Great things can happen when people work together, something a group of volunteers proved after undertaking a community clean-up on Bell Street in Ipswich Central.
The community-led project, which started in late November 2021, was in response to a petition lodged with Ipswich City Council to “Fix Up Bell Steet.” Provisions were provided for the clean-up in partnership with Clean Up Australia Day and Council’s Ipswich Central Revitalisation Project.
More than 50 volunteers answered the call, which also saw Mayor Teresa Harding, as well as councillors Marnie Doyle, Andrew Fechner, and Kate Kunzelmann, grabbing some sponges and brushes to transform this gateway into a clean and sparkling commercial hub.
The precinct has now been scrubbed of graffiti and dirt, and then revitalised with fresh coats of paint, newly-sanded benches, disposal of rubbish, more plants on the ground, and heaps of planter boxes at the storefronts.
Cr Doyle hailed the initiative as a success. Cr Fechner, on the other hand, said that this was a “fabulous example” of commitment to the revitalisation project.
“As Bell Street is a key Ipswich Central thoroughfare and the entrance to our CBD for those arriving by train it was the ideal location for the Ipswich Central Partnership first initiative,” Cr Doyle said.
“While Council maintains Bell Street with regular cleaning and graffiti removal from footpaths and other council-owned property, the buildings on the east of the street are all state government assets or privately owned businesses.
“That’s why it’s vital that we work together to improve and maintain the streetscape.”
Meanwhile, Cr Doyle also confirmed that improvements to the awning at the train station on Bell Street are in the early planning stages. They are also in the middle of discussions with the Queensland Department of Natural Resources for the upgrades to the Bell Street Walkway.
A developer is looking forward to transforming and breathing new life into the old Blackstone State School in Ipswich by constructing an emergency medical centre in its place.
Blackstone State School, located at 14 Hill St, has been left abandoned for around 12 years now. Three of the school buildings, built in 1886, 1889, and 1916, still exist and are listed as ‘character places’ in the Ipswich Planning Scheme.
Plans (14557/2021/MCU) lodged to Council revealed that the developer-applicant is seeking to repurpose the three existing heritage buildings and establish an after-hours medical centre on the 3.04-ha site.
If given the go-ahead, the heritage buildings will be transformed into an office, a 24/7 call centre, and treatment rooms, all of which are expected to be completed under Stage 1 of the development.
Stage 2 would be dedicated to the development of a “standard medical centre with allied health.” A total of 20 car parking spaces are to be provided on-site and accessed from the existing crossover.
“The proposed building works to the existing heritage buildings are minor in nature & generally necessary to refurbish the buildings. All proposed works are required to improve the functionality & condition of the existing buildings,” Urbicus notes in a town planning report for the applicant.
The development will be called Blackstone Urgent Care Centre. The out of hours urgent care would operate from 8:00 pm to 8:00 a.m. For more information about this proposed development, see 14557/2021/MCU.
Blackstone State School used to be one of the largest schools in the area. It was established in 1887 after the community agreed that it’s necessary for their children to receive an education closer to home. Back then, the nearest schools, Newtown School and Lower Bundanba School, could only be reached on horseback or through a long walk.
The school continued to operate for around 122 years before it was forced to close in 2009, when the Government conducted a $134-million education overhaul that resulted in the closure of a number of schools in Ipswich, including Blackstone State School.
Community members tried to save the school through an unsuccessful ‘The Save Blackstone School’ campaign. The school finally closed its doors to its students in December 2009.
Following its closure, the site was opened for use by some community groups. The 122-year-old school still holds deep Welsh roots in the small community of Blackstone. These groups were asked to vacate the space when it was listed on the market in 2013.
The animal tongues found nailed to timber boards at Pebbles Park in Ecco Ripley do not contain any poison, putting an end to fears from residents who suspected it was meant as dog bait.
Laboratory tests from West Moreton Public Health showed that the animal tongues had no traces of strychnine, fluoroacetate, or any other regulated poisons. A spokesperson from the health agency also said that the tongues’ DNA belonged to an ovine (sheep).
Since no poison has been traced, Queensland Health has now closed the investigations as required under Health Regulations 1996. However, the dog park will still be monitored due to the concerning incident in July.
A local resident was surprised to discover three tongues nailed to boards at the off-leash dog area of Pebbles Park. After informing the council, officers retrieved the tongues for testing as residents worried it was dog bait.
Ipswich City Council manages Pebbles Park, the first off-leash dog park in the Ecco Ripley estate, which has 700 houses across 194 hectares. Ecco Ripley has been primed for rapid growth after the completion of the playgrounds, sports courts, gazebos, and picnic sites.
Locals in Ipswich are mobilising a petition to rename a bridge in Springfield Central after Australia’s first Wimbledon women’s singles champion in 41 years, Ashleigh Barty. A second petition is also pushing for the first female statue in Brisbane featuring the tennis star.
Spearheaded by Ipswich resident Karin Weston, the petition on Charge.Org has gotten nearly 7,000 signatures and it’s still gaining the numbers. The petition is asking Ipswich City Council to change the Paul Pisasale Bridge to Ashleigh Barty Bridge, citing that it’s “well overdue.”
