The West End Park Where Aboriginal Girls Were Once Sent Into Service Is Now a Place of Reconnection

Link-Up (Qld) has identified more than 80 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls connected to the former Aboriginal Girls Home at West End, making their names available online as part of a research project aimed at helping descendants reconnect with that history.



The work is among the most direct efforts yet to restore identity and family connection for those touched by the institution, which operated from 1899 to 1906 on the land now known as Cranbrook Place within Orleigh Park. For descendants across Queensland and beyond who may have had gaps in their family history they could never fully explain, the project offers something concrete to reach toward.

Link-Up (Qld) chief executive Patricia Thompson AM said the research is fundamentally about recognition. “It is about recognising the women and girls who were removed from their families, and creating opportunities for descendants to reconnect with that history,” she said.

The history behind the former Aboriginal Girls Home

The Aboriginal Girls Home operated under the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897, one of the most sweeping pieces of legislation in Queensland’s history. The Act gave the Chief Protector of Aboriginals extensive control over the movements, employment and daily lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the state.

Photo Credit: State Library QLD

The West End home functioned as a receiving depot and transit point. Girls and young women were brought to Brisbane from communities across Queensland, held at the home, and then placed into domestic service in white households, often far from their families and Country.

Any single woman travelling through Brisbane or between domestic postings was required to stay there. The institution was classified as a reserve under the Act in 1904.

By 1900, 22 Aboriginal young women were in domestic service in Brisbane. That number had climbed to 121 by the time the home closed in 1906 following a public inquiry into conditions there. The house itself, known as Cranbrook, was demolished years later. Only a set of concrete steps remains at the site today.

Names that were nearly lost

The research Link-Up undertook drew on historical records to identify 80 women and girls who are directly or indirectly referenced in connection with the Home. That work builds on earlier research and represents years of archival effort to recover names and details that were never intended to be easily found.

Those names are now published on Link-Up’s website as part of an ongoing commitment to honour the lives of women who passed through the institution and to support healing for the families who came after them. Descendants who register their interest through the site can also receive updates about the project and be invited to contribute to future stages of the work.

A community that gathers every year at Orleigh Park

Link-Up has held a Sorry Day event at Cranbrook Place each year during Sorry Week, the period leading up to National Sorry Day on 26 May. This year’s breakfast drew Stolen Generations survivors, performers Kristal West and the Nunukul Yuggera Dancers, and community members from across the region to the site where the Home once stood.

National Sorry Day marks the anniversary of the tabling of the Bringing Them Home report in federal parliament in 1997, which documented the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. A memorial to the Stolen Generations was erected at Orleigh Park in 2012, four years after the federal apology in 2008.

For descendants wanting to connect with the research or register their interest in the project, click here. Link-Up (Qld) can also be reached directly through their website for family reunion and reconnection support services.



Published 21-May-2026

Fire Ant Nests Found At Musgrave Park As Residents Sound The Alarm

A cluster of fire ant nests has been discovered at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane after a local resident spotted the nests earlier in May and alerted Brisbane’s local officials and the National Fire Ant Eradication Program.


Read: Homeless Tents Cleared from Musgrave Park in West End


The nests were located in the corner of the park nearest to Musgrave Pool and Edmondstone Street, close to a large green shed. Nearby residents shared additional nest location information with Cr Trina Massey, who raised the matter directly with officials through the Committee for Sustainability, Greenspace and Environment.

Treatment and community response

Photo credit: Google Maps/Valerie “V”

Cr Massey confirmed two rounds of treatment were carried out at the park. Cr Massey encouraged residents to continue monitoring the park, noting that recent rainfall can make nests harder to identify. 

Some residents expressed concern that Brisbane mowers had passed over the nests prior to treatment, potentially pushing the ants underground and out of sight. Residents also understood that hormones, rather than contact-kill treatments, had been used on the nests. This method does not kill ants immediately but works to reduce a colony’s ability to repopulate over time.

Residents can report sightings to BCC on 3403 8888, the National Fire Ant Hotline on 13 22 68, or to Cr Massey’s office on 3403 2165.

About fire ants

Fire Ant
Photo credit: Pexels/Alif Alatas

Fire ants were first detected in Australia in 2001 at the northern port of Brisbane. Since then, they have spread across Queensland, into parts of northern New South Wales, and into the Murray-Darling Basin, according to the Invasive Species Council.

