the gap Archives - The Gap Today

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

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

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

A Bigger, More Inclusive Playground Could Be on the Way for Wittonga Park

A draft concept plan for the playground and picnic area upgrade at Wittonga Park in The Gap is now open for community feedback, with residents invited to help shape the final design.

The upgrade focuses on the playground and picnic zone at the corner of Hilder Road and Alutha Road, a well-used section of the park where Fish Creek runs alongside the existing play equipment.

It is a targeted project rather than a full-park overhaul, and the draft plan reflects what residents asked for during an earlier round of engagement in November 2025: more equipment for different ages and abilities, and a picnic area that better supports the way families already use the space. Feedback closes on Sunday 7 June 2026.

There is one remaining chance to see the plan in person before the feedback window closes.

A closer look at the proposed upgrades

The concept plan for the Wittonga Park playground and picnic area upgrade proposes a broad mix of new equipment and infrastructure. The playground caters to a range of ages and abilities, with an accessible carousel and fish rocker alongside a hammock swing, basket swing, two double swing sets and a four-person rocker.

Nature play is also included, which suits the park’s existing character along the creek line. A large shelter with picnic seating and an annexe to the existing shelter would address a gap in the current setup, where shade and undercover seating during wet weather is limited.

An accessible connecting pathway, new seating in bench, platform and wall formats, a drinking fountain, bins and low native planting round out the proposal.

The plan responds to community feedback that the existing layout does not work equally well for everyone, introducing a connecting pathway and inclusive play equipment to improve access across the site.

A park that already draws The Gap’s families

Wittonga Park is one of The Gap’s largest and most diverse outdoor spaces, spanning playing fields, a cricket pitch and nets, a rebound wall, a BMX circuit, a scooter track built in 2022 and a separate dog off-leash area. The playground and picnic zone at the Alutha Road corner is the section that families with young children tend to anchor to, and it is this area that the upgrade targets.

The park sits alongside Fish Creek, which runs through the broader site and gives the playground its leafy, shaded character. The little bridge that crosses the creek to reach the play equipment has been a feature families notice. The draft plan works within that setting rather than against it, with low native planting reinforcing the established feel.

Toilets, a barbecue and accessible parking are already part of the site. The upgrade builds on what is working while addressing the gaps residents identified.

One kiosk session still to come

The Saturday morning kiosk on 23 May has already passed, but a second session runs at Wittonga Park on Tuesday 2 June from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. For anyone who wants to see the concept plan drawings in person and talk to the project team before submitting feedback, that session is the last chance.

The online feedback survey and the full draft concept plan PDF are available at here. Feedback closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 7 June 2026. For phone enquiries, the project team is available on 07 3178 5413 from 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Published 1-June-2026

Recycling Gets Easier in Keperra With New Solar-Powered Refund Machine

Container Exchange

South East Queensland’s first solar-powered Containers for Change Reverse Vending Machine has landed at the Great Western Super Centre in Keperra, and since launching in April it has already processed more than 88,000 containers, putting over $8,800 in 10-cent refunds directly back into the hands of locals.

The machine, built by Queensland green technology company Ecoboxtec and operated by Community Co Recycling, adds a genuinely new dimension to Keperra’s shopping precinct on Samford Road. Residents can now return their empty cans and bottles at the same time as their weekly grocery run, earning cash refunds or donating them directly to charity, all powered by Queensland sunshine rather than the grid.

For a suburb that sits within one of the city’s quieter northern corridors, the arrival of a machine that combines convenience with sustainability reflects a broader push to make recycling genuinely easy for communities that have historically had to go out of their way to participate.

A machine that pulls its weight from day one

The strong response in Keperra mirrors what has already happened elsewhere across South East Queensland. In Logan Central, a newly installed reverse vending machine matched eight months of bag drop collections in just nine days, highlighting how quickly people embrace recycling when it is easy and accessible.

