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How Repair Cafe The Gap Champions Sustainability

It’s easier to throw things out than to fix them, but for Repair Cafe The Gap, things should be used longer and don’t have to be simply thrown away.

Read: ‘Men Of The Trees’ Turns 100! QLD Chapter in The Gap Joins Worldwide Celebration

Repair Cafe The Gap (RCTG) is a not-for-profit community group run by volunteers, whose mission is to kindle people’s enthusiasm for a sustainable society by fixing their broken household items rather than tossing them out.

Every month, they accept broken household items such as lamps, toasters, and CD players, and have them repaired for free. If there’s any costs involved, it will only be for components that need to be replaced and if there’s no spare parts in stock at the cafe.

As the name suggests, the cafe is all about repairing things together. But if you have nothing to repair, you can drop by to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea or lend a hand with someone’s repair job. Visitors can also leaf through books on repairs and DIY.

Aside from electrical appliances, volunteer repairers can also help fix clocks, bicycles, electronics, and small furniture items. You can even bring clothes and toys that need repair.

Ever since launching this initiative in March 2022, the group has received around 150 items, and most of these items, which mostly consist of electrical appliances, have been successfully repaired.

How It Started

Whilst Repair Cafe The Gap has only started this year, Repair Cafe has been around since 2009. In fact, there are 2,200 Repair Cafes all over the world. In Australia, there are around 70, including eight in Southeast Queensland alone.

This worldwide movement was initiated by Dutch environmentalist and former journalist Martine Postma.

Postma opened the first Repair Cafe in Amsterdam, after feeling a frustration with the world’s throwaway culture.

Repairing things not only reduce the volume of raw materials and energy needed to make new products, but also cut CO2 emissions, for example, because manufacturing new products and recycling old ones causes CO2 to be released.

“The Repair Cafe teaches people to see their possessions in a new light. And, once again, to appreciate their value,” the cafe stated in their website.

If you love repairing things or love organising, you can lend a hand in an up-and-running Repair Cafe. You can get in touch directly with a cafe close to where you live.

Read: The Gap Community Rallies Behind Teen’s Campaign to Upgrade The Gap Bowl

To learn more about Repair Cafe and their initiative, visit www.repaircafe.org. The website also provides tips and tricks in repairing common household items and furniture.

The Gap Community Rallies Behind Teen’s Campaign to Upgrade The Gap Bowl

Photo Credit: Jake Woodiwiss/Change.Org

Over a thousand locals are supporting a petition, started by a high school kid, to upgrade The Gap Bowl, a unique skate park in Brisbane’s northside, as a full-featured bike, skate and scooter facility.

Jake Woodiwiss, a student from The Gap State High School, opened a petition via Change.Org and cited that The Gap Bowl needs to have two sections for beginners and advanced bikers or skateboarders.

“At the moment there is only the one section that is for advanced riders and by adding a second section it would create possibilities for beginner riders and provide a way for those that are glued to their screens a way to get active and socialise,” he said.

“Screen time is an ever increasing number in the youth of today’s society and has many negative effects including not getting enough exercise, not socialising with friends and family and can even lead to obesity and sleep problems.”

One supporter who signed the petition said that it’s high time for the upgrades as The Gap Bowl will serve the community for decades to come.

Woodiwiss’ passionate call for an upgrade to The Gap Bowl has prompted Elizabeth Watson-Brown, the MP for Ryan, to host a Community BBQ on Sunday, 6 November 2022, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. to discuss the upgrades, alongside other amenities and facilities needed in The Gap.

The Gap Bowl Community BBQ — Photo Credit: ElizabethWatsonBrown.com

“Jake’s pitch about The Gap Bowl made me wonder: What other amenities and facilities are needed in The Gap? How well served is The Gap community by public transport? Are the diverse needs of the community catered for?”

“My team and I are keen to support locals who take action on issues that matter to them, so that sort of initiative from a high school student caught our attention!” Ms Watson-Brown said.

Send your RSVP to the Community BBQ

Construction of Bridge Over Cedar Creek in Upper Kedron Well Underway

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Construction works on the bridge over Cedar Creek are now well underway as a local community group advocates for Minnie Street’s realignment. as well as the activation of a bus route along the street.

The project that will build a bridge over Cedar Creek to Rosella Street and the corner of Levitt Road and Minnie Street is now well underway. The Westera Partners-designed bridge will provide residents with access from the Ellendale development in Upper Kedron to Ferny Grove, linking Hasties Avenue with Rosella Street.

Bridge Over Cedar Creek at Upper Kedron — Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

“The Bridge is a simple three span bridge designed to suit the natural geotechnical characteristics and riparian conditions. The three-span design ensures limited impact to the natural flows of the creek whilst achieving an optimised construction time to minimise construction works in Cedar Creek. Rockwork has been designed to protect abutments from higher velocity flows.” – PEAKURBAN

Under the Development Application A005564638, the project will also include improvements to Minnie Street through minor widening, as well as enhancements to the intersection at McAlroy Road and Upper Kedron Road, and a section of Levitt Road.

Levitt Road and Minnie Street Intersection Upgrade / McAlroy Road and Upper Kedron Road Intersection Upgrade | Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au

The Ferny Grove & Upper Kedron Residents Association noted that the minor widening of Minnie Street will benefit residents with safer traffic and easier access to the bus service. The Group is working with government and council representatives to further its advocacy to straighten Minnie Street rather than widening.

FGUKRA also revealed that funding has been secured for the design of Minnie Street’s realignment and would work with government and council representatives should any community consultation be required in the future. They are also advocating for a bus route along Minnie Street to provide more public transportation options to the wider part of the community.

The bridgework and upgrades, which commenced in May 2022, are estimated to be completed in nine months, in early 2023.

Queensland Approves Renting Out Granny Flats in The Gap, Other Suburbs to Fix Housing Crisis

Queensland property owners who own secondary dwellings, also known as granny flats, will now be allowed to rent these out to non-relatives in a bid to fix the housing crisis. Heaps of properties suitable as granny flats have been identified in The Gap, as well as 17 other suburbs.

Previous restrictions on secondary dwellings will no longer apply for the next three years, following discussions with the Queensland Housing Roundtable stakeholders in early September.

However, homeowners who plan to rent out their granny flats need to make sure that their properties are compliant with fire and building provisions as well as the state’s safety guidelines. Thus, they might have to undergo a safety inspection.

“Many homeowners have granny flats that they’ve built or converted for family members or teenagers who have since moved out,” Deputy Premier and Minister for Planning Steven Miles said. “Right now, most homeowners can’t rent secondary dwellings, such as granny flats, to anyone other than their immediate family. At the same time, some Queenslanders are sleeping in their cars or in tents.”

“It just makes sense to allow existing accommodation to be occupied by someone other than a relative to provide more affordable accommodation for Queenslanders,” Mr Miles added.

“It also allows homeowners to earn rent, helping them meet the increased cost of living.”

The Gap Has the Largest Number of Secondary Dwellings

Granny flats are essentially dwellings designed for one or two people. It can be a detached or attached accommodation with its own kitchen/dining, laundry room, living area and bedrooms. Granny flats may also drive up the value of a house by as much as 30 per cent and increase its rental potential by 27 per cent.

Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch said that the majority of single people above the age of 55 years old currently make up the social housing register, making them ideal for granny flats tenancy. Such a solution will be further discussed at the Queensland Housing Summit on 20th Oct 2022.

A 2019 study from CoreLogic and Archistar revealed that The Gap has the largest number of granny flats in Brisbane at 42.8 percent. The study identified 18 suburbs with many properties that can potentially have granny flats for renting out.

1. The Gap
2. Albany Creek
3. Morayfield
4. Deception Bay
5. Kallangur
6. Alexandra Hills
7. Redbank Plains
8. Narangba
9. Rochedale South
10. Ferny Hills
11. Sunnybank Hills
12. Aspley
13. Chapel Hill
14. Inala
15. Bray Park
16. Strathpine
17. Kingston
18. Petrie

Caution on Renting Out

However, the tenancy law overhaul to allow granny flats rentals could prove to be a headache, rather than a solution, for some homeowners or tenants, warned lawyer Frank Higginson. He said that some landlords might have to do more work and incur unexpected expenses for their secondary dwellings. The tenants could also be shortchanged and won’t get what they are actually entitled to.

Mr Higginsons also believes that most people interested in renting out their granny flats are not going to get professional help from property managers when there are a lot of complicated issues that have to be ironed out.

Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief executive Antonia Mercorella also advised property owners to investigate the tax implications of renting out granny flats. She also belies that the government has to provide education for those interested in entering the rental property market with their secondary dwelling, on top of establishing a stable policy.

“We appreciate that sometimes red tape gets in the way of creative solutions, but equally, we don’t want to see a ‘free for all’ where there’s no regulation, leaving people vulnerable to being exploited,” Ms Mercorella said in a statement.

“We don’t want people to think they can suddenly use inappropriate structures such as garden sheds or garages and pass these off as granny flats.”

Did You Know That The Gap Had Over 2,000 Potholes After the 2022 Brisbane Floods?

Did you know that The Gap has had 2,653 potholes filled in the six-month period following the February 2022 floods in Brisbane?

Council data shows that Hemmant, Pinkenba, Wynnum, Eagle Farm, and Moggill also had more than 2,000 pothole fillings during the same period.

