Balancing Modern Living and Heritage Style on Racecourse Road, Ascot

A proposal to replace two older houses with a five-storey residential and shopping hub marks a significant change for the heart of Ascot.


This development would bring 17 new apartments to the neighborhood, offering a mix of two-bedroom and three-bedroom options. To make the most of the Queensland climate, the plans include large private balconies and a shared rooftop area. 

This communal space is expected to feature a swimming pool and barbecue facilities, giving residents a place to relax without leaving home. The design also focuses on natural airflow and sunlight to make the units more comfortable and energy-efficient.

Improving the Street Experience

Ascot
Photo Credit: DA A006971515

At the ground level, the project seeks to make the sidewalk more inviting for pedestrians. By removing two old driveways and replacing them with a single entry point for the two-level basement carpark, the plan creates a smoother path for people walking by. 

Three new shops are also included in the layout, which are intended to add more energy to the local shopping strip and support the existing business character of the area.



Meeting Housing Needs

The planning experts at Atomic Town Planning have noted that the project comes at a time when more homes are needed in well-connected areas. They suggest that while the site is in a busy district, the current layout of the street makes it difficult to coordinate large-scale changes. 

Therefore, this specific project is seen as a way to provide more housing and modern facilities that align with what the community needs right now without disrupting future growth in the surrounding area.

Published Date 31-March-2026

Diesel Prices Hit $3 in Eagle Farm as Fuel Pressure Grows in QLD

Diesel price in Eagle Farm has climbed past $3 a litre (301.9 cents/litre), placing local drivers and businesses at the centre of a growing fuel cost surge across South East Queensland.



Similar prices at 301.9 cents per liter were also recorded in nearby Lytton and Redbank. The increase comes as supplier iOR, which operates across Australia, lifts diesel prices above the range at multiple Queensland locations.

Photo Credit: FuelRadar

Eagle Farm, known for its freight, logistics and industrial activity, is likely to feel the impact of rising diesel costs more quickly than other areas. Businesses that rely on transport, including delivery operators and contractors, face higher operating expenses as fuel prices climb.

The current surge reflects broader pressure across the region, including areas such as Carrara and Inglewood.

The price rise comes alongside wider supply challenges across Australia. Panic buying in some regions has led to fuel shortages, placing additional pressure on supply chains.

In regional Queensland, an independent operator has already taken steps to manage demand and introduced limits on how much fuel customers could buy after supply became difficult, including a period where diesel was unavailable.

At a national level, the federal government has approved the release of 762 million litres of petrol and diesel from Australia’s fuel reserves to support supply. Authorities have also urged motorists not to panic buy, stating that overall fuel supply remains stable despite local disruptions.

Photo Credit: Informed Sources

The additional supply is expected to move through distribution networks, although timing may vary depending on location.

While it remains unclear how long prices will stay above 301.9 cents/litre, the current surge highlights how global supply pressures are now flowing through to local fuel markets across south-east Queensland.



Published 20-March-2026

Should Brisbane’s Tunnels and Bridges Be Toll-Free? More Than 1,500 Drivers Think So

An online petition calling for Brisbane’s road tolls to be scrapped has drawn 1,509 signatures, and two of the routes in its sights sit close to home for residents of Ascot, Eagle Farm, and Hendra: the Airport Link tunnel and the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges.


Read: New Shared Path to Connect Eagle Farm to Brisbane Airport


The Airport Link runs underground from the inner city, connecting to the Clem7 at Bowen Hills and travelling north through Kedron and Toombul before linking to the East-West Arterial Road leading to Brisbane Airport. The Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges, known to most as the Gateway, cross the river at Eagle Farm and link the area south to Murarrie via the Gateway Motorway. 

The e-petition, lodged with the State of Queensland, targets both routes along with the Go Between Bridge, the Clem7, and Legacy Way — five roads that together recorded around 490,000 trips since June 2025.

bridges
Photo credit: Google Maps/Robert Goh

Prices ticked up again on 1 January this year, adjusted in line with the Brisbane Consumer Price Index, which is another increase for commuters already managing rising living costs. For anyone using the tunnel regularly, the bill is not trivial.