Their stings can be fatal to people and livestock in severe cases. They also pose a threat to native ecosystems and can spread through cargo containers, potted plants, soil and mulch.

The Mount Gravatt Showgrounds recently experienced temporary closures across the grounds and car park after fire ants were found there.

Festival preparations continue

Fire Ant
Photo credit: Google Maps/Ldn Bne

Set-up for the Paniyiri Greek Festival, which this year marks its 50th anniversary, is set to take place at Musgrave Park, with the event running 23 to 24 May. Around 50,000 visitors are expected to attend.


Read: West End Transforms for Paniyiri, Queensland’s Largest Greek Festival


Co-chairman of the Paniyiri volunteer organising committee Kos Kastrissios said in a media interview that the committee was monitoring the situation and would follow direction from Brisbane local officials and Queensland’s Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce if any changes to the festival’s layout were needed.

Published 19-May-2026

West End Winter Solstice Twilight Market Brings A Winter Night Out To Davies Park

As the afternoon light fades over West End, Davies Park is set to take on a different rhythm — one shaped by warm food, open-air stalls, live music, bonfires and the glow of a winter market after dark.



The West End Winter Solstice Twilight Market will return in 2026, turning the familiar market setting into a night-time gathering built around food, craft, entertainment and seasonal warmth. The event will be held on Friday, 19 June from 4:00pm to 10:00pm at Davies Park, 277 Montague Road, with free entry.

The setting will be familiar for regular visitors. West End Markets are normally held every Saturday morning at Davies Park along the Brisbane River, drawing people to the suburb for fresh produce, food, handmade goods and the area’s relaxed market atmosphere. The winter solstice event shifts that experience into the evening, giving the market a cooler-season mood and a more festival-like pace.

More than 150 specialty stalls are expected, with a mix of gourmet street food, global flavours, artisan products, handcrafted goods, local finds and gift items. The event is designed around browsing as much as eating, with visitors able to move through rows of stalls while entertainment unfolds throughout the night.

Brisbane events
Photo Credit: Supplied

Winter Warmth At The Centre Of The Market

Bonfires will be one of the event’s key winter features, giving the twilight market a seasonal focus beyond its food and retail offering. Pop-up bars will also serve craft beer and traditional Glühwein, adding a warm drink element suited to the colder evening setting.

The Glühwein has been highlighted as one of the market’s signature winter offerings, pairing the spiced drink with the event’s twilight hours and open-air layout. Together with the bonfires, it gives the night a distinct seasonal identity while keeping the event tied to West End’s casual market style.

Food will also remain central to the experience. The market will feature street food and gourmet options from across global flavours, giving visitors a broad mix of choices for dinner, snacks or a longer evening of grazing through the stalls.

West End Markets
Photo Credit: Supplied

Music, Performers And Family Activities

The market program will include live music, roving performers and children’s activities, creating a wider event experience for families, food lovers and market visitors.

The entertainment is expected to run alongside the stalls rather than sit separately from them, adding movement and atmosphere across the night. Children’s activities will give families another reason to stay, while live performances and roaming entertainment will carry the energy of the market through the evening.

This mix of food, stalls and entertainment gives the West End Winter Solstice Twilight Market a broader purpose than a standard shopping event. It is positioned as a winter night out, built around the suburb’s existing market identity but shaped for a different time of day.

Winter Solstice Twilight Market
Photo Credit: Supplied

West End’s Market Scene After Dark

The event also shows how the West End Markets can shift from their usual Saturday morning pace into a night-time format. Davies Park remains the anchor, but the mood changes with the later hours, the winter setting and the focus on warm drinks, lights and live entertainment.

Free ticket registration is available, with registered attendees able to enter a draw for a gourmet market hamper. Entry to the market remains free.



The Winter Solstice Twilight Market brings the area’s familiar market culture into the evening — not as a replacement for the regular Saturday market, but as a seasonal version built around food, music, bonfires and a winter night under the open sky.

Published 15-May-2026

West End McDonald’s Fitout Approved for Melbourne Street Site

Building work is anticipated to begin in June 2026 on a new McDonald’s restaurant at 220 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane, a site on the border between South Brisbane and West End, after planning documents confirmed approval for a fitout to commence.


Read: Voluntary Liquidation Process for Melbourne Street Popular Italian Restaurant


Rumours of the development had been circulating for well over a year, generating discussion across online forums including Reddit and Facebook, where responses were mixed, with some residents expressing opposition and others acknowledging the prospect of local employment.

