Homepage Latest News Archives - Page 28 of 50

West End Homes at Risk for Destructive Termite Infestations this Summer

Home and business owners in West End are advised to have their properties checked and treated for termite infestations before the situation gets worse this summer.

After the dampness brought about by La Niña, termite infestation has gradually worsened in the last two years, based on observations by exterminators such as Gavin Shill from All Year Pest Solutions.

Mr Shill revealed that his team has been doing more active treatments than ever before and the demand for treatments has “gone through the roof” from seven to eight in a month compared to just a couple of services a month in the previous years.

He said that termites are attracted to moisture or damp spots in wooden structures, and was recently shocked to find a rubber doormat filled with termites because it was too damped.

Biosecurity Queensland confirmed an increased detection of harmful West Indian drywall termites (WIDT) in many homes and businesses, especially wooden buildings and timber structures.

The agency said that it has sent out advice to 30,000 residents in West End and Coorparoo, Woolloongabba and Manly to help these owners know what to look for and what they must do next. They advised calling an expert to exterminate and eliminate these pests.

“WIDT is difficult to detect, and it can establish colonies in concealed areas of houses and buildings that are not easily accessed, Tenting is a very effective treatment method for WIDT.”

Meanwhile, Mr Shill also warned that the upcoming summer heat might trigger an increase in other pests like cockroaches, rats, spiders, and mosquitoes. Thus, a preventative pesticide treatment, alongside general cleanliness, will come in handy for home and business owners.

Paradox Dance Company: Alive and Kicking!

After an unexpected move from West End and a challenging post-flood recovery period, Paradox Dance Company has leapt back into the dance scene, moving to a brand new studio in Woolloongabba and energetically setting up Fuze Festival, a celebration of Afro, Latin, and Caribbean culture and dance .

Read: Dalchini West End Now Back in Business After Flood-Damage Repairs

Founded by Cuban dancer Yasim Coronado Veranes in 2018, Paradox Dance Company has just moved to its new home on Burke Street in Woolloongabba, just a few minutes away from its former studio.

Yasim, who runs the studio with his wife Suzi, wanted to bring their love for dancing to the West End community. However, they have had to transfer from their West End studio when the building’s owner decided to sell to a developer, a few months after the February floods.

Sadly, the studio had also not been able to receive any insurance payment and had been left with limited funds for their damaged equipment.

Paradox Dance Company has a huge Latin community following and while it hadn’t been easy looking for a new studio location, Yasim and Suzi eventually found the right place, thanks to a former studio owner from Woolloongabba who offered his space to the couple.

Now on a mission to get the word out that they are alive and kicking, the studio has just moved to its new home and the owners have decided to come up with Fuze Festival, a fundraising event at The Paint Factory in Yeronga.

Fuze Festival will be a celebration of Afro, Latin, and Caribbean culture and dance, showcasing the best talent in the afro Latin & Caribbean industry in Queensland.

Read: Discover Westoria, West End’s New Weekend Night Market

Aside from live shows, there will be live music, DJ, Bar, and food at the festival. Those who wish to join the event on 26 November 2022 may buy their ticket online or visit YCV Dance on Facebook.

Get Sun-Kissed at Westoria’s Official Summer Launch Party

Brisbane has turned up the heat now that summer is here! This is your sign to celebrate in style as the Westoria Official Summer Launch Party is bringing the poolside vibes to West End.

Dive into Westoria on Friday, the 18th of November 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to midnight to enjoy sizzling street food, breezy beats and refreshing cocktails whilst the sun sets over West End. The party will also feature sensational entertainment, fresh ‘fits and decorations, and more!

Dress-up is optional but we’ll be keeping cool in our best Hawaiian shirts all night long!

Tropic like it’s hot and join us for:

Sun-sational live music
Interactive Roving Entertainment
Sizzling-ly good Street Food
Refreshing, summer-themed Cocktails
Get down on the dance floor with mixed tunes by our DJ
2 bars to keep the good times rolling

The Westoria Official Summer Launch Party is next to the home of the West End Markets on 120 Jane Street.

Follow the Instagram page for more updates.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by WESTORIA (@westoria.bne)

About Westoria and Goodwill Projects

Westoria is a weird and wild realm with whimsical and unexpected delights waiting for you around every corner operating every Friday from 4:00 p.m. to Midnight.