Add the Gateway Bridge toll for those heading south across the river, and some local residents find themselves paying on both ends of a single trip, with no assurance the roads will be clear when they get there. Brisbane drivers lost an average of 84 hours to congestion in 2024, up 14 per cent on the year before.

The RACQ has weighed in, though not in favour of scrapping tolls outright. Dr Michael Kane, the motoring club’s head of public policy, said removing them would leave less money for new road projects, since the debts attached to existing infrastructure would still need to be paid, just by taxpayers instead of users. He also pointed out that toll roads were designed as a funding tool, not a fix for traffic, and suggested the real need was a wider rethink of how South East Queensland funds and plans its major roads.

bridges
Photo credit: Google Maps/Jason Collingwood

A Transport and Main Roads spokesperson confirmed the petition would go through the standard process, without elaborating further.

Calls to wind back Brisbane’s toll network are nothing new in Queensland. Back in 2018, then Deputy Premier Jackie Trad singled out the Go Between Bridge as a toll that made little sense, given it bypasses the city centre entirely. She argued that commuters crossing between the city’s north and south should not be charged for the privilege. Seven years on, the toll is unchanged.

The Story Bridge has also entered the conversation recently, with proposals floated to fund a long-term fix for the ageing structure through a new toll. Numbers crunched at the time suggested a toll pegged to the same rate as the Gateway bridges could bring in more than $205 million annually within two years.


Read: Opening New Horizons: Delta’s Seasonal Route from Brisbane Airport to Los Angeles


For people living in Ascot, Eagle Farm, and Hendra, these tolled routes are not abstract policy talking points — they are part of the daily commute. Whether Queensland acts on the petition or files it away, the question of who pays for these roads is not going away.

Published 13-March-2026

Brisbane Dedicates Charlie Parrella Place to Hendra Barber’s 50 Years of Service

Brisbane has unveiled a street sign in Hendra honouring one of the suburb’s longest-serving small business owners — Charlie Parrella, an 85-year-old barber who has been cutting hair at his long-time Hendra address for more than 50 years.


Read: Whimsical Hendra Home Comes with One of Australia’s Largest Private Dr Seuss Collections


The sign, named “Charlie Parrella Place,” was unveiled on 7 March in front of a gathering of family, friends, and long-time customers. The event was organised with the support of Cr Tim Nicholls and Cr Julia Dixon, whom Charlie credited personally in his remarks after the day.

Photo credit: Facebook/Cr Julia Dixon – Hamilton Ward

In a message shared on his Facebook page following the unveiling, Charlie wrote:

“To all my Family and Friends — Especially Tim and Julia who made this Special Day happen. I would like to thank all the people who attended on my ‘Charlie Parrella Place.’ I will remember this for the rest of my life. I hope to catch up with you all again on another Special Day if possible.”

From Italy to Hendra

Photo credit: Facebook/Charlie Parrella

Charlie Parrella was born in Italy, where he first learned the barber’s trade before emigrating to Australia in 1955. He settled initially in Inglewood, a small town in south-west Queensland, where he rented a shop and worked as the town’s barber for a decade, all while learning English.

In 1968, Charlie moved to Brisbane and established his salon in Hendra, bringing with him the original ornate barber’s chair he had used throughout his Inglewood years. Over more than half a century at the same address, the shop has built a loyal following. In one media interview, he revealed that around 90 per cent of his customers have always been regulars.

Still Coming In

Photo credit: Facebook/Charlie Parrella

At 85, Charlie is still coming in to work. When asked why, his answer is straightforward: he comes in for the social life, to talk to his friends. It’s what gets him out of the house.

Charlie’s shop walls are covered in photos and memorabilia accumulated over the decades. Charlie has always been clear about what the job demands: a barber, he has said, needs to understand what a person’s appearance means to them.Otherwise, they simply don’t belong in the trade.


