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.
Panino (Photo credit: Doughcraft/Facebook)
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.
Photo credit: Luca O’Halloran
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.
Photo credit: Doughcraft/Facebook
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.
Did you know that World Gin Day is coming up soon? June has been a special month for the juniper spirit since 2009. In Albion, gin lovers can toast to a special deal from Granddad Jack’s Craft Distillery to celebrate gin, the world’s most popular spirit.
From Saturday 11 June 2022 to Wednesday 15 June 2022, or until stocks last, guests at Granddad Jack’s tasting room may enjoy a complimentary 10 packs of 180-ml East Imperial grapefruit tonic with any 500-ml Greenhouse or 65 Miles Gin purchase.
The complimentary grapefruit tonic is a popular choice for G&T lovers, with its a round and lavish initial palate, packed with pomelo and citrus oil and finished with a generous hint of ruby red grapefruit zest.
This perfect pairing is also on offer at their online store. Online orders placed before the 3:00 p.m. cut-off are dispatched on the next business day whilst pick-up options are welcome as well.
World Gin Day is doubly special for the popular hang-out. The distillery is also commemorating Granddad Jack’s 103rd birthday on World Gin Day. That’s one more reason to celebrate!
Named after the family’s late grandfather, David “Granddad Jack” Goulding, Granddad Jack’s Craft Distillery opened at Collingwood St and on the Gold Coast in mid-2021. The business is from the Ridden family in Miami.
In 2009, Neil Houston from Birmingham, United Kingdom started World Gin Day with his buddy Emma Stokes. Ms Stokes (also known as ‘Gin Monkey’) introduced the idea to London in 2010. The annual event has since gone global and Ms Stokes has been running it each year since 2013.
More than 30 countries join in this annual celebration, including Australia. That’s over 200 million gin lovers raising a glass to all things gin.
The Paradizo Latin Dance Studio is back in business and has re-opened classes two weeks after its unexpected move from Gore Street in Albion to Fortitude Valley.
In early November, the Albion studio, Paradizo’s home since 2018, was destroyed by a fire that started in an old Queenslander house next door. Reports cited that the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) deemed the incident as “suspicious” and has been conducting investigations into the “crime scene.”
The QFES also said that the Queenslander home emitted large amounts of toxic smoke because of the paint.
Paradizo Latin Dance Studio was having a Halloween party when the fire broke out but everyone got out of the building safely. Witnesses said that they heard two loud bangs before they saw what looked like a massive bonfire that also burned down another house.
Photo credit: Paradizo School of Latin Dance/Facebook
Meanwhile, the dance studio owners Carlos and Chloe can’t begin rebuilding but they have received immense support from the community with over $62,000 raised on GoFundMe. Carlos and Chloe temporarily hold classes and events at The Zoo in Fortitude Valley but the pair is still planning to have a place they can call their own.
“Not many available studio spaces to run classes or rehearse, nowhere to do privates, no costumes to do gigs, no commercial spaces affordable to start over,” Chloe said. “Thank goodness for THE ZOO, for letting us be active and stay in touch with our Paradizo Family! Yes, it’s amazing, but it’s not ours.”
Vaquero, a swanky and sophisticated Spanish restaurant on Sandgate Rd in Albion, really did not look like it needed much of a makeover but owner Nick Pinn wants to make his customers’ dining experience even more unforgettable with an exciting, new renovation.
By the end of 2021 or early 2022, changes will be underway at the butchery and restaurant as the meat shop on the front side will soon become an intimate 10-seater dining room for private events.
Mr Pinn revealed that the butcher shop will be moved and separated from the restaurant, as demands for more private spaces are ever-increasing. In fact, Mr Pinn is also setting up some changes at the back of Vaquero as the dining space close to the kitchen will also become another private dining area with 14 seats, perfect for a small birthday party or group function.
Photo Credit: VaqueroDining/Facebook
Vaquero’s renovation might have some impact on the operations but Mr Pitt and Chef Angelic Lokeni plan to work around the changes to allow service even as some rebuilding work is ongoing.
