for breakfast, pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables, or find a gift for your loved ones.
For more information visit Bardon Community Markets.
If you want to become a stallholder or sell some things at the car boot sale which takes place every third Sunday, you’ll need to register by either emailing bardonmarket@gmail.com or by calling 0421289207.
Venue: Norman Buchan Park, Bardon
Tuesday, 17, 24, and 31 July 2018 (9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
Get moving with this low impact fitness activity that involves easy movement and exercises including a warm-up, strength exercises, pilates, and warm down.
Bookings essential. To book call Jen’s Outdoor Gym on 0410 010 316.
Participants are required to bring a yoga mat. You may also bring small weights if you want. Meeting point is under the trees near the picnic shelter.
Venue: Rainworth Park, 67 Main Avenue, Bardon
Wednesday, 18 and 25 July 2018 (9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.)
This low impact body conditioning program is designed to target strength and improve overall endurance and fitness.
Circuits and Intervals is suitable for both men and women at all fitness levels.
Bookings essential. To book call Christine from Fitness with a Twist on 0406 425 561. Participants are asked to meet near the half basketball court.
Venue: Bowman Park, 247 Simpsons Road, Bardon
Wednesday, 18 and 25 July 2018 (9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
The program involves boot camp type exercises including boxing warm-up followed by body weight exercises and aerobic movement. This is a fast way to fitness and weight loss.
Bookings essential. To book call Jen’s Outdoor Gym on 0410 010 316.
Participants are required to bring white cotton boxing glove liners and meet in the gym equipment area.
Venue: Norman Buchan Park, 53 Rainworth Road, Bardon
Thursday, 19 July 2018 (8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.)
This is a fitness and well-being program suitable for seniors.
Teaching good balance through mental and physical fitness, this proven falls-prevention program is adapted for all levels of ability. This dynamic mind and body activity will invigorate you and help you feel relaxed, refreshed, and calm.
Program costs $5 and bookings not required. For more information visit the Australian Academy of Tai Chi or call 0414 569 492.
Participants are asked to meet near the playground of Fletcher Parade Park.
Venue: Fletcher Parade Park (nos.161-231), 219 Fletcher Parade, Bardon
Saturday, 21and 28 July 2018 (7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.)
This program is a combination of interval training to improve cardiovascular fitness and specific core strength and stability exercises. Exercises are suitable for men and women at all fitness levels.
Bookings essential. To book call Christine from Fitness with a Twist on 0406 425 561. Participants are asked to meet near the cricket hut.
Venue: Jubilee Park, 52 Crown Street, Bardon
Staying active while connecting with nature is made possible by the Mt Coot-tha Summit Trail.
Enjoy having a walk with your family in the 1.9 km, 30-minute-walk Summit Trail that starts from JC Slaughter Falls picnic area going to the Mt Coot-tha Lookout.
Finding the Mt Coot-tha Summit Trail is simple as the JC Slaughter Falls Road is right off Sir Samuel Griffiths Drive. You can even drive to the top along Sir Samuel Griffiths Drive.
If you want a different scenery as you return to the Falls, Mt Coot-tha Forest offers an alternate route. The Mahogany Trail provides city views as you descend from the Mt Coot-tha Lookout. This route offers access to a scenic open eucalyptus forest as you go back to the trail’s starting point which is the JC Slaughter Falls picnic area.
When combined with the Summit Walking Trail, the Mahogany and Summit Trails form a 4.5-km circuit with access to the Citriodora Trail which connects through to the beautiful Brisbane Botanic Gardens in Mt Coot-tha. Take note that the gardens can be accessed from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The Summit Track provides an easy grade paved walk with clusters of stairs along the way making it an ideal trail for all ages. It is also a great place for walking your dog.
Aside from the walking trails, Mt Coot-tha Forest also offers access to bike trails, picnic facilities, dog park, and the lookout’s cafe, restaurant, and gift shop.
To help in protecting the bushland, here are a few things to remember:
To learn more about the Mt Coot-tha Forest Track and access the map, click here.
Go on a scenic walk through the Simpsons Falls track, which kicks off at the picnic area that will take you deep into the Mt Coot-tha forest. During the late winter and spring, beautiful surroundings are even more expected due to the abundance of wildflowers along the path.
If you’re up for some adventure, you definitely should try the Simpsons Falls track as you will be taking on rock obstacles that both challenging and fun. The 2.8km trail is one of the most popular walking trails in west Brisbane. If coming from Bardon, the track begins at the picnic area. From the track, you will be led to the Eugenia Trail which leads to the falls.
Walk a bit further and you will get to the Eugenia Circuit which is thick with eucalypt woodland and vine forest just across the falls. The beauty of nature doesn’t stop here. Take a few more steps and this will lead you to the Simpson Falls viewing deck. A wonderful view awaits on top of a natural haven that sets contrast to the concrete jungle that you will see here.
Whether you’re looking for a way to just disconnect or do some walking as part of your exercise, the Simpsons Falls track is definitely something that is worth a go.
The Brisbane City Council continues to maintain and preserve 9,500 hectares of bushland and wetland reserves for the animals, plants, and for the entire community to enjoy. The council also wants your bushwalking to be a safe and an enjoyable experience hence their guidelines that must always be taken into consideration:
Happy walking!