Location is everything in this scheme, and the Great Western Super Centre placement works precisely because it integrates recycling into an errand people are already doing. Community Co Recycling Managing Director Doogan O’Hanlon said the convenient positioning had been central to the strong community response.

“The RVM is located close to the shopping centre, so claiming your 10-cent refund or donating it to charity is as easy as bringing your containers along with your weekly shop,” he said.

The machine itself is the CBOX 3 by Ecoboxtec, a large-format, three-chute asset that allows up to three customers to use it simultaneously, reducing wait times and making the experience fast enough to genuinely fit into a shopping trip rather than requiring a dedicated stop.

Eleven billion reasons Queensland gets it

The Keperra machine arrives at a moment when Queensland’s relationship with container recycling has reached genuine maturity. Queensland’s Containers for Change program surpassed the 11 billion return milestone late last year, marking $1.1 billion in 10-cent refunds returned to the community across the scheme’s seven-year history.

In FY25 alone, more than 4.8 million containers were collected by 681 Queensland schools, with $4.6 million donated to charities through the scheme.

Queensland introduced Containers for Change in November 2018 alongside a statewide plastic bag ban, and expanded the scheme in November 2023 to include wine and spirits bottles, broadening the range of containers eligible for the 10-cent refund and increasing participation accordingly.

COEX Executive General Manager Lauren Christian said the Keperra project showed how local innovation and sustainability could work in tandem. “By combining homegrown technology with on-the-ground expertise, we’re expanding the network in smarter, more sustainable ways and making recycling even more accessible for communities,” she said.

Turning bottles into something more

Beyond the cash refund, the machine gives locals the option to donate their 10-cent refunds directly to charities, turning a quick recycling stop into meaningful community support.

That dual function, personal financial return or charitable contribution, is one of the features that has consistently driven engagement across Containers for Change’s Queensland network.

The Keperra Reverse Vending Machine is open daily from 7am to 9pm at the Great Western Super Centre on Samford Road. To find other Containers for Change locations or to learn more, click here.

Published 18-May-2026

The Gap Retirement Facility Proposal Raises Questions Over Height, Access And Local Character

Photo Credit: DA/A007011234

A retirement facility proposed in The Gap would place 76 independent living apartments within part of Ashgrove Golf Course, bringing new attention to how older residents’ housing, road access and neighbourhood outlooks are balanced along Waterworks Road.

The Gap Site Draws Retirement Living Proposal

A new retirement facility has been proposed for 837–857 Waterworks Road in The Gap, with plans showing two apartment wings within the south-eastern section of Ashgrove Golf Course.

The proposal seeks approval for 76 independent living apartments, made up of 35 two-bedroom apartments and 41 three-bedroom apartments. The buildings would sit within a 7,145sqm lease area on the broader 40.6ha golf club site.

The project is designed by Cox Architecture and lodged by Aura Holdings, with Urbis listed as planning consultant. The application is impact assessable and remains in progress.

The building height is one of the clearest points of attention. The proposal reaches 10 storeys overall, although its Waterworks Road presentation is listed as seven storeys. The plans include a gross floor area of 11,615sqm, 3,955sqm of site cover, 1,349.33sqm of deep planting and 1,694.49sqm of communal space.

Ashgrove Golf Course — Photo Credit: DA/A007011234

Height And Views Form Early Concerns

The Gap proposal has already drawn at least one objection. A submission dated 10 May 2026 opposed the development on the basis of height, outlook, traffic and suitability for retirement living at the site.

The submission raised concern that nearby homes would look towards the proposed buildings instead of the mountains and golf course. It also questioned the scale of the buildings in the local area and raised concerns about additional traffic on Waterworks Road, which was described as already busy and slow in that section.

Walkability was also raised. The submission argued the site was too far from The Gap shops for retirement living residents and raised concern about scooters on footpaths and the risk of traffic incidents.

