Ascot joins the list of the exclusive suburbs that draw wealthy Chinese home buyers into Brisbane, a Chinese international real estate website’s research says.
Data from Juwai.com’s research showed that property investors from China are willing to spend for a much-coveted property in Brisbane. For the first half of 2018, Chinese investors showed great interest in exclusive Brisbane suburbs: Kangaroo Point, Newstead, Sunnybank, West End, Indooroopilly, Ascot, Sunnybank Hills, and St Lucia.
Foreign investment rules are raising interests of these offshore buyers particularly in suburbs where new developments are underway. Chinese buyers are pleasantly surprised to find out that they can purchase a house in Brisbane for half the price of an inner-city apartment in Shanghai or Beijing.
Chinese buyers put a premium on new developments in a suburb, quality education, and convenience. This makes Brisbane very attractive to Chinese home buyers because of the easy lifestyle, the water views, and quality English language educational institutions, the report said.
Photo Credit: True_Guowei/Pixabay
Amongst Chinese home buyers, Brisbane is the third most popular Australian city, next to Melbourne and Sydney. Demand for Australian property increased by 10.1 percent in the first quarter of 2018 and 4.4 percent in the second quarter. Considering the current state of the property market in China, Brisbane is regarded by Chinese property buyers as a safer place to invest.
Also, in 2017, “Chinese property buyers and investors remain interested in overseas real estate and have even caused exceptional investment growth in certain countries,” according to Juwai Chinese Global Property Investment Report 2018. Even though, Chinese property investments in Australia—which stood at US$17.4 billion—fell in 2017, it still larger compared to any other foreign nation.
Continued growth of personal wealth in China has benefited U.S., Australia, Hong Kong SAR, and Malaysian residential markets.
Shoppers and stallholders are disappointed with the announcement of Eagle Farm Markets’ closure at the end of October.
Eagle Farm Markets has officially announced that the last market day will be on Sunday, 28 October 2018.
The management informed the stallholders of the closure via email prior to their announcement on social media, however, it seems that not all were aware of the news. Some stallholders reportedly found out about the markets’ closing on Facebook.
Major Challenges
According to Brisbane Racing Club chairman Neville Bell, the decline in customers visiting the markets over the years is one of the challenges that the markets faced.
The popular markets reportedly had a decrease of 23.5% of customer visits in the last financial year. Apart from the decreasing customer visits, the number of competition in the area is also a hurdle for the markets.
Photo credit: Eagle Farm Markets/Facebook
“As a result, the BRC together with our partner the Brisbane Markets Limited, has decided to end the Eagle Farm Markets. The final Markets will be held on Sunday, October 28. This decision was not easy however we are mindful that our responsibility as a Club is to ensure our growing non-racing ventures are operated in a sustainable manner,” Mr Bell said.
“We thank the many loyal customers and clients of the Eagle Farm Markets. At their peak, the Markets attracted about 200,000 people each year. They were a vibrant gathering bringing together some excellent producers and loyal customers. We are grateful for their contributions,” he added.
Most locals are sad to hear the news since the Eagle Farm Markets have been part of their Sunday routine. However, some are not as surprised since they have also noticed a decrease in the number of stalls in the markets. Some have even called out the limited number of parking space in the markets.
The Eagle Farm Markets might be bracing for a really busy Sunday. More locals are expressing their interest in heading to the markets for the very last time before its permanent closure.
Heritage listing of portions of the historic Eagle Farm Racecourse has already been lifted to give way to future works on the $1.2 billion master plan for the site.
The Brisbane Racing Club (BRC) previously applied to delist a small section of the heritage-listed Eagle Farm racecourse land from the Queensland Heritage Register. Lifting the heritage listing on these sections will make it possible for works on the BRC’s master plan expansion to move forward.
The delisting involved the four lots on the south-east section of the Eagle Farm race track near the Gallopers Sports Club and around to front Nudgee Road. The delisted area of the Eagle Farm racecourse is now the site of the Racecourse Village with the full-line Woolworths supermarket, specialty shops and restaurants.
