Living in Brisbane - March 2023 South edition

LIVING IN

BUILDING BACK BETTER: LORD MAYOR

A year ago Brisbane was hit with one of its worst-ever floods, resulting in thousands of properties being inundated and huge damage to our roads, bikeways, parks and playgrounds. Since then, Council has embarked on a massive rebuild and recovery effort while ensuring Brisbane is better prepared for future events.

We’ve expanded our successful Flood Resilient Suburbs program to help prepare at-risk businesses for potential future floods.

Applications are open until March 31 and I encourage eligible businesses to take up this opportunity. We can’t prevent flooding but we can be better prepared.

Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner

Making progress at Moggill Road

Council has made significant progress on the construction of the Moggill Road Corridor Upgrade in Brisbane’s West, to make the Indooroopilly Roundabout safer for all road users.

Keep your eyes peeled as the new overpass starts to take shape from Coonan Street over Moggill Road. It’s all part of our plan to help you get home sooner and safer.

To learn more about the project and other road projects, visit our website.

The Moggill Road Corridor Upgrade is jointly funded by Council and the Australian Government.

EXCITING YEAR AHEAD FOR VICTORIA PARK

Victoria Park is continuing to transform into a natural retreat in the heart of our city with projects and events planned throughout 2023.

April will be jam-packed with free school holiday activities for families including a kids Easter Bunny hunt, outdoor cinema and Kids Collective program.

Mums will be the focal point in May with a special Mother’s Day brunch in the park to celebrate.

Installation of new park furniture and shelters continues, with the construction of the Spring Hill Common and urban pump track to start later in the year.

Council is reviewing feedback received from the community late last year on the Draft Master Plan.

The final Master Plan will be released this year, showcasing how the parkland will be transformed into a uniquely Brisbane destination with something for everyone.

Visit our website to find out more.

FAST FACTS ABOUT THE PROJECT:

44,000 cubic metres (or 8800 truckloads) of soil/ earth removed from site

9000 cubic metres (or 22,500 tonnes of concrete) will be poured

1440 tonnes of reinforcement steel to be used

117 prestressed concrete bridge beams will be installed

DID YOU KNOW?

Plan a weekend in Brisbane including local places to stay, shop, eat and play across the city. Download the Brisbane app and explore over 350 guides of things to see and do in Brisbane today.

Moggill Road artist impression

Experience all the wonders of science

World Science Festival Brisbane returns to South Brisbane’s Cultural Precinct from 22-26 March, throwing the spotlight on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics for all ages.

This year’s program of more than 130 events and workshops includes Social Science - a new feature which turns Queensland Museum into a hub of live music, shows, comedy and science, and a festival-first live recording of Australia’s best comedy podcast, A Rational Fear!

Returning favourites include The Hatchery, where you can visit baby turtles, and Erth’s Prehistoric Picnic, where you can get up close with dinosaurs.

For the full event program, visit worldsciencefestival.com.au

Make a difference to someone in 2023

Canned food, pasta and toiletries are some of the items most in need for this year’s Homeless Connect donation drive. Help us support Brisbane’s vulnerable residents by donating non-perishable foods and toiletries for the next Homeless Connect event on 18 May.

Local businesses and community groups come together to provide free health care services, housing support, haircuts, clothing, bedding and food to people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness.

The event has helped more than 19,000 people since it began in 2006.

Your contributions can help provide essential groceries to more than 600 residents in need.

Drop off your donations at local libraries or local Ward Offices between 27 March – 5 May.

Explore more in Brisbane

Discover more of Brisbane’s multicultural side with Council events across the city and suburbs or learn and celebrate our many diverse cultures any time of year with one of these regular activities.

Š Enjoy live performances by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in the Queen Street Mall during Gathering – Australia’s only Indigenous performance featured weekly in the heart of a major capital city.

Š Attend a Human Library event – an immersive reading experience where you borrow a person instead of a book. Bookings essential via eventbrite.com

Š Move your body and mind at free Tai Chi and Bollywood fitness classes located throughout Brisbane.

Š Taste flavours of the world at local food markets including Davies Park Market, Eat Street Northshore and Brisbane City Markets.

Visit our website or the Brisbane app for more information.

Reduce what you produce

Taking part in the Brisbane City Council Carbon Challenge is a great way to reduce household expenses and help the environment.

The Challenge works by calculating your household carbon emissions and suggests changes to reduce what you produce.

