Ascot Archives - Page 6 of 11

Busy Sandgate Road in Ascot Could Soon Have a New Childcare Centre

Photo Credit: DA A006008025/BCC

A three-storey childcare centre could soon rise on busy Sandgate Road in Ascot, on property that used to be a service station.

Dan Band Holdings Pty Ltd lodged DA A006008025 in May 2022 detailing plans to redevelop the demolished service station as a childcare centre with a striking brick design.

The facility has been designed to accommodate 69 kids who will be able to take advantage of six activity rooms, an elevated outdoor play area, and sections of undercover play areas.

Childcare Centre Sandgate road — Photo Credit: DA A006008025/BCC

Urban Strategies helped with the building’s U-shaped layout that provides a piazza at the centre of the property, accessible to all the activity rooms.

“This central piazza areas are seen to be a design which allows for increased interaction of children between play rooms whilst also being respectful of neighbouring properties through orientating a large play area internal to the site and hence minimising any potential acoustic concerns,” the development application stated.

The childcare centre will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during weekdays and will have 14 car parking areas.

However, Council has asked for more information based on the initial assessment, given that the bulk and scale of the building exceeds the low to medium-density residential zone code of the area. The planners have been asked to amend the plans and reduce the building’s height and appearance which should be in line with the streetscape of Sandgate Road.

Sandgate Road — *Photo Credit: DA A006008025/BCC*

In September, the planners filed for a Notice to Stop the Current Period for 130 days to prepare the amended plans.

Meanwhile, the DA has received one submission from a resident opposing the childcare centre.

“I oppose the development as the flow on effect of traffic issues this will cause on both Sandgate Road and Butler street will be extensive. Living on Butler street currently it is almost impossible to get a carpark outside my own house at the best of times let alone during school drop off and pick up (St Margaret’s) and this proposed child care centre will make the situation even worse,” the local stated.

Ascot Mansion with Batman Tunnel and Bear Cave Breaks Sales Record

Photo Credit: realestate.com.au

A luxurious six-storey Ascot mansion which went viral for its ‘Batman tunnel’ and its hidden ‘bear cave,’ has changed hands in a record-breaking private sale in Brisbane in September 2022.

The Ascot mansion, located on 35 Morgan Street, was supposed to go under the hammer on 17 September 2022, with a number of global prestige buyers from London, the US, UAE, Egypt, Singapore, and Hong Kong all set to compete for it. Things changed however, when online videos of the house with the Batman tunnel and the bear cave blew up overnight.

Batman tunnel Ascot mansion — *Photo Credit: realestate.com.au*

Days before the auction, an eager buyer snatched the property in a confidential sale, sealing the deal for more than $12 million. The identity of the new owner has not been made public.

The bear cave was actually a relatively new addition by the former owners. They knew that they could level up their Ascot mansion before putting it up for sale and they made significant additions to it, including a hidden entertainment area, accessible with a click of a button from a Shakespeare sculpture. It turned out to be just what the house needed to bring it up a notch from ‘special’ to ‘extraordinary and unique.’

The cave led to a speakeasy private bar and beer taps, a pool table, a 12-panel TV wall, and a sound-proofed professional quality recording studio. The area also has a private gym that actually looks bigger than a commercial fitness club.

Upstairs, the Ascot mansion has six bedrooms with their own walk-in closets with the top floor master’s bedroom boasting a panoramic view of Brisbane.

The property also has a two-bedroom private apartment for long-term or short-term guests at the lower level. This section has separate access and its own terrace, perfect for visiting families with kids.

The viral Ascot mansion was listed for under three weeks before it changed hands. It was previously owned and built by Brisbane builder Brett Walker, who sold the mansion with the Batman tunnel in 2017 for $8.8 million.

Thief Caught in the Act Thanks to Quick Action from an Ascot Resident

Photo Credit: QPS/Facebook

Thanks to the quick action of an Ascot resident, the authorities were to catch two thieves who entered a secured garage and took items from a vehicle inside it.

The incident happened on Lapraik Street in Ascot on the evening of Sunday, 25 September 2022, where a neighbour observed two men in hoodies, who were also wearing face masks and gloves, as they tried to open some of the parked vehicles.

The concerned Ascot resident immediately called the Queensland Police Services (QPS to alert them of the troublemakers who were able to enter a secured garage. They managed to take some items from the car park inside.

However, the QPS arrived just in time to arrest the thieves, a 38-year-old man from Albion and a 24-year-old man from Morayfield. The pair are due to appear at the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday, 17 October 2022.

