Greater Springfield Archives - Springfield Lakes

Springfield Parkway Stage 2 Contract Awarded as September Works Continue

The construction contract for Stage 2 of the Springfield Parkway duplication has been awarded, while water main works continued around the date previously nominated for the next phase of the major road upgrade.

Ipswich City Council formally awarded Tender 5893 on 27 August, days before the proposed 1 September 2026 commencement date announced in February. The publicly available resolution does not identify the successful contractor or contract amount, with those details contained in a confidential attachment.

Council had forecast completion of Stage 2 by December 2027.

Night works overlap proposed September start

A council works notice dated 19 August scheduled Stage 2 water main works along Springfield Parkway between Topaz Road and the Springfield Parkway roundabout from 30 August to 4 September, subject to weather and site conditions.

Works were scheduled between 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. and included excavation, service relocations, saw cutting, vacuum excavation and truck movements. The notice identifies the activity as water main works, not the start of the main road construction package.

Service relocations have formed a substantial part of Stage 2 preparations. Council has previously listed water, sewer, gas, electricity and telecommunications works, along with stormwater upgrades and earthworks, among the early works required before the road duplication progresses.

Four lanes and signals planned

Stage 2 covers Springfield Parkway from Topaz Road to just north of the completed Stage 1 intersection with Springfield Greenbank Arterial. It is the remaining stage of the three-part duplication program, with Stages 1 and 3 completed.

The project will widen Springfield Parkway from two lanes to four and replace the Springfield Parkway, Topaz Road and Woodcrest Way roundabout with a signalised intersection. Plans also include road widening at Springfield College Drive and Bridgewater Road, two-metre cycle lanes in both directions and a three-metre shared path along the western side of the corridor.

Springfield Parkway carries more than 19,500 vehicles a day, according to council, and connects Springfield, Springfield Central, Camira and Goodna with business, education, health and sporting centres. Council has identified population growth as the main reason for duplicating the corridor.

Stage 2 funding retained

Council’s February announcement said the 2025–26 budget allocated $22 million to continue Stage 2 as part of $43 million over five years. The 2026–27 budget subsequently identified $22.4 million over three years to complete Stage 2; the budget material does not establish that the two figures are separate allocations that can be added together.

Published 7-Sept-2026

Greater Springfield Looks Back On Two Decades Of UniSQ Campus Growth

Photo Credit: University of Southern Queensland - Australia/Facebook

UniSQ Springfield has marked 20 years in Greater Springfield, two decades after the campus opened while construction was still being finished and cow tracks remained visible across the site.

Construction of the Springfield campus began in 2005, ahead of its establishment in 2006 as part of the Education City vision.

From Construction Site To First Graduates

The campus was designed to develop with Greater Springfield, bringing education into a precinct planned around education, industry, health and civic life.

Its early years were still very much a work in progress. When Dr Daryl Sparkes first arrived at UniSQ Springfield in 2006, buildings were covered in plastic, tradespeople were completing construction work and cow tracks remained visible across the site.

The first UniSQ Springfield Open Day was announced that same year. Three years later, an academic procession marked Springfield’s first graduation ceremony in 2009, when the campus’s first graduates celebrated the milestone.

UniSQ Springfield Expands

The physical campus continued to change over the following years. Construction of B Block was recorded in 2014 before its completion in 2015, followed by a new walk-bridge linking B Block with A Block in 2016.

The campus timeline records a Boeing 737-800 flight simulator in 2018 and the Springfield library in 2019. An engineering laboratory followed in 2022, while the Media Centre was recorded in 2023.

local education — Photo Credit: University of Southern Queensland – Australia/Facebook

Open Days also continued over the years, including events recorded in 2007, 2012, 2024 and 2025. Robodog was among the activities showcased at the 2024 event.

Alongside the physical changes, UniSQ Springfield has expanded access to higher education in the Greater Springfield growth corridor and established pathways from school and vocational education and training into university study.

The campus has also focused on building workforce capability across key industries while maintaining links with industry and the wider community.

Photo Credit: University of Southern Queensland – Australia/Facebook

Community Marks Two Decades

The 20-year milestone was recently marked through the Springfield Community Open Day on Saturday 8 August.

Alumni, staff and members of the wider community were among those involved in the anniversary, while current and prospective students also attended the Open Day.