We can all make a big difference by switching off lights and appliances, reducing food waste, composting food scraps, or catching the bus a few days a week.

In 2021, Brisbane households that took part in the Challenge reduced their emissions by 55% on average.

Council has a target to halve average household carbon emissions from home energy use, transport and waste from the current 11.5 tonnes to six tonnes by 2031. Visit our website for more info.

Three decades of care

The Westlake Riverhills Bushcare Group (WRBG) is celebrating 30 years of caring for bushland on the banks of the Brisbane River at Pullen Reach.

The group works to preserve the area for future generations, creating a lush habitat for a range of native flora and fauna, hosting regular working bees to conserve and enhance the bushland.

The group lists its achievements as developing the skills of new volunteers and inspiring future generations of local nature lovers.

There are more than 8000 community members volunteering to protect, restore and enhance the environment, restoring natural habitats in parks, bushland, wetlands and waterways.

Search ‘community conservation’ on our website to find your nearest community conservation group.

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS SKILLS

Brisbane residents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds can upskill with business courses from Certificate IV courses to post-graduate university studies by applying for the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Scholarship Program. For more information, visit our website

21ST CENTURY BRISBANE

Explore all the positive ways our city is evolving with our new Brisbane Greeters tour, 21st Century Brisbane. Led by our knowledgeable volunteer guides, residents and visitors can expect to see iconic public art pieces, street-art filled laneways and exciting projects currently under construction. Visit our website to book.

GREEN HEART POP-UP

Save the date! The Green Heart Pop-Up is coming to Mt Ommaney Centre from 9am-5pm on 27 and 28 March with free native plants, kids’ activity bags and sustainability displays so you can reduce your eco-footprint at home. For more information, visit sustainablebrisbane.com.au

Free school holiday activities at Brisbane Metro Information Centre

These school holidays visit the free, interactive, and immersive Brisbane Metro Information Centre to discover how Council is shaping Brisbane into a world-leading clean, green and sustainable city. Visitors can walk through the life-sized metro model, experience the metro through virtual and augmented reality, time travel through Brisbane’s public transport history or take part in games and activities hosted in our kids’ corner.

The new turn up-and-go Brisbane Metro will link the city to the suburbs making it easier to connect with the people and places you love.

The centre is located at 63 Adelaide Street and is open 10:30am-4pm, Monday to Friday, and is closed on public holidays.

Green bridges taking shape

The Brisbane River is a hive of activity as construction forges ahead on two new green bridges.

The Kangaroo Point Green Bridge is taking shape with the first two bridge spans installed in the CBD and at Kangaroo Point. The world’s largest lifting capacity crane, standing 20 storeys high in the Brisbane River, will lift the remaining bridge spans into place and construct the 83-metre tall mast over the coming months.

Explore Brisbane by bike

Whether it’s for commuting, exercise or fun, it’s never been easier or safer to get around Brisbane on two wheels or by foot.

New data has revealed the most travelled paths in Brisbane’s active travel network, with routes into the CBD proving the most popular. The Goodwill Bridge was the most-used shared path in the city, with an average of 11,000 trips each day. The City Reach Boardwalk and Bicentennial Bikeway also attracted an average of 6000 trips per day.

Cycling Brisbane offers a variety of free activities for people looking to get out and about on the network, including guided tours and workshops for people riding bikes or e-scooters. Visit Cyclingbrisbane.com.au for more information.

Further downstream, works are underway to construct the Lores Bonney Riverwalk extension as part of the Breakfast Creek Green Bridge. The Kangaroo Point and Breakfast Creek green bridges are expected to be completed in 2024.

DID YOU KNOW?

The heaviest lift completed by the tower crane at Kangaroo Point Green Bridge will weigh 180 tonnes, which is the equivalent to lifting 13 Council buses.

VARIOUS $

CITYWIDE EVENTS

NIGHT FEAST, 1-26 MARCH

Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm

Enjoy Brisbane’s best gourmet food at this neon-lit market featuring more than 20 market stalls, an open fire pit for roasting and a dedicated dessert bar, as well as art installations and live music. brisbanepowerhouse.org

DOGFEST, 19 MARCH, 9AM-2PM

Victoria Park, Herston

Bring your family and furry friend for a fun-filled day of activities, market stalls, food trucks, training workshops and more.