Goodwill Projects is one of Queensland’s most dynamic markets, events and venues companies curating flawless events and memorable experiences.

New Meat-Free Wine Bar Set to Open in West End

From South Brisbane’s El Planta duo, Adrienne Jory and Rick Gibson, watch out for Bar Francine, landing on Vulture Street in West End before 2022 ends, featuring a plant-based menu with a touch of seafood and a carefully curated selection of wines sourced from Australian small producers.

The space previously occupied by All The Green Things located on Vulture Street in West End will soon host the new 50-seat venue with an interior fit-out that abounds with timber and a casual vibe. In its backyard will be a function space that will sit next to a vegetable garden.

Bar Francine venue — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Adrienne Jory and Rick Gibson’s first venture was El Planta, a plant-based tacos restaurant, as a pop-up venue at Wandering Cooks in South Brisbane. The restaurant became such a huge hit that it finally needed a place of its own.

Coming on the heels of that initial success, the pair has decided to open their second venture, Bar Francine. By late 2022, Bar Francine will start pouring about 70 Australian wines sourced from small producers along with a small list of cocktails and canned beers. They will be working with ecoSpirits in sourcing these spirits along with beer brewers XXXX Gold and Melbourne Bitter.

Much like its sister venue, Bar Francine’s food offering will be mostly plant-based
Photo credit: Facebook / El Planta

And whilst details of their eats list are yet to be revealed, expect Bar Francine chef Brad Cooper to cook up a European-inspired menu that’s leaning towards plant-based dishes with some seafood delights here and there.

Adrienne and Rick expect to open Bar Francine in November 2022 at the earliest. The new wine bar is situated at 29 Vulture Street, West End.

Visit their website or their social media for more updates leading up to their launch.

29 Vulture St, West End QLD 4101, Australia

West End Locals Establish Shared Vision for the Montague Road Project

Photo Credit: Google Maps

A group of West End locals is spearheading the Montague Road Project, with several project ideas being discussed that reflect the community’s shared vision, in line with a citywide improvement plan ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

Following the release of the 2019 South Brisbane Transport and Mobility Study, $1 million has been earmarked for the upgrade of Montague Road. In line with this, groups like Kurilpa Futures and the Queensland Ballet formed the Montague Road Project, an initiative to ensure that there will be a community consensus on the best ways to make use of the funding.

In September 2022, the Montague Road Project conducted a community survey and received more than 750 responses, which was followed by a community forum attended by more than 60 residents and business owners in West End.

The group is initially proposing to improve Montague Road into the Kurilpa Boulevard “green road” with green side streets and “food forests” connecting to the riverside parklands. The group also wants visible recognition of First Nations culture, and potentially opening a new First Nations Cultural Centre.

Montague Road must be made into a “climate resilient destination” that will allow Brisbane to achieve 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030.

“The 2032 Olympics would enable us to showcase to the world Australian expertise and our three levels of governments’ commitment to climate change adaption,” the group stated.

The Montague Road Project continues to conduct meetings with different communities to document more data that will help bring the vision to the next stage.

“We invite all people who live, work or visit the Montague Road area including local businesses, community and sport organisations and special interest groups in the broader community to participate,” the group said.

“We hope everyone will get involved and especially people living in apartments along the river as well as those living on the other side along the length of Montague Road up to Hardgrave Road and northwards from there.”

To learn more about this initiative follow the Facebook page or visit the official site.

Developer Submits Plans For Residential Tower With Childcare Centre In West End

A 15-storey residential building with a childcare centre would be built on the former site of ABSOE along Boundary Road in West End, if a developer’s plans are granted approval.

Read: Discover Westoria, West End’s New Weekend Night Market

To be called ‘Callista on Park,’ the mixed-use tower designed by fjmtstudio, would be the final stage of West Village’s redevelopment, which includes a previously approved and constructed basement parking and podium level.

“The proposed final West Village development ‘celebrates the existing garden character of the precinct’ and will be ‘the most sculptural and refined offering in the Village,” planners at RPS Group said.

“Callista on Park will celebrate its garden character by wrapping Mollison Park up its façade plateauing on a true sky garden with watering holes, conservatories and intimate hidden gardens,” the planning documents read.

Residential Tower

childcare centre — Photo credit: fjmtstudio/BCC

The residential building would be a mix of one two-bedroom, 34 x 3 bedroom, 35 x 4 bedroom, and two penthouse apartments.