Construction firm Store Tec has notified nearby residents and businesses of overnight works scheduled between 9pm and 6am from 1 June to 3 July, with most activity expected to wrap up by 1am on working nights.

Community raises questions about local fit

Melbourne Street
Photo credit: Brisbane PD Online – A007012001

Cr Trina Massey has raised concerns about the approval process. She said the decision to approve the development without community consultation reflected problems in the planning system, and called for greater support for local businesses over corporate expansion.

West End Community Association (WECA) president Seleneah More said residents had been engaged on the issue for more than a year. She pointed to structural factors shaping the Boundary Street corridor, including rising rents, post-COVID underinvestment, shifting consumer trends and long-term vacancies, as contributing to conditions that favour larger operators over smaller, independent businesses.

McDonald’s outlines its commitment to the area

Melbourne Street
3D View of dining area (Photo credit: Brisbane PD Online – A007012001)

McDonald’s Australia has pointed to the economic contribution the development will make to the area. A spokesperson said the new restaurant represents more than $5 million in investment and is expected to generate around 80 jobs during construction and a further 120 ongoing positions once open. The company said the restaurant will be run by a local licensee and pointed to its longstanding presence across Brisbane communities spanning more than 50 years.

The approved fitout, listed on Brisbane’s development portal (application number A007012001), will include a public dining area, self-service kiosks, a McCafe counter, delivery and pick-up zones and an external seating area. Planned works also include upgrades to signage, glazing, awnings and interior finishes.

Overnight construction hours were approved to reduce disruption to traffic and pedestrians on Melbourne Street, with road and footpath closures considered impractical during peak daytime periods.


Read: Great Spots for Organic Food Options at West End


What to expect during construction

Residents and nearby businesses have received letters from Store Tec outlining expected impacts during the construction window, including increased noise, traffic disruptions and temporary access restrictions.

WECA has been active on planning matters in the suburb and has indicated residents will continue to raise concerns.

Published 5-May-2026

Magpies Turn Pressure Into Points in Davies Park Grind

It wasn’t one moment — it was a slow squeeze. From the 12th minute to the final whistle, Souths Logan Magpies kept finding ways to turn opportunities into points, building a 28–14 win over Mackay in Round 8 of the 2026 QRL Hostplus Cup at Davies Park on Sunday, 3 May 2026.

By the time the Cutters found rhythm, the game had already been shaped.

Early punch sets the tone

The Magpies struck first through Kieran Tempest in the 12th minute, and they didn’t wait long to double down. Aublix Tawha crossed at 15’, then again at 21’, as Souths Logan surged into control with three tries inside the opening quarter.

Mackay steadied late in the half, with Jimmy Ngutlik finishing in the 35th minute to keep the contest alive, but the damage was already there.

At 16–4 by halftime, Souths Logan had the scoreboard and the tempo.

Cutters push, Magpies respond

Ngutlik struck again early in the second half (47’), narrowing the margin and giving the Cutters a genuine opening.

It lasted briefly.

Mason Barber crossed in the 59th minute to keep Mackay within reach, but every step forward was matched. Callum Eggerling’s try at 65’ halted any momentum shift, restoring the Magpies’ buffer at a critical moment.

When Max Bandit crossed at 71’, it effectively closed the contest — the final margin a reflection of control rather than a late blowout.

Built on execution

The difference sat in the follow-through. Byron Johnson converted four of Souths Logan’s five tries, ensuring their early dominance translated cleanly onto the scoreboard.

Mackay managed just one conversion in response, leaving them chasing the game despite scoring three tries of their own.

Five tries to three told part of the story. The timing of them told the rest.

Souths Logan didn’t need to explode to win this — they just needed to be sharper in the moments that mattered.

And across 80 minutes, they were.

Published 2-May-2026

Function Well Has Arrived in West End, and It’s Unlike Anything Else on Brisbane’s Southside

Function Well has opened its West End flagship, bringing a $15 million, four-level wellness hub to Brisbane’s southside that combines 24/7 training, five boutique studios, a full recovery zone and an on-site Turkish café under one roof for the first time in the brand’s history.



The West End location, which opened its doors on Monday 27 April, is the most ambitious project yet from founders Darren and Natasha Bain, who have spent more than 16 years shaping Brisbane’s fitness and wellness landscape. Their original Function Well opened in Newstead, where it still operates across three levels in the Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct.