Read: Tom’s Confectionery Warehouse in Hendra Highlights Brisbane’s Global Food Push


A Permanent Place in the Suburb

Charlie Parrella
Photo credit: Facebook/Charlie Parrella

The naming of “Charlie Parrella Place” by Brisbane’s local officials formally recognises his contribution to the Hendra community. The unveiling was attended by family, friends, and community members who gathered to mark the occasion.

Charlie has operated from the same Hendra address since 1968. 

For Charlie, the milestone is personal. As he wrote after the day: “I will remember this for the rest of my life.”

Published 9-March-2026

Brisbane Airport Expansion to Include 70 New Home Design Showrooms

Brisbane Airport is set to house a massive home improvement destination the size of three Olympic swimming pool precincts to help local residents and builders manage their construction projects in one single trip.



A Central Hub for Local Building Projects

Brisbane Airport
Photo Credit: Brisbane Airport

The Build and Design Centre plans to move its operations from South Brisbane to the Skygate precinct in Eagle Farm during early 2027. This relocation represents a major step for the organisation as it grows into a purpose-built facility covering more than 4,000 square metres. 

By moving to this strategic location, the centre aims to serve the growing number of people in Queensland who are currently tackling home repairs or starting new construction projects. The facility will sit within a well-known retail area that already attracts many visitors who shop at the nearby DFO.

Making Home Design Easier for Families

The two-level building will feature more than 70 different showrooms where visitors can walk through various room layouts to see how products look in a real home setting. Instead of travelling across the city to look at different parts, locals can find everything from kitchen cupboards and stone benchtops to outdoor cladding and bricks in one spot. 

Because many people find the building process stressful and time-consuming, the centre is designed to let them compare brands and coordinate their entire project without the need to visit dozens of separate shops.

Supporting Industry and Community Growth

Brisbane Airport
Photo Credit: Google Maps

The executive general manager for commercial at Brisbane Airport, Scott Norris, believes the project will offer a unique experience for the retail precinct. He noted that the hub will provide a more efficient way for people to plan projects of any size and will change the way locals approach renovations. 

The director of the centre, Charl Liebenberg, stated that the move to Eagle Farm provides better access to major roads for customers who are short on time. He explained that the new scale of the building allows them to offer expert advice and a wide range of suppliers in a central location that is easy to reach by car or bus.



Part of a Growing Airport Precinct

The new facility will be part of a massive 2,700-hectare area at Brisbane Airport that already supports over 600 businesses. While the airport is known for travel, it has become a major destination for commerce and industry because of its links to the city’s road network. The addition of this building hub includes spaces specifically made for design seminars and workshops where professional builders and designers can meet to learn about new trends. This expansion ensures that the airport remains a key gateway for both local shoppers and the wider Queensland building industry.

Published Date 04-March-2026

Man Charged Over Series of Traffic Incidents Including Ascot

A Bowen Hills man is facing 13 charges following a series of alleged traffic incidents across Fortitude Valley and Ascot last Thursday afternoon.



Queensland Police allege the 38-year-old was driving a white Kia Optima that collided with another vehicle at the intersection of Saint Pauls Terrace and Brookes Street in Fortitude Valley around 2.50pm on 20 February.

According to police, the driver left the scene and subsequently crashed into a parked vehicle at the intersection of Wickham Street and Light Street, also in Fortitude Valley.

When officers attempted to stop the Kia, police allege the vehicle continued along Anthony Street before colliding with a blue Holden Astra and a fence in Ascot.

The driver was arrested following the third collision. Police report that a search of the vehicle uncovered a black satchel containing crystal methylamphetamine and liquid gamma hydroxybutyric acid, commonly known as GHB.

Officers also allege the Kia had been reported stolen from a Hawthorne property on 17 February.

The man has been charged with multiple offences including entering a dwelling and committing an indictable offence, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected, and endangering a police officer when driving a motor vehicle.

Additional charges include damaging an emergency vehicle when operating a motor vehicle, three counts of serious assault of a police officer, possessing dangerous drugs, and unlicensed driving.

The accused has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 23 March.