UniSQ Springfield — Photo Credit: University of Southern Queensland – Australia/Facebook

The anniversary year is set to continue in October 2026 with a UniSQ Thought Leadership Series event examining education-led city building, access to education, lifelong learning, flexible pathways and future workforce needs in South East Queensland.

UniSQ is also inviting people with connections to the Springfield campus to contribute photographs, memories or memorabilia from its first 20 years.

Published 17-August-2026

Springfield City Site Sold For $50m As Village Plans Progress

Photo Credit: Pexels

Plans for a mixed-use precinct at Springfield City West are advancing after Gordon Corp and the Mathieson family acquired the 12.7ha town-centre site for $50 million, with Springfield Village planned as its first precinct.

The site on Sinnathamby Boulevard was acquired from Springfield City Group and is one of only two town-centre-zoned holdings in the masterplanned city.

Retail, commercial, entertainment, leisure and medium-density residential development are among the uses proposed across the property.

Springfield City West To Start With Village Precinct

Springfield Village is planned as the first precinct to be delivered, with planning and leasing already under way for the 10,581sq m retail and lifestyle hub.

The precinct is expected to open in mid-2029. Plans include a Coles supermarket and Liquorland alongside specialty and fresh-food retail, dining and allied health services.

Springfield Village will form part of a broader retail precinct of about 30,000sq m. Early commitments have been identified from McDonald’s, The Good Guys, Banjo’s Bakery, Pillow Talk, Auto Masters, Hungry Jack’s and 7-Eleven.

Large-format retail, lifestyle and medical uses are also planned within the broader development.

Springfield City West — Photo Credit: Pexels

Growing Springfield City Shapes Future Plans

Springfield City has more than 55,000 residents and includes 12 schools, 22 childcare centres, a University of Southern Queensland campus and the recently opened Mater Hospital Springfield.

Its population is forecast to grow by 3.6 per cent annually through to 2036, almost double Brisbane’s projected growth rate.

Springfield City Group has said the future development of City West is expected to provide additional amenity, jobs and economic activity as the region continues to grow.

The group had stewarded the City West opportunity for more than 30 years before the site was taken to market.

National Interest In $50m Sale

The expressions-of-interest campaign handled by Colliers and Stonebridge Property Group attracted more than 200 enquiries and nine formal offers from private and institutional development groups nationally.

Selling agents described the transaction as the largest town-centre-zoned land sale by value completed more than 10km from an Australian CBD since 2021. They also described it as the largest transaction of its kind recorded in Queensland.

The acquisition extends an existing development partnership between Gordon Corp and the Mathieson family, led by Bruce Mathieson, while bringing that partnership into Springfield City.

Further precincts across the City West site are expected to be unveiled in the coming months, with additional retail brands as well as residential, entertainment and lifestyle uses planned.

Published 6-August-2026

The Meaning Behind the Free Daisy Pins at IGA Springfield Lakes

Shoppers at IGA Springfield Lakes may notice something different at the checkout this week — free Police Legacy Daisy pins being handed out to raise awareness of a charity supporting Queensland police families.

The initiative coincides with National Police Legacy Day on Wednesday, 17 June, with IGA Queensland stores contributing a combined $25,000 donation to Queensland Police Legacy, an independent charity that supports children and families of Queensland police officers facing hardship.

IGA Queensland Board Member and proprietor of IGA Springfield Lakes, Terry Slaughter, said IGA stores across Queensland were proud to support the organisation.

“IGA stores in Queensland are incredibly proud to be supporting Queensland Police Legacy this National Police Legacy Day. Police play an important role in the communities where IGA stores are, and to thank them for their service and support, IGA QLD stores have rallied together to donate $25,000 to Queensland Police Legacy,” Mr Slaughter said.

Ahead of National Police Legacy Day, Mr Slaughter met with Luke and Renee Tulacz from Springfield Police and Queensland Police Legacy President Kent Ellis to mark the donation and raise awareness of the initiative.

Why Daisy Pins

The Police Legacy Daisy is the national symbol of Police Legacy organisations across Australia.

Inspired by the Michaelmas daisy, the flower is associated with St Michael, the patron saint of police. The symbol honours police service and remembers those no longer with us.

National Police Legacy Day is held annually to recognise the work of Police Legacy organisations and the support they provide to police families navigating difficult circumstances.