QPS has the Ascot resident’s CCTV footage as a vital piece of evidence to ensure that the thieves will be behind bars for a long time.

Per the QPS: “Historically, investigators have benefited from CCTV systems in business or commercial premises. Recent advancements in technology, affordability and accessibility have resulted in more people choosing to utilise CCTV at their homes for safety and security.”

Incidentally, the QPS reminded residents to register their CCTV.

Residents may report a crime by calling 1800 333 000 or online through Crime Stoppers.

Esteemed Brisbane Architect E.P. Trewern: the Man Behind Notable Homes in Ascot and Nearby Suburbs

14 Kitchener Road, Ascot | Photo Credit: UQ Library

Get to know Eric Percival “Percy” Trewern, professionally known as E.P. Trewern, architect extraordinaire. He is the man behind the name that people in the real estate and housing industry equate with well-designed homes found in suburbs like Ascot, Hamilton, and Clayfield, where they command a premium for style, function, and the distinctive Trewern aesthetic.

Eric Percival Trewern rose to prominence in Queensland as a domestic architect during the interwar period. Prior to that time, he had already designed commercial and industrial buildings.

Mr Trewern grew up in a Cornish mining community in Bendigo. His parents instilled values of handwork and endurance in their sons, Eric being the eldest of three.

As a young man, Mr Trewern loved to sketch and paint with watercolours. He became an art student of Arthur Thomas Woodward, a British painter, and an apprentice of John Beebe, a Bendigo architect.

At that time, formal training in architecture was not accessible in Bendigo but that didn’t dampen Mr Trewer’s enthusiasm to learn. He studied relevant courses at the School of Mines. Whilst under Beebe, he worked on building hotels, shops, and warehouse projects, as well as the Bendigo Hospital.

Around 1914, the Trewern family decided to move to Queensland for better opportunities. His parents also thought he could establish a successful career as an architect in Brisbane.

EP Trewern — Photo Credit: Digital Archive of Queensland Architecture

After working as a draftsman at both the e Department of Agriculture and the Department of Public Works, Mr Trewern also earned his architecture qualifications at 21 years old and was elected into the Queensland Institute of Architects.

Queensland Architects — Photo Credit: Digital Archive of Queensland Architecture

One of the First Trewern Residences in Ascot

After years of working for the Government, Mr Trewern decided to become an independent designer and set up his private practice. From 1920 to 1922, he worked on two brick houses in Ascot and Hamilton. He become an advocate for brick houses than timber homes because they were cheaper, sturdier, and could provide either coolness or warmth to the house, depending on the weather.

In 1922, he designed a house for the wealthy Arthur H. Perry, a hardware retailer, along 14 Kitchener Road in Ascot. This had a living room flowing into the dining room, which included a brick fireplace. The house last went on the market in 2020 for $3.6 million and still has details of Trewern’s California Bungalow designs with brick piers and concrete beams.

Ascot 14 Kitchener — Photo Credit: realestate.com.au

Other Homes in Ascot

The architect also designed the remodelled the home on 21 Towers Street for Mr Thomas Brown (circa 1926) before it was demolished many years later.

In 1928, Mr Trewern built another house on 6 Bale Street in Ascot for the family of Mr Norman A.D. Harris. The house still remains standing today and has been off the market since the 1980s.

6 Bale St Ascot — Photo Credit: UQ Library

Another Trewern-designed residence can be found along 22 Yabba Street and was originally built for Mr John F. Church. It was last sold in 1999 for $1.22 million.

The house on 12 Ascot St was built for Dr Graham Sutton in 1931 and was called the Hampton Wick. The Tudor-style house had its own waiting room for the doctor’s patients, which has been restored as a multipurpose room. The house has been updated with glass panels and skylights when it sold for $3.4 million in 2021.

Ascot St Current — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Along 42 Kitchener Road is Daneshill, the brick house built for Ms Agnes E. Noble. The property exudes timeless elegance and is considered one of the landmark residences in Ascot. It went on the market for the first time after 40 years in 2020 and sold for $1.9 million.

42 Kitchener Ascot — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Suffer from Chronic Back Pain or Osteoporosis? A Newly Launched Service in Ascot Offers New Treatments

Photo Credit: Supplied

Chronic back pain has become endemic in society and so the recent Brisbane launch of a brand new service called Kieser, at 1 Zillman Rd in Ascot, will bring relief to many.