Weston said that she gets frustrated whenever she crosses the Paul Pisasale Bridge, named after the disgraced mayor who was sacked in 2018 and convicted in 2020 following a Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission investigation.
Highlights
A petition to rename the Paul Pisasale Bridge to Ashleigh Barty Bridge in Springfield Central is gaining momentum after her Wimbledon win.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said that Barty deserves the highest honour that should top the Paul Pisasale Bridge.
Another petition has launched the campaign for the first female statue in Brisbane featuring Barty.
“An Indigenous woman, a sporting legend, a woman of character who is proud to call this community her hometown,” Weston wrote. “We are all so proud of Ash and acknowledge the values and successes through triumph and the low times where Ash’s character was tested and shone through maintaining her strength and values and always commending the support of her team family and fans.”
Meanwhile, a campaign has been launched to build a statue for Barty in Greater Springfield. Created by Melina MacNellie-Verrall, the petition could pave the way for the creation of Brisbane’s first statue dedicated to a woman.
“The point was raised that Brisbane does not have any female statues recognising their achievements,” Ms MacNellie-Verrall wrote. “Ash Barty deserves to be recognised for her success as one of Queensland’s greatest sportswomen for many years to come and what a wonderful opportunity to be Brisbane’s first female statue.”
It comes as Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding has been looking into renaming some bridges, roads, and nature reserves amidst calls from the community. These landmarks include:
Paul Pisasale Bridge – Springfield Central
David Morrison Way – Springfield
Paul Tully Bridge – Springfield Central
Paul Tully Avenue – Collingwood
David Pahlke Bridge – Springfield Central
Sheila Ireland Reserve – Redbank Plain
Whilst the mayor agrees with the community’s call for the renaming, she said that the Council would still conduct a proper investigation into the cost of changing public landmarks, which will be shouldered by ratepayers. She said that residents and businesses that could be affected by the name change will be consulted and that Council will need 75 percent of the public to agree before proceeding with the plans.
The mayor also believes that the city should give Barty the “highest honour,” especially after her display of sportsmanship at Wimbledon. She is aware of the petition but given the association with the bridge, Harding said that wants to give Barty something more special to top the Paul Pisasale Bridge. She also plans to run some ideas with the tennis champ herself.
Ash Barty at the Tokyo Olympics
Meanwhile, after her success at Wimbledon, Barty failed to win an Olympic medal at the women’s single in the Tokyo Olympics. Team Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo knocked Barty off the first-round match.
Barty and Storm Sanders also failed to win the women’s doubles match against Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova. But as Barty was not yet ready to throw in the towel, she and John Peers won bronze medals at the mixed doubles, their first Olympic medals in their career.
After Tokyo Olympics, Barty will play at the U.S. Open and then come home in November. She has houses in Springfield Lakes and Augustine Heights. The renaming might need to wait until the champion returns home.
The Ipswich community is bursting with pride as the first standalone children’s library in the country has opened at the revitalised Nicholas Street Precinct.
As a special space dedicated for children between the ages of zero to 12 years old, the Ipswich Children’s Library has been designed to allow engagement, interactivity and learning as the kids play and explore.
“This is not like the libraries of yesteryear, the focus is very much on interactivity and engaging our young people as they learn, explore and play,” Mayor Teresa Harding said, adding that they have incorporated digital technologies for many of the children’s library features.
“Augmented reality will bring hand drawings to life, allowing children to colour in a fish or prehistoric creature, scan it, and watch it appear and move on an ocean backdrop,” the mayor said.
“There is also a Magic Mirror that children can stand in front of to watch butterflies swarm around them, and even land on them if they stand still enough.
Photo Credit: Ipswich City Council
“For children in the early learning years, there is a specially designed multi-touch interactive table with various games and experiences.”
Of course, the library has thousands of books, magazines and digital resources specifically catered for young readers. There are also two life-sized dinosaurs inside the building.
With heaps of kids-focused programs and events, the children will enjoy their every visit to this special place. The Ipswich Children’s Library is on the ground floor of the Nicholas Street council administration. It was officially opened to the public on 28 June 2021.
Visit the official site for the opening hours and the safety protocols observed at the library.
The Ipswich community will soon benefit from the much-needed redevelopment at the Ipswich Hospital as the first new ward to be built in seven years is on track for its targeted completion date.
The new 26-bed medical and surgical ward, which falls under West Moreton Health’s 15-year Master Plan, is set to open in September 2021. The new facility includes a patient transit lounge, which goes in line with the hospital’s patient-centred care.
This project is part of Stage 1 of the Ipswich Hospital Expansion following the opening of the Oncology Day Unit in April and the Allied Health Services – Outpatients area in May.
Photo Credit: Paynters
Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath, Member for Ipswich Jennifer Howard and Member for Bundamba Lance McCallum visited the site at the end of May to check the development’s progress and was met by West Moreton Health Chief Executive Dr Kerrie Freeman.
“These expansion projects will make a significant difference to the patients in our care,” Dr Freeman said.
