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Saving The Tasmanian Devil at Enoggera Reservoir Brings Science Close to The Gap

Saving the Tasmanian Devil at Enoggera Reservoir puts a useful Science Week event right on The Gap’s doorstep. It gives locals a chance to hear about one of Australia’s best-known native animals, and the fight to protect it.

A local outing with a conservation story

The event is on Sunday, 23 August, from 11am to noon at Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre. That makes it an easy option for anyone looking for a short weekend outing close to home.

It also comes with a clear purpose. This is not just a talk about wildlife for the sake of it. It is about a species facing a real threat, and the science behind helping it survive.

Tasmanian devils have long captured public attention. They are distinctive, noisy and fiercely Australian. But they are also under pressure from devil facial tumour disease. The disease spreads when the animals bite each other.

That has made conservation work especially important. At Saving the Tasmanian Devil at Enoggera Reservoir, visitors will hear about the response. Scientists and conservation teams are working through breeding programs, tracking in the wild and careful study of habitat. They are also looking at genetics and animal health.

Science made simple enough for a weekend crowd

That kind of science can sound complex on paper. In practice, though, it often makes more sense when it is linked to one animal and one place.

This event does that well. It turns a big conservation issue into something people can follow easily. Families can hear how the work fits together, and why it matters.

That is part of the appeal of Science Week. It takes ideas that often stay in textbooks or labs, and puts them into public view. Here, the focus stays on a species that needs help, and on the people trying to give it a better future.

For The Gap locals, the setting adds to the appeal. Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre is a familiar name for many in the area. It sits in a part of Brisbane where nature still plays a big role in daily life.

Photo Credit: Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre

So this event fits neatly into the local rhythm. It is close, short and relevant. It also offers something that feels worthwhile, which is not a bad combination for a Sunday morning.

A story worth hearing up close

Saving the Tasmanian Devil at Enoggera Reservoir is the sort of event that suits a community like The Gap. It is practical, educational and tied to a conservation effort with national importance.

Even better, it gives people a chance to hear the story in person, rather than just read about it later. That makes the science feel a little closer, and the outcome a little more real.

For anyone looking for a local event with substance, this one is worth a look.

Published 10-August-2026

The Gap Puts A Rare Aussie Secret On Show At Walkabout Creek

The platypus venom event near The Gap feels made for this part of Brisbane. It is local, a bit odd and exactly the sort of thing that gets people talking. On Saturday 22 August, Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre in Enoggera Reservoir will host a free Science Week session about the platypus, one of Australia’s most unusual native animals.

For many people in The Gap, it is a short trip. For families, it is the kind of morning that might actually hold the kids’ attention. And for anyone who likes a good wildlife story, this one has plenty to offer.

A familiar animal with an unusual twist

Most people know the platypus as one of Australia’s most unusual native animals. It has a duck-like bill, a beaver-style tail and it lays eggs. That alone makes it memorable.

But the platypus also makes venom. That is the bit many people do not know.

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science will lead the session. Its scientists will explain how platypus venom works and how it differs from snake and spider venom. It is the kind of science talk that sounds complicated at first, then becomes clear.

That is part of the appeal. The event does not just throw facts at people. It turns a familiar animal into a proper conversation starter.

Springtime in the bushland

The platypus is one of the few venomous mammals on Earth. Even then, only males produce venom. They do it during the spring breeding season, when they compete with other males.

That detail gives the story a sharper edge. It also shows how finely tuned the animal really is. The platypus is not just strange for the sake of it. It has evolved in its own unusual way.

For many people in The Gap, Enoggera Reservoir is already a familiar spot. This session adds another reason to head out that way.

A small event with a big local draw

Science Week often works best when it lands in everyday places. This is one of those times. The event is free. It runs from 11am to 12pm. And it is close enough for many Gap residents to attend easily.

That matters. Community events do not need to be fancy to work. They just need to feel useful, interesting and easy to reach. This one ticks those boxes.

It also gives local families something a bit different to do on a weekend. Children get a real science story. Parents get fresh facts. Everyone gets a better look at an animal they thought they already knew.

A wild fact worth sharing

The best part of events like this is simple. They remind us that science is not only for labs and textbooks. Sometimes, it starts with a curious animal in our own backyard.

And in this case, that animal is the platypus. Weird, wonderful and now a little bit more surprising for The Gap.

