Reigning AFLW premiers, the Brisbane Lions, will take on the all-too-familiar Collingwood Magpies this Friday, 13 September. Both teams are eager to assert dominance early in the season, with the Lions aiming to maintain their strong record against the Magpies. Lions vs Magpies kick off 5:05 p.m. at the Brighton Homes Arena.
Brisbane holds a 6-4 advantage in their head-to-head record against Collingwood, having won five of their last six encounters. The Lions’ recent dominance over the Magpies began with a narrow 3-point victory at Whitten Oval in 2021, a pivotal moment in their premiership-winning campaign.
This match marks the tenth time Brisbane has hosted Collingwood, a league record for home games against a single opponent. Curiously, these ten matches have been played across eight different grounds in six cities, reflecting the Lions’ nomadic existence in recent seasons.
Brighton Homes Arena is the only venue where Brisbane has yet to defeat Collingwood, adding extra motivation for the Lions to secure their first victory on this revamped home turf.
As Brisbane prepares to face Collingwood, their defensive pressure and ability to force turnovers will be key to securing a win. If the Lions can maintain their intensity in the forward half, they stand a strong chance of limiting Collingwood’s scoring opportunities.
The Lions look to capitalise on their home ground advantage and build on last week’s success in this clash against Collingwood, another exciting chapter in their growing rivalry.
Ipswich’s Augustine Heights suburb is set for a significant boost. Developer Azure has received the green light for a 74-home townhouse project valued at an estimated $60 million.
The Augusta Parkway project, located at 7001 Augusta Parkway, will span a 15,010-square-metre site. The development will offer a mix of three- and four-bedroom townhouses, complemented by communal amenities, including a wet-edge pool and a children’s pool.
Strategically positioned, Augusta Parkway is conveniently located in proximity to key amenities.
It’s about 5km from the Springfield Central train station, 4km from Orion Springfield Central Shopping Centre, and 6.5km from Springfield Fair Shopping Centre.
Educational institutions such as St Augustine’s College and Augusta State School are also approximately 1.5km and 3km from the site.
Although he finished fourth in the recurve open competition, Springfield Lakes para archer Taymon Kenton-Smith emerged as an unexpected star in Paris 2024. Kenton-Smith captured attention with his vibrant persona, colourful hairstyle, and impressive performances against top-ranked opponents, quickly becoming a crowd favourite.
Ranked 21st in the world, Kenton-Smith showcased his remarkable skill by defeating several higher-ranked competitors. He eliminated world No. 1 Samuel Molina of Mexico and overcame world No. 4 and No. 7 ranked archers, advancing to the semi-finals before finishing fourth.
“I didn’t just go up against the best in the world. I beat them,” Kenton-Smith proudly declared after running a tough gauntlet.
A colourful personality
While Kenton-Smith’s performances on the field were awe-inspiring, his presence off the field was equally striking. At the historic Esplanade des Invalides venue, he stood out with his green and gold hair, a bucket hat adorned with a wedge-tailed eagle feather, and a stuffed kangaroo by his side.
Between rounds, he energised the crowd, dancing to the venue’s music and encouraging audience participation, which quickly endeared him to spectators.
Kenton-Smith’s journey has always been about more than just competition. At 14, he promised his grandmother she would one day see him compete in the Paralympics. Although she passed away before his debut in Tokyo, her memory continues to motivate him.
“That promise was what drove me [there],” Taymon reflected.
After his individual event, Kenton-Smith participated in the mixed team event with teammate Amanda Jennings, where they secured a ninth-place finish.
Despite missing out on a medal, Kenton-Smith remains upbeat. “I came here to win and I won the crowd, so that’s definitely something. I will never be forgotten, I’m pretty sure about that.”
Ipswich-born Susan Seipel, 38, is set to compete in two semi-finals at the final weekend of the Paris Games. Seipel has established herself as a versatile and accomplished athlete across multiple disciplines, and is now aiming for Paralympic gold.
The three-time Paralympian’s participation in two separate events showcases her versatility and endurance as an athlete. Seipel is scheduled to participate in two semi-final events:
Seipel has already demonstrated her competitive edge in the qualifying rounds. She secured the fourth fastest time in the va’a single heats with a time of 1:04.03. In the kayak single event, she qualified with the seventh fastest time, clocking in at 1:01.29.