Police are encouraging anyone with information about the incidents to contact Policelink via the online suspicious activity form at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or by phoning 131 444. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Reference numbers: QP2600339195, QP2600313112, QP2600339752, QP2600339720

Published 25-February-2026

New Crime Figures Highlight Hendra Break-Ins

Hendra has recorded the highest number of unlawful entry offences in Brisbane, with 2,156 incidents reported across the suburb in a single year, placing it at the top of the city’s break-in list.



The figures cover the 12 months to December 1, 2025, based on analysis of publicly available data from the Queensland Police Service Online Crime Map. The data, which tracks offences recorded through the Queensland Police reporting system, shows Hendra recorded more unlawful entries than Upper Mount Gravatt with 1,944, and Brisbane City with 1,934 during the same period.

What the Numbers Show

Unlawful entry offences include incidents involving homes, garages, businesses and other premises entered without permission. Across Brisbane, around 70 per cent of unlawful entry offences in the most recent reporting period were classified as dwellings, meaning residential properties made up the majority of cases.

While Hendra recorded the highest total volume, police data shows incidents are spread across the suburb rather than concentrated in a single street. 

Consequently, Queensland Police data shows Hendra recorded 745 unlawful entry offences between 25 February 2025 and 24 February 2026, with 332 of those incidents occurring in the most recent six-month period from 25 August 2025 to 24 February 2026. 

Feb 2025 to Feb 2026
Photo Credit: QPS Online Crime Map
Aug 2025 to Feb 2026
Photo Credit: QPS Online Crime Map

The 12-month trend shows activity rising sharply through March, April and May before easing mid-year and then stabilising. In the past six months, offences peaked in September, dipped in October, and rose again toward January before softening slightly in February. Time-of-day data indicates most incidents occurred during evening and late-night hours, particularly between 8:00 p.m. and midnight, while weekday activity was generally higher from Monday through Friday compared with weekends. 

Home Security in Focus

Broader reporting linked to the police data indicates many Brisbane homeowners are placing greater emphasis on layered security measures. These include reinforced security screens, sensor lighting, camera systems linked to central hubs and stronger garage protections.

In separate reporting, a Hendra homeowner described upgrading security at a new property after experiencing a break-in at a previous rental. His experience reflects a wider trend of residents prioritising preventative measures.

Police encourage residents to secure doors and windows, lock vehicles, install motion lighting and register CCTV systems where possible. Crime figures can fluctuate from year to year, but the latest data places Hendra at the top of Brisbane’s unlawful entry totals.



Published 25-Feb-2026

North Brisbane Sports Results Feb 20-22


Sat, February 21, 2026 (Allianz Stadium) – A-League – Men – Round 18
• Sydney FC 1  |   Brisbane Roar FC 0

Sun, February 22, 2026 (Spencer Park) – A-League – Women – Round 18
• Brisbane Roar FC 0  |   Adelaide United FC 2


Sat, February 21, 2026 (Perry Park – Brisbane Strikers – Field 1) – FQPL1 – Men – Round 1
• Brisbane Strikers 1  |   North Star 1


Sat, February 21, 2026 (Teralba Park – Mitchelton FC – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1
• Mitchelton FC 3  |   Palm Beach 0

Fri, February 20, 2026 (Prentice Park – North Brisbane FC – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1
• North Brisbane 6  |   Moggill FC 2

Fri, February 20, 2026 (Lanham Park – Grange Thistle Soccer Club – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1
• Grange Thistle 0  |   North Lakes United 4

Fri, February 20, 2026 (Albert Bishop Park – Virginia United FC – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1
• Virginia United 1  |   Peninsula Power 0


Sun, February 22, 2026 (Meakin Park – Field 1) – NPL – Men – Round 1
• Brisbane Roar B 1  |   Brisbane City 3

Sat, February 21, 2026 (Heath Park – Eastern Suburbs FC – Field 1) – NPL – Women – Round 3
• Eastern Suburbs 4  |   Brisbane City 2



Fri, February 20, 2026 (Brisbane Entertainment Centre) – NBL – Men – Round 22
• Brisbane Bullets 77  |   Sydney Kings 117


Sat, February 21, 2026 (The Gabba) – One Day Cup 2025-26 – Men – Match 6
• Queensland Bulls 260  |   South Australia Men 135


Sat, February 14, 2026 & Sat, February 21, 2026 (2 Day – Trevor Hohns Field) – Queensland Premier Cricket – Men 1st Grade – Round 14
• Sandgate-Redcliffe Mens 1st Grade 6-322  |   Western Suburbs Mens 1st Grade 3-324

Brisbane’s Hidden History: How 2011 Floods Unearthed Thousands of Colonial Artefacts in Race Against Time

In a purpose-built warehouse at the Queensland Museum in Hendra, young archaeology students are hunched over fragments of Brisbane’s past that were violently dislodged by the 2011 floods, piecing together a puzzle that began with disaster.


Read: Albion Schoolboy’s 1958 Fossil Find Confirmed as Australia’s Oldest Dinosaur Footprint


Emily Totivan, 19, wears blue plastic gloves as she carefully assembles ceramic shards in the Queensland Museum’s Collections and Research Centre. The fragments once formed dinner plates used by Brisbane residents more than 150 years ago, decorated with intricate blue and white Chinese-inspired patterns that were wildly popular in colonial Queensland.

These aren’t treasures carefully excavated from a planned archaeological dig. They’re survivors of an extraordinary rescue mission that began during Brisbane’s catastrophic 2011 floods, when a burst water main on William Street sent tens of thousands of historical artefacts cascading past the convict-built Commissariat Store, one of Queensland’s oldest buildings.

As emergency crews worked to restore access to one of the city’s major streets, the University of Queensland Archaeological Services Unit faced a race against time to salvage what they could before the road reopened. The result is what’s now known as the William Street assemblage, a collection of everyday objects from the 1870s to 1890s that offers an intimate glimpse into early Brisbane life during its transformation from penal settlement to thriving river port capital.

Among the recovered items are clay pipes and rum bottles, ceramic dolls and a bone toothbrush, and even a chamberpot. These objects tell stories of the ordinary people who built the city—fragments of lives that might otherwise have been lost forever beneath the bitumen.

2011 Floods
Photo credit: Google Street View

For fellow student Elisha Kilderry, the experience of handling these artefacts is surreal. She’s piecing together a geometric viridian green chamberpot once used by people who lived on the same streets she walks today.

Initially, Kilderry imagined her archaeology career would take her to Europe or remote Indigenous cultural heritage sites. Instead, she finds herself engrossed in the quotidian details of colonial Brisbane life.

The timing of this cataloguing work couldn’t be more relevant for Brisbane. As the city prepares for the 2032 Olympics, Queensland Museum archaeology curator Nick Hadnutt says the city is on the brink of a boom in salvage archaeology. Massive infrastructure projects—including the proposed 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park, a site heritage-listed for its rich Indigenous, colonial and multicultural history—will churn up vast amounts of soil, potentially revealing countless more fragments of Brisbane’s past.

University of Queensland lecturer Dr Caitlin D’Gluyas organised the first hands-on cataloguing experience for students this January, with many more applicants than available positions. She says the collaborative nature of archaeology creates unique bonds between participants.

While the William Street objects hold limited scientific value due to their violent dislodgement—the archaeological context that usually provides crucial information was destroyed by the flood—they were acquired by the museum for more emotive reasons.

One particularly poignant artefact demonstrates this tangible connection to the past: a small ink bottle from the heritage-listed government printing house. It still contains a dash of ink—an exquisite midnight shade—last used over a century ago, perhaps to print an act of parliament. When students used a paper towel to clean it, the ancient ink still stained the cloth.

For student John Duckett, 21, from Rockhampton, who previously volunteered on a Bronze Age brewery dig in Norfolk, England, there’s something irreplaceable about this physical connection to history.

As Brisbane transforms for its Olympic future, these students are working against the clock to preserve fragments of its colonial past. With major infrastructure projects looming, the question isn’t whether more historical treasures will be unearthed—it’s whether we’ll be ready to catch them when they surface.