Published 10-August-2026

The Gap Residents Warned as 295 Offences Recorded in Past Year

Last year’s crime figures for The Gap show 295 offences were recorded in the suburb in the 12 months to 29 July 2026, with theft, property damage and fraud the most common issues.

The data shows 82 offences of other theft, 38 incidents of other property damage and 29 fraud offences. There were also 27 drug offences, 24 unlawful entries and 18 assaults.

Other offences were recorded in smaller numbers across several categories, including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, traffic and related offences, trespassing and vagrancy, good order offences, robberies, weapons offences, other offences against the person, miscellaneous offences, handling stolen goods and one arson offence.

The monthly figures appear to show offending stayed relatively steady through much of spring before easing in January and again towards the end of the reporting period. The charts also show more offences late at night, with 10pm appearing to be the busiest time.

Weekday patterns and after-dark activity

The day-of-week breakdown appears to show higher activity on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while weekends were less affected.

For local residents, that may be worth keeping in mind when securing homes, planning evening travel and staying aware after dark.

Money trap campaign launched in Brisbane

The local figures come as Crime Stoppers Queensland rolled out its Money Trap campaign in Brisbane’s King George Square on 23 July. The six-month awareness push is aimed at stopping organised crime before it starts, with a focus on how people can be drawn in through fake job offers, social media messages and promises of easy money.

Crime Stoppers Queensland CEO David Hansen said organised crime is increasingly using sophisticated tactics to lure ordinary people into what appear to be legitimate opportunities.

“Whether it’s a message on social media, an online job advertisement or someone asking to use your bank account, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Mr Hansen said.

The campaign has a particular focus on international students and temporary visa holders, but Crime Stoppers says the warning applies to everyone.

People are being urged to look out for unsolicited job offers promising easy money, requests to receive or transfer money through a personal bank account, requests to share banking details or allow someone else to use an account, and pressure to act quickly or keep financial arrangements secret.

Anyone with information about suspicious activity can report it anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Published 30-July-2026

After 105 Years, Estrilda in The Gap Prepares for a New Owner

For most of Fay Lanham’s life, home meant the same patch of land at the end of Lochinvar Lane. It was where her grandfather built a creek crossing to reach the property and raised prize-winning canaries in an aviary. The family kept a cow during The Gap’s farming years, and Ms Lanham made butter from its milk. She grew up on the land, left for Ipswich after marrying, then returned.

Now, after 105 years in the same family, Estrilda is being sold. The 0.6-hectare property at 268 Lochinvar Lane will go to auction on 8 August. The sale will close a 105-year family chapter and bring renewed attention to The Gap’s farming past.

A home named for its birds

Ms Lanham’s grandfather bought the property in 1921, before The Gap developed into the suburb it is today. He built the original crossing over the creek, giving the family access to its new home.

His love of birds soon became part of the property’s identity. He kept an aviary, bred canaries that won prizes and named the estate Estrilda after a genus of small finches.

Photo Credit: The Gap Historical Society

In the decades after 1936, the land formed part of The Gap’s poultry and dairy farming tradition. The animals and the work of maintaining the property shaped everyday family life.

A lifetime tied to one address

Ms Lanham lived at Estrilda for 79 years. Apart from about a decade in Ipswich with her husband, she spent most of her life on the estate.

She later returned to The Gap, where the property became a gathering place for relatives and friends. Family celebrations and gatherings continued there across the decades.

For Ms Lanham, selling Estrilda means leaving more than a house. The property holds memories of her grandfather, her childhood and decades of family life.

Estrilda changed with the years

Estrilda’s history reaches back to The Gap’s poultry and dairy farming years. The property itself changed as the family’s needs and the surrounding area evolved.

In 1998, Ms Lanham’s father subdivided the family holding into nine lots but retained lot 268 as the centre of the estate. The remaining 0.6-hectare property now sits beside Ashgrove Golf Club, about 8.5 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD. The Gap Village, local schools and reserves are also nearby.

A main house and self-contained granny flat stand on the land today. Together, they contain four bedrooms, three bathrooms and two car spaces.

The estate’s past is found in details that might otherwise slip from local memory. There is the creek crossing built by Ms Lanham’s grandfather, the aviary where he raised canaries and the family cow that supplied milk for homemade butter. There is also Ms Lanham’s return to the property after years away.

Ray White Metro North agents Dwight Ferguson and Matilda Palmer are handling the sale. They said the length of the family’s ownership and the size of the level block made the property unusual in Brisbane’s current market.