About Susan Seipei
Susan Seipel was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex, a condition that affects her joints and muscles. Despite undergoing several surgeries as a child, she excelled in para-sports, becoming an elite para-swimmer and paracanoeist.
She represented Australia at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, where she won a bronze medal in paracanoe. She became the first Australian to win a medal in para-canoe at the Paralympic Games.
Seipel’s resilience and passion for sport have made her an inspiring figure in the Paralympic community.
With the Paralympics in full swing, schedule changes remain possible. For the latest updates and information, check out the official Paralympics website.
Plans for a fifth National Rugby League (NRL) team in the state have been endorsed, with the Ipswich Jets’ bid potentially bringing professional rugby closer to Springfield Lakes residents.
Miles has suggested the Ipswich Jets or the Brisbane Tigers—both clubs that currently play in the Hostplus Cup under the Queensland Rugby League banner—as possible contenders for the new team.
The Queensland government is backing the NRL’s plans to establish an 18th team by 2028, citing the success of the Redcliffe-based Dolphins, who joined the league last year, as evidence to support this campaign.
The government believes that an additional Queensland team would further strengthen the state’s status as a “rugby league heartland.”
“If the NRL are going to add teams to the competition, they absolutely have to seriously consider a Queensland bid,” Miles said.
Ipswich Jets secure funding
The Ipswich Jets have recently secured $40 million in funding for their NRL bid, with the aim of joining the expanded competition by 2028. This funding, sourced from local government and private investors, is allocated for infrastructure, facilities, and community development.
If successful, the team would be based in Ipswich, with Wayne Bennett as head coach. Bennett has led the NRL’s newest team, the Dolphins, to one win away from reaching the finals in just their second season.
Despite his enthusiasm for a new team, Miles has ruled out the construction of a new stadium. He suggests that any additional team would play at Suncorp Stadium in Milton, noting that there are still weekends when the venue is not used for rugby league.
At present, Sydney hosts nine teams in the NRL, while Brisbane has only two. For residents of Springfield Lakes, a new team could bring top-tier rugby league action closer to home, along with increased community engagement and opportunities for local involvement in the sport.
Locals in Ipswich are calling for action to address loopholes in recently passed laws that permit brothels to operate and advertise in residential areas, corner stores, and shopping centres.
They voiced concerns over the possibility that numerous former corner stores could begin displaying explicit advertisements on outdoor billboards following the legalisation of home-based prostitution earlier this month.
The new legislation, which took effect on 2nd August, allows brothels to open in any commercially zoned area. In residential zones, a single-sex worker and one non-resident can operate from a house.
Photo Credit: Pexels
Last week, the council received complaints from Silkstone residents about topless women outside a former corner store now legally operating as a brothel.
Cr Paul Tully highlighted that the state legislation allows brothels to open near churches and schools and advertise on outdoor billboards. He emphasised that under the new rules, brothels could also apply to the council for extended trading hours, and while residents could lodge complaints, officers lack the power to regulate.
Mayor Teresa Harding expressed concerns about women’s safety after being informed that police would no longer be required to patrol legal brothels.
The council plans to write to Planning Minister Meaghan Scanlon and other local politicians to express its concerns about the loopholes. This is a developing situation in Ipswich as the city grapples with the implications of the new legislation.
Council is seeking to close loopholes that could enable legal brothels to use suggestive signage, such as “lunchtime specials,” “Two-for-One Tuesdays,” or “Happy Hour Discounts.”
However, council officers noted in a recent meeting that any changes to the laws to restrict legal prostitution would need to apply to all home-based businesses. They clarified that while the council could control the size of billboards, it couldn’t regulate their content.
L’Oréal has officially opened its first Queensland warehouse in Ipswich’s Redbank area. The state-of-the-art facility, located in the Motorway Estate Industrial Park, represents a $40 million investment from the brand.
The 14,533 sqm distribution centre, which opened its doors on August 21, is set to revolutionise L’Oréal’s operations in the region. With the capacity to offer more than 13,000 products to customers across Australia, this facility marks a major milestone in the company’s Australian expansion.
L’Oréal Groupe ANZ CEO, Alex Davison, who officially inaugurated the warehouse, expressed enthusiasm about the company’s growth in the region. Mr Davison noted that Australia and New Zealand collectively represented one of their top growing markets globally in the previous year, and he believes there’s still untapped potential for L’Oréal in the region.