Those concerns remain part of the assessment material. The application has not been decided.

retirement facility — Photo Credit: DA/A007011234

Design Response Focuses On Setbacks And Planting

The design material presents the project as a landscape-led response to the golf course site. It says the buildings have been shaped around the slope of the land, with parking partly concealed beneath a landscaped podium and the taller form positioned further into the course setting.

A mature fig tree near the entry is used as a key feature in the design. The plans arrange arrival points, pedestrian paths and internal circulation around the tree, while also using planted areas, bridge links and setbacks to break up the building form.

The material identifies homes opposite the site on Waterworks Road and says the proposal has been considered against nearby residential outlooks. It lists an approximate 60-metre separation from residences, supported by landscaping and a break between the two wings.

Road-facing apartments would also include acoustic responses because of traffic noise along Waterworks Road. These include solid balustrades and glazing treatments, with façades designed to manage noise while retaining the broader architectural form.

Apartments Planned For Ageing In Place

The proposal is aimed at older residents seeking independent living accommodation in The Gap. Apartment layouts are planned with wide internal circulation, large balcony openings, level access thresholds and storage features intended to support residents over time.

Resident facilities would include a swimming pool, wellness area, consultant room, wine room, bar and billiards area, rooftop garden, rooftop dog wash and landscaped communal areas. Some communal spaces would look over the golf course and surrounding hills.

The development also proposes 105 parking spaces for residents, staff and visitors, including 82 resident spaces and 23 staff and visitor spaces. Twelve resident golf buggy spaces are also included.

Golf club parking would be replaced or supplemented through 40 spaces, made up of 33 replacement spaces, one accessible space and six new spaces. Vehicle access would use the existing golf club area, while servicing and loading are identified from Bennett Road.

The Gap retirement facility — Photo Credit: DA/A007011234

Assessment Continues For Waterworks Road Proposal

The application was submitted on 27 April 2026, recorded as properly made on 7 May 2026, and had a confirmation notice sent on 14 May 2026. Public notification dates have not yet been listed.

Application material has also been provided to Powerlink as part of the referral process.

The proposal is more than a new retirement facility. It is a test of how a large green site along Waterworks Road could accommodate older residents’ housing while still addressing height, traffic, views, landscape and the surrounding neighbourhood edge.

Published 15-May-2026

Enoggera Families Among Those Reached By Veteran Support Program

A Brisbane support program will offer Queenslanders living with disability new opportunities for connection, companionship and creative activities after the loss of a veteran parent.

The Seasons program, delivered by Legacy Brisbane with support from the Bupa Foundation, will provide a safe, stigma-free setting where participants can take part in social activities, art workshops and music workshops.

Support For Veteran Families Across Brisbane

The program is designed for Queenslanders living with disability who have lost a veteran parent. Its focus is on social connection, confidence and skill development through structured group activities.

For communities across Brisbane, including Enoggera, the program carries relevance for families linked to Defence service. Rather than focusing only on formal assistance, the Seasons program gives participants opportunities to form friendships, experience companionship and take part in a supported community setting.

Enoggera Defence community — *Photo Credit: Supplied*

Art, Music And Shared Activities

Art and music workshops will form part of the program, alongside broader social activities for people with disability within veteran families.

The activities are intended to encourage participation and connection, giving participants a way to build confidence while spending time with others in a supported environment.

The Bupa Foundation has supported Legacy Brisbane since 2024, funding programs that assist families of Australian veterans. Its backing of the 2026 Seasons program continues that support, with a specific focus on Queenslanders living with disability after the loss of a veteran parent.

Wider Care For Families After Service

Legacy Brisbane’s broader work includes long-term social, emotional and financial assistance for families of Australian veterans. The Seasons program adds to that work by focusing on people with disability within veteran families.

Bupa has linked the partnership to wider support for Australian Defence Force members, active reservists, veterans and their families. Since 2019, it has delivered health services for the Australian Defence Force and works across more than 50 on-base health services around Australia.

Through creative workshops and social activities, the Seasons program will give Queenslanders living with disability after veteran parent loss another pathway to connection, confidence and companionship.

Published 11-May-2026