A future not yet decided

The future of Estrilda remains unknown. A buyer may keep it as a family home, renovate the buildings or pursue other plans for the land. The sales material does not identify any development proposal for the property. Until a new owner takes over, any prediction about its future would be speculation.

The next owner will play a major role in deciding Estrilda’s future, subject to planning requirements. Yet its history will remain tied to the Lanham family and to the broader story of The Gap.

Published 27-July-2026

Local Enoggera Father Turns Mandatory Golf Date Rule Into National Championship Run

An Enoggera father who required potential suitors to play weekly golf before dating his daughters has qualified for a major national championship alongside his future sons-in-law.

A Family Tradition Spans Seven Years

Courting a girl in Enoggera used to come with a very specific price tag: 18 holes of golf every Monday night. Tony Creighton set this non-negotiable rule for anyone hoping to date his daughters, putting prospective partners straight onto the fairway before approving a single outing.

What started as an awkward screening process slowly transformed over seven years into a deep friendship between Creighton and his future sons-in-law, Lachlan Gill and Will Smith. The trio endured countless tough losses and underwhelming seasons together, building an unbeatable team bond along the way. Persistence finally paid off when the crew clinched their spot to represent South East Queensland on the big stage.

High-Tech Simulator Sport Sweeps the Region

Who knew a weeknight family ritual could lead to a shot at $20,000 in prizes? The Enoggera team is heading to X-Golf South Bank at 275 Grey Street on August 7 and 8, aiming for the top spot and a dream trip to Tasmania’s famous Barnbougle Dunes. More than 1,700 players fought through the regional qualifiers this season, bringing together an eclectic mix of tradespeople, teachers, and even a crocodile farm manager.

High-speed tracking cameras, infrared sensors, and precision lasers drive the indoor screens, mapping out exact ball flights inside a climate-controlled room. League officials highlighted that the tournament gives everyday local mates a rare chance to compete at an elite representative level.

Off-Course Golf Offers New Community Pathways

Traditional green-grass golf is rapidly changing across Australia. Off-course participation numbers are climbing by nearly 17 per cent each year as players trade long hours on sprawling outdoor courses for faster, weather-proof indoor setups. What began in Melbourne back in 2012 as a tiny 30-player league run by brothers Ben and Charles Styles has grown into a massive network spanning 35 regional and metropolitan venues.

Modern simulator technology eliminates traditional hurdles like bad weather or high skill barriers, allowing suburban neighbours to build genuine community connections around a shared love of the game.

Published Date 23-July-2026

New Mountain Bike Trail Opens for Riders of All Abilities at Gap Creek Reserve

A new adaptive-friendly mountain bike trail has officially opened at Gap Creek Reserve, adding another accessible option for riders at the popular Mount Coot-tha reserve. The Carpet Snake Trail has been designed to make mountain biking more approachable for beginners, adaptive riders, and those looking to build confidence on the trails.

Read: Gear Up! Free Mountain Bike Workshops and a Brand-New Trail Coming to Gap Creek

The official launch brought together riders, volunteers and trail builders to celebrate the completion of the project, which has been about two years in the making. Carpet Snake is an adaptive-friendly green flow trail featuring smoother gradients, wider paths and beginner-friendly loops. Alongside the nearby Crebra Climb, it broadens the range of riding opportunities available within the Mount Coot-tha trail network.

The project forms part of BCC’s off-road cycling strategy. BCC’s Natural Environment team oversaw the development, with construction completed by Trailworx and support from Trail Care volunteers, who continue to help maintain the extensive trail network throughout Mount Coot-tha.

Designed to Welcome More Riders

Carpet Snake has been created to cater for a wider range of users, including adaptive riders and those new to mountain biking.

Its smoother gradients and wider paths are intended to help riders build confidence. The addition strengthens the reserve’s range of beginner-friendly riding options and complements the existing network of trails available at Mount Coot-tha.

Bicycle Queensland welcomed the addition, describing Carpet Snake as an adaptive, or green flow, trail suited to a wide range of users. The organisation said the new trail, delivered by BCC, would help serve the large number of mountain bikers who visit Gap Creek.

Volunteers and Trail Builders Recognised

The opening event attracted a strong turnout, with riders of all ages taking to the new trail following the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Read: Take on the Challenging The Gap to Mount Glorious Bike Ride

Speakers at the launch recognised the contribution of BCC’s Natural Environment team, contractor Trailworx and the Trail Care volunteers, whose ongoing work helps maintain Mount Coot-tha’s mountain bike trails.

