Brisbane Archives - Ascot News

Oriel Park: Tracing the Evolution of Ascot’s Historic Public Space

Ascot’s Oriel Park is a place rife with history, dating back to the early 20th century. It wasn’t always a park, however.

Many might frequent Oriel Park without knowing its story, instead seeing it as the go-to area for instances where they wish to exercise or walk their dogs, or perhaps to distract their kids for a little while in order to get some much-needed coffee and rest. Though the park has its fair share of facilities, this hasn’t always been the case.

Hamilton Clayfield Girl Guides HQ

In the early 20th century, the park — only recently dubbed as such — served as the headquarters for the Hamilton Clayfield Girl Guide Group, which meant it had strong, long-standing ties with the Girl Guide Association of Queensland. Over the years, facilities would be built into the park to accommodate its visitors and frequent guests, and the halls and huts utilized by guides and scouts are among them.

Water Reserve

In 1888, before Oriel Park’s facilities were even established, it was dubbed as a Water Reserve by the Surveyor’s General Office. Before its repurposing, the playground that currently stands in Oriel Park was once a bountiful waterhole which was used for road watering purposes in 1912.

Pre-1969

The houses that surrounded the area were resumed between 1959 and 1968 to form the park’s current boundaries, however it was once significantly larger. The site once contained open spaces that stretched to Alexandra Road, which also harbored the local tramline up until 1969. Oriel Park once had tennis courts all the way to Wren Street; and facing that was a series of private residences.

Oriel Today

In modern times, the water reserve was repurposed and reinvented into becoming a recreational park for public use, where people are free to relax and interact with one another through sports, picnics, and leisurely strolls through the area. It was officially dubbed a recreational reserve in 1937, and has become a community hub ever since.

Originally published as “The Bountiful History Of Ascot’s Famous Oriel Park”

Published 6-Oct-2024

Brisbane Airport Takes Flight with $50 Million Australia Post Facility

Photo Credit: Brisbane Airport 2020 Master Plan

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) is revving up for the future with a $5-billion investment plan spread over the next decade. The cornerstone of this ambitious project is a $50-million, cutting-edge facility for Australia Post, their second-largest in Queensland.

This state-of-the-art complex, spanning an impressive 31,800 sqm — or the size of three rugby league fields — will streamline parcel delivery for millions of Queenslanders. Strategically located within the Brisbane Airport Industrial Park, the facility boasts direct airside access, expediting deliveries for time-sensitive packages.

Beyond Parcels: A Multi-faceted Transformation

*Photo Credit: Brisbane Airport 2020 Master Plan*

The $50 million Australia Post facility is just one facet of the broader “Future BNE” programme – a 150-initiative development plan that will significantly enhance Brisbane Airport. Passengers can expect upgrades to both the Domestic and International Terminals, including the initial phase of Terminal 3’s construction.

Additionally, a $90 million car park expansion at the Domestic Airport will provide a much-needed 1,700 new parking spaces, tackling rising capacity issues.

Sustainability at the Forefront

Brisbane Airport Corporation is placing a strong emphasis on sustainability throughout this development. The Australia Post facility is targeting a prestigious 5-Star Green Star certification, prioritising energy and water efficiency, climate resilience, and minimal environmental impact during construction.

Over 1,000 solar panels will be installed to generate renewable energy, aligning with BAC’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2025.

Creating Opportunities and Boosting Efficiency

Construction of the Australia Post parcel facility is estimated to generate approximately 1,500 jobs. Once operational by mid-2025, the centre will boast advanced automation and security features, ensuring a safe and efficient work environment for its 200-strong workforce.

The facility’s strategic location within the Brisbane Airport Industrial Park provides convenient access to air, road, and sea freight, further streamlining logistics.

Brisbane Airport: A Gateway to the Future

The $5 billion investment plan signifies Brisbane Airport’s commitment to growth, sustainability, and world-class service.

This comprehensive programme aligns with the vision outlined in the Australian Government-approved Brisbane Airport 2020 Master Plan, which lays the groundwork for the airport’s development over the next two decades.

Published 2-May-2024

Frigg Cafe Owners, With Store in Ascot, Announce Voluntary Liquidation

The twin sisters behind Frigg Cafe, a well-known eatery and catering business in Gold Coast and Brisbane, including one outlet in Ascot, have gone into voluntary liquidation “with a heavy heart.”

Maria Elita and Toula Scott of the Frigg Group opened their first cafe in Labrador on the Gold Coast in 2017. Over the years, they expanded their presence with cafes at Nerang, Ascot and Manly, and then relocated from Labrador to Southport in 2022.

Frigg Group was not just known for its exceptional food and beverages; it also had a special menu catering to customers who had undergone weight loss surgery. Moreover, the business actively collected donations for victims of the devastating 2020 bushfires, demonstrating its commitment to the community.

The pair successfully weathered the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but they were unable to overcome the overwhelming financial burden of skyrocketing operational costs. These mounting costs not only stretched their business thin but also adversely affected customer spending.