Kim Marx, the civic cabinet chair, said that Brisbane had a record 70,461 potholes as of the end of August 2022, due to the extraordinary amount of rain when usual pothole fillings comprise about 80,000 per year.

“Crews are out working hard across the suburbs to respond, and we appreciate the efforts of residents reporting issues to us,” Ms Marx said.

Brisbane City Council also said that an average of 400 potholes a day needed to be filled after the February floods, as some road pavements have become compressed by the rain and floodwaters, thus weakening their quality.

The rebuilding continues as there is an allocated $40 million budget for road repairs and Council has dedicated crews working to inspect and restore the roads that locals have reported.

Engineers Australia General Manager Stacey Rawlings said that better preventive measures should be adopted instead of simply patching potholes. She recommended adding a waterproof bitumen layer on the asphalt, either on top or below, to lessen the cracks. This solution might be costly for Council but it’s better long-term, especially for busy roads and older roads.

She also suggested road repairs that are resilient to flooding, such as using high-quality materials, adding effective water and surface drainage, as well as frequent maintenance of these systems.

For reports about potholes, locals may phone 3407 0566 or the Call Centre at 3403 8888.

Published 12-Sept-2022

New Scooter Track Coming to Wittonga Park in The Gap

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Wittonga Park will soon have a new scooter track! Work on this new project in The Gap, one of four scooter tracks earmarked for completion in 2022, commenced in early August.

The scooter track at Wittonga Park was designed for children of various ages to build confidence as they use the course. Younger players will be able to start by mastering small sections of the course. Older children, on the other hand, should be able to master and complete the whole track loop fairly quickly.

The construction works at Wittonga Park include the installation of raised roundabout platforms, a series of moguls, a two-way concrete track, and a series of texture panels.

Photo Credit: Cr Steven Toomey / Facebook

Cr Steven Toomey also said that there will also be a vine-covered tunnel for the flora & fauna of area.

Apart from Wittonga Park, three other parks will also get their own scooter park:

Paul Conti Park, Hemmant – includes a new playground next to the track and a new picnic shelter (Start of construction in late May 2022)
Shaftesbury Street Park, Tarragindi – includes a new picnic shelter (Start of construction mid-May 2022)
Kathleen Street Park, Richlands (Start of construction late July 2022)

Council said that the new scooter tracks will be based on the award-winning track in Bradbury Park in Kedron that was unveiled in June 2021.

All four tracks are slated to be completed before 2022 ends.

‘Men Of The Trees’ Turns 100! QLD Chapter in The Gap Joins Worldwide Celebration

Men of the Trees, an organisation dedicated to fostering the planting, maintenance, and protection of trees worldwide turns 100 this year! Its Queensland chapter, based in The Gap, joins the worldwide organisation in celebrating its founding anniversary.

Read: The Gap Property Market Breaches Million-Dollar Median Price

On 22 July 1922, the organisation was founded by the late Dr Richard St Barbe Baker, an English government forestry officer, who was concerned for the rapidly decreasing fertility of the land when he started working in Kenya.

He saw the effects of centuries of land mismanagement in North Africa, from wheat farming in the later days of the Roman Empire to the grazing of goats first introduced by Arabs.

Dr St Barbe Baker believed it was necessary to plant more trees to combat the shifting methods of agriculture.

That’s when he came up with the idea of voluntary tree planting by the native tribesmen of the highlands. The activity was most successful and the highlanders became known as forest planters instead of forest destroyers.

The highlanders, also known as the Kikuyu tribe, carried out managed reforestation in the region, and utilised native species in their land.

When he went back from Kenya to England, this concept quickly spread in his home country by 1924 and since then, branches have developed in many parts of the world, bringing together men, women and children who were conscious about planting trees.

Dr Richard St. Barbe Baker with Ngairetta Brennan, MOTT’s president for the first 19 years, photo taken in Brisbane in early ‘80s (Photo credit: Men of The Trees Queensland/Facebook)

In time for their centennial celebration, Cr Steven Toomey, who is currently the president of Men of The Trees Queensland, thanked all members past, present and an army of volunteers who have been preserving and restoring tree canopy across the globe.

Photo credit: Men of The Trees Queensland/Facebook

Today, the Men of the Trees is also known as the International Tree Foundation (ITF) and operates in several countries, with over 100 chapters worldwide. In Australia, it still goes by its original name though in England, the original charity has now been fully rebranded as ITF.

Gallipoli Barracks Open Day, A Thanksgiving Event for the Brisbane Community

The barricades will be dismantled for the Gallipoli Barracks Open Day at Enoggera as the Army thanks the Brisbane community for their continued support for the past years.