The choice of Southeast Queensland as the location for this new distribution centre was strategic. Mr Davison explained that this location allows them to be closer to their customers and provides access to key domestic transport routes. He also highlighted that the booming population growth and infrastructure developments across the state make it an ideal location for their operations.
Sustainability is at the heart of this new facility. Running on 100 percent renewable energy, the warehouse is targeting a 4-star Green Star Buildings rating. It features EV charging points and a 365kW solar system, equivalent to powering 100 Queensland homes. In a nod to eco-friendly practices, the outdoor furniture incorporates recycled timber sleepers recovered from a nearby demolition site.
The Ipswich community stands to benefit from this development, with the facility set to contribute 60 local jobs to the area. This new warehouse will work in tandem with L’Oréal’s existing Victorian distribution centre to meet the growing demand for beauty products across the country.
Mr Davison expressed gratitude to their partners TMX Transform and Goodman Group for their support in sourcing this location. He emphasised that the site offers an abundance of capacity and is conveniently located just 30 minutes outside of Brisbane’s CBD.
Goodman Group, which developed the purpose-built facility, has designed the site with an optimised internal layout to improve operational efficiency. This design will help L’Oréal meet the rising delivery and service expectations for its portfolio of 30 beauty brands.
As the beauty industry continues to grow, this facility represents L’Oréal’s commitment to meeting consumer demands while prioritising sustainability and local economic development in Ipswich and the broader Queensland region.
As global attention shifts to the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, Ipswich Grammar School sprint sensation Gout Gout is rapidly becoming one of Australia’s brightest and most viral young athletes, with a natural running form and athleticism that reminds many people of a young Usain Bolt.
Born in Ipswich in 2007 to South Sudanese immigrant parents, Gout Gout’s journey in athletics began just a few short years ago. His talent was first spotted at an inter-house carnival at Ipswich Grammar School, where he impressed with his natural running form.
“Gout came to Ipswich Grammar as a full fee-paying student,” recalls coach Diane Sheppard. “I saw him run around and he got right up on his toes. He is a great kid from a great family.”
From these humble beginnings, Gout’s progress has been nothing short of remarkable. In the span of a few short years, he has transformed from an unknown in the athletics world to a record-breaking phenomenon, drawing international attention.
Coach Sheppard said this about him in 2022: “Six or eight months ago, he looked like one of those things that blow around in car yards. His arms were out of control.”
“I can go faster. There is always pressure, but I am just running,” the then-fourteen-year-old said.
Record-breaking teenage sensation
20.87 200m at the age of 15 👀
🇦🇺’s Gout Gout is a rising star on home soil as he sets a national U20 record 👏
At age fourteen, Gout broke the Australian U16 record for the 100m with an impressive time of 10.57 seconds. A year later, he set a new Australian U18 record in the 200m with a time of 20.87 seconds, which he later improved to 20.69 seconds in January 2024.
In March 2024, he further solidified his status by clocking a blistering 10.29 seconds in the 100m at the Queensland Athletics Championships, matching the heat time of Olympian Rohan Browning at the Paris Games.
Given these record-breaking performances, it’s no surprise that comparisons with sprinting legends have begun.
Comparisons to Usain Bolt
Athletics Australia president and Olympian Jane Flemming was among the first to draw the parallel, noting similarities in their running style and early career trajectories.
Gout, for his part, takes the comparison in stride. “It’s pretty cool because Usain Bolt is arguably the greatest athlete of all time and just being compared to him is a great feeling,” he says.
“Obviously, I’m Gout Gout, so I’m trying to make a name for myself.”
Read about a 16-year-old Sudanese kid in Australia who ran 100m in 10.2 seconds this year. Found the footage— freakin ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/Bz8tYuPkeK
A video of his lightning-fast race at the Queensland State Champs this year has gone viral this week. Admirers from around the world are drawn to his dominant talent and an iconic name that’s impossible to forget.
As he prepares for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, expectations are high. Gout himself remains grounded, focusing on the joy of competition rather than the pressure of expectations. “It feels like this is where I’m meant to be,” he says.
“Running is pretty much my favourite thing to do. Just being out there versing everyone, versing faster people… pushing out of the blocks and everything about the track.”
While the Lima championships represent Gout’s first major international competition, many in the athletics community are already looking further ahead. With the Paris Olympics now in the rearview mirror, Gout represents a bright hope for Australia’s sprinting future.
The development, set to house 125 dogs and puppies, has sparked outrage from animal welfare groups, which lodged a staggering 6,200 submissions against the proposal.
The facility, owned by Snow Catton, will be located on Ipswich Boonah Rd at Purga, just a stone’s throw from the state government’s new $39 million greyhound track, The Q. It will feature 103 kennels, six pup yards, two exercise yards, a 200-metre running track, a 12-metre bullring, and four parking spaces.
This approval will likely open the floodgates for similar developments in the area, cementing Ipswich’s position as a centre for the greyhound industry. Thousands of international animal rights activists voiced their concerns, claiming the facility would endanger animals’ lives.
However, the council granted preliminary approval after the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission reviewed all submissions and advised it had no jurisdiction over animal welfare concerns. The commission will oversee the facility’s operations, including monitoring animal welfare practices.
Residents also raised concerns about noise pollution and the environmental impact on local wildlife, particularly koalas. To address these issues, a 1.8-metre acoustic fence will be built around the kennels, and operational hours will be restricted to 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The kennels must also be at least 50 metres from a documented koala habitat.
Despite these measures, concerns remain about the adequacy of the noise impact assessments and the lack of local council control over animal welfare. Mayor Teresa Harding voiced her apprehensions about gambling, property values, and the council’s limited power to regulate animal welfare.
In the overgrown expanse of Goodna Cemetery, a monumental task awaits. Soon, volunteers will begin combing through grass and thick bush, seeking to uncover long-lost headstones that may hold the key to a dark chapter in Queensland’s mental health history.
These weathered markers, once found, could be all that remains to identify patients from the notorious Wolston Park Mental Hospital, an institution that closed its doors in 2001 but left behind a legacy of alleged abuse and mistreatment spanning decades.
Ipswich City councillor Paul Tully, a cemetery trustee since 1975, reveals a shocking obstacle to the impending search. He reports that approximately 100 headstones were stolen in the 2000s, adding another layer of complexity to the task ahead.
Photo credit: Dave Muller/Google Maps
Cr Tully notes that the graves, possibly numbering 192, were exhumed from Wolston Park during roadworks in the 1970s and relocated to Goodna Cemetery.
The urgency of this upcoming effort has been highlighted by a recent announcement. On 8 August 2024, Queensland’s Mental Health Commissioner Ivan Frkovic was directed to launch an inquiry into the health services provided at Wolston Park between the 1950s and 1990s.
Goodna Cemetery (Photo credit: Dave Muller/Google Maps)
This period is marred by widespread allegations of sexual abuse, beatings, chemical restraint, and “shock therapy.”
The planned investigation faces significant hurdles, not least of which is a 100-year ban on releasing patient details. This makes identifying remains a potentially daunting task.
Australian National University historian Adele Chynoweth, author of “Goodna Girls: A History of Children in a Queensland Mental Asylum,” emphasises the importance of records, particularly discharge documents, as a vital first step.
Chynoweth stresses that while understanding who is buried in the cemetery is important, it shouldn’t distract from the primary goal of supporting survivors. She insists that these efforts must complement, not replace, the care for those who lived through the institution’s darker days.
Photo credit: Jodez/Google Maps
One such survivor, now 52, recounts her harrowing experience after being admitted to Wolston Park in 1988. She describes a place of frequent seclusions, a litany of drugs, and rooms devoid of basic amenities – a far cry from the healing environment it was meant to be.
Photo credit: The Park – Centre for Mental Health, Treatment, Research and Education/Google Maps
Today, the facility stands transformed as The Park – Centre for Mental Health at 60 Grindle Road, Wacol. Modern buildings and improved practices distance it from its notorious past. Yet, the old asylum building remains, a silent sentinel to the horrors that once unfolded within its walls.
As the community prepares for the start of the inquiry, expected to begin in about six months, questions linger. Will the findings be made public? Can justice be served after so many years? And perhaps most poignantly, will the upcoming search at Goodna Cemetery finally reveal the secrets of the lost graves, giving names and dignity back to those who suffered in silence?
The impending efforts at Goodna Cemetery represent more than just a search for headstones. They symbolise a community’s determination to acknowledge a painful past and, perhaps, begin the long-overdue process of healing.