Carpet Snake offers another option within Gap Creek Reserve for beginners, adaptive riders and others seeking an easier trail.

Published 17-July-2026

From Hobby Games To Coffee, The Gap Earns Six Category Honours

A hobby retailer that helps gaming clubs fund shared equipment, an art studio built around creative connection and a café that hosts local events were among six The Gap businesses recognised at the 2026 Cooper Small Business Awards.

Ms Jonty Bush presented the awards at Warehouse 25 in Milton on Thursday, 21 May 2026. About 100 small business owners attended the event.

The Gap collected category wins across retail, professional services, wellbeing and fitness, trade and services, creative arts, and cafés and restaurants. Another seven businesses and organisations from the suburb received runner-up placings.

Gap Games Builds A Home For Tabletop Hobbies

Gap Games won the Retail and Sales category after developing a business that extends beyond its shelves and online catalogue.

The retailer operates from Shop 21 at The Gap Village Shopping Centre, inside NewsXpress opposite Coles. Its range covers miniature gaming products, tabletop and role-playing games, trading cards, hobby kits, model figures, paints and accessories.

Much of the stock is available through click and collect, while an events and organised-play space near the shop gives players somewhere to meet and take part in organised gaming.

The business also runs a Club Kickback Program for eligible tabletop and hobby groups across Australia. Each approved club receives a code that members can use when making purchases, allowing support to accumulate for reinvestment in the group.

Participating clubs may direct that support towards event prizes, gaming terrain and tables, venue hire, shared hobby supplies or assistance for new players.

Carmen Briggs Recognised For Professional Services

Carmen Briggs Harcourts Property Centre won the Professional Services category.

Briggs works as a sales agent through Carmen Briggs Properties Pty Ltd and Harcourts Property Centre Inner West. Her work has focused on The Gap and surrounding parts of Brisbane’s inner west for more than a decade.

Alongside residential property sales, she owns and manages an investment property portfolio and is a registered Justice of the Peace.

Her Harcourts profile also records her involvement in charity and community activities, adding a local dimension to a career built around property services in The Gap and nearby suburbs.

Studio Pilates The Gap Takes Fitness Award

Studio Pilates The Gap was named the winner of the Wellbeing and Fitness category.

The studio provides 40-minute reformer Pilates classes for clients with different levels of experience and fitness.

Its exercise sequences are designed by physiotherapists and displayed through studio screens with visual demonstrations and audio instructions. An instructor remains present during each session to assist with technique, adjust resistance and modify exercises where required.

Classes are scheduled from early morning through to evening, allowing the studio to cater for clients attending before work, during the day or after regular business hours.

The local studio forms part of a business founded in Brisbane in 2002 by Jade and Tanya Winter, although its award recognised the operation serving clients in The Gap.

Bernard Building Draws On Local Construction Work

Bernard Building received the Trade and Services award.

Ben Bernard established the business in 2019 after building experience across construction, deck and staircase projects, and renovations.

The company undertakes home renovations, deck construction, external stair work, carpentry maintenance and repairs. Its main service areas include The Gap, Ashgrove, Bardon and Kedron.

Bernard Building describes relationship-building, honesty, hard work, quality and attention to detail as the principles guiding its projects.

Its work places the business directly within the residential communities it services, where projects may range from maintenance between larger renovations to new decks, stairs and broader home improvements.

U Create Art Connects Generations Through Creativity

U Create Art won the Creative Arts category.

Founder Karen Bessell operates the studio from the basement of The Gap Baptist Church at 1125 Waterworks Road.

The studio offers visual art programs, creative workshops, craft classes, parties and arts education for preschool-aged children, teenagers and adults, including participants aged over 50.

Its activities are designed to give beginners and more experienced participants opportunities to explore different materials and forms of creative expression.

Community work has included workshops, mural painting, local events and school P&C fundraising. Bessell also previously founded The Gap She Shed, a social group that brought together local women through creativity and shared activities.

The studio is due to host five local artists during The Gap Creative Open Studios on Friday, 28 August and Saturday, 29 August 2026. The program is expected to include original artworks, artist displays, children’s craft and a community self-portrait installation.

Birdie Coffee Blends Café Service With Local Events

Birdie Coffee received the Café and Restaurant award.