A second location at Toombul was lost to the 2022 floods. West End is the fresh chapter, and at 3,000 square metres it is built to be the definitive expression of everything the brand has been working toward.

“Function Well West End is our most elevated offering,” Darren Bain said. “We set out to design a premium, high-performance environment that brings together our four pillars, mindset, movement, nutrition and restoration, to support total wellbeing for our members.”

Photo Credit: Supplied

Four Levels Built Around Yin and Yang

The philosophy running through Function Well has always balanced intensity with stillness, effort with recovery. That yin and yang approach shapes how the West End space is designed, with high-performance training zones on one side of the member experience and a genuinely luxurious restoration offering on the other.

Photo Credit: Supplied

The training side covers a 24/7 gym floor alongside five custom-built boutique studios offering reformer Pilates, a heated immersive yoga room and functional training sessions. The space is also an official HYROX training club, making it one of Brisbane’s primary destinations for the global fitness racing movement, which combines eight kilometres of running with eight functional workout stations.

Function Well
Photo Credit: Supplied

The recovery side is equally considered. Members move between a sauna, hot and cold plunge pools, compression boots, massage therapy, red light therapy, a Recovery Cave and private recovery suites. It is the kind of restoration offering that previously required a dedicated day spa visit, now built directly into a gym membership.

Photo Credit: Supplied

A premium business and social lounge gives members a third mode entirely: a space to linger, connect, or catch up on work after training.

A Turkish Café Completes the Picture

The nutrition pillar at West End takes the form of Sureyya Kahve, a nutrient-led Turkish café from the team behind KAILO Wellness Medispa. The café reinforces what Function Well has always argued: that food is not a footnote to a fitness routine but an integral part of it. The presence of a full café operator of this calibre on-site signals that West End is designed as a destination, not just a gym you pass through.

Photo Credit: Supplied

“We’ve always believed in a holistic approach, where community and results sit at the core of everything we do,” Bain said. “What excites us now is bringing that philosophy to a new level within a true all-in-one lifestyle destination. Our team is incredibly proud and excited to officially open the doors and welcome the West End community into something truly unique.”

Visit Function Well West End

Function Well West End is at West Village, 97 Boundary Street, West End. Membership options are available at here. Follow Function Well on Instagram for class schedules, studio bookings and member updates.



Published 30-April-2026

West End’s Award-Winning Aizome Bar Launches New Tasting and À La Carte Menus

Aizome Bar, the 10-seat venue on Montague Road in West End named Gourmet Traveller Bar of the Year 2025, has introduced new tasting and à la carte menus as part of an updated food offering at the bar.


Read: A Year of Pride and Performance at West End Bar Come to Daddy


The menus are designed to provide a more flexible entry point into the +81 dining philosophy, the concept that underpins both Aizome Bar and its adjoining omakase restaurant, Sushi Kappo. The bar format allows guests to engage at their own pace, whether through drinks only or a fuller dining experience.

Photo supplied

The food program is overseen by Chef Ikuo Kobayashi, who also leads the kitchen at Sushi Kappo next door. Kobayashi’s background includes time at some of Japan’s most prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants. At Aizome Bar, the venue says his approach adapts the discipline of kappo-style dining into a format suited to a bar setting.

Across both menus, dishes are prepared without gluten, dairy or nuts. The venue describes this as a deliberate philosophy, one it says reinforces purity, balance and precision rather than functioning as a dietary restriction.

What’s on the New Menus

Photo supplied

The tasting menu is priced at $90 per person and runs across six courses: three starters, two mains and a dessert.

Starters include seared beef tataki with broccoli, tomato and soy milk cream cheese; sashimi of the day; and chawanmushi, a Japanese savoury egg custard made with Canadian snow crab. Mains are a Marble King Wagyu Sirloin MS9+ sukiyaki with seasonal vegetables and free-range egg yolk, and a salmon avocado roll. The meal closes with a sweet finale dessert.

