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Eagle Farm-based Luxxbox: Award-winning Product and Prestigious Clients

Eagle Farm-based boutique lighting manufacturer Luxxbox has emerged stronger than ever despite pandemic challenges, landing a prestigious award for its pendant lighting product and flexing its prestigious client list that includes Amazon, Ford, Pfizer, and Doordash.

Read: Inside Doughcraft, Home Of European Pastries In Albion

Jason Bird, an industrial designer, founded the business in 2006 in Fortitude Valley, with a vision of designing and manufacturing furniture, lighting and objects for both commercial and domestic use. In 2016, Bird and his team established an office and a factory in Eagle Farm.

However, when the pandemic began, Luxxbox was forced to ditch their furniture line and focus on acoustic lighting.

Acoustic lighting is an innovative lighting solution that combines a lighting source with sound-absorbing materials, to provide a luminaire that helps reduce unwanted noise in a space. It’s commonly used in offices, meeting rooms, and shared workspaces.

Running a business during the “worst of times” comes with many stumbling blocks, but Bird and his team still consider themselves lucky because in Queensland, manufacturing industries did not shut down, unlike in other states.

Award-winning Product

Shifting their concentration in their acoustic lighting products ended up like a blessing in disguise, because Hemii, one of their products, won the prestigious Architizer 2022 A+ award in the pendant lighting category, beating hundreds of entries from around the world.

Hemii is a large dome acoustic pendant made from durable acoustic PET and premium wool fabrics. It’s ideal for expansive spaces such as commercial areas and open-offices.

The product has been recognised by Architizer for its game-changing design, its versatility, being environmentally friendly, and being more efficient than single-purpose solutions available on the market.

“The pendant is beautiful and versatile, and its dual-purpose nature makes it inherently more efficient than other lighting fixtures,” Architizer said.

Along with the international recognition for Hemii, Luxxbox has other reasons to celebrate. Its growing client list includes heavyweights Amazon, Ford, Pfizer, and Doordash. Demand has grown to a point where in order to serve its growing market in North America, the company has also opened a new factory in California.

Read: Construction Starts at Charlton House in Ascot Green

Around 80 percent of Luxxbox’s revenue comes from the US market. They currently employ around 35 people for the new factory in California, in addition to 35 people they already have in Brisbane.

Despite having many clients overseas, the brand will continue manufacturing from their facility off Kingsford Smith Drive in Eagle Farm.

Amid Rising Car Theft Incidents, Youth Crime in Qld: Paralympian’s Wheelchair Accessible Car Stolen

Photo credit: Instagram/ karniliddell

Amidst a spate of incidents involving vehicle theft in QLD, former Paralympian and disability advocate Karni Liddell lost her wheelchair-accessible car, just months after losing her Hendra home to floods.

Karni Liddell’s Honda Odyssey was stolen whilst in a “secure” car park in Kangaroo Point in October 2022. The loss was a blow, coming on the heels of her home in Hendra being flooded in March, forcing her to rent an apartment whilst she recovers from the incident.

The Honda Odyssey was fitted with a ramp and hoist to allow her to easily lift her 35-kg wheelchair in and out of the car. According to the report, her $40,000 wheelchair was also stolen, allegedly by a “17-year-old-looking” boy. Her wheelchair has since been found, dumped on the side of the road in Woolloongabba.

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“My wheelchair accessible Vehicle was stolen yesterday from my secure underground carpark. This car has a wheelchair hoist in the boot which lifts my 35+ kg wheelchairs ($40000). Not only has my car been stolen but my wheelchair has also been stolen,” her social media post reads.

“I’ve always said that a person in a wheelchair’s accessible cars are as important sometimes as our wheelchairs, because without them I can’t wheel and get out of my unit anywhere independently, reliably, safely or at all if we have to rely on a maxi taxis or public transport.

“It has taken 6 months of hell to get my electric wheelchair back after I lost it and everything I owned when my house flooded in March. It took this long due to an equipment backlog because of the “world ending” and the NDIS (same same). So I’m gut wrenchingly hyper aware of the processes and restrictions which are going to be embedded into our daily lives for the next 6 + mths.”

Ms Liddell is just one of the thousands of vehicle owners in Queensland who has been victimised by car theft in the past months. In the past year from July 2021 to June 2022, more than 17,000 vehicle owners in Qld lost their cars to theft.

Whilst data does not differentiate between youth and adult offenders, it prompted calls for the State Government to double down on youth crime reforms, amidst rising criminal activities involving youth.