Racecourse Village Aerial Footage July 2018
Video credit: Brisbane Racing Club/YouTube
Whilst a majority of the area including the racetrack, front gates, and the grandstand remains heritage-listed, community organization Brisbane Residents United felt dismayed over the decision to delist sections of the historic site.
BRU president Elizabeth Handley expressed her concern at how the city is losing its heritage sites and heritage buildings. BRC, on the other hand, said that they are keen on keeping the heritage listing of vast majority of the racecourse. Delisting portions of the site will make assessment on future developments and changes to the master plan easier.
The $40 million Racecourse Village Shopping Centre is part of the BRC master plan. The Racecourse Village features what is considered to be the most modern Woolworths supermarket in Australia. There are also 12 specialty outlets located on the ground floor with six tenancies on the first floor. The site also features a mixture of dining destinations and services, $700,000 of solar panels, and high-level brick and tile finishes.
Burger lovers rejoice! Racecourse Village has recently unveiled its latest addition to its impressive line-up of restaurants and it promises to be DA’Perfect place for DA’Family to enjoy great tasting burgers. That’s right, Da’Burger Ascot is now open to serve you.
DA’Burger burst onto the food scene in 2013 with its super-sized burgers to the delight of burger lovers all over inner-city Brisbane. Now, five years later, the New Farm burger joint expands to Ascot with the opening of its second venue, DA’Burger Racecourse Village. The Ascot outlet sports a distinct design that is uniquely DA’Burger’s, a painted mural and graffiti wall.
Owners James D’Ath and Wendy Mason have brought all the great DA’Burger goodness that Brisbane burger enthusiasts have grown to love with its continued partnership with Rayner’s Gourmet Meats. Rayner’s supplies the fresh meat which is turned into great-tasting burgers, thanks to their time-tested family recipe and custom-made fresh bun.
DA’Vegie with an add-on beef patty. Grilled halloumi and zucchini, Wendy’s chilli jam with a hint of lemongrass and ginger, lettuce, tomato, onion and Chrissie’s tomato relish
Photo credit: DA’Burger/Facebook
Double flame grilled Black Angus beef patty, triple cheddar cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, truffle mayo and mustard
Photo credit: DA’Burger/Facebook
flame grilled soy bean patty, ras el hanout spiced cauliflower, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo and our tomato kasundi
Photo credit: DA’Burger/Facebook
Nelson Nasty–spice rubbed grilled chicken tenderloins, smoked bacon, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo and Wendy’s chilli jam with a hint of lemongrass and ginger
Photo credit: DA’Burger/Facebook
DA’Burger serves beef burgers, chicken burgers, lamb burgers, fish burgers, and even veggie and vegan burgers and Gluten-free buns for the conscious eaters out there. You also got to try their Chicken Wings tossed in one of their signature sauces like Thai style citrus magic with fresh coriander, jalapeno hot sauce, blend of Miso, honey and rice wine, or a simple seasoning with Himalayan pink salt and herbs.
What sets the Ascot venue apart from its New Farm sibling is the beer on tap, serving more than 35 craft beers from local breweries such as Green Beacon. However, if beer is not your thing, DA’Burger also serves a great selection of wine to wash all that good burger and chicken tastes down.
DA’Burger give back to the community by donating $2.30 to the Share the Dignity with each sale of Foul Play burger—Thai marinated chicken tenderloins, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and Wendy’s chilli jam with a hint of lemongrass and ginger. Each $2.30 donated to Share the Dignity buys a period pack for the homeless.
“As a child, I witnessed domestic violence and know first hand the challenges one faces in dealing with it. Helping those in need now is something I’m deeply passionate about.” James D’Ath said.
Celebrate spring season at The Society Rooftop for The Spring Series 2018 presented by Chandon.
Starting at 2:00 p.m. each Saturday of the month, delight in endless Chandon Sparkling Rosé whilst you dance to the groove and enjoy great DJ entertainment with your friends.
Immerse yourself in the expansive gardens and don’t forget to take snaps at the event amidst the stylish themed decor and the magnificent views. The place is absolutely ‘gram-worthy.
Catch the sunset and toast to the new season of spring. Don’t miss out on this event as this is only available for four Saturdays this month, which kicked off on the 1st of September.