The à la carte menu includes bar snacks and dishes the venue says are designed to pair with its drinks offering, across a range of price points. Options include:

  • Edamame $8
  • Tomato Caprese with soy cream cheese $18
  • Sashimi of the Day $12
  • Chicken Karaage $20
  • Diced Marble King Wagyu Fillet MS9+ $20
  • Uramaki rolls (6pc) with Tasmanian ocean trout and avocado, or ebi and avocado $12 each
  • Inarizushi (2pc) $8
  • Wagyu Curry Rice $19
  • Sake-lees and Chocolate Soy Ice Cream $8

The Drinks Program

Photo supplied

The bar’s drinks program defines the Aizome Bar experience. The venue is known for its Neo cocktails, developed by Tony Huang and Tim Pope, which are prepared over multiple days using freeze-integration techniques and served in a wine-style format. 

Photo supplied

A Cocktail Experience option is also available, offering a curated flight of six 60ml cocktails, each aged over five days. The broader drinks list includes wine, sake and spirits.


Read: Cheers to West End: Exploring Brisbane’s Vibrant Bar Scene


Aizome Bar sits under the +81 brand, named after Japan’s international dialling code, alongside Sushi Kappo. Reservations are available through the +81 website.

Aizome Bar is at 259 Montague Road, West End.

Published 30-April-2026

Queensland Ballet Brings Sia’s Music to West End Stage

A full orchestra, a global pop catalogue and a contemporary dance company come together in West End, where Queensland Ballet is presenting a reimagined ballet set to the music of Sia, transforming familiar radio hits into a live performance shaped for the stage.



Performances run from April 30 to May 9, 2026, at the Talbot Theatre inside the Thomas Dixon Centre, with additional shows added due to demand.

A New Sound for Familiar Songs

The production, titled Elastic Hearts, draws on Sia’s original tracks but reshapes them through orchestral arrangements by Elliott Wheeler. Known for his work in film, Wheeler adapted the songs into extended pieces suited for ballet, allowing the music to stretch beyond its original structure.

The score was recorded by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Nigel Gaynor, using a layered recording process rather than a single live session. Sections of the orchestra were recorded separately and later combined, creating a detailed and controlled sound that supports the choreography.

Photo Credit: Supplied/David Kelly

Movement Built on Emotion and Connection

Choreographer Garry Stewart, a former artistic director of Australian Dance Theatre, developed the work as a response to Sia’s music. His approach focuses on physical intensity and emotional range, using movement to reflect themes of resilience, relationships and change.

Stewart’s concept centres on the idea that people adapt under pressure, drawing from the emotional tone of Sia’s songs. He links these ideas to natural cycles, where growth, decay and renewal shape both the environment and human experience.

Nature Shapes the Stage

The visual direction of the production reflects Stewart’s long-standing interest in nature. The character of Gaia, drawn from Greek mythology, acts as a symbolic presence throughout the performance, representing the Earth and the forces that connect life.

Set and costume designer Charles Davis builds this environment on stage, while lighting by Alexander Berlage supports shifts in mood and movement, helping guide the audience through the work’s changing tone.

Photo Credit: Supplied/David Kelly

A Different Direction for Queensland Ballet

Artistic director Ivan Gil-Ortega positions Elastic Hearts as a contrast to the company’s earlier production Messa da Requiem, which focused on large-scale choral work. In comparison, this ballet leans into contemporary energy, driven by rhythm and recognisable music.

The response from early audiences and critics has been strong, with reviews noting the blend of ballet technique and pop influence. The production reflects a shift in how ballet companies engage wider audiences, using familiar music as a starting point for new work.

The project also brings together several South Australian links. Sia, originally from Adelaide, shares a connection with Stewart, who spent years working in the city. 



The season at West End places an international music figure within a local arts setting, supported by Australian creatives and performers.

Published 30-April-2026

West End’s Elisi Residences to Break Ground Mid-2026

Thirty apartments are coming to Ferry Road, one of West End’s most rapidly changing streets, and construction is set to begin in July 2026. 


Read: Süreyya Kahve Is Coming to West End, and It’s Redefining What a Cafe Can Be


The eight-storey apartment building at 17 Ferry Road, West End, will deliver 30 three-bedroom apartments in a pocket of the suburb that has seen significant development activity in recent years. The project is developed by Vista and designed by architecture firm Prospect.

Interiors have been designed by Bella Vie, and the building will include a rooftop pool, barbecue area and yoga lawn. Each apartment will come with its own outdoor space and two underground car parks.

Photo credit: elisiresidences.com.au

Sales agent Doug Tonkin said the target demographic was primarily downsizers, people leaving the leafy suburbs of Brisbane for something smaller and more centrally located.