Read: Hendra Residents Challenge Mega Childcare Centre on Flood-Prone Site


The lesson from William Street is clear: Brisbane’s history lies waiting beneath our feet, vulnerable to the next flood, the next burst pipe, or the next stadium excavation. In Hendra, a dedicated team is ensuring that when those fragments emerge, they won’t be lost to time.

Published 12-February-2026

Hudson Road Albion Apartment Tower Proposal Details 12-Storey Build at Moore Street Corner

Plans propose a new Albion apartment tower on Hudson Road, with a twelve-storey residential building planned for a prominent corner site near Moore Street.



A development application seeks approval for a high-density apartment building at 32 and 34 Hudson Road, Albion, which would add eighty-eight new homes to the suburb. The site sits opposite established mixed-use areas and within walking distance of Albion train station, cafés and everyday services, positioning the project as a residential infill development rather than a greenfield build.

What is Proposed for Hudson Road

The proposal involves consolidating two adjoining allotments at the Hudson Road and Moore Street corner into a single development site of about 1,548 square metres. Plans show a twelve-storey building with a total height just under forty-five metres.

Albion apartment tower
Photo Credit: DA A006923631

The development includes eighty-eight apartments made up of one, two and three-bedroom layouts. Most of the homes are two-bedroom units, with smaller numbers of one and three-bedroom apartments aimed at a mix of singles, couples and families. Private balconies are included for each apartment, with sizes varying depending on the unit type.

The building includes three basement levels that provide one hundred and twenty-four car parking spaces for residents and visitors. The plans also include bicycle parking, storage and building services areas.

Ground Level and Shared Spaces

At street level, the building addresses both Hudson Road and Moore Street, with the main lobby located on the corner. The ground floor also includes a co-working space for residents, visitor parking and landscaped entry areas intended to soften the building’s interface with the street.

Communal facilities are spread across the podium and rooftop levels. Plans include shared open space, landscaped areas, a rooftop garden, swimming pool and barbeque facilities. The design positions these spaces to provide outlook and separation from surrounding properties while giving residents access to outdoor areas within the building.

Design and Local Context

Architectural plans describe a contemporary tower with articulated façades, recessed balconies and varied materials to break up the building’s bulk. The design responds to Albion’s ongoing shift toward higher-density living, particularly around major roads and transport corridors.

Albion apartment tower
Photo Credit: DA A006923631

The Hudson Road site sits within an area already transitioning from older industrial and commercial uses to mixed-use and residential development. Nearby approvals include taller residential and mixed-use projects along Albion Road and within the wider Albion Exchange precinct, placing the proposed building within an emerging high-density pocket of the suburb.

Traffic, Access, and Infrastructure

The proposal provides vehicle access from both Hudson Road and Moore Street, using the site’s dual frontage. The design directs basement parking access internally, reducing reliance on on-street parking.

The application notes the site’s proximity to public transport, including Albion train station, as well as bus routes and nearby cycling connections. A sustainable travel plan accompanies the proposal, encouraging reduced car reliance through bicycle facilities and access to local services.

Infrastructure reports submitted with the application confirm the site already connects to existing water, sewer and stormwater networks, with the design including on-site detention to manage runoff.

Community Concerns

One formal objection has been submitted in response to the application. The submission raises concerns from an adjoining property owner on Moore Street, focusing on potential impacts to an established trade and business use next door.

Albion apartment tower
Photo Credit: DA A006923631

Issues raised include traffic movements on Moore Street, parking overflow, construction disruption, building height and the relationship between residential living and nearby commercial activity. The objection also questions setbacks, overshadowing and servicing arrangements given the proximity of the proposed building to the neighbouring site.vas

The application material addresses these matters through traffic, noise and air quality assessments, along with proposed building setbacks, acoustic treatments and on-site servicing arrangements. The assessment process will consider these issues.

What Happens Next

The assessment will consider the Albion apartment tower proposed for 32 and 34 Hudson Road against the area’s planning framework, including building design, transport, amenity and neighbourhood character.

If approved, the project would add a substantial number of new homes to Albion in a location already earmarked for higher-density living close to transport and services.

More information is available at DA A006923631.



Published 06-February-2026.