The café is owned by Bruce, with Natasha Ariza involved in its operations, community activities and award communications.

Beyond its regular coffee and food service, Birdie has held yoga classes, dog days, art markets, live music and community breakfasts.

It also hosted a free coffee event focused on men’s health, giving visitors an opportunity to meet over coffee and discuss mental wellbeing. A sausage sizzle formed part of the morning.

Birdie Coffee has also supported The Gap Creative’s Local Matters Art Exhibition, encouraging customers to visit the local event and view work by artists from the area.

Its activities have placed the café within a wider program of social, health and creative events rather than limiting its role to day-to-day hospitality.

Seven The Gap Entrants Finish As Runners-Up

The Gap businesses and organisations also secured seven runner-up placings across the awards.

Friendly Grocer was runner-up in the Retail and Sales category, while Craig Ray & Associates received a runner-up placing in Professional Services.

The Western Echo was recognised in Social Enterprise, and Blind Tiger finished as runner-up in Bars and Breweries.

Francesca Flowers was runner-up in Creative Arts.

The suburb had three businesses represented in the Café and Restaurant results. Birdie Coffee won the category, while Vecino Café and Café Tara were both named runners-up.

Published 15-July-2026

Gear Up! Free Mountain Bike Workshops and a Brand-New Trail Coming to Gap Creek

Photo Credit: BCC

If you are looking to sharpen your mountain biking skills or find a great way to spend the school holidays, Brisbane’s Gap Creek Reserve has you covered. The Cycling Brisbane program is rolling out free mountain bike skills workshops, perfect for both kids and adults who want to get confident on the tracks.

The workshops are locked in for Saturday, 4 July and Saturday, 11 July 2026. The timing couldn’t be better, as Gap Creek Reserve—already one of Brisbane’s absolute favourite mountain biking spots—is officially opening its brand-new Carpet Snake Trail on 11 July. This new track is beginner-friendly and built on the western side of the reserve, meaning you can practice your new skills at a workshop and then be among the first to try out the new trail.

Extra Spots for Junior Riders

Because the grand opening of the Carpet Snake Trail is bound to bring heaps of families out to the reserve on 11 July, the Cycling Brisbane program has added extra spots to the morning Junior Mountain Bike Skills workshops on that day.

If you are heading out with family, the best plan is to arrive early for a skills session, catch the official trail launch, and make a whole morning of it out in the bush.

The junior sessions group riders by age and ability, keeping groups nice and small. This means every young rider gets real attention from the instructors to focus on the things that actually matter on the dirt:

Staying in control
Cornering smoothly
Braking safely
Building up confidence on uneven ground

Adults won’t miss out either. Adult workshops are running across both weekends and cater to all levels—whether you are a total beginner trying out singletrack for the first time, or a seasoned rider looking to sharpen your technique.

A Trail Network Worth the Ride

Gap Creek Reserve is tucked inside the massive Mt Coot-tha Reserve, which spans over 1,600 hectares and boasts more than 18.5 kilometres of easy, intermediate, and difficult tracks.

There is truly something for everyone here. You can start with a short but tough warm-up loop right next to the Gap Creek Road car park, or challenge yourself on advanced routes featuring wall-ride berms, log rollovers, and drop-offs.

The western side of the reserve has already become incredibly popular, drawing more than 600 riders every weekend since purpose-built trails were added a few years ago. The new Carpet Snake Trail is a fantastic addition to this network, specially designed to help beginners safely connect to the wider trail system.

Handy Info for Your Day Out

Getting There: If you haven’t been before, you can access the main trail network via two entry points off Gap Creek Road, Mt Coot-tha.
Need Gear? If you need to hire a bike or grab some gear before you hit the dirt, local bike shops like Kenmore Cycles and Giant Ashgrove are nearby and ready to help.
How to Join: While these workshops are completely free, spots are strictly limited and you must book in advance.

Because of the excitement surrounding the Carpet Snake Trail opening, the morning sessions on 11 July are going to fill up fast. Be sure to lock in your spot early so you don’t miss out!

BOOK YOUR SPOT

Published 2-July-2026

Artforce Brisbane Brings Colour to The Gap: Discover the Stories Behind Local Street Art Installations

The streets of The Gap have become an outdoor art gallery, with vibrant artworks adorning utility boxes throughout the suburb. Through the Artforce Brisbane program, local families, students and artists have transformed once-mundane infrastructure into eye-catching installations that celebrate the area’s natural beauty and community spirit.