Vaquero, which opened in 2016 on the very busy Sandgate Road, offers tapas-style dining and drinking under the stars, courtesy of its relaxing outdoor courtyard. The restaurant is even more popular for its butchery and small goods section.
The crew has a combined 60 years of experience in chic European hospitality with a focus on consistency of quality. The drink list at the bar includes up to 80 selections of Spanish and Australian wines.
“Atmosphere was excellent and not overdone. Intimate but open and not loud at all. Staff were efficient, knowledgeable, helpful but also friendly and relaxed. Overall, warm. The wine and drink list was comprehensive without limitations or too many choices. A really great dining experience and the food was excellent too! Staff were very flexible with our order. Looking forward to revisiting!”
James Baillie
“Amazing experience. Don’t think I’ve ever been to the same restaurant 3 times in a week. Food quality 100% and staff excellent. Damon’s knowledge of coal fire cooking is particularly impressive and have been looked after by Cameron exceptionally well. Sad to go home to Perth knowing it will be a few months before I can visit here again. Well done Vaquero crew.”
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.
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.
Photo credit: Flora Social Eatery/Facebook
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.
Photo credit: Flora Social Eatery/Facebook
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.
Photo credit: Flora Social Eatery/Facebook
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.
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.
From its small beginnings as a backyard business, trendy kitchenware online store Dreamfarm, with its warehouse in Albion, has ballooned into a multi-million company with heaps of well-designed and useful kitchen products.
Founder Alexander Gransbury said that they are on track to reap strong sales for 2021 after a worrying few months at the start of the pandemic when sales dipped to 22 percent. However, things picked up within two months as other stores had problems with their international supply chain.
Dreamfarm’s sales grew to 60 percent in Australia by the end of 2020 and 30 percent in the U.S. as their products became popular on social media. In anticipation of the growth, the company has hired two new designers who will create more innovative kitchen items that are sure to become a hit with consumers in Australia and the United States.
Gransbury sees the move to bring in more talented minds as a worthy investment as Dreamfarm’s unique and creatively designed products have set them apart from the competition, who are still selling the same kitchen and homeware items. Indeed, there’s nothing quite like the store’s most popular products.
The Ortwo (pictured above), described as an “ultra-sharp ceramic grinder is fully adjustable with 6 settings from super fine to coarse, will never corrode or rust and is perfect for all spices,” can be conveniently used with just one hand.
The Clongs are “click-lock tongs that have a clever bend in their handles to sit them up off your kitchen bench when you put them down, just like a built-in spoon rest.”
Photo Credit: Facebook
The Chopula is “a spatula that’s thin and flexible for flipping from the front, but also incredibly strong for chopping on its side” — perfect for burgers, pancakes, or separating eggs from the pan.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Gransbury started his business in 2003 whilst he was still based in Canberra and then moved the company’s operation in Albion in 2008, when Dreamfarm had 40 products. Aside from the online store, Myers and Bloomingdales also carry a selection of Dreamfarm award-winning items, as recognised by the Good Design Award.
“We’re proud to be a company that has grown from a backyard shed by creating original products and always doing our own design work. That’s not a big deal to everyone, but it’s everything to us,” the company’s founder and managing director said. “Every millimetre of our designs exists for a reason, so if you ever wonder about anything, please just ask! The only thing we’re crazier about than our products is our customers and making sure you’re super stoked.”
Follow Dreamfarm on Facebook for product updates and other store news.
Officials from the International Olympics Committee (IOC) have drawn up plans to host the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia, which the committee has announced to be the “preferred candidate city”.
The Queensland Government believes that the Games will play a vital role in the city’s post-pandemic economic recovery as it would provide people with new jobs and extra facilities as the Olympic Games will lead to the creation of seven new venues and stadiums.
Photo credit: Australian Olympics Committee
Potential White Elephant?
Albion residents are concerned about these new venues becoming useless ‘white elephants’ much like the Olympics stadiums in certain cities. Rio de Janeiro’s, for instance, found little use after the Games in 2016, and this is particularly problematic as constructing these stadiums is a costly endeavor.