From golfers, gardeners, and sports people, to those lifting and carrying heavy items and to people who harm their back with bad posture or poor technique in the gym, Kieser has developed a process combining physio with specially developed machines to strengthen the support structure and enable an injury to be treated.

“Nearly half of all Australians have one or more chronic health conditions. At Kieser, our Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology team is well equipped to help individuals manage their chronic health conditions. In particular, our strength training programs are ideal for those with osteoporosis or low bone density as progressive strength training in a safe environment is one of the best things you can do to maintain your bone mineral density,” says Clinic Leader, Jedd Michell.

Training at Kieser — Photo Credit: Supplied

For the next four weeks following the launch in Ascot, Kieser is offering a 50 per cent discount on their initial assessment to encourage locals to give it a go. They deal with all private health funds as well.

The company already has 23 centres mainly in the southern states of Australia, having opened its first clinic in 2006. The growth of the service has enabled thousands of people to live a pain-free life.

So, what’s different about Kieser?

The physios have been trained in the Kieser fundamentals and fully understand how a wide range of musco-skeletal conditions can be treated with a combination of manipulation and targeted muscular strengthening, enabling the treatment to sustain improvement rather than a quick fix that re-occurs later.

The equipment in the gym enables most people to get what they need from a 30-minute session, twice per week.

The gym has been designed to remove distractions like music and juice bars so that clients can use the specially designed machines that focus heavily on technique, with support available, as well as one-on-one training for those that need it.

Kieser Exercise Physiologists also specialise in both the prevention of chronic conditions as well as rehab recovery following surgery.

Who should see an Exercise Physiologist?

Tattersalls Lodge: A Heritage-Listed Ascot Asset With Ties to Queensland Racing

The history of Tattersalls Lodge, a 19th-century, heritage-listed cottage found at the corner of Oriel Road and Yabba Street in Ascot, is closely associated with the development of Queensland’s racing industry. Find out how.

In the late 1800s, bookmaker Charles Burton purchased four allotments of land in Ascot, owned by The Federal Building Land and Investment Society Limited, to build the Tattersalls Stables. Given its proximity to Eagle Farm Racecourse, Burton seized the opportunity to lease the site to horse trainers.

Tattersall's Estate — Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland

Two years later, Burton sold the property to the “Pearl King” James Clark, who was a horse-racing enthusiast and bred training horses. Mr Clark built the Federation-style Tattersalls Lodge on his newly-acquired property as a private training facility with houses for the horse trainers and their families.

Tattersalls Lodge earned a reputation for its prize-winning horses until Clark’s death.

Pearl King James Clark death notice — Photo Credit: National Library of Australia

From Tattersalls Lodge to Fitzgrafton Lodge

Gilbert Powell Wyndham Heathcote, a hotelkeeper from New South Wales, bought Tattersalls Lodge from Clark. However, following Heathcote’s death in 1901, the property was auctioned off.

Grazier James McGill, known as the “Squire of Blacklands”, acquired Tattersalls Lodge and moved in with his family in 1903. Mr McGill was well-respected in the racing community, described as “one of the most honourable, straight-going sportsmen in the history of racing in Queensland.” He changed the name of the house to “Fitzgrafton Lodge,” after his prize-winning horse. McGill Avenue, adjacent to Lancaster Road in Ascot, was named after him.

Tattersalls Lodge horses — Photo Credit: National Library of Australia

Fitzgrafton Lodge — Photo Credit: National Library of Australia

When McGill died in 1918, his son James Charles McGill, inherited the property and held it until 1925. Countless owners have since acquired the property, turning the stables into private residences.

Tattersalls Lodge at Present

In January 2004, the property was entered into Brisbane’s local Heritage Listing.

The present-day Tattersalls Lodge has been refurbished as a country-style home with Colonial French doors and wrap-around latticed verandahs.

It was valued at $300,000 in 1989 and $467,000 in 2001. The property last changed hands in early 2021 when it sold for $1.4 million.

Ride Through History On Board the Ascot Taxi Service, QLD’s First Motorised Fleet

Did you know that the first taxi service in Queensland was established on Racecourse Road in Ascot? Once a quiet street with a handful of houses in the 1880s, Racecourse Road became a busy hub when the Ascot Taxi Service opened in 1919.

Two mechanics, Edmund William Henry Beckham and Edward Roland Videan, only had one vehicle and a common dream when they started the Ascot Taxi Service.

Within five years, their fleet had grown to four cars: three Willys Knight tourers and an Overland, the first sedan taxi in Brisbane.