QUEENSLAND MUSIC AWARDS, 28 MARCH

Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley

Join emerging artists and established legends to celebrate the best of Queensland music. See live performances throughout the night, followed by an after-party. Qmusic.com.au

VARIOUS $

BRISBANE YOUTH WEEK 2023 1-16 APRIL

Various locations

Celebrate Brisbane Youth Week 2023 at events all across the city. Join in the annual celebration of young people aged 12-25 and the positive contributions they make to our community. brisbane.qld.gov.au

VARIOUS $

TOUR DE BRISBANE, 2 APRIL

Various locations

Ride your bike on fully closed roads in the Australian Unity Tour de Brisbane. Choose from multiple rides with distances and challenges for everyone. tourdebrisbane.org

VARIOUS $

BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL 28 APRIL – 28 MAY

Various locations

Prepare to laugh out loud with a cracking line-up of comedic gems, including Danny Bhoy, Micky Bartlett and Sara Pascoe. brisbanecomedyfestival.com

Please check event details and confirm with organisers that events are still going ahead before you make plans.

REGIONAL EVENTS

Check out the Brisbane app for more event listings!

ZUMBA GOLD FITNESS

Tuesday’s, 11.30am12.30pm, C.J. Greenfield Community Hall, Richlands

Shake it at your own pace to zesty Latin tunes. Suitable for seniors. brisbane.qld.gov.au

POOL ENTRY

CARDIO AND STRENGTH

15 March, 9.30-10.30am, Rocks Riverside Park, Seventeen Mile Rocks

BYO exercise mat for a lowimpact workout. brisbane.qld.gov.au

LANDSCAPE RIVER

3 April, 9am-12.30pm, Sherwood Neighbourhood Centre, Sherwood

Painting class suitable for seniors. To book, email admin@sherwoodnc.org

KICKBOXING

3 April, 1.45-2.30pm, Svoboda Park, Kuraby

AQUA YOGA

Thursday’s, 11am-12noon, Dunlop Park Memorial Swimming Pool, Corinda

Improve body function and movement. Suitable for seniors. brisbane.qld.gov.au

FIRST 5 FOREVER CHILDREN’S STORYTIME

20 March, 11-11.30am, Annerley Library, Annerley Experience the magic of storytime. To book, visit brisbane.qld.gov.au

Develop techniques. Class suitable for beginners. To book, email davidkingtkd@gmail.com

MARTIAL ARTS

3 April, 2.30-3pm, Svoboda Park, Kuraby

Practise basic self-defence moves. Suitable for seniors and children. To book, email davidkingtkd@gmail.com

MEET WILDLIFE NEIGHBOURS

11 March, 12.30-1.30pm, Karawatha Forest Park and Discovery Centre

To book, visit eventbrite.com.au

EASTER CRAFT AND GAMES

26 March, 10am-12noon, Yeronga Memorial Park, Yeronga To book, visit bazilgrumble.com

POTTERY AND ADVENTURE WALK

4 April, 1.30-3.30pm, Graceville Riverside Parklands, Graceville

Suitable for seniors and children. To book, visit bazilgrumble.com

Thanks to everyone who shared their amazing Views of Brisbane! Simply share your photos on Instagram using #viewsofbrisbane or join our Views of Brisbane Facebook group for your chance to be featured.

Brisbane paw-fect for dogs

There’s plenty to bark about for the more than 100,000 dogs registered in Brisbane, with more than 160 dog parks open for local pooches to enjoy.

Let your fur-ball run, exercise and socialise off-leash with other dogs or get them into shape for a show-dog life using agility equipment. Council is investing $1.4million to upgrade dog off-leash areas across the city making it even easier for you and your four-legged friends to unleash hours of fun.

From Bracken Ridge to The Gap and Forest Lake where dog ownership is reaching record highs, it’s important you’re practising responsible pet ownership by making sure your beloved pooch is registered and microchipped, you have a secure fence to keep them safe, walk them on a lead and pick up after them in public.

Experience a paw-some day out with you and your best friend. Search ‘dog parks’ on our website.

COMPETITION – ABORIGINAL COMEDY ALLSTARS

Win tickets for you and a friend to see the Aboriginal Comedy Allstars at Brisbane Powerhouse on Friday 26 May. For your chance to win one of two double passes, visit our website and search ‘Living in Brisbane competition’. Entries close at 5pm on Friday 7 April.

Brisbane City Council acknowledges this Country and its Traditional Custodians. We pay our respects to the Elders, those who have passed into the dreaming; those here today; those of tomorrow.

@frank.frank.frankie

@chubbythecavalier

@goodboykumo