This family event will be guaranteed an enjoyable time for the young and old as there will be rides, stalls, and food vendors catering to everyone. The event will also be supported by music from the Australian Army Band Brisbane, with real artillery.

The Gallipoli Barracks Open Day will run from 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m on Sunday, July 31.

Brigadier Mick Say, the Commander of the 7th Brigade, said that the Brisbane community has an integral part of their support network amidst their various operations and exercises. This has enabled the servicemen to perform their roles to the best of their abilities in the country and overseas.

In recent crises like the bushfire, COVD-19, and flooding, personnel from the Gallipoli Barracks were deployed all over Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.

The Gallipoli Barracks Open Day will also enable interested locals to gain insights into military service and potentially embark on a career with the Australian Army.

Gallipoli Baracks — Photo Credit: Gallipoli Barracks Open Day Event Brite

The event is free but tickets are required to ensure crowd control.

GET TICKETS

This is an alcohol-free event. As there is no parking available on the Barracks, the preferred method of travel is via train to Gaythorne Station.

Don’t Be Alarmed When You See These ‘Women Who Yell’ at The Gap Park and Ride

Photo Credit: Women who yell / Facebook

Have you ever felt so stressed out that you just want to scream? Well, screaming may be good for you after all, like what these “women who yell” into the night at The Gap Park and Ride are proving to themselves.

Gillian Moore, a clinical psychologist, recently started a Facebook group “Women who yell” where she encourages women to come together at night, once a week to “shout, scream, yell, and sometimes laugh out tension and feel a sense of humanity and belonging.”

She got the inspiration from an article on a group of mums from Massachusetts who one night gathered at a football field for a primal scream event. These women took time out from their mum duties to yell, scream, cry and let go of all their pent-up emotions brought about by the pandemic.

The “Women who yell” group’s series of “yelling” events happens Wednesdays at The Gap Park and Ride. Each session involves thirty minutes of yelling repeated five times throughout the 15-minute psychologist-guided exercise.

First developed in the 1960s by Dr Arthur Janov, scream therapy or primal therapy was a tool used to release repressed childhood trauma and became a popular concept during the early 70s. Its popularity waned over the years though, primarily due to the lack of studies that prove its effectiveness.

Screaming, however, especially when done with a group, provides beneficial effects on our psychological well-being. Ms Moore said that scream therapy helps release tension and unexpressed emotions, and yelling in a group gives the individual a sense of connectedness and belonging, not to mention the soothing effect that the participant feels afterwards.

The group held its first “yelling” event last 13 July and judging from how well it was received by the community, their succeeding sessions may turn out just as successful.

Click here to check their upcoming events.

The Gap Property Market Breaches Million-Dollar Median Price

While median house price growth usually outpaces unit price growth in this suburb, both sectors performed well in The Gap property market within the 12-month period ending March 2022. In fact, amidst the pandemic-driven property boom, the robust performance has pushed The Gap into the millionaires club for the first time.

The Gap House Price Growth

With a 31.61 per cent median house price growth, The Gap joins other new million-mark suburbs like Virginia in the North and Eight Mile Plains in the South from April 2021 to March 2022.

Once considered an affordable location, The Gap’s new record makes the suburb out of reach for entry-level home buyers as the median house price reached $1,020,000.

Data from Property Market Updates shows that during this period, 284 homes were sold within an average listing period of 17 days, proving that The Gap property market is hot and highly sought after.

The Gap property market overview — Photo Credit: Property Market Updates

This 12-month period has seen the largest increase in Greater Brisbane, with more than 40 suburbs moving into the millionaire’s club. One factor driving up home values may be the increase of new modern homes in neighbouring areas that sparked a ripple effect.

Industry insiders also predict that the growth will continue in the next month as very low-interest rates have driven buyers to pay more for properties. The market will still be competitive with huge demands and incredibly tight stocks.

The Gap Unit Price Growth

The Gap’s unit market has also shown an outstanding median growth at 19.26 percent. The median price for the unit market currently sits at $727,500, up from $610,000 last year. There were 68 properties sold for this period within an average of 34 days on the market.

The Gap unit market — Photo Credit: Property Market Updates

Since the end of 2021, the price difference between houses and unit prices has been narrowing due in part to the loosening of restrictions. Despite the increase, industry experts say buyers may still be able to score relatively affordable, quality dwellings by doing good research.

The Gap Property Market Post-Flooding

Whilst the majority of The Gap is not a flood-prone area, creeks are running through the suburb that may tend to overflow and impact road access in and out of the suburb.

For a few weeks after the February 2022 floodings, the market noticeably dipped as buyer confidence had been shocked and shaken by the rain bombs in many parts of Brisbane.

However, the market quickly recovered by the end of March 2022 and with The Gap’s low supply and high demand, the projection is that price growth will continue in the months to come.