The motorised vehicles completely replaced the hansom cab, the popular form of horse-drawn carriers from the previous century.

Motorised taxi services during this time didn’t have any way of checking the mileage for each trip other than for the driver to calculate the fare manually based on a fare scale. Despite the challenges, the birth of the state’s first motorised taxi service was a welcome and exciting change.

Moving to Fortitude Valley, Thriving Through Changes

As the business progressed, the Ascot Taxi Service moved to a new site in Fortitude Valley in the 1930s, where the company flourished despite the arrival of the Yellow Cab Company from Chicago in the United States.

Ascot Taxi Service and its new owners opened a two-storey, art-deco headquarters on Barry Parade, displaying its fleet of black taxi limousines. Its focus was on “taxi-tourist” trade and they were a popular choice for wedding hiring and similar events.

Drivers were required to wear uniforms, enhancing the prestige of the service. It was also the first company to introduce two-way radio in taxis in Queensland in the 1950s.

Ascot Taxi Service headquarters — Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland

Barry Parade had other motor businesses, all built prior to World War II, such as the Phillip Frank and Co, New England Motor Company, and the OK Rubber Company.

The businesses became the centre of the motor trade in the city but over the years, as the city developed and infrastructure grew, people’s needs changed.

In the 1990s, Ascot Taxi Service became Q Cabs before merging with and becoming part of Black & White Cabs, which continues to operate from its head office at the Brisbane Airport.

In 2017, the Ascot Taxi Service building was demolished to make way for apartment development. The building’s last known occupant was Valley Radiator Services.

From Ascot Taxi Service to Ascot Motor Garage: The Evolution of Racecourse Road

Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland

The Ascot Motor Garage was a landmark and such a big part of the evolution of Racecourse Road in the early 20th century. It was set amidst some of the most expensive houses in Brisbane in large blocks of land are found.

By the time the taxi service moved out, however, Racecourse Road’s business landscape had changed, with general stores, fresh food supplies, and establishments for butchers, bakers, confectioners, chemists, and a laundry shop now dotting the neighbourhood.

Eventually, other modern establishments set up shop on the busy boulevard with lovely Poinciana trees that bloom beautiful red flowers at Christmas time. Here, medical and dental clinics, salons, banks, and boutiques, as well as dozens of eateries, have made the area a high-end lifestyle hub.

More than 130 retail shops have graced Racecourse Road. Blocks of land have been redeveloped in the neighbourhood that the Ascot Taxi Service’s vehicles once traversed.

New High-End Development on Racecourse Road Planned

77 Racecourse Road (2019) Photo Credit: Google Maps

A four-storey, $70-million, mixed-use development is planned for the former Woolworths site on Racecourse Road in Ascot.

The 3,126-sqm property at 77 Racecourse Road on the corner of Kent Street in Ascot is presently the site of a 1960s building previously occupied by Woolworths before IGA and BWS took over. Silverstone acquired the site through an Expression of Interest in late 2021 for $9.75 million on which a high-end development is now being eyed.

Silverstone‘s $70-million project will contain ground-floor retail, medical and allied health spaces, two-level parking, and three-level office space across the four-storey building.

The Racecourse Road site is in proximity to the master-planned Eagle Farm Racecourse community as well as Hamilton’s Olympic Village. These locations along with other surrounding suburbs provide a ready and growing market for the future tenancies of the project.

PDT Architects has been tapped to breathe life into the envisioned building’s design which will have sustainability at the heart of its overall look incorporating green infrastructure, plenty of greens, low-emitting materials and natural light.

The proposal is set to be lodged this July and commencement of construction is targeted by late 2022.

Silverstone Developments’ ongoing projects include the $90-million Spring Hill Day Hospital which is an 11-level private hospital facility with a rooftop terrace on Boundary Street in Spring Hill and the Herston Commercial Car Park near the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

Silverstone also recently completed the $122-million Stratton Commercial Building and the E–Co boutique building in Newstead.

Did you Know That Musket Villa in Ascot Was Named After a Derby-winning Horse?

Did you know that Musket Villa, a heritage house in Ascot, was named after a Derby-winning horse?

Musket Villa, along Lancaster Rd in Ascot, was built for horse trainer and rider William “Billy” Booth in 1923. He named his house after Musket, the horse he trained and rode to win the Queensland Turf Club Derby in 1900.

The single-storey, stucco interwar bungalow has been recognised as a heritage house for its architectural significance as it was designed by Brisbane’s prominent architects, Thomas Ramsay Hall, and George Gray Prentice.