Woolworths just opened its latest store at Racecourse Village in Ascot. The newest store is Woolworths’ first next-generation store. It boasts a number of new features guaranteed to create a whole new shopping experience.
Woolworths 3.0
The new features, dubbed as “Woolworths 3.0”, include flame-roasted chickens and an array of seafood from a new fish market. Other features include artisan bread and made-to-order cakes from the full production bakery. The Woolworths Ascot store will also feature a new ready meals section. The ready meals section is filled with fresh sandwiches, salads, and healthy juices for customers looking for easy meal options.
Picking up orders in-store is now even more convenient for those who prefer to do their shopping online. There is a dedicated Drive Thru service area at the side of the building with parking bays.
Photo credit: The Retail Designers/Facebook
“Woolworths Racecourse Village Ascot marks the next evolution of our journey to create a neighbourhood food store for Queensland customers. It provides a great shopping experience for our local customers, with good prices on products they want, a great fresh offer and the convenience they are looking for,” Woolworths Queensland State Manager, Matthew Franich said.
“Our team has spent a great deal of time understanding how local customers like to shop and designed this store with their shopping needs in mind to create this next-generation grocery shopping experience.”
Fruit and Vegetables – Shoppers will experience a “marketplace” feel while choosing from an extensive range of Australian fresh fruit and vegetables.
Deli – Pick up cured meats sliced to order. The can also choose their favourite olives from the deli or select from 90 delicious kinds of cheese.
Flame-Roasted Chicken – Expertly marinated with breadcrumbs, herbs, and the juice of half a lemon – and hand-stuffed in-store. Free-range chicken is flame roasted to tender perfection for 30 minutes.
Bakery – Customers can order custom-made party cakes and freshly made pastries. They even have artisan bread loaves and freshly-made flatbread which are perfect for burritos, wraps, and even pizza bases.
Butcher – A new and free ‘Bag and Bake’ service available in meat and poultry, including Memphis Smokey BBQ, Cajun Seasoning, Herb and Garlic, and Portuguese Seasoning marinades. Meats are sourced locally, organic, and Heart Smart.
Seafood – Fresh fish caught locally from Australia and New Zealand. There offer free ‘Bag and Bake’ with fantastic marinade options, including tomato and basil, lime and chilli fusion, Thai sweet chilli, roast garlic and herbs, and teriyaki and ginger.
Macro Wholefoods Market – Pick from an extensive range of certified organic products, including loose nuts, seeds and grains, and gluten-free range.
Sushi – Made to order and handmade fresh sushi with Platter pre-orders are also available. There are hot Japanese dishes on the takeaway menu, including Poke bowls, Katsu Chicken, and Teriyaki Chicken.
Pick up – online shopping made convenient through a dedicated Pickup area at the front of the store. Likewise, there is a convenient Drive-thru service to the side of the building with designated parking bays for store-to-boot convenience.
One With the Community
To minimize environmental impact and ensure sustainability, Woolworths used LED lights and carbon-efficient refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.
“Being part of the local community is very important to us, and we’re looking forward to hosting local schools in our Fresh Food Kids Discovery Tours program. We’re also helping minimise food waste via our partnerships with OzHarvest and Foodbank to help provide meals to Australians in need,” Matthew Franich concluded.
Woolworths Ascot is located in Racecourse Village, 188 Nudgee Rd, Ascot.
Ascot led Brisbane’s top performing suburbs on the north side in the first half of 2018 in terms of price growth, says a PRDnationwide report.
According to their “Affordable & Livable Property Guide in the 1st Half of 2018” report, Ascot tops the North area of Brisbane in both House and Unit property.
Demand for houses in Brisbane saw a healthy growth with the number of houses that were sold in Brisbane City Local Government Area (LGA) rising by 17.9%. The median price grew by 3.1% as well, the PRDnationwide report says.
Units, on the other hand, became more affordable as prices dipped -3.1% while rental prices remained stable in the LGA, for both houses and units. These give property buyers affordable alternatives amid rising costs of houses in the north and south suburbs.