In 2021, Queensland recorded the highest number of individual car thefts with 15,805 reported incidents, a recent data crunch from Budget Direct revealed. Victoria is a close second with 15,353 whilst New South Wales is third with 10,473.

Brisbane also had the most vehicles stolen among Australian cities during the period with 3,623 motor vehicle thefts in 2021 as compared to Gold Coast’s 2,591 and Townsville’s 1,118 reported incidents. However, it is worth noting that Brisbane’s high numbers could be attributed to Brisbane’s LGA covering a much bigger area compared to other cities such as Sydney.

BAC Plans To Build Terminal 3, Signs Historic Green Energy Contract

Photo credit: Brisbane Airport / newsroom.bne.com.au/

Brisbane Airport Corporation has recently announced that they are now in the planning stage of building a third terminal as part of preparations to accommodate a projected 50 million passengers per year travelling through its terminals by 2040.

The move comes as Brisbane also prepares to host the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics Games, an event which will also bring in an influx of air travellers through BAC’s facilities.

BAC CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said that BAC is currently running out of terminal capacity and is currently seeking inputs from its airline partners to determine the best location for Terminal 3, which is planned for use by domestic airlines.

Although the area between the two runways could be the most suitable location to minimise aircraft taxiing. It is also close to the current domestic terminal.

“Terminal 3 will be state of the art so that will be a terminal we’ve built for the 2030s. Sustainability will be front and centre, as will accessibility. We know that come 2032, Brisbane Airport will provide the first and last impression for all Olympic and Paralympic visitors and we take that responsibility very seriously,” Mr de Graaff said.

Apart from Terminal 3, Brisbane Airport is also planning to upgrade the two existing terminals, build extra car parking, develop a regional aeromedical hub, expand Skygate and DFO, and build more freight facilities, at a cost of more than $5 billion.

BAC Confirms Planning Is Underway for Third Terminal, Enters Into Historic Green Energy Contract — Photo credit: Stanwell / stanwell.com

Renewable Energy Agreement

In other developments, BAC also announced that it has entered into a historic six-year renewable energy agreement with Stanwell Corporation.

Under the new agreement, the government-owned energy generator will supply BAC yearly with up to 185 GWh of renewable energy coming from Stanwell’s 800 MW Clarke Creek Wind Farm and the 200 MW Blue Grass Solar Farm projects.

The renewable energy supply would power operations at the airport including runway lights through to the terminals, electric vehicles refuellers, travellators, escalators, and retail shops, to name a few.

Therapy Dog in Training Introduced to Ascot State School Students

Photo credit: Facebook / Ascot State School

A 17-week-old male Cavoodle is currently undergoing training as a therapy dog at Ascot State School. ‘Winston’ spent time with Prep and Year 1 students and will continue to visit classes each week to get him acquainted with his Ascot family.

Beginning Term 4, students at Ascot State School were introduced to Winston. He is a hypo-allergenic Cavoodle – a breed of dog that is a cross between the Poodle and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He lives full-time with Ms Keong and her family and is currently in training to be a therapy dog.

Sometimes referred to as “comfort dogs”, therapy dogs provide companionship and emotional support to adults or children. They are different, though, from other working dogs such as guide dogs, police dogs or service dogs which are trained to do specific tasks on behalf of their owners.

According to Guide Dogs Queensland, therapy dogs provide support for people who has either a mental, emotional or behavioural condition as well as those with illnesses or physical disabilities.

As part of his training program, he will be introduced to the environment and the students at Ascot SS. He will come to each class for a two-hour meet and greet with the adults and students one day each week and then build up to three full days throughout the next year. Winston will then work in some classrooms to provide support to students with their learning and help relieve their fears and anxieties.

Inside Doughcraft, Home Of European Pastries In Albion

Albion’s newest food hub Craft’d Grounds is home to Doughcraft, an artisan bakery where you can grab French and Italian bread and pastries.

Read: Artisanal French-inspired Food and Wine Experiences at Craft’d Grounds

One of the must-tries here is their panino, an artisanal sourdough served with salame, caramelised mushrooms infused with truffles and spinach. It also comes with a fully vegan version, made of focaccia stuffed with Mediterranean style grilled zucchini and eggplant, rocket, roasted tomato relish, confit garlic and herbs.

Doughcraft is the place to go for a range of unique, flavourful, and flaky pastries such as the Pizza Mini Danish, which is a perfect mix of sweet and savoury and the mouthwatering Eggplant Parmigiana Danish.