Hall & Prentice also designed Brisbane City Hall and the Sandgate Town Hall. Mr Booth knew Mr Hall as both were involved in racing through the Queensland Turf clubs.

The house is also cited for its social significance. Musket Villa had purpose-built stables and training establishment, aside from being Mr Booth’s residence. The property is well known to the Brisbane racing community.

Who was Billy Booth?

Billy Booth began as an apprentice to horse trainer John Stone in 1885 and worked with some prize-winning horses, such as Grey Gown and Dundonald, to take on the Brisbane Cup and the Moreton Handicap.

Photo Credit: National Library of Australia

By 1893, Mr Booth had opened his own training stables and had over 21 horses in his ward. Some of these horses succeeded in the Stradbroke Handicap and won ribbons at the Brisbane Show.

In 1899, Mr Booth, riding Musket, went on to win the Queensland Derby the following year. However, shortly after their success, Mr Booth met Lucy Adelaide and decided to retire from riding. He sold the horse in 1901 but continued to work as a horse trainer.

In 1922, the Booths decided to buy land in Ascot, at the location where their villa remains standing until today. Mr Booth wanted his property to include up-to-date horse stables that will provide comfort for his workers and equine charges. The property was quite well-designed and was featured on the pages of the publication “Harking Back – the Turf, Its Men and Memories” from James L. Collins.

The publication described Musket Villa as a “red-tiled home with its beautiful gardens and lawns [and] every modern appointment and equipment.” Mr Collins also credits Lucy for her taste in furnishing their residence.

Musket Villa to Lancaster Gables

After Mr Booth’s death in 1927, Musket Villa was leased by horse trainer WJ Shean until 1941. Lucy Booth was still a resident of the villa when it was converted into four flats. When she passed away, the property was left to her son, Norman Booth, who lived there until his death in 1955.

With the Booths gone, the house was turned into Lancaster Gables, a lowkey Bed and Breakfast. The garage at the back was demolished to accommodate more dwellings.

Most of the villa’s original features have been retained throughout the residence, including its ebonised timber detailing, timber panelling in the entry, leadlight doors, and built-in leadlight display cabinets in the living and dining rooms. However, new fittings were installed in the bathrooms and kitchens, and many of the rooms have air conditioning.

To many people, Lancaster Gables will always be called Musket Villa, as Billy Booth originally intended, a prized home named after a prized horse by a man who took pride in Ascot’s rich equine historical connection.

Phil’s Barber Shop in Ascot To Close After 47 Years

After almost half a century of cutting hair, Ascot barber Phil Tharenou is getting ready to hang up the clippers at his eponymously named Phil’s Barber Shop on Kent St, but his reason for contemplating closure has nothing to do with how well his business is doing.

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

The building where Mr Tharenou’s barber shop is located was sold in 2021. Sadly, this means his beloved barber shop will eventually be demolished to make way for new development. However, Mr Tharenou plans to operate Phil’s Barber Shop in the same space while he still can, even as he is preparing for its inevitable closure.

Simple Beginnings

Mr Tharenou, an Australian-born Greek, had an early start in his line of business, when he got an apprenticeship when he was 15.

He did not have money to set up his own business after he learned the ropes, so a mate helped him financially. He was married 10 days before opening his own shop in 1975.

His business became a success and he was able to pay back his friend in full in just a year.

ascot barber shops — Photo by RODNAE Productions/Pexels

The Ascot barber shop thrived through good ol’ fashioned word of mouth, referrals, and repeat business. People just kept coming back. Despite having no internet bookings and even though Mr Tharenou remodelled the place only twice, people still sought his shop out. Customers would only walk-in to get their barbering needs or call the shop’s landline.

Phil’s Barber Shop has cut the hair of some notable personalities. Some of his former clients included award-winning ad guru John Singleton and late politician Don Lane.

phil barber shop ascot — Photo credit: Matheus Wladeka/Pexels

“Been a customer for more than 20yrs. Phil a great advertisement for his own business. Always remembers his customers and a wide range of conversation topics. Very competitive price and quick service,” shared local Jeffrey in a review for the barber shop.

“Now everyone has a problem as Phil is going to retire soon,” Rod, one of the shop’s patrons quipped.

Although Phil’s Barber Shop is closing its doors in late June 2022, Mr Tharenou’s patrons can still find him at West End, where he will continue to trim for a few regulars at a friend’s barber shop.