But on 21 January 2024, Terry van der Velde of SV Partners was appointed to oversee three Frigg companies, marking the beginning of the liquidation process. Frigg Group, once a regular feature on the list of top cafes and brunch spots on the Gold Coast, faced an uncertain future.

In a heartfelt statement posted a few days later, the sisters expressed their gratitude towards their team, suppliers, and loyal customers who had supported the Frigg Brand throughout its seven-year journey. They acknowledged the adversities they faced but emphasised their love for what they had created and the Frigg family they built.

“It is beyond devastating especially since we gave it our all & then some, it is a sign of the times. We feel very sad for our staff as well, it’s been very tough for everyone,” Ms Elita wrote and official shared their statement on her social media.

Despite the closure, the twin sisters expressed their hope that the Frigg brand would find a new owner, ensuring its legacy lives on.

Published 24-Jan-2024

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

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.

Pool-Sharing App Swimply Launches In Australia with Various Brisbane Listings

You’d like nothing more than to dip in cool water in this scorching summer heat. The only problem? The public pool is too busy or a trip to the beach is simply not possible. Fortunately, there’s now a way for you and your family to enjoy the comforts of a pool in Ascot or elsewhere in Brisbane, in a private home of your choosing, via a pool-sharing app called Swimply.

Since its late November launch in Australia, Swimply has come to be regarded as the AirBnB for pools. The latest innovation in the sharing economy platform, Swimply affords groups the opportunity to book a few hours of someone’s private pool, whilst also letting pool owners earn some cash for their unused pools.

How Swimply Started

Swimply is the brainchild of 23-year-old Bunim Laskin of the United States. In 2017, he was inspired to create a pool-sharing app, after negotiating a successful agreement with a New York neighbour who hardly used their pool. Coming from a large family, Bunim arranged for him and his brothers and sisters to use the pool in exchange for contributing to its upkeep and maintenance expenses.

Mr Larkin had had a goal to make the pool experience accessible and affordable for all. The app quickly made waves, especially in states with warmer climates like California, Florida and Texas.

Swimply’s chief marketing officer Asher Weinberger then travelled to Australia to look into the market’s potential and was encouraged by the feedback from the industry.

Pool Ownership in Australia

Research from Roy Morgan shows that pool ownership has increased in Australia in the last three years. Now, 13 percent or 2.7 million Australians have a swimming pool in their house.

The average cost of pool maintenance is about $1,000 to $1,500 a year. However, Swimply learned that most pool owners averagely use their pools about 15 percent of the time. Renting out the facility could make pool ownership a better investment.

How Swimply Operates

Currently, Swimply has 29 pool listings in the Brisbane area.

Pools listed on the app initially have to undergo a thorough inspection by Poolwerx to ensure compliance with the local health and safety standards. Once verified, pool owners have full control over the listing and could even set their personal rules or exercise their right to refuse a would-be renter.

Swimply has a team in charge of host care. They guide pool owners into the process, including setting up the price points for the facility they’d like to rent out. As a commission, the company takes 15 percent of the fee

Much like the AirBnB model, the hosts and guests are also rated and those with a rating below four stars are removed from the platform. This guarantees the security and quality of the transactions.

Swimply is available for both iOS and Android users.

Green Development in Ascot Cited as an Example for a Smart Development in Brisbane

According to an executive of a leading sustainable real estate company, Brisbane is currently on the right track to becoming a well-planned and sustainable city.

Stuart Penklis, Mirvac‘s Head of Residential said that smart development is the key to a sustainable enhancement of Queensland’s way of life as Brisbane’s population is expected to grow to 4.2 million by 2050.

As part of Brisbane’s Sustainable City Framework, the Council plans to have a Compact Urban Form to achieve a more compact development within and around regional activity centres and public transport nodes and corridors.

Photo credit: CC-BY/Brisbane City Council/Flickr

Having a more compact development means having higher density accommodations around the inner ring of Brisbane. As more people live in areas close to transport and activity centres, the need for car travel will be reduced, encouraging locals to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

In Rosemary Kennedy and Laurie Buys’ study called the Dimensions of Liveability: A Tool for Sustainable Cities, they have found that people prefer to live in high-density areas due to the walkable access to services, recreation, and work. Such liveability aspects are important for environmental, social, and economic reasons.

Since the Council considers increasing the density within the city limits, the Mirvac head also cited that providing energy and having cost-efficient homes should also be prioritised by the Council.

An example of a pioneer green energy development in the area is Mirvac’s Ascot Green development at the Eagle Farm Racecourse.

With their solar initiative, the nine-storey building will have solar panels and batteries installed on the rooftop recreation deck that will take advantage of the sunny subtropical environment in the area. Individual apartments will be connected to the renewable power source to help residents reduce electricity costs by as much as 70 percent.

Such initiative not only addresses the community’s concern on the rising energy prices. It also helps the government achieve its target of having zero net emissions by 2050.

Catch the Final Pink’d Up BBQ Event in Ascot This Year

Don’t miss the final Pink’d Up BBQ for this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month on October 27!