Brisbane’s top performing suburbs in the 1st half of 2018
Area
Suburb
Type
Median Price 2016
Median Price 2017/2018*
Price Growth
Projects 2017**
Inner
Kangaroo Point
House
$860,000
$972,500
13.1%
$105.0M
Newstead
Unit
$594,791
$627,500
5.5%
$116.4M
North
Ascot
House
$1,309,000
$1,520,000
16.1%
$7.7M
Ascot
Unit
$445,000
$485,000
9.0%
$7.7M
South
Doolandella
House
$458,500
$530,000
15.6%
$25.7M
Rochedale
Unit
$495,000
$545,000
10.1%
$28.7M
East
Bulimba
House
$1,157,500
$1,295,000
11.9%
$21.3M
Cannon Hill
Unit
$450,000
$480,000
6.7%
$6.0M
West
Oxley
House
$528,000
$570,000
8.0%
$11.4M
Oxley
Unit
$370,000
$457,000
23.5%
$11.4M
*Median Price reflects transactions from 1 January 2017 – 31 March 2018
**Project developments is based on the aggregate of estimated construction value for residential, industrial, mixed-use and infrastructure projects that are scheduled to begin in the first half of 2018.
Source: PRDnationwide
Affordability & Liveability
The PRDnationwide report also indicated a decline in housing affordability in Queensland. There was an increase of 27.6% in the proportion of income to meet home loan repayments over the past 12 months (to the December 2017 quarter).
Among affordable suburbs for houses in greater Brisbane, Ellen Grove, Inala, Acacia Ridge and Darra emerged as the suburbs that meet their criteria. To meet affordability criteria, suburbs should have a maximum property sale price of the average state loan plus 40% deposit.
Top 3 Lowest Priced Suburbs
Top 3 Lowest Priced Suburbs*
Median Price 2017/2018*
Project Development**
Median Rent 2017/2018
Rental Yield
Ellen Grove
$295,000
$9,600,000
$325
4.5%
Inala
$368,000
$2,884,000
$325
4.3%
Acacia Ridge
$406,500
$3,750,000
$355
4.0%
*Top 3 suburbs are located within 20 km from Brisbane CBD. The suburb median price and median rent figures represent data from the 1st January 2017 to 31st March 2018.
**Project development is the aggregate value of estimated construction for residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and infrastructure projects commencing in the 1st half of 2018.
Source: PRDnationwide
Photo credit:PIRO4D/Pixabay.com
These areas, however, failed to meet liveability criteria. Liveability criteria were added in 2018, including factors such as accessibility (within 5 km radius) to schools, parks, shopping centres, healthcare facilities, as well as low crime rate and unemployment rate.
Algester, Bracken Ridge, and Geebung, thus stood out as most affordable and liveable for houses. Algester, Northgate, and Parkinson, on the other hand, were the top picks for units. The suburbs considered are within a 20 km radius of the CBD.
Affordable and Liveable Suburbs for Houses
Suburb
Median Price
Price Growth
Rental Yield
Total Projects
Radius from CBD
Algester
$514,500
5.0%
4.1%
$1.5 M
16.0 km
Bracken Ridge
$500,000
4.2%
4.0%
$2.9 M
15.6 km
Geebung
$538,000
4.5%
3.8%
$3.8 M
11.1 km
Source: PRDnationwide
Affordable and Liveable Suburbs for Units
Suburb
Median Price
Price Growth
Rental Yield
Total Projects
Radius from CBD
Algester
$365,000
17.4%
5.4%
$1.5 M
16 km
Northgate
$414,000
7.5%
4.8%
$5.1 M
9.4 km
Parkinson
$401,000
8.7%
5.4%
$12 M
18 km
Source: PRDnationwide
To determine the most attractive properties in greater Brisbane, affordability and liveability, and other factors and methodology were considered such as trends, investment, and project development.
Get ready to race to the finish line as Slideways Go Karting in Eagle Farm opens its doors to racing fans once again after their massive multi-level indoor kart track renovation.
Guests can now enjoy go karting on their 425-metre long track including a loop in the car park plus two second-level structures.