Tonkin described the broader inner-city apartment market as overcrowded, with high-density projects continuing to proliferate. He said that offering only 30 apartments set the project apart in an otherwise high-density market, and that he believed there was a clear demand for it.

Photo credit: elisiresidences.com.au

Prices range from $1,799,000 to $2,209,000 across four different floor plan configurations. Around 12 apartments have already sold ahead of the July construction start.

Elisi is immediately adjacent to the large-scale The Lanes Montague Markets precinct and sits directly opposite a separate planned apartment building at 24 Ferry Road. Tonkin said the area’s appeal was tied to its access to city services, proximity to Orleigh Park, and the draw of two public schools: West End State School and Brisbane State High School.

The site itself has already been cleared. The building that previously stood at the address, along with the adjoining car park, has been demolished ahead of the July start.


Read: West End Brewpub Landscape Shifts as Catchment Brewing Co Departs Boundary Street


West End has experienced significant population growth in recent years, and residents have raised concerns that development is outstripping infrastructure. Rapid development in the area has faced criticism from locals who argue that population growth is outstripping services and that the necessary infrastructure has not kept pace.

Whether the infrastructure catches up remains an open question for the suburb. For now, the site has been cleared and construction is due to get underway in July.

Published 25-April-2026

Metro Arts Secures Grant to Bring Touch to Contemporary Art in West End

Metro Arts has secured a grant through Brisbane Airport‘s record 2026 Community Giving Fund, using the funding to install and deliver an eight-week tactile exhibition and events programme designed specifically for the blind and visually impaired community.



The grant is one of sixteen awarded across the city as Brisbane Airport distributed its largest-ever Community Giving Fund, sharing $125,000 among grassroots organisations working across education, health, environment and community inclusion. For Metro Arts, the funding arrives at a meaningful moment.

The West End arts centre is rebuilding its programme through a “rewiring” process after losing federal Creative Australia funding for the 2025 to 2028 period. The Brisbane Airport grant gives the organisation a concrete new project and a new community to reach.

This tactile exhibition addresses a significant gap in accessible arts programming that many venues overlook. Brisbane Airport Community Engagement Manager Portia Allison said each recipient in this year’s fund plays an important role in building a stronger, more connected community.

“Our Community Giving Fund is about giving back where it counts,” Allison said. “From youth programs to grassroots sport, there are organisations and groups across every corner of Brisbane delivering important work to support their local communities.”

An Arts Centre That Has Always Backed New Ideas

Metro Arts has occupied a distinctive position in Brisbane’s cultural life since its founding more than 40 years ago. Its theatre, two galleries, rehearsal rooms and the Factory Lane outdoor precinct sit inside the West Village development at 97 Boundary Street, offering a purpose-built home for contemporary work across theatre, dance, cabaret, circus, music and visual art.

Metro Arts
Photo Credit: Metro Arts/Google Maps

The organisation champions artists who take creative risks and develop new works, and over its history has served as a launchpad for some of Australia’s most significant contemporary artists. Its current “rewiring” programme, announced earlier in 2026, is focused on building new partnerships, rethinking how it presents art, and strengthening the infrastructure that supports both artists and audiences for the long term.

The tactile exhibition programme fits that forward-looking ambition directly. Tactile art experiences, which use raised surfaces, textures, soundscapes and physical interaction rather than visual contemplation, represent one of the most significant frontiers in accessible arts programming internationally. For a venue built around experimentation, it is a natural fit.

A Step Forward for Inclusive Arts in West End

Since 2016 the Brisbane Airport Community Giving Fund has poured more than $655,000 into local community organisations. This year’s round was expanded by $25,000 over 2025, when $100,000 was distributed to coincide with 100 years of Brisbane Airport.

For Metro Arts and the West End community, the tactile exhibition and events programme represents something the suburb’s arts scene has rarely seen: a dedicated, extended programme designed from the ground up for audiences who are blind or have low vision. West End has long been one of Brisbane’s most culturally diverse and community-minded neighbourhoods, and Metro Arts sits at the centre of that identity.

Metro Arts is at 97 Boundary Street, West End, inside the West Village precinct, accessible via Factory Lane. The venue’s window gallery is open 24 hours a day, and its office operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. For programme updates, event details and to subscribe to the Metro Arts newsletter, visit metroarts.com.au or follow the organisation on Instagram at @metroarts.



Published 20-April-2026