Each unit will have a highly functional private open space, ranging in size from 15sqm to 91sqm. It will also feature balcony areas which will be directly accessible from main internal living areas.

A communal rooftop garden, with an area of 1,370sqm featuring hard and soft landscaping and open space, has also been proposed.

As for parking, the development proposes to supply a total of 178 residential component car parks including 161 residential spaces in dedicated areas across Basement Levels 2, 3 and 4.

Childcare Centre

The previously constructed podium level (Level 1) will house the childcare centre, spanning 1,192sqm and will have an outdoor play area on the Mollison Street side which is located across the road from the residential apartments.

The rooftop area will feature outdoor seating, kitchen, dining, sauna, spaces, wellness studio, swimming pool, and landscaping to provide communal areas for residents.

Read: Revised Design Concept for Proposed West End Residential Towers Lodged

For the childcare centre alone, provision has been made for six car spaces within Basement Level 2 which are to cater for the childcare centre staff parking.

To learn more about the proposed development, see Brisbane City Council’s website and use the reference A006116369.

Revised Plans for Riverfront Development on Victoria Street, West End Lodged

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

First proposed in 2018, the controversial West End riverfront development at 117 Victoria Street has undergone a major redesign and is now up for approval.

The Crown Group originally proposed the development on the 1.25-hectare property four years ago and was granted approval that same year which involves the establishment of 455 apartments across four towers atop a large podium, despite strong opposition from local residents.

However, construction of the Victoria Street project was paused to allow the developer to submit revised plans. The updated design maintained the four towers but removed the podium and reoriented Towers 1 and 3 to allow more open space, maximise the river views and improve access to natural light and ventilation.

117 Victoria Street riverfront development — Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates and Plus Architecture, the new development application will also seek approval for an increase in the number of apartments to 473 (126 x 1 bedroom, 225 x 2 bedrooms, 111 x 3 bedrooms, 11 x 4 bedrooms) from the original 455 and an increase in parking spaces from 507 to 635.

There will also be an additional 140sqm of retail space at the ground level of Tower 1 plus 5,025sqm of communal open space which also increased from 3,964sqm as a result of the podiums removal and activation of residential amenities at the rooftop of Towers 1 and 4. The communal recreation space comprises a pool, outdoor decks, indoor gym and lounge and dining areas.

The proposed development is to be delivered in two stages with Stage 1 involving the construction of two basement levels and Towers 1 and 2 whilst construction of Towers 3 and 4 will be undertaken during Stage 2.

117 Victoria St, West End QLD 4101

Get Ghoulish At The Westoria Halloween Spooktakular in West End!

Are you on the lookout for some terrifyingly delicious treats to dig your fangs into this Halloween? Join the Westoria Halloween Spooktakular event and enjoy mouthwatering treats, with beers and cocktails to take the edge off and give you a fang-tastic time.

Read: Discover Westoria, West End’s New Weekend Night Market

Eats and beats. Tricks AND treats. The Westoria Halloween Spooktacular will run from Friday 28th of October from 4:99 p.m.to midnight so put on your scari-best outfits and join the vibe.

Westoria Halloween Spooktakular — Photo supplied

There is a fang-tastic, jam-packed evening planned, with ghoulish games, spooky stalls and more. But look out for the roving goblins and ghastly entertainers, from frightening fire twirlers to spooktacular stilt walkers!

Plan your devilish night, we know you’ll freak out if you miss it:

● Spooky Decorations and Stalls

● Fiendishly good Street Food (bone-appétit!)

● Halloween inspired Jumping Castle and Glitter Face Painting

● Spine-chilling Live Music and Entertainment including stilt walkers and fire twirlers

● Get down on the dance floor with mixed tunes by our DJ

● 2 bars to keep the good times rolling

To learn more about the Westoria Halloween Spooktakular event, check out Westoria’s Events page.

About Westoria

Brisbane’s newest night market, Westoria, is located at Jane St in West End. it opened in October 2022, giving locals a place to ‘escape’ in a world away from the usual Friday night.

Read: Mamma Mia-inspired Dining Experience Lands on West End

Westoria promises to be a place where the ‘weird, wild, and whimsical’ comes to life through live music and enchanting fire dancers.

It’s brought to West End by Goodwill Projects, one of Queensland’s most dynamic markets, events, and venue companies.