Read: Benjamina Place Park: The Spot That Inspired Bluey’s ‘Turtleboy’

Up The Creek – Mind The Gap by The Goodwin Family

Location: Settlement Road & Chaprowe Road

The Goodwin Family has created a stunning tribute to Fish Creek, depicting the waterway’s native ecosystem in remarkable detail. The front of the signal box showcases three distinct vegetation levels: Blue Quandong, Lacebark tree and River She Oak in the canopy; Queensland Ebony, Black Wattle and Native Mulberry in the understorey; and Brisbane lily, Binung Fern and longleaved malrush in the groundcover.

The sides feature local wildlife including Australian King Parrots, Red-tailed Cockatoos, Water Dragons, Eastern Sedgefrogs, Freshwater Mullet and Eel-tailed Catfish. On the back, there’s a touch of environmental messaging—weeds and rubbish being deposited in a green bin under the watchful gaze of an ibis, nodding to the conservation efforts of the passionate Fish Creek restoration group.

Diversity is a Fact, Inclusion is an Act by The Gap State High School

Location: Waterworks Road & Pammay Street

The Gap State High School students have created a powerful piece celebrating neurodiversity and inclusion. “Inclusion is about feeling a sense of belonging, no matter our differences,” the artists explain.

The design raises awareness about how each individual’s brain works differently, bringing unique strengths and skills to the world. The message is clear: when differences and strengths are brought together and celebrated, communities grow stronger.

Hive by Lara Coogan

Artforce Brisbane — Photo credit: artforcebrisbane.com.au

Location: 66 Illowra Street

Local artist Lara Coogan drew inspiration from the artwork’s location next to Hive, The Gap, creating a design featuring bees and flowers. The piece celebrates The Gap’s abundance of plant life whilst paying homage to the neighbouring business. Coogan’s thoughtful approach demonstrates how public art can reflect and complement its immediate surroundings.

Preserving our Wildlife by Kathy Sullivan

Location: Waterworks Road & Settlement Road & Illowra Street

Kathy Sullivan’s installation on a Q150 transformer box makes a bold statement about environmental conservation. “Creatures of The Gap have been turned into metal,” Sullivan explains. “This artwork is a statement about their vulnerability.” The piece serves as a visual reminder of the fragility of local wildlife and the importance of preservation efforts.

A Season as a Guide by Walton Bridge Rangers

Location: Waterworks Road & Payne Road

The Walton Bridge Rangers have created a deeply symbolic piece centred around a Jacaranda tree, described as “quintessentially Brisbane.” Each year, the explosion of purple blooms across The Gap’s hills signals the start of spring. The Rangers recall gathering beneath Jacaranda trees in Walton Bridge Reserve, “lost in conversation with the blooms softly raining down on our heads.”

The tree’s branches form a Trefoil, symbolic of the Guiding movement, whilst incorporated Guide Badges represent the practical skills developed by Girl Guides. The title “A Season as a Guide” reflects Rangers’ position as the final rank before moving to adult guiding.

Flowers and Branches by Emma Barry

Photo credit: artforcebrisbane.com.au

Location: Waterworks Road & Cooinda Street

Emma Barry’s artwork magnifies pollinators and insects to highlight their crucial role in sustaining the environment. “The importance of pollinators and insects has become widely known in relation to how they contribute to and sustain many parts of our environment,” Barry notes. By expanding their size, the artwork encourages viewers to appreciate how small animals can bring large and important changes to our world.

Flowers by Elli Veleski

Location: Waterworks Road & Glenquarie Place

Student artist Elli Veleski took a therapeutic approach to her nature-inspired design, filling the signal box with bold spring flowers. “Drawing flowers is therapeutic for me, and I hope my flowers catch people’s eye on their daily drive, make them smile and help them to relax also,” Veleski shares. The artwork transforms drab infrastructure into a cheerful addition to daily commutes.

In The Moment by Grace Tupicoff & Jemima Gibbons

Location: Waterworks Road & Payne Road

Grace Tupicoff and Jemima Gibbons have created a contemplative piece depicting insects, plants and mushrooms—all species found in the local area. The intention is profound yet simple: “for the viewer to appreciate the smaller parts of nature that we tend to overlook. To be in the moment despite busy lives and stop to see the little things.”