Credit: Slideways Go Karting/YouTube
Slideways Go Karting’s previous track has operated for four and a half years prior to its major upgrade. One of the crowd favourites of the track was the giant crossover bridge which has been retained in the current track.
Photo credit: Slideways – Go Karting Brisbane/Facebook
The bridge part of the track has been extended to the car park end of the building and a second level structure was added at the Kingsford Smith Drive end of the building. Other improvements to the facility included a new ground-floor spectators area and their air-conditioned corporate area has a great view of the new section of the track.
Slideways Go Karting features the latest European state of the art machines that can handle 24-hour endurance go kart racing. If you are new to go kart racing, their staff will also be available on the track to guide you and give you helpful tips and tricks for racing.
Photo credit: Slideways – Go Karting Brisbane/Facebook
Go kart racing is open for guests 11 years and up. All drivers must read the track safety rules prior to riding. Before each session, track staffs will give a full safety briefing and are on hand to give driving tips and any assistance.
The indoor kart track is open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Bookings essential so call (07) 3868 2225 to book. To learn more, you may visit the official website of Slideways Go Karting.
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School will have its new sports precinct by late 2019 or early 2020. This was announced by St Margaret’s principal Ros Curtis. Construction is set to begin after the end of Term 4.
Redevelopment in Support of Physical Education
Ms Curtis described the planned redevelopment to be the largest and most significant alteration to St Margaret’s school thus far. The transformation will cover almost a third of the 43,892 sqm campus which currently caters to Prep to Year 12 students.
“As educators, we recognise the value and importance of physical education, and the significant impact it has on student wellbeing,” principal Ros Curtis said.
“Our goal is to create an environment which best serves the health and well-being of our students, enhances the value of our outstanding and diverse sports program and adds to the depth and relevance of our curriculum,” Ms Curtis added.
Out With the Old, in With the New
The project is part of the property master plan that was developed in 2014 which will redevelop the northern end of the campus adjacent to the primary school, between Butler and Lapraik Streets. Phillip Harris Sports Centre will be demolished to give way to the construction of a new building.
Artist impressions of views from Lapraik and Butler Streets
Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/stmargarets.qld.edu.au
Proposed Sports Precinct Masterplan
The new building will house the gymnasium, face, swimming pool with retractable roof, storage, showers, change rooms, and health and physical education classrooms. The existing tennis courts will be demolished as well. In its place will rise a new building with a ground floor basketball court and provision for retractable seating and floor space for gymnastics.
The existing swimming pool will also be demolished to give way for the construction of a new staff car park which can be accessed via Lapraik Street and Comus Avenue.
Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/stmargarets.qld.edu.au
St Margaret’s has always recognized the importance of a well-organized sports program and has been a proud supporter of sports especially women in sports. Some of its notable alumnae are Bronte Barratt, Emily Seebohm, Emma Jackson, Brittany Elmslie, and Sally Kehoe. St Margaret’s is one of the three founding members of the Queensland Girl’s Secondary Schools Sports Association (QGSSSA).
Hosted by Brisbane Racing Club, Teddy Bear’s Picnic will be supporting Variety – the Children’s Charity of Queensland and is set to fill the Doomben Racecourse with adorable teddy bears, colourful picnic blankets, rides, games, and entertainment for the children to enjoy.
Photo credit: Brisbane Racing Club/Facebook
The event’s kid-friendly activities include a Kids Disco, face painting, jumping castle, petting zoo, build-a-bear workshop, and more. Kids can also get a chance to enter into the Fashions on the Field with their best-dressed bears.
Gates open at 10:30 a.m. and rides will be operating from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with children’s ticketing available for purchase on the day. Fashion on the Field registration starts at 10:30 a.m. and by 1:45 p.m. dancing starts at the Kids Disco.
Photo credit: Brisbane Racing Club/Facebook
Rates for admission per person are as follows:
General Admission from $15.00
Giddy Up Club Marquee from $5.00
Giddy Up Club Membership $20.00 provides access for one child and two adults.
Big Ted Group Package from $25.00
Little Ted Group Package from $25.00
Teddy Bear’s Picnic Family Picnic Pass from $85.00