“The master-planned Ipswich Hospital Precinct is vital to ensuring we meet the health needs of West Moreton residents now and into the future in a safe and sustainable way as we move towards becoming a tertiary hospital.”
The upgrade of transport options in Springfield and Ipswich, specifically on the Centenary Highway, was added among 44 proposals in the latest priority list of Infrastructure Australia.
Westbound of this 43-kilometre stretch, which is also known as the M5, was projected to increase by 400 percent as the population between Springfield and Ipswich is expected to grow from 222,000 to 558,000 residents in the next 20 years.
According to the priority list, the daily trips from Ipswich to Springfield Lakes on the Centenary Highway were at 7,500 in 2016 but it will increase to 40,000 trips by 2036 as job opportunities also increase.
Robin Jackson, the chief of Infrastructure Australia, said that the current public transport options in this area will not support the future needs of the suburbs. Currently, the drive from Ipswich to Springfield takes 32 minutes and bus rides take almost two hours on three routes.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Thus, the Ipswich City Council proposed adding bus networks to increase the frequency of services and coverage, as well as improving the existing roads and providing more public transport options.
On the state level, the Queensland Government has set out plans to fix 65 level crossings across the southeast by either building bridges or removing hazards. Road closures and restrictions are also in the proposal, with the Federal Government undertaking the following initiatives for the M5:
intersection and on-ramp and off-ramp improvements
Once a highly efficient 385 megawatts gas-fired power station, Swanbank E, located 10 kilometres south of Ipswich, has devalued to zero and will continue to lose money until its retirement in 2036.
A new report released by the Queensland Audit Office revealed that more than $1 billion in the value of gas and coal power stations across Queensland, which is operated by Stanwell, CS Energy and CleanCo, have been written down in the past year.
Whilst net profits gained from transmission and distribution, the numbers were 26 percent lower in the latest report.
COMPANY
VALUE
% of TOTAL ASSETS DECREASE
Stanwell
$720 million
19 percent
CS Energy
$353 million
15 percent
CleanCo
$35 million
8 percent
Factors affecting the reduction in the value of these power stations were attributed to:
the decreasing demand for electricity due to COVID-19
the increasing demand for the generation of renewable sources
lower gas prices
As CleanCo has written off the Swanbank E power station, Stanwell and CS Energy project that their power stations will still be profitable until its scheduled retirement in five years.
However, the Queensland Audit Office said that the forecasted revenues for these power stations will no longer cover the future cost of operations. The devaluation may push the State Government to fast-track decommission as losses accumulate but Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said that no such plans are in place.
“It’s in the best interest of Queenslanders if the state and federal governments plan for a rapid transition to clean energy,” Solar Citizens said. “They need to be upfront with the community and provide certainty for workers who will be affected by inevitable generator closures.”
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Swanbank E power station was commissioned in 2002 to help Queenslanders wean off coal-powered electricity. The cost to build and operate this facility was $300 million.
A five-bedroom resort-style home, located near the Brookwater golf course, became the “most expensive” house to sell in the Ipswich neighbourhood for $1.58 million, breaking the 2019 record sale by nine percent ($1.45 million).
Sold by Brookwater Residential, the property is reportedly the first in the area to hit such a milestone.
Brookwater Residential General Manager Nick Kostellar confirmed that the new owner is also a local.
But the home also had interested buyers from other states, who were able to “tour” the house, despite COVID-19 restrictions, through virtual technology and video calls.
In fact, most businesses conducted during the pandemic were done online with many buyers never setting foot on the property before closing the sale.
According to Domain, Brookwater has become a haven for families looking to establish their roots and achieve their dreams since it opened nearly two decades ago. This neighbourhood, best known for its gorgeous surrounding and affluent homes with luxury fittings, is part of the Greater Springfield area and was designed around a Greg Norman championship golf course.
The property, which has ample open space and a rooftop view of the greens, is located just 30 minutes away from the CBD and is accessible to at least 10 schools, a private hospital and the Springfield Anglican church.
Whilst everyone will agree that 2020 hasn’t been the greatest, it won’t stop people from celebrating the joys of Christmas. If you’re looking to do something special this holiday with your family, plot a visit to the Nerima Gardens for a truly unforgettable time.
Nerima Gardens has been turned into a Christmas Wonderland as part of the Christmas in Ipswich 2020 program. It’s a sight to behold, with over 50,000 colourful lights on the lush greens.
“The lighting design is by the super creative Sharon Penny and the intricate placement of millions of lights in the dark was the hard work of so many people bringing this creation to life! Flame Trees, origami boats, waterfalls, tunnels of dripping light bulbs, the tree of life – like walking into a dazzling wonderland from another world,” photographer Leah Desborough said.
Christmas Wonderland is a ticketed, half-hour event to ensure a COVID-19 safe environment. Proceeds for the tickets — priced at $5 (individual), $15 (group) and $20 (group) — will go to charities that have had a hard time raising funds due to the pandemic.
“It’s been a hard year for all, and charity groups are no exception,” Mayor Teresa Harding said. “The funds raised through ticket sales to Christmas Wonderland will go some way to helping these organisations continue the important work they do in our community.”