Read: 8 Things You Might Not Know About the Enoggera Reservoir

About Artforce Brisbane

Artforce Brisbane is an initiative that has been transforming utility boxes into public artworks since 1999. The program celebrates the characters, cultures, histories and landmarks of Brisbane’s suburbs whilst showcasing local creativity.

Brisbane offers around 80 Artforce opportunities annually, with the program managed by Artfully, a Brisbane-based arts consultancy specialising in public art and placemaking. The initiative is open to Brisbane residents of all ages and artistic backgrounds, providing practical experience and networking opportunities within Brisbane’s arts community.

Through programs like Artforce Brisbane, everyday infrastructure becomes more than functional—it becomes a canvas for community storytelling and artistic expression.

Updated 20-June-2026

A Storage Facility or Something Else? The Gap Residents Speak Up on Waterworks Road Plans

CrStevenToomey/Facebook

Pradella Property has lodged a development application to build a contemporary self-storage facility and industrial workstore complex at 842-846 Waterworks Road in The Gap, on the site of the former Renzo’s Self Storage operation opposite Ashgrove Golf Club, with the proposal now open for public submissions.

The application, lodged under reference number A007025195, covers a 5,400-square-metre site and proposes three buildings across the one parcel. Building A would operate as a five-level StoreLocal self-storage facility with a total gross floor area of 8,859 square metres, including ground-floor drive-up storage units and upper levels accessible by lift and stairs.

Buildings B and C would provide two rows of two-level industrial workstore units, totalling 2,381 square metres of gross floor area across 17 individual units ranging in size from approximately 58 to 83 square metres on the ground floor, each with a mezzanine level above.

The development has been designed by McDougall Roberts Architecture and Consulting for Pradella Property, with DA drawings submitted in May 2026. The site previously operated as Renzo’s Self Storage before sitting vacant, and the excavated state of the land has itself drawn comment from nearby residents.

What the plans actually show

The proposed StoreLocal self-storage building (Building A) rises five levels above the natural ground line, reaching 9.5 metres above natural ground level as measured in the architectural sections. The ground floor contains a mix of drive-up storage units and an entry kiosk with loading bays, lifts and accessible bathroom facilities. Storage areas on levels one through four each provide approximately 1,651 to 1,881 square metres of floor space per level.

The two workstore buildings face Waterworks Road and are designed to a more residential aesthetic, with painted textured concrete panels, brick pavers, metal balustrades and landscaped planters along the internal driveway between the two rows. Architectural renderings show a landscaped internal driveway running between Buildings B and C, with mature plantings softening what would otherwise be a purely industrial streetscape.

The overall site cover sits at 60.52 per cent, with 581 square metres of landscape area representing 10.76 per cent of the total site. A two-way driveway provides entry and exit from Waterworks Road via a sliding security gate and entry gatehouse. Alan Willing Place Park borders the site to the east.

Residents question the site’s future

Four public submissions have been lodged since the proposal entered public consultation, and they share a common theme. While residents generally welcome redevelopment of the long-vacant site, many question whether a self-storage facility is the best use for such a prominent Waterworks Road location.

One resident described the excavated site as “an eyesore” and said they were pleased to see it developed, but argued that a storage facility was the wrong fit. They suggested the land would be better suited to the type of development originally proposed nearby, particularly given the work already completed on the site.

Another submitter said the proposal would give The Gap “the feeling of light industrial rather than residential and professional”, calling instead for housing, medical services or other professional uses that would better serve the community.

Traffic and community needs emerge as key concerns

Traffic on Waterworks Road also featured prominently in the submissions. One resident pointed to existing congestion caused by recent residential development and other approved projects, arguing that the proposed storage facility could add further pressure, particularly if customers visited outside business hours. The submission also cited an approved retirement village nearby and suggested the site would be better suited to a retail hub or service centre.

Another resident argued the community needed more housing and local amenities instead of storage facilities, writing: “We require housing and entertainment precinct, we are a large community that can support business such as restaurants, bars and community centres for local groups.”

While none of the submissions opposed redevelopment of the site itself, several acknowledged its commercial history. Instead, residents questioned whether self-storage was the most appropriate use, with concerns focusing on neighbourhood character, traffic impacts and the opportunity to deliver housing, retail or community facilities on a key gateway site.

How to have your say

The development application remains open for public submissions through Brisbane’s planning portal. Residents can click here to view the full set of drawings, read existing submissions and lodge a new submission.

Published 19-June-2026