Meet Holly (11 y/o) and Charli (13y/o). These young ladies are sisters from The Gap who are starting to make waves as budding eco-activists and have made enough impact to be recognised as finalists for Young Change Maker of the Year by Containers for Change.
In the last three years, Holly and Charli have been raising funds for the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by collecting bottles and cans to turn over to Containers for Change. The money they’ve raised has saved injured wildlife, giving them a second chance to live.
Since their initiative, the girls have collected over 40,000 and raised $15,000 — a very significant and valuable feat by any standard!
Photo Credit: Supplied
“We have loved wildlife since we were little and after a visit to Australia Zoo a few years ago and seeing the amazing work they do to help save wildlife we just needed to help,” the girls said. “We joined the Visionary Wildlife Warriors program 3 years ago and apart of that we started fundraising and doing things in our community to help the environment.”
“When the Containers for Change recycling program started it was perfect. We were able to collect containers, stop them from entering landfill and recycle them whilst also raising money for Australia Zoo at the same time.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
Carol Fairchild, who is also a community collector, is proud of the sisters.
“The girls are inspiring with the work they do for wildlife and it’s great to be able to support them in their fundraising,” she said.
Mum Jodie Garrity cannot believe how far her daughters have come, after starting out with just a plan to raise $1,000 when they were eight and 10 years old.
“Their dedication at such a young age blows us away.”
Wanting to whip up something new in the kitchen? Neighbourhood Watch The Gap will be hosting “Cook With our Community.” It’s FREE, safe, and accessible to everyone!
Set for 23 October 2021 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., this cooking event will be hosted in-person and online for a limited number of participants who will learn how to make iced sugar cookies they can prepare for selling or giving away as gifts in time for the holidays for friends or family.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Residents who sign up will receive:
the recipe (standard, gluten gree, vegan/non-dairy option)
12 food grade cookie packaging
sticker sheet for the labels
NHW The Gap Mailbox Sticker, key ring, and lanyard
Neighbourhood Watch The Gap organised “Cook With our Community” to connect with each other in this time of restrictions and lockdowns. Children may sign up for the event, provided they are guided and accompanied by an adult.
“By connecting with our Neighbours we create a safer place to live and work within our suburb,” the organisers said.
“We are utilising our Get Online Week grant provided by The Good Things Foundation, as well as funding from our great supporters to run this event.
“We wanted to create a simple, Covid resistant and accessible event, to spread kindness and to create connection within our 4061 community. Our supporters are Brisbane Inner West Realty, State Member for Cooper Jonty Bush as well as our local Boomerang Bags, The Gap and Surrounds.”
Buyers looking for more spacious houses in family-friendly surrounds in the wake of a Covid-induced rise in home-based activities are looking at suburbs like The Gap, where properties are on bigger blocks, surrounded by nature, yet still accessible to lifestyle amenities, transport, and good schools.
The Gap is doing consistently well in the property market, posting an 11.23 percent rise in median house price from July 2020 to June 2021. At $812,500, The Gap is still more affordable than suburbs like nearby Ashgrove where the median house price for the same period is currently $1.2 million, per data from Property Market Updates.
Despite the lockdowns in the region, sales activity was busy with 293 houses sold during the 12-month period. Inventory turnover was brisk, with houses spending an average of 29 days on market, suggesting strong and consistent buyer demand.
A 6.48-hectare estate on Dillon Road delivered the best deal for this period, selling at $2,700,000 million. The six-bedroom house, surrounded by orchards of mangoes, avocado, and macadamia trees, was on a hilltop that offered a stunning view of The Gap. The property is next to an active creek that flows like a waterfall during rainy weather.
Unit Price Growth
Whilst the housing sector has typically done better in Brisbane, the unit sector in The Gap also saw a presentable 5.39 percent rise during the same period, with the median price settling just shy of $700,000 at $699,500.
A total of 60 apartments were sold as of the end of June 2020, mostly to downsizers, young buyers, and owner-occupiers.
The Gap might not be the cafe mecca or retail hub that some nearby suburbs are but buyers seem to be drawn to its family-oriented location, and its proximity to national parks and nature reserves, whilst still remaining accessible to the city.
Situated in the middle of Mount Glorious, Mount Nebo, Mount Coot-tha, and Taylor’s Range, The Gap offers a fantastic outdoor lifestyle with lots of stunning green spaces for the family to explore.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Generations tend to remain and expand their families in The Gap, given its abundance of options for school, such as The Gap State School or the St Peter Chanel Catholic School. Residents prefer its simple and laidback vibe. The Gap Village also offers a decent suburban shopping experience.
Majority of residents in The Gap are owner-occupiers whilst the demographic is nearly equal between families with kids and fully-employed single people.
“I’ve lived in The Gap since 1983 in two locations, it is a lovely green and leafy suburb situated against state forest land. This is the ideal place for people with a bit more disposable income who like the traditional quiet suburbia setting. If you like that sort of thing you’ll never leave.”
Ollygt, Homely
“So I moved to The Gap at the start of the year after looking at everywhere north to north west of the city. The gap offers extra space whilst also having a rural and village feel to it. It’s surrounded by walking trails and wildlife. I’m planning to have a family and could not think of anywhere better to raise my kids.”
HenryL14, Homely
“This is the second time I have lived here, in a rental. We are at the Mt Nebo end of The Gap with the leafy reserve across the road. Bush tracks galore, bike path, Mt Coot-tha, Yoorala St Community Garden, the dog off-leash park, heaps of dog walkers who pick up after their dogs and committed conservationists who volunteer their time to keep the bush surrounds shipshape.”