Supporting Queensland Police Families Beyond the Badge

Queensland Police Legacy works with children and families of Queensland police officers who have experienced hardship, helping them access educational opportunities, emotional support and practical assistance.

Since its establishment in 1971, the charity has supported 291 Queensland Police families and funded the educational expenses of 517 legatee children.

Support can include assistance with schooling costs, camps, laptops, extracurricular activities and programs designed to connect young people who have experienced similar challenges.

*Photo Credit: Queensland Police Legacy/Facebook*

Queensland Police Legacy Manager Andrew Gough said community support plays an important role in helping the organisation continue its work.

“This generous donation will make a difference to the lives of many of our young Police Legatees who are doing their best to continue on with their lives after facing tragedy. We are very grateful to IGA QLD stores,” Mr Gough said.

One Family’s Experience with Queensland Police Legacy

One of the young people supported by Queensland Police Legacy is Brodie Forte, whose father, Senior Constable Brett Forte, was killed in the line of duty on 29 May 2017.

Now 18, Brodie has spoken publicly about the support the charity provided to his family in the years that followed.

Through annual camps and ongoing assistance, he was able to connect with other young people who had experienced similar loss while receiving support with schooling and activities.

“I think having people who went through a similar experience to me and spending a week with them at a time, it really helped,” Brodie said.

Reflecting on the charity’s role in his life, he said Queensland Police Legacy had become much more than a support organisation.

“I think that dad would be beyond grateful for the help that we’ve gotten from Police Legacy. They are kind of filling in for another parent pretty much,” he said.

How Springfield Lakes Residents Can Show Their Support

Residents who would like to support the cause can visit IGA Springfield Lakes and collect a free Police Legacy Daisy pin while stocks last.

The pins are intended to raise awareness of Queensland Police Legacy’s work and the support it provides to police families across the state.

DONATE TO THE QLD POLICE LEGACY

Published 16-June-2026

First Baby Born at Mater Hospital Springfield as Families Gain Local Maternity Care

Photo Credit: Mater

For years, many expectant parents in Greater Springfield packed hospital bags knowing one thing for certain — when labour began, they would likely face a long drive out of their own community. That changed as Mater Hospital Springfield began delivering maternity services locally, giving western corridor families access to birthing and neonatal care close to home for the first time.

A Baby Named “Wishing Star” Marks Historic First Birth

On 11 May 2026, Mater Mothers’ Springfield officially began operating from level five of the new public hospital at Springfield Central.

Hiwa-i-te-Rangi Broughton, whose name means “wishing star”, became the first baby born at Mater Hospital Springfield. Her parents, Miriama and Remedi Broughton, reached the maternity unit just hours earlier after labour began unexpectedly at their Spring Mountain home.

Miriama realised the baby was coming earlier than expected when contractions woke her while she was 38 weeks pregnant. Living only minutes from the hospital meant the family could quickly reach the new maternity unit at Health Care Drive in Springfield Central.

The Broughtons were admitted to one of the hospital’s six birthing suites, where staff gathered to witness the first delivery. Miriama said the atmosphere inside the ward felt special, with midwives eager to be part of the milestone moment as the hospital welcomed its first newborn.

After around 90 minutes of pushing, Hiwa-i-te-Rangi was born weighing 3.77 kilograms, delighting her parents and older sister, two-year-old Te Waimaringi.

Hospital staff celebrated the birth with flowers, gifts and a complimentary Brisbane Lions membership for the newborn, marking the occasion as a major moment not only for the family but also for the wider Springfield community.

Mater Hospital Springfield General Manager Suzanne Hawksley described the newborn as an instant favourite among staff and said the birth represented the beginning of a new chapter for local healthcare in the western corridor.

A Long-Awaited Change for Springfield Families

For many residents, the opening feels less like the arrival of a new building and more like the closing of a long-standing gap in daily life. Now, families can move through pregnancy, birth and postnatal care within their own community.

The new maternity unit forms part of the wider Mater Mothers’ Springfield service, which includes specialist midwifery support, nursing care and neonatal services for babies born prematurely or requiring urgent treatment.

Two of the birthing suites include birthing baths, mood lighting and Bluetooth connectivity, while the Neonatal Critical Care Unit has capacity for 16 newborns needing advanced medical care.

