Homepage Latest News Archives - Page 27 of 38

Inside Albion’s New Community-focused Cafe

Photo credit: Flora Social Eatery/Facebook

Looking for a place to meet, eat, and get things done? Check out Albion’s newest cafe, Flora Social Eatery, a hybrid cafe/restaurant with a big focus on the community.

Read: Upscale Coles Local with Mochi & Macaron Bar Opens in Ascot

Flora Social Eatery is equipped with individual spaces, community tables, and even boardrooms that can be accessed inside for those who need a co-working space. They also started to open their social hub last month for locals who need a space for getting their project off the ground or growing their business.

Photo credit: Flora Social Eatery/Facebook

The social hub will be available for a variety of uses, including arts & crafts, yoga/pilates, support groups, women’s and men’s circles, sound healing, networking groups, aromatherapy, pottery, agricultural programs, and more.

Sustainability is crucial to this cafe, and this can be seen in its commitment to growing leafy greens and herbs in its small urban farm. The menu changes according to what’s in season and available, but you can expect to enjoy South American flavours, European cuts and classic Australian dishes at Flora Social Eatery.

The cafe bathes in natural light, thanks to the giant windows. It features an atrium-style dining room with tables, chairs, and couches, much like Central Perk, that iconic coffee house in the TV series, Friends.

Signature menu items include the Gulf Prawn Benedict, Flora’s Tacos, and Big Matt’s Breakfast, which is an egg dish with bacon, chorizo, potato hash, mushrooms, and tomato relish. As for drinks, they serve coffee from Melbourne’s Roasting Warehouse, available in two blends– dark and strong or rich and chocolatey.

Flora Social Eatery is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch. They also offer takeaway and curbside pickup. You can follow them on social media for updates on trading hours and promotions.

For everyone’s safety, Flora Social Eatery encourages guests to use their sanitiser stations at each entry, check-in for contact tracing, and practice social distancing.

Flora Social Eatery

Phone: 0416 618 696

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/florasocialeatery/

Instagram: @florasocialeatery

Plans Lodged for Third Apartment Block for Ascot Green

After selling out the first two residential developments of Ascot Green, Mirvac has lodged plans for the next apartment block in the precinct, which will comprise hundreds of apartments and a rooftop boasting gorgeous city views.

Comprising twin towers, the development application (DA A005794918) seeks to build 256 multiple dwellings over the course of two stages. The first stage will deliver 115 apartments and the second stage will complete 141 units.

Ascot Green‘s Building C and D have been designed as subtropical-inspired apartments, which will have the precinct’s first four-bedroom units and four integrated terraces fronting the racecourse. The rooftop enclave will have a private dining area and plush lounges for entertaining and leisure.

On the other hand, the ground floor spaces will include a resort-style pool overlooking the racecourse and gym facilities. Some 475 car parks across two basement levels have also been included in the design.

Once approved, the dwellings will go to market by late 2021 or early 2022.

“In keeping with the peaceful and natural surrounds, residents will enjoy the authentically Queenslander experiences of shade and shelter, and screening and greenery, with the ability to open and close elements as they wish to maximise natural light and ventilation,” Mirvac Design director Nicolas Thioulouse said.

It comes as Mirvac has successfully sold out the first two buildings, Ascot House and Tulloch House, as part of the Brisbane Racing Club‘s master plan. Ascot House, with 90 apartments, has been completed, whilst Tullock House, with 84 apartments is expected to finish by the end of the year.

Aside from the luxury apartments and the retirement living spaces, Ascot Green will also house commercial spaces, medical services, retail, dining, childcare, and swim school.

National Cricket Campus Development in Albion Begins Stage C

Stage C of the National Cricket Campus development in Albion has begun, comprising improvements for the Allan Border Field and Ray Lindwall Oval. The project aims to transform the popular sports site into a world-class facility to be used by various teams and community clubs.

The $18.8 million National Cricket Campus project has been funded by Australian and Queensland Governments, Brisbane City Council, Cricket Australia, Queensland Cricket and Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club. Hutchinson Builders is the principal contractor for the project and has successfully completed the delivery of Stage A and B on Shaw Road in December 2020.

Stage C of this development will deliver the following features:

Five new international wickets, including a subcontinent preparation pitch.
An extended Allan Border Field boundary size.
Terrace seating and a new electronic scoreboard.
New lighting for training areas.
A new amenity building to include change rooms, ground manager’s office and high-performance offices.
Improved drainage and turf facility management to allow for 365-day-a-year field usage.

Whilst development is ongoing, teams and clubs may use the new training fields on Shaw Road.

“Brisbane is increasingly seen as the home of cricket in Australia. But this project is exciting not only for the city, but for the entire cricket community around the country,” MP Trevor Evans said. Mr Evans was at the sod-turning ceremony on 22 July.

“These new facilities will ensure that all our cricketers have the amenities and playing grounds to thrive, as well nurture our next generation of Tim Paines and Meg Lannings”.

Stage C is expected to finish by May 2022. Once the Campus fully opens, it is expected to boost economic activity in Brisbane when international and national training programs begin. The National Cricket Campus will be open year-round.

White House Sells For $10M After Ascot Bidding War

Photo credit: raywhite.com

For the first time in 46 years, the prestigious Ascot mansion also known as “Brisbane’s very own White House” went on the market and was promptly snapped up soon after.

Read: Ascot Consistently Tops Highest-Income Earners List in Brisbane

The property at 32 Sutherland Avenue was owned by Brian White, joint chairman and patriarch of Ray White Group, the largest real estate group in Australasia.The auction for the 3,035-sqm property was scheduled for 17 July 2021, but the property sold a week prior to the auction. Following a bidding war among four buyers, only two buyers – one from Sydney and one from Asia – ended up in a multiple offer situation. In the end, a family from Sydney won the bid.

“The home is perfectly designed for Queensland family living. There’s (sic) great outdoor spaces which give full flexibility to energetic activities including a cricket practice pitch, all with great privacy,” Mr White said in a news release.

In addition to a cricket pitch, the 1930s Queenslander features a championship-size tennis court, swimming pool, and lush gardens.

Mr Brian White (Photo credit: raywhite.com)

Mr White and his wife, Rosemary, have owned the property since 1975. Although they already moved to Sydney in the ‘90s and own a few more properties in Australia, the Ascot home is dear to them because it was their first family home. This is where they raised their three sons.

“We had been thinking about selling in Ascot for the past 12 months and we listened to the advice of Matt and Dwight about why now was the best time to sell on the property clock. Their extensive marketing attracted inquiry from all over Australia with interest from Sydney and Perth and even Asia,” Mr White said.

Upscale Coles Local with Mochi & Macaron Bar Opens in Ascot

Coles Local has unveiled a new format in Ascot by becoming the first upscale and fancy Queensland outlet to have its very own mochi and macaron bar.

The grocery shopping experience has accelerated at Coles Local Ascot, where customers can easily pick and mix from a self-service freezer filled with Japanese mochi ice cream and French meringue-based macaron cookies, and then pay for their sweet treats at the counter.

A few steps from the bar is a self-service coffee station, where shoppers can buy high-quality brews from DC Specialty Coffee Roasters. A Scoop & Weigh bar has also been laid out for pet parents looking for carefully curated dog treats.

The refurbished supermarket, located at the corner of Racecourse Road and Dobson Street, is one of three Coles Local stores across the country to undergo a major innovation in 2021 to escalate its product selections.

Like Coles Local York Street in Sydney and Coles Local Fitzroy in Melbourne, the Ascot outlet’s choices have been specifically tailored for the locals. Aside from the mochi and macaron bar, Brisbane shoppers will be able to shop for these upscale and in-demand goodies in one location:

bread and baked items from Bowen Hills’ popular King Street Bakery
cakes and pastries from the sought-after patisserie Jocelyn’s Provisions
delicious sausages and patties from Ashgrove and Paddington’s favourite butcher Meat at Billy’s

According to Coles’ Chief of Sustainability, Property and Export Officer, Thinus Keevé, they have been experimenting with this concept since 2018 at a handful of outlets in Melbourne and it always generated positive feedback.

Coles Local Ascot has about 40 percent of premium products that you won’t find at a regular Coles.

Ascot Consistently Tops Highest-Income Earners List in Brisbane

Ascot has once again topped the list of highest-income earners in Brisbane in the latest report from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) covering the 2018-2019 financial year.

Residents of the upscale northside suburb averagely earned $109,289, matching the average income of Hamilton, its neighbouring suburb. The number, covering the tax returns of more than 10,000 people, are up 0.9 percent compared to the data collected in 2017-2018.

Bardon and Chandler are on the second and third list of highest-income earners in Brisbane with a taxable income of $106,835 and $105,460, respectively. Rounding off the top five are Balmoral, Bulimba and Hawthorne residents with an average income of $104,681.

On the other hand, the average earnings of residents in these 14 suburbs were above $90,000: Teneriffe, New Farm, Clayfield, Hendra, Milton, Paddington, Kenmore, Brookfield, Upper Brookfield, Pinjarra Hills, Pullenvale, Fig Tree Pocket and Chapel Hill.

Ascot and Hamilton are on 54th of ATO’s national rankings with seven of the top 10 highest-income earners coming from Sydney’s postcodes, who are earned above $200,000 for the said financial year.

Of the highest-paid occupations, it’s surgeons, anaesthetists, internal medicine specialists, financial dealers and psychiatrists who are in the top five. However, the country’s biggest taxpayers come from the group who earned an annual income of $37,001 and $90,000, which accounted for 40 percent of the tax returns.

The Doomben Racecourse in Ascot is Now a COVID-19 Vaccination Hub

Just as Queensland reaches a million delivered COVID-19 doses, a new vaccination hub has opened at the Doomben Racecourse in Ascot to facilitate more vaccinations to the Brisbane community.

Ascot’s Doomben Racecourse has become the latest addition to Queensland Health’s constantly-expanding network of COVID-19 vaccination hubs, and according to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath, Doomben is well-equipped and ready to deliver the vaccine to eligible Queenslanders. In total, Queensland Health has expanded its network of vaccination hubs to 18 across the state in total.

The fact that the establishment was already well-known to many Queenslanders and had good transport links meant that it was easy to access. “It’s the perfect location for our growing network of vaccination hubs, which are vaccinating an ever-growing number of Queenslanders,” said Minister D’Ath.

Photo credit: Commander Keane/Wikimedia Commons

Queensland Health is focusing on delivering vaccines to people between the ages of 40 and 49 who have registered for the vaccines, as well as residential aged care workers and disability staff. Vaccinations are also available to frontline staff such as health workers, police officers, and paramedics.

“Today Queensland is set to hit a total of one million COVID vaccination doses delivered, through our GP and pharmacy networks and Queensland Health hubs,” added Minister D’Ath. “Over the last week alone, Queensland Health has administered 71,471 vaccinations, including a record 11,827 yesterday. We want to continue to grow these numbers to get even more Queenslanders protected in this ongoing global epidemic.”

The Doomben Racecourse can be found at 75 Hampden St, Ascot. Eligible Queensland residents interested in registering for the COVID-19 vaccine can do so via the Queensland Health website here.

Ascot Spy House Sold at Auction for Almost $9 Million

Nyrambla, the historical Ascot spy house, has been sold to an undisclosed owner during a weekend auction for almost $9 million.

The deal came through after dark in mid-May 2021 with five registered bidders vying for the historical house. However, the vendor bid of $8.5 million wasn’t reached until a local bidder on the phone negotiated on closing the sale.

Someone in the crowd at the front lawn of Nyrambla thought that the house would be easily snapped up for $10 million but a former resident of the Ascot spy house said that it could be challenging to find a builder that will properly maintain the heritage-listed house.

Nyrambla Ascot Spy House — Photo Credit: Paz Avalos/Google Maps

In its nearly 100 years of existence, Nyrambla was home to many Brisbane personalities, including famous writer and director Bille Brown, farmer’s market queen Jan Powers, as well as Australian artist Lawrence Daws and his wife Andree.

It was the family of Andree who decided to sell the house following her passing. Andree’s son and Lawrence’s stepson, Rick Roberts, has spent some 20 years rebuilding Nyrambla. Meanwhile, Lawrence has since moved to the south of Adelaide in Port Willunga.

The new owner of the Ascot spy house is a friend of the Daws family yet they still acknowledged that it was sad to let go of the beautiful and historical house.

Nyrambla was requisitioned during World War II by General Douglas MacArthur to be used as an intelligence bureau for decoding Japanese radio transmissions. At the house’s garage, members of the Australian Women’s Army Service worked as codebreakers, who were not allowed to discuss their work with anyone, including their families.

Recently, the story of The Garage Girls, as the Nyrambla codebreakers were called, has been turned into a book titled “The Codebreakers” by Alli Sinclair.

Eagle Farm Track Looking Good for Upcoming Group 1 Race

With just a few weeks to go before the Group 1 meetings, Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell has pronounced the Eagle Farm track to be in great shape and in its healthiest state, with the surface ryegrass growing strong for the winter after disease got the best of its roots, affecting its length and strength in 2020.

Months before the major races, debates about the cushion, surface, and general state of the Eagle Farm track became a worrying concern among the jockeys and trainers as their horses’ performance could be held back by a bad surface.

Some trainers also refused to let their horses run on a hard and uncushioned surface because it could be detrimental to the animal’s physical health and welfare.

Mr Purnells said that they wouldn’t usually do a renovation of the tracks in time for a big carnival but they had to stop the roots disease from spreading.

Now, a thick grass has been visible on the Eagle Farm track with some racing pundits, who watched Derby Day at the end of May 2021, saying that it’s looking pretty good.

Racing Queensland undertook the last significant renovation of the Eagle Farm track in 2014 by ripping and replacing all of its surfaces. However, when it reopened in 2016, a number of issues sprung with the new tracks with stakeholders saying that the problems have persisted in the last five years because of the track’s mismanagement.

The CEO also said that they have been continuously coordinating with the Brisbane Racing Club on how to improve the Eagle Farm track.

St Margaret’s in Ascot Declared Boarding School of the Year

Did you know that St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot has once again won the Australian Education Awards Boarding School of the Year?

For the second consecutive year, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School has been declared the Australian Education Awards Boarding School of the Year. The school, which is located in Ascot, Brisbane, has been operating at capacity for several years, attributing their success and high retention to the inclusive community the school provides for its students.

Integration has always been one of the school’s top priorities, teaching the staff how to perform duties outside of their respective departments. Teachers would know just as much about boarders as boarding staff, and vice versa.

Photo credit: Facebook/St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School

This is especially important for St Margaret’s as the boarding house and their residents play an integral role in the school, and this unity fosters a sense of community and cooperation.

The school itself is owned and operated by the Society of the Sacred Advent Schools Pty Ltd which was founded in 1892. St Margaret’s was founded in 1895, closely following six core values: courage, faith, integrity, passion, respect, and spirit. It is an independent school for day students and boarders, with a total of 810 students from pre-prep to Year 12 — 170 of which are boarders.

The school can be found at 11 Petrie St, Ascot. For more information, visit their website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and announcements concerning the school.