Westoria operates every Friday from 4:00 p.m. until midnight.

Coming Together at the ‘Paniyiri Greek Festival 2022’ in South Brisbane

After being postponed due to severe weather events earlier in the year, the much-loved Paniyiri Greek Festival is finally happening, just in time for some serious spring-summer fun in Musgrave Park, South Brisbane!

And just like how it’s done every year, ‘Paniyiri,’ which means ‘coming together’ in Greek, will see friends and family taking over Musgrave Park for a weekend of music, dancing, and loads of food.

Read: Discover Westoria, West End’s New Weekend Night Market

Cultural presentations

Photo credit: Paniyiri Greek Festival/Facebook

The Paniyiri Festival started in 1976 when a group of Greek-Australians decided to share their culture and cooking with the wider community.

Pretty soon, other Greek-Australian groups joined the annual celebrations, bringing not just food, but also a healthy dose of music, entertainment, and Greek culture into the mix.

Brisbane’s first Hellenic dance club was formed in 1978 and has participated at every Paniyiri Festival since. The dance club showcases traditional dance in costumes from the various regions of Greece.

Live performances

The main stage will be filled with live performances and competitions throughout the two-day party, courtesy of The Coffee Club, which is one of the sponsors of the festival.

Food and Cooking Demos

There will be multiple food stalls that will represent the different regions of Greece. One of the dishes you’re sure to find here is Souvlaki, which is grilled meat served on a skewer, best served with soft pita bread and zesty tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber dip).

A Greek foodie experience is not complete without seafood, so grab the chance to taste some grilled octopus! There’s also something to satisfy all dessert lovers, such as the festival’s iconic sweet and fluffy honey puffs.

Food lovers surely wouldn’t want to miss the cooking demonstrations, to be presented by The Greek Club.

A Taste of Greece

Nostimo (Photo credit: Paniyiri Greek Festival/Facebook)

Ticket-holders will also have a chance to win a private dining experience with up to nine of their friends at Greek restaurant Nostimo restaurant. Prizes includes food and drinks with a maximum spend of $1500.

Mark Your Calendars!

What	Paniyiri Festival 2022
Where	Musgrave Park, South Brisbane
When	Saturday, Oct 15 2022 (12pm – 10pm) – Sunday, Oct 16 (10:00 am – 7pm)

Read: Renovated West End Cafe Offers Immersive, Full-Service Dining Experience

To learn more about the upcoming event, visit https://paniyiri.com/

Stage 2 of West End State School Expansion Now Complete

Photo Credit: Queensland Government / statements.qld.gov.au

Stage 2 of the West End State School expansion is now complete. The $34-million expansion added more than 2,000 students to the school’s enrollment capacity and provided 95 jobs to the community during its construction.

The project was unveiled last 16 September at a ceremony attended by Education Minister Grace Grace who confirmed that the state government has invested $55 million between Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the redevelopment.

Ms Grace said that she was pleased that the project for West End State School delivered exactly what the department would like to ensure: Queensland students get a world-class education in state-of-the-art facilities.

West End State School expansion — Photo Credit: West End State School

Stage 2 of the expansion delivered a new 18-classroom learning facility with an undercroft and a resource centre building with staff and administration rooms. Furthermore, the project included the construction of a Performing Arts Centre with two music rooms, a 500-seater auditorium, a car park and a commercial grade canteen for events and a tuckshop.

The project delivered a new 18-classroom learning facility with an undercroft | Photo Credit: Queensland Government / statements.qld.gov.au

The project included the construction of a Performing Arts Centre with two music rooms and a 500-seater auditorium | Photo Credit: Queensland Government / statements.qld.gov.au

“I also thank the P&C for their efforts in contributing around $290,000 to upgrade the canteen to a commercial grade kitchen, and to create a P&C office and uniform shop,” Ms Grace added.

“This expansion also includes new greenspace including a playground area with tiered seating and shady trees and a second grassed oval for the school on Vulture Street.

“The Palaszczuk Government is all about creating good jobs and providing better services to enhance our great Queensland lifestyle, and this project has ticked all three boxes.”

Cox Architecture and Hutchinson Builders were awarded the contracts to deliver the project.

“I’m really grateful to the architects and builders who were very responsive throughout the process to the needs of our school community, which highly values creativity, flexibility and maximising the use of space to keep children active,” West End State School Principal Kim McNamara said.