A short drive away, Mater Health Hub Springfield is also expanding services for new mothers through breastfeeding clinics, physiotherapy appointments and the Fourth Trimester Essentials program, which focuses on early parenting support, recovery and maternal wellbeing after birth.

Hospital Gradually Comes to Life

The maternity launch is part of a staged opening process that began in April across the nine-storey public hospital. Rather than bringing every department online at once, Mater introduced lower-complexity services first while staff tested systems, workflows and patient care processes before moving into more intensive clinical operations.

Operating theatres, pathology, pharmacy services, outpatient clinics, medical wards and antenatal services are already running onsite. More than 100 staff completed training and simulation exercises before each department opened.

The Emergency Department and paediatric ward are still to come, with both scheduled to begin operating on 25 May 2026.

When fully operational, Mater Hospital Springfield is expected to include 186 public beds, a 54-bay Emergency Department and enough capacity to manage around 185,000 patient presentations annually.

Built for a Region Growing Faster Every Year

The scale of the hospital reflects the pace of growth across the western corridor.

Developed through a partnership between Mater and the Queensland Government, the project represents a $1 billion investment in healthcare infrastructure for Greater Springfield and surrounding communities. Construction was completed by John Holland, with more than 1,000 staff expected to work across the facility, including over 500 nurses and midwives and more than 130 doctors.

Mater has been part of Springfield since 2015, when Mater Private Hospital Springfield became the city’s first hospital. The adjacent public hospital now expands that footprint into a much larger health precinct designed to serve the growing population across the western corridor.

Hospital leaders said the new facility was built to meet increasing demand as more families settle in the region each year.

The maternity service alone is expected to support around 1,700 births annually once fully established. While maternity services are now operating, the hospital’s full rollout is still continuing.

Published 11-May-2026

Springfield Families Set to Welcome First Babies at New Mater Hospital

Pexels

Mater Hospital Springfield on Health Care Drive is days away from welcoming its first babies, with Mater Mothers’ Springfield set to open, giving families across Greater Springfield, Ipswich and West Moreton access to maternity services they have never had locally before.

The opening marks one of the most significant milestones in the community’s history. For more than a decade, Springfield families expecting a baby have had no choice but to travel to Brisbane, Ipswich or Logan to give birth. That changes this week, with six birthing suites, a 16-bed maternity ward, a 16-cot Neonatal Critical Care Unit and a 24-hour Pregnancy Assessment Centre all coming online on level five of the new hospital.

Mater Hospital Springfield General Manager Suzanne Hawksley said the moment had been years in the making.

“It’s hard to believe we will soon be welcoming our first babies,” Hawksley said. “We are all excited to be part of such a huge moment for Springfield and its wonderful families.”

Antenatal clinics have already been running at the hospital since it began its staged opening on 13 April, meaning some expectant mothers are already familiar with the building where they will give birth.

A hospital built for one of Australia’s fastest-growing communities

The nine-storey Mater Hospital Springfield represents a $1 billion investment in healthcare for the western corridor, comprising $393 million in capital funding and a $638 million operational commitment over the first four years, alongside a $26 million land contribution from Mater. Construction was completed by John Holland, with more than 100 staff already onsite for training, simulations and onboarding before each service opened.

Once fully operational, the hospital will carry 186 public beds, a 54-bay Emergency Department, and is forecast to handle around 185,000 patient presentations annually. The maternity service alone is expected to deliver approximately 1,700 babies each year.

The facility employs more than 1,000 staff including over 500 nurses and midwives, and more than 130 doctors. The Springfield Lakes News estimates the hospital will increase employment across Greater Springfield by around eight per cent.

Mater Group CEO Julia Strickland-Bellamy said the hospital reflects the organisation’s longstanding commitment to communities experiencing rapid growth.

“Mater Hospital Springfield will transform health services across the western corridor, delivering high-quality care in the heart of the community,” Strickland-Bellamy said.

Care closer to home for Springfield families

Mater Mothers’ Springfield is part of Australia’s largest maternity service network. The Springfield campus offers six birthing suites, two of which include birthing baths with mood lighting and Bluetooth connectivity, alongside a 16-bed inpatient maternity ward, a 24-hour Pregnancy Assessment Centre and a 16-cot Neonatal Critical Care Unit for babies requiring lifesaving care or born prematurely.

For the first time, families in the catchment, Greater Springfield, parts of Ipswich and West Moreton, can now access the full Mater Mothers’ service from antenatal appointments through to birth and postnatal care without leaving their community.