The prospect of having a new stadium in Albion Park has raised many concerns among Brisbane locals. In a Neil Breen interview, Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates said that it is preferable to avoid constructing a stadium specifically for the Olympics. Instead, the Games should be held in already-existing venues, to avoid further pressure to allocate new funds which they think can be used elsewhere.
In response to this, the IOC has also expressed interest in utilising the Metricon Stadium, the venue that staged the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Carrara instead, with the ceremonies hosted at either the Gabba in Woolloongabba or the Suncorp Stadium in Milton.
The Metricon Stadium in Nerang Broadbeach, Carrara Photo credit: CC-BY-SA/Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons
Dreaming of the Olympics
Not all of Albion’s residents are wary of hosting the Games in 2032. Many find themselves excited at the prospect, such as local schoolgirl Isabella Harte, a middle distance athlete from the St. Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School who aspires to become an Olympic athlete by the time the stadium comes online 11 years down the line.
Harte, the current Under 16 3k and Cross-country 4km National Champion, will be 26 and in her athletic prime by the time the 2032 Olympics roll into town.
It is estimated that the Brisbane Olympics, which will run from July 23 to August 8, 2032, will cost approximately $4.45 billion to operate and run. Of this, $2.27 billion will be provided by the IOC, whilst the rest of the sum will be made from ticket sales, merchandise, and sponsorships.
Despite valid concerns from the locals, Brisbane has much to gain from hosting the games and the city can take a leaf from Sydney’s experience in the 2000 Olympics.
In Sydney, approximately 160 hectares of badly degraded land were put to good use, becoming one of the largest urban parklands in Australia. Now that the Sydney Olympic Park is out of use and its land repurposed, the local community can now enjoy 35 kilometre tracks as well as open-air BBQ and picnic facilities.
Leftover venues from the Sydney Games have also been transformed. The Olympic Park, for instance, has become a commercial, residential, and sporting precinct that hosts a variety of events and facilities.
With proper planning, organisers think it is likely that Brisbane, including Albion, has the potential to gain significant welcome additions which can be used long after the Games have ended.
For the latest news and updates concerning the Olympic Games in Australia, visit the Australian Olympics Team’s website here, and follow them on their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and developments.
Premier rugby union, Brothers Rugby Club, is celebrating a milestone this year as it commemorates its move to Crosby Park in Albion 70 years ago.
In 1949, the Brothers Rugby Club entered into an agreement with the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU), then the leaseholder, to become the first club in Brisbane with its own grounds. Prior to this arrangement, the club was training at the public premises of New Farm Park. Two years into the agreement with QRU, the Brothers took over the lease.
Tom McCormack pledged a grant to begin the construction of the “Green Shed” which served as a dressing room for the players. This site also had a bar that club members would enjoy for many years.
The reclaimed Crosby Park site in 1949. Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council Library Services
The Brothers Rugby Club’s homebase holds a heap of memories for thousands of its members. Apart from the number of premierships won, the playing field has also become a community hub.
“The facilities are in use almost 24 hours a day, people come down here and bring their kids or dogs. It’s a community centre, which is just predominantly used for rugby,” current club president David Hine said.
“Recent developments in the area over the past 10 years have made our facilities and green space extremely important for the community. I’m proud that we’ve been able to provide this type of service to the community.”
For the last five years, Brothers Rugby Club has come up with a plan upgrade the Crosby Park facilities to sustain future activities and growth. There is a masterplan in place and once lodged and approved with the Council, the redevelopment is projected to take 24 months.
Photo Credit: Brothers Rugby ClubPhoto Credit: Brothers Rugby Club
“Brothers’ fields and facilities are long overdue for an upgrade. With more and more people using Crosby Park for sport and community activities each year, it is important the fields and facilities meet the current and future demand,” the club stated in its masterplan.
“The upgrade is still in the planning phase. We are in the process of developing documentation to submit to Brisbane City Council for approval.”