Cheese lovers shouldn’t leave without trying their croissant stuffed with blue vein Gorgonzola, a rich and strong-flavoured cheese from the Lombardy region of Italy.

Behind the European-style bakery is a group of chefs and bakers who took their love for food to the next level by opening an eatery.

Steven Chevalier, one of the owners, was born in Normandy, France, and came from a long line of boulangers. In French, boulanger is a person whose job is to bake and sell bread and cakes.

Chevalier has over 15 years experience making artisan bread. He is joined by Italian chef Marco Conti, who has over a decade working in top restaurants across London, Sardinia, and Liverpool; and Samantha Taverner, former Head Chef of Collingwood Black also known as the Donut Queen.

Everything is made onsite by their sibling wholesale company Farine & Co, including an array of artisan loaves, and delicious sweet and savoury donuts.

Read: Ascot: A Look Back in Time at One of Brisbane’s Premier Suburbs

Doughcraft is open from 6:00 am, Wednesday to Sunday. Visit their Facebook page for more details.

Eagle Farm Racecourse Hosts Event to Help Leah Kilner

Photo credit: Leah Kilner / Instagram

Eagle Farm Racecourse will host ‘Gala Night with Leah Kilner’ on the 19th of November 2022 with proceeds going directly to the female jockey to assist her on her journey to recovery.

“To see people have called me strong, brave, an inspiration and even a miracle is really unbelievable, I would have never called myself those things. But when I hear the first stories and see where I am now, I guess I really have come a long way and if I can some day help anybody and inspire them to keep pushing I will be happy if I can do it, so please if anyone needs help reach out!” – Leah Kilner

Leah Kilner is making quick progress in her recovery and a charity fundraising event has been organised to help her in this journey. Dubbed “Gala Night with Leah Kilner”, the event takes place at St Leger Ascot Marquee this 19 November 2022 beginning at 6.30 pm.

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The charity fundraiser will be emceed by Channel 7’s Pat Welsh and Lizzie Jelfs and will feature live entertainment, guest speakers, raffles and auctions to be conducted by the Magic Millions team. Attendees will also be treated to a lavish three-course meal plus a premium four-hour beverage package.

Note: Tickets for the event have already been sold out.

Leah Kilner was left critically injured after being thrown from a horse in July 2022. The 24-year-old Australian female jockey was riding ‘Stella Turn’ during a race at Grafton in New South Wales and was 75 m from the finish when the accident happened.

She was immediately flown to the Princess Alexandra Hospital where she was initially placed in a medically induced coma. In early September, nearly two months after the accident, Leah was released from the hospital. She immediately shared updates on her journey and provided details on the extent of her injuries.

In her Instagram post, she wrote, “Wow who knew I’d be legitimately walking out of here and Alive! I bet if you asked those around me in the first couple of days it may have been a grave “I’m not sure..”

“July 3rd turned my life upside down…I’m just so greatful and feel lucky that I’m here to tell the crazy story and thankful for all the people that have been here to support me and all the people that have sent a message, a prayer, anything at all, it’s all helped! And we can’t forget the paramedics first on the scene and the Westpac Helicopter and all the barrier/track staff. Literally all played a part in saving my life my life 🙌🏻🤍,” she continued.

She said that she still has “a long way to go and a lot more therapy” but she is ready to take on the challenge. She revealed that apart from the severe head/brain trauma she also had a collarbone snapped in three, broken ribs, and a small fracture in the ankle. Her whole left side was also extremely weak and her left eye is completely shut leaving her with only 25% vision.

Her left eye has recovered since and she has slowly gone back to doing her normal things. She even got to be back on a horse just recently which definitely is an inspiring sight to behold.

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“Baby steps mate and you will be back soon. You are an inspiration. Nothing but love ❤️ and respect.” – suttystips1

“The best day seeing that smile on your face! ❤️❤️” – stephthornton99

“This is amazing girl 😍 absolute inspo 🙌” – seygilbert

Herve’s Restaurant and Bar: Artisanal French-inspired Food and Wine Experiences

Photo credit: Facebook / Herve's Restaurant and Bar

Tucked away on the upper level of Craft’d Grounds in Albion is Hervé’s Restaurant and Bar, a delightful restaurant offering French-inspired, artisanal cuisine prepared by talented, experienced chefs, and an impressive wine list curated by its French-born sommelier and owner.

Opened in May 2022, Hervé’s Restaurant and Bar is an 80-seat French-inspired restaurant by the husband and wife team of French-born sommelier Hervé Dudognon and his wife Cristina.

Mr Dudognon’s impressive resume includes stints at Hotel de Crillon in Paris, Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong, Merivale in Sydney and Stanley at Howard Smith Wharves. He is joined by Executive Chef Chris Norman and his wife Executive Pastry Chef Alex Norman.

Executive Chef Chris Norman, Executive Pastry Chef Alex Norman | Photo credit: Facebook / Herve’s Restaurant and Bar

Hervé’s Restaurant and Bar sits in the loft of Albion’s Craft’d Grounds on Collingwood Street accessible through the stairs situated at the back of Brewtide Brewery & Bar. Once upstairs you’ll find the soft-lighted French-inspired venue’s terrazzo-topped bar on one side and the dining room on the other side. The former-timber-mill-turned-restaurant boasts of exposed iron beams, cafe-style tables, bentwood chairs, banquettes and polished wooden floors.

Herve's Restaurant and Bar at Craft’d Grounds — Photo credit: Facebook / Herve’s Restaurant and Bar

Meanwhile, the dynamic duo of Chris and Alex Norman will work their magic in the open kitchen which features a chef station, charcoal grill, fryer, gas cooktop, wood-fired oven and a pastry counter.

Amuse Bouche / Herve's Restaurant and Bar — Amuse Bouche | Photo credit: Facebook / Herve’s_Restaurant and Bar

Expect Chris’ menu to include Amuse Bouche offerings such as Pomme Soufflé with Oscietra Caviar, and Fraser Island Crab with rock melon, pomelo and Jamon. Then there are also Chilled Seafood must-try including Moreton Bay bugs with Mornay foam and Espelette pepper; and Poached Bay Lobster with cos lettuce, cocktail dressing, cucumber and smoked salmon caviar.

Poached bay lobster with smoked salmon caviar / Herve's Restaurant and Bar — Poached bay lobster with smoked salmon caviar | Photo credit: Facebook / Herve’s_ Restaurant and Bar

For the Mains, there is a coal-fired Fillet of Kingfish with cauliflower, spring squash, buttermilk and chive oil; and Roast tenderloin of Black Angus with watercress and shiraz jus.

Dessert? There’s Lemonade Fruit Fool with Mascarpone sabayon, Tommy’granita and brand snap; and the ever-changing Dessert Du Jour which takes its cue from available local fresh produce.

Lemonade Fruit Fool Herve's Restaurant and Bar — Lemonade Fruit Fool: Mascarpone sabayon, Tommy’s mar-granita, brandy snap | Photo credit: Facebook / Herve’s_Restaurant and Bar

Other sweet-tooth-satisfying confections from Alex include Moelleux Chocolat Valrhona Millot 74% with Pedro Ximinez, roasted vanilla ice cream and hazelnut nougatine.

French-inspired, Herve's Restaurant and Bar at Craft’d Grounds — Hervé Dudognon, Thibaud Cregut | Photo credit: Facebook / Herve’s Restaurant and Bar

Moving on to the drinks corner, Hervé and sommelier Thibaud Cregut’s wine list features 150 bottles sourced from Australian winemakers as well as from overseas, but expect a full page dedicated to organic Corsican Wines along with a slew of classic cocktails.

If you haven’t yet visited Hervé’s Restaurant and Bar, head over to Craft’d Grounds at 31/37 Collingwood Street in Albion. Bookings for Thursdays, beginning 3 November 2022, are now open. Visit the website here to send in your request for booking.

Craft’d Grounds | 31/37 Collingwood St, Albion QLD 4010, Australia

Construction Starts at Charlton House in Ascot Green

Photo Credit: Charlton House/Mirvac

Construction has begun at Charlton House, the third residential apartment site in Mirvac’s Ascot Green community, after Tulloch House and Ascot House at the Eagle Farm racecourse.

The project’s kickoff comes after reports suggested Brisbane’s apartment supply has been dwindling due to the strong sales. Charlton House has actually sold out 75 per cent of the apartments within three months following its launch. The sales are estimated to have raked around $70 million.

Warwick Bible, the general manager of Mirvac residential developments in Queensland said that they are fast-tracking the completion of Charlton House to address the demand. Buyers are also showing strong confidence in the Ascot property and the larger Brisbane unit market.

Charlton House Ascot Green — Photo Credit: CharltonHouse/Mirvac

Charlton House has one to four-bedroom apartments and a few three and four-bedroom villas. These villas are a first for Ascot Green.

The building has a rooftop sanctuary private recreation and dining. The ground level has a resort-style pool and gym, overlooking the racecourse.

Charlton House pool — Photo Credit: CharltonHouse/Mirvac

The construction also marks a milestone in the historical changes at Eagle Farm that will allow more residents to call this location their home for years to come. Charlton House is expected to be ready by mid-2024, creating over 300 construction jobs.

Mirvac has collaborated with Brisbane Racing Club to develop the Ascot Green community, which will also see additional commercial and recreational sites apart from the residential apartments.

Brothers Rugby World Cup Star: Bred for the Game

Photo Credit: Facebook / Buildcorp Wallaroos

Iliseva Batibasaga is bred for Rugby. Her dad, Isimeli, played 13 tests for Fiji in the 1970s. Her cousins include Nemani Nadolo, Chris Kuridrani, Tevita Kuridrani and Lote Tuqiri.

The 37-year-old Brothers Scrum half made her debut for the Wallaroos in 2006. She was part of the 2006 Rugby World Cup squad and the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup team that finished 3rd.

She was also part of the 2013 squad that competed in the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2013, but has not been part of ensuing World Cups until the call-up this year for the big show in New Zealand.

Iliseva’s mum and dad, Isimeli and Kathy, migrated to Brisbane in the 1980s. People that saw her dad play for Redcliffe in the 80s say she is a chip off the old block.

The Wallaroos are currently ranked number 7 in the world, and so they went into this World Cup hopeful rather than expectant.

Their opening match couldn’t have been tougher, drawing New Zealand, and after going 17-12 at half-time, there would have been some thoughts around a massive, giant killing. However, it went south in the 2nd half as the Black Ferns scored 29 unanswered points.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME

The Wallaroos pulled off a massive turnaround win against Scotland, down 12-0 at half-time. They scored two tries, including one by Ashley Marsters in the dyng minutes to get their first win on the board and stay alive in the comp, though they suffered two red cards in the closing minutes including the winning-try scorer.

They’ll be going up against Wales next, Wales having just got up 18-15 against Scotland.

You can follow the tournament here.

Aircraft Noise Level in Ascot Ranks 4th Highest Among 55 Brisbane Suburbs

Photo Credit: Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels

Did you know that Ascot has the fourth-highest aircraft noise level among 55 Brisbane suburbs based on measurements taken from uploaded recordings of a user-based, Dutch phone app?

The latest ExPlane app report showed that the average decibel levels in Ascot is 76 based on 1,081 recordings made since 2020, when Brisbane Airport’s new flightpaths were implemented.

According to Audiology, a decibel level above 70 may be comparable to busy traffic or a vacuum cleaner and could result in permanent hearing loss when extended over a long period.

Here are the 10 suburbs with the highest plane noise levels based on uploaded recordings from ExPlane app users:

SUBURB	AVERAGE DECIBELS	RECORDINGS
Cannon Hill	80dB	84
Murarrie	80dB	25
Norman Park	78dB	377
Ascot	76dB	1,081
Kangaroo Point	76dB	72
Albany Creek	75dB	6
Clayfield	75dB	89
Tingalpa	75dB	25
Keperra	75dB	8
Hendra	74dB	1,229

Brisbane locals have been uploading aircraft noise recordings on the ExPlane app, becoming the second most active users next to the Dutch since 2020. However, the Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) said that the mobile service was inaccurate.

The ExpPlane app has been tracking aircraft noise levels from airports across the world and was created by Roelof Meijer of SchipholWatch, a group of residents in Holland who opposed the expansion of Schiphol airport.

Schiphol Airport is owned by the Royal Schiphol Group, a shareholder of the Brisbane Airport.

A message from Brisbane Airport: pic.twitter.com/hvoo38lXDt
— Brisbane Airport ✈️ (@BrisbaneAirport) September 30, 2022

The report comes after BAC issued an apology for failing to comply with its Noise Abatement Procedures when Qatar airline took off at 11:00 p.m., adversely impacting residents in Hamilton and New Farm.

A move to permanently impose a curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. has been introduced in the Parliament. However, BAC CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff is against the curfews and caps as these could affect the job security of 9,000 workers. Whilst Mr Graaff acknowledges the aircraft noise issues, he believes that curfews and caps are not the answers.

Meanwhile, Airservices Australia, the federal aviation industry regulator, is currently trialing Noise Improvement Trials, coursing planes to take off and land in the opposite direction to reduce the noise. Final changes to the flight path will not be adopted without community consultations thus these issues will still take more time to be resolved.