The Mater Health Hub in Springfield, a two-minute drive from the main hospital, provides additional support including a Fourth Trimester Essentials programme, women’s health physiotherapy and a drop-in breastfeeding clinic.

Mater has been part of the Springfield community since 2015, when it opened Mater Private Hospital Springfield as the master-planned city’s first hospital. That campus grew from an 80-bed facility into an integrated private precinct. The new public hospital on the adjacent site completes the vision.

What’s still to come

The maternity opening on 11 May is not the hospital’s final milestone. The Emergency Department and paediatric ward open on 25 May 2026, completing the full service rollout. The paediatric unit is expected to handle around 2,500 inpatient admissions annually, covering conditions including chest infections, asthma, epilepsy, croup and jaundice.

Mater Hospital Springfield is at Health Care Drive, Springfield Central. For service information, visiting hours and updates as the hospital continues its staged opening, visit mater.org.au/hospitals/mater-hospital-springfield.

Published 28-April-2026

Springfield Is Getting Queensland’s First House of India, and It’s Been Decades in the Making

@shayneneumann_blair/Instagram

Queensland’s Indian community has reached a landmark moment, with the official foundation stone laying for the House of India taking place at the project site in Augustine Heights, marking the beginning of construction on what will be the first dedicated Indian cultural and community centre in Queensland.

The ceremony brought together community and faith leaders, who offered prayers and blessed the foundation stone before it was laid. A commemorative plaque was unveiled to mark the occasion.

Local representatives joined Julian Hill, the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, to mark the occasion. They stood alongside members of the Springfield City Group and the local Indian community to witness the blessing of the site.

The project is backed by $5.5 million in funding, and is being delivered in partnership with the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ), the peak umbrella body representing more than 33 Indian organisations across the state.

The FICQ has championed the House of India concept for decades, and the foundation stone ceremony represents the moment a community’s long-held vision has finally moved from aspiration to ground.

A Home in Springfield

The choice of Greater Springfield as the location for Queensland’s first House of India reflects both the demographics of the region and a deeper thread of connection that runs through its history.

Around 10,000 people of Indian heritage now live in Ipswich and Greater Springfield, one of Australia’s fastest-growing urban corridors. The region’s very existence owes much to the vision of a man of Indian descent. Dr Maha Sinnathamby AM, Chairman and Founder of Springfield City Group, was born in Malaysia of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage and came to Australia in the 1970s.

In 1992, alongside business partner Bob Sharpless, he purchased nearly 3,000 hectares of economically depressed scrubland southwest of Brisbane for $7.9 million. The plan to turn it into a master-planned city required an Act of Parliament, which Queensland’s Parliament passed unanimously in 1997.

*Photo Credit: Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland*

What grew from that purchase is now home to more than 53,000 residents, 12 schools, a hospital, a university and a rail connection to the broader South East Queensland network.

Greater Springfield has been recognised as the world’s best master-planned community by the International Real Estate Federation, and Sinnathamby has donated more than $200 million in land and funds to social infrastructure across the precinct. The House of India will become part of that legacy.

“I want to thank Springfield City Group and Chairman Dr Maha Sinnathamby for their vision,” said Mr Shayne Neumann at the ceremony.

A Decades-Long Dream Taking Shape

The FICQ was founded in 1998 as a non-profit umbrella body to give Queensland’s Indian diaspora a unified voice at every level of public life. It represents organisations whose members trace their heritage to mainland India, Fiji, South Africa, Malaysia and other communities of Indian origin.

FICQ President Dr Preethi Suraj has been a driving force behind the House of India project as it has moved through planning, funding and community consultation over the years.

“This project represents a shared dream to create a space where culture brings people together and diversity is celebrated,” Dr Suraj said.

The centre is designed to be much more than a venue for Indian cultural events, though it will certainly serve that function well. The House of India will provide dedicated meeting spaces for Indian community associations, host celebrations and festivals, and welcome multicultural and faith groups from across the region.

*Photo Credit: @shayneneumann_blair/Instagram*

At the same time, it is designed to serve the broader Ipswich and Greater Springfield community with practical support services including crisis accommodation, community education programmes, language schools, sporting facilities and a commercial kitchen to support food relief efforts.

That dual purpose, deeply rooted in Indian cultural identity while genuinely open to the whole community, reflects how Queensland’s Indian diaspora has always operated: engaged, contributing and inclusive.

Built on Years of Contribution

The Indian community in Ipswich and Greater Springfield is one of the most highly educated and employed in Queensland. Its members work across medicine, engineering, information technology, education, small business and beyond, and have been part of the social and economic fabric of the western corridor for generations.

It was noted that the community has already contributed significantly to the region, and that the House of India provides a place that reflects that contribution back to them.

“With around 10,000 people of Indian heritage now living in Ipswich and Greater Springfield, this community makes a huge contribution to the region, and it’s time they had a place to call their own,” Mr Neumann said.

The Next Chapter

Construction is now underway following the foundation stone ceremony. For more information about the House of India project or to follow its progress, contact the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland at ficq.org.au.

Published 26-April-2026

New 24-Hour Fire and Rescue Hub to Protect Springfield Lakes Region

Photo Credit: Queensland Government

A powerful new firefighting force is preparing to move into the Springfield Lakes area to ensure emergency response times remain fast as the local population surges.

A Strategic Hub for Rapid Response

*Photo Credit:* *CharisMullenMP/ Facebook*

The new facility represents a significant upgrade for emergency services in one of the fastest-growing pockets of Queensland. Situated on Gateway Drive in Augustine Heights, the station sits right next to the existing ambulance centre. This specific spot was chosen because it allows crews to jump onto major roads quickly.

By placing fire and medical teams side-by-side, the region gains a more coordinated response to accidents and fires. The reach of this station is broad, covering a massive area that spans from Redbank down to Greenbank and across from South Ripley to Carole Park.

Advanced Gear and Round-the-Clock Crews

Inside the ten-million-dollar facility, the focus is on high-performance equipment and constant readiness. The station will be home to powerful firefighting trucks designed to pump 4,500 litres of water every minute. To ensure help is always available, the site will be staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A dedicated team of 19 firefighters and five station officers will call this new space home, providing a permanent presence that aims to cut down response times and provide peace of mind for local families.

Planning for a Growing Population

The project is a major piece of a larger 36-million-dollar plan to upgrade emergency services across Queensland, with other stations being built in areas like Beerwah and Caloundra. Experts predict that the population in this region could double over the next two decades, making this infrastructure a vital long-term investment.

While there have been different reports on the exact timeline, the most recent projections suggest the station will be fully operational in 2026. This new addition will work in tandem with existing stations in Camira and Ripley to create a more resilient safety network for the entire western corridor.

Support for Local Frontline Workers

Fire and Disaster Recovery officials have noted that this project is about more than just a building; it is about giving frontline workers the tools they need to succeed. Fire and Rescue Commissioner Steve Smith explained that the department identified this location as the best possible choice to handle the increasing pressure on local services. Government representatives have also pointed out that the facility addresses a long-standing need for better resources for crews who have been stretched thin. With construction moving through the final stages of earthworks and building, the move into this modern space is expected to give local firefighters a much-needed boost in morale and capability.

Published Date 16-April-2026

Brisbane Lions and TAFE Queensland Launch Leadership Diploma at Springfield Lakes’ Brighton Homes Arena

The Brisbane Lions and TAFE Queensland have launched a new Diploma of Leadership and Management, giving working professionals across Queensland the opportunity to develop practical leadership skills within the environment of a back-to-back AFL premiership club, with three in-person intensives held at Brighton Homes Arena in Springfield Lakes.

The six-month programme commences on Monday 20 April 2026 and delivers the nationally recognised Diploma of Leadership and Management (BSB50420) primarily online, with classes held Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6pm to 9pm. The three Saturday intensives at Brighton Homes Arena, the Brisbane Lions’ home base on Centenary Highway, Springfield Lakes, give students direct access to the leadership culture and people behind one of the AFL’s most successful clubs of recent years.

What the Programme Covers

The diploma is designed for emerging leaders, professionals moving into management roles and individuals wanting to build practical leadership skills in a high-performance environment. Students apply their learning to real-world scenarios drawn from the Brisbane Lions organisation and hear directly from senior leaders within the club across both the online and in-person components of the programme.

Entry requires at least three years of professional working experience, making the qualification suited to working professionals, current and former athletes, and career changers who want to strengthen their leadership capability without stepping away from their careers. The online delivery model also opens the programme to students in regional Queensland and interstate who want to engage with the Brisbane Lions’ leadership environment without relocating to south-east Queensland.

Up to 30 places are eligible for Fee-Free TAFE funding, meaning eligible Australian residents may be able to complete the full six-month course at no cost.

The Partnership Behind the Programme

The Brisbane Lions and TAFE Queensland have maintained an education partnership over a number of years, with the new diploma building on that existing relationship and extending it through the Brisbane Lions Institute of Business and Sport. Brisbane Lions CEO Sam Graham said the programme’s online delivery significantly expanded access for Lions members, fans and students with an interest in AFL leadership from across Queensland and Australia.

TAFE Queensland x Brisbane Lions — *Photo Credit: Brisbane Lions*

Graham noted that the club’s journey to back-to-back AFL premierships had demonstrated how important strong leadership was at every level of an organisation, from the playing group through to administration and the broader club structure, and that programmes like this helped develop the leaders who would shape the future of clubs, businesses and communities.

TAFE Queensland Manager of Academy of Sport Partnerships Don Harley said the programme connected leadership education directly to the real-world experience of building a premiership culture, and that students hearing from the people who constructed that culture at the Brisbane Lions represented a genuinely unique learning opportunity. Harley also highlighted the Fee-Free TAFE funding eligibility as a significant feature, removing financial barriers for eligible participants.

Why This Benefits the Springfield Lakes Community

Brighton Homes Arena is the Brisbane Lions’ home base and sits at the heart of Springfield Lakes, one of south-east Queensland’s fastest-growing communities. The three Saturday intensives held at the arena give local residents and professionals in the Springfield Lakes, Springfield and Greater Springfield area direct access to a nationally accredited qualification at a world-class sporting facility in their own suburb.

For the Springfield Lakes community, the programme represents a concrete example of the broader value that the Brisbane Lions’ presence at Brighton Homes Arena brings beyond match days. Residents with professional experience can now pursue a nationally recognised leadership qualification on-site, connected to the leadership philosophy and culture of a club that has won back-to-back AFL premierships.

How to Enrol

The Diploma of Leadership and Management (BSB50420) is delivered by TAFE Queensland (RTO 0275) and commences 20 April 2026. Enrolments and further information, including Fee-Free TAFE eligibility criteria, are available at tafeqld.edu.au. The Brisbane Lions Institute of Business and Sport is accessible through here.

Published 11-March-2026.

Funding Boost to Deliver New Fire Station in Greater Springfield

Photo Credit: Pexels

Greater Springfield will receive a new Queensland Fire and Rescue station, part of a $134-million program to deliver modern facilities, vehicles, and firefighting equipment to the area.

Funding Allocation for Springfield

The allocation for Greater Springfield will facilitate the delivery of a new fire station to meet the needs of the growing community. The funding will cover planning, construction, and equipment acquisition, ensuring personnel have access to facilities and resources to respond effectively to emergencies.

More than $36-million has been allocated for the delivery of the new and replacement Queensland Fire and Rescue stations, including the upcoming facility in Greater Springfield. This is part of a wider $134 million initiative to upgrade and modernise firefighting services across Queensland.

Queensland firefighting upgrades — *Photo Credit: Pexels*

The funding will support the construction or replacement of stations in Beerwah, Greater Springfield, Gympie South, Caloundra, and Boonah. Additional allocations include $25.7 million for new and replacement urban fire appliances and $23.7 million for Rural Fire Service Queensland trucks, alongside $13.2 million for RFS stations.

Springfield fire station — *Photo Credit: Pexels*

In total, 123 new or replacement vehicles will be deployed across Queensland, enhancing operational capability for both paid and volunteer firefighters. More than $9 million has also been allocated for new operational equipment, including specialised firefighting, scientific analysis, and rescue tools.

Additional Emergency Preparedness Measures

The budget also provides $15.7 million to maintain comprehensive workers’ compensation for both paid and volunteer firefighters. This support follows the expansion of the Presumptive Legislation Workers’ Compensation scheme, covering a wide range of work-related illnesses.

A further $40 million per year has been committed to the Queensland Betterment Fund, which finances infrastructure upgrades to improve resilience to natural disasters. This is part of a $450-million, five-year program focused on risk reduction and disaster recovery.

Updated 20-Aug-2025