Everyone is invited to attend the event happening in 111 Racecourse Rd, Ascot. The Bank of Queensland will be selling cupcakes and proceeds will go to Chicks in Pink, a foundation that supports women living with breast cancer.

Pink’d Up 2017 is extra special for the community as they aim to raise $100,000, which could be their highest donation to date. They have always been proud to support women with breast cancer. This year’s efforts promises to contribute more for the women’s needs.

As always, the 72 olden Poinciana trees from the River to the Racetrack on Racecourse Road are decorated with pink ornaments. The community works together to adorn the trees with ribbons and artworks as they participate as one in the annual Pink’d Up Racecourse Rd event.

Credit: Racecourse Rd Facebook

Elsewhere in the state and across Australia, a massive concerted effort is in place to raise awareness about the disease. Concerned groups gather all means of support for affected women, including survivors of breast cancer. In Queensland for example, researchers are now utilizing 3D printers to develop biodegradable implants for breast cancer survivors who have undergone mastectomy.

According to the University of Queensland, there are one in eight Queensland women that will be diagnosed with breast cancer prior the age of 85. Younger women afflicted with the disease have less chance of surviving than their older counterparts. The university highlights that more funding is required for more relevant research and clinical trials to take place.

Credit: ARC ITTC in Additive Biomanufacturing YouTube

In Brisbane, breast cancer survivors find support with Dragons Abreast. These are women who fought the disease and maintain active lifestyle by engaging in Dragon Boat Racing. The group continues to promote breast cancer awareness as they pursue a fun and healthy lifestyle. They train every Saturday morning and meet up at the BRD container, behind the State Hockey Centre, 400 Lytton Road at Colmslie.

Meanwhile, the Brisbane Racing Club is behind the 2017 Spring Racing Carnival, Australia’s most prestigious 2400 metre handicap race and the second biggest Cup race of the spring behind the Melbourne Cup. The activities are done for a good cause as $5 from every General Admission ticket sold is to be given to Breast Cancer Network Australia.

2017 Spring Racing Carnival
Credit: Brisbane Racing Club Facebook

These and other similar activities, usually happening to celebrate October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month, are held yearly. If you couldn’t come to Ascot Pink’d Up barbeque this year, you still have your chance next year.

Click here to be updated about the scheduled events in Ascot.

From Ascot, Taro’s Ramen Is Coming to South Brisbane

Taro’s Ramen, with a shop at 145 Racecourse Rd Ascot, is set to open another restaurant in South Brisbane in mid-November.

Restaurant owner, Taro Akimoto, said that the new restaurant will be located on the ground floor of 154 Melbourne in South Brisbane. It will seat 80 people and will retain the fitments of the building owned by the Centurion Property Group. Akimoto shared that the South Brisbane shop will be somewhat similar to Wagaya in Fortitude Valley, where partitions go all the way up to above eye height. Elsewhere, the new Taro’s Ramen will be akin to how the Ascot restaurant is being operated.

Taro’s Ramen is popular for its menu that features a delectable combination of authentic Japanese shochu, sake, and side dishes which complement their ramen. Ascot and Hamilton reviewers have given the restaurant a 5-star rating on Eat Now, and a 4.5-star rating on Yelp.

“Given that I eat Japanese food on a weekly basis, It’s a tragedy that I haven’t eaten at Taro’s Ramen until today! Fast forward: there’s an empty bowl and a happy, full tummy, it was as if I had been transported back to Japan for an hour or so… I can’t wait to get back to Taro’s and work my way through the menu.” – Elizabeth, Yelp

“Love Taro’s. Their food is so good! Always delicious.” – Maree, Eat Now

“Great as always, attention to detail, amazing customer service, quality ingredients, nice variety, great flavours. A must in Brisbane.” – David, Eat Now

“Awesome meal. We didn’t have to wait long to pick up our order. The staff are always so friendly and helpful. Best ramen in Brisbane.” – Jessica, Eat Now

Akimoto, a former resource industry investment analyst, was born and raised in Japan. His mother was from Saga, Kyushu where he also spent much of his childhood and adolescence. The place greatly influenced his passion for ramen. He subsequently brought the different ramen flavours of his childhood into his own cooking.

Taro Akimoto
Credit: Taro’s Ramen Facebook

While travelling around Japan during his university years, Akimoto saw to it that he experienced all kinds of ramen there is. It was in Tenkaippin where he learnt that oily and thick soup adds up to the flavour of ramen. It was in Kitakata where he learnt that ramen is best when served with handmade noodles. By the new millennium, he already knew about fusion ramen and that it can be as good without MSG. A few years after, he was in Australia, bringing along his exquisite knowledge about the cuisine.

Because of this rich background of Japanese culture, Taro’s Ramen has consistently served patrons with the most authentic ramen in Australia. Their natural ingredients were shipped directly from selected suppliers in Japan. All restaurants promised that they do not serve dishes with MSG or other preservatives. For more information about Taro’s Ramen or for placing order, click here.