Silent Pool Gin, which launched in 2014 at the Albury Estate in Surrey Hills U.K., has launched in Australia and will be available in The Gap. These handcrafted artisan spirits are made with 24 natural botanicals, multi-layered and bursting with complex flavours.
Using a unique and innovative four-stage distillation process under strict quality control, Silent Pool Gin’s core botanicals consist of juniper, coriander and cardamom, which are steeped and macerated in alcohol for maximum flavour extraction, drawing a deep and rich flavour profile that lingers on the palate.
After the distillation, the bespoke Gin Tea infusion process follows. More delicate floral ingredients, such as chamomile, rose and elderflower, are added and steeped separately in high proof spirits in a giant teabag. Twenty-four hours later, the teabag is strained and separated from the unwanted plant materials and then added to the still. This additional mixture lends a combination of bright floral notes and mid-palate complexity.
To draw out the brighter top notes of citrus and the Macedonian juniper, the distillation undergoes a basket infusion and is then completed and refined using a rectifying column that balances the aroma and taste of the final product.
Founded by Ian McCulloch and James Shelbourne, Silent Pool Gin was inspired by an atmospheric location shrouded in myth and folklore. Legend has it that in the early 1200s, a Woodcutter’s daughter was discovered floating in the Silent Pool, alongside the crest of Prince John – the future King of England. If you look closely at the pattern on your Silent Pool Gin bottle, you will spot the Woodcutter’s Daughter, Prince John and a crown representing his royal crest.
In creating the gin, McCulloch and Shelbourne wanted to perfectly encapsulate the romantic essence of Silent Pool and experimented with different flavour combinations over the years.
The result is an award-winning gin that is beautifully complex and refreshingly distinctive. Silent Pool Gin is best served as a G&T over ice, with premium Indian tonic water and a garnish of orange peel.
“We are excited about the potential for Silent Pool within the Australian market, with consumers already looking to add new and interesting brands to their repertoire, we are confident that we can provide a unique offering when people choose to trade up,” Adam Dobson, Global Sales Director of Silent Pool Gin, said.
In The Gap, Silent Pool Gin will be available at Dan Murphy’s on 21 Glenquarie Place and BWS Gap Market at Shop 2/974 on Waterworks Road.
“Our exclusive off-trade launch with Dan Murphy’s and BWS will allow shoppers to get their hands on the brand wherever they live in the country which will give us a fast start in the market, coupled with having a brilliant distribution partner in Proof Drinks Australia who will be driving on-trade distribution and delivering engaging liquid initiatives for consumers.”
Variety’s Children Charity recently had a launch party in The Gap for a new activity that will surely excite many families. Held at the Ashgrove Golf Club, the launch saw a successful turnout of supporters who have been eager to learn about the new event.
The simple launch party last 21 July 2021 featured supporters from Little Gnome Mobile, Variety Bash Car 666 – Girls of Gotham, Aussie Rock, Tonka 2008 Bash Car and Changing One Kids Life at a Time. Families also spoke and shared how much their lives have been enriched by participating in Variety events.
Soon, Variety families will have more to talk about when they join the inaugural Variety Dash for Kids. The new event will be an opportunity for the children to create unforgettable experiences in the Australian outback with their family and friends.
Variety Dash for Kids combines elements of the legendary Variety Bash and Variety 4WD Adventure. Set for 8 to 13 November 2021, the event will kick off in Gladstone — with stops at Blackwater, Alpha, Carnarvon Gorge, and the Rockybar Station — and end in Hervey Bay.
Much like the popular Variety Bash, which has been running for more than three decades, the Variety Dash for Kids is open to all vehicles and models, especially off-road camper trailers.
“Whether you’ve got a combi, an off-road camper trailer, or family car (and as long as you’re happy to take the vehicle on dirt and the roads less travelled), we’d love to have you on board! “
“Radio communications, mechanical assistance, on-event medics and a scout to check the tracks are all there to ensure that you’re safe.”
Registration for Variety Dash for Kids is now open. Visit the official site to learn more about how you can join or donate to the event.
The woman is now enjoying the boost in her retirement fund after officials from The Lott confirmed that the money is now in her bank account.
The retiree said she went to newsXpress to purchase a $4 Cool Bananas Bingo ticket and was “just scratching away, as I usually do.” She could not believe her lucky stars when she saw $50,000 from her scratched ticket.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
The winner has not yet decided on what she’ll do with her newly acquired wealth so, for now, she will let it sit in the bank.
“[It’s] for a rainy day and to enjoy throughout my retirement,” she said.
According to The Lott, Instant Scratch-Its has had 177 winners in 2020, collectively winning $16 million in top prizes. However, players of the easy game have won more than 32.3 million across the prize tiers.
The Instant Scratch-Its is unlike any other game because the players do not have to wait for a draw. There are seven million Instant Scratch-Its distributed across the country every year with tickets priced for $1 to $20.
The Lott stated that the odds of winning any prize on Instant Scratch-Its ticket are generally 1-in-4. Prizes less than $1,500 can be claimed at any authorised retail outlet.
Planning next week’s meals for your family? How about Pizza Night Wednesday? You won’t likely say no to this very important cause which will run in The Gap, as well as 20 other pizza outlets.
On Wednesday, 30 June 2021, Domino’s in The Gap will donate $1 for every pizza sold to raise funds for Remi, a 10-year-old boy from Newmarket who recently lost his father, Kerry Rooney. The initiative was cooked up by Lachlan Muirhead, the assistant manager at Domino’s Newmarket, who enlisted the other outlets to commit to the donations.
Remi lost his father on 16 June 2021 following an ambush attack at Kerry’s home in Newmarket. His attacker was his ex-wife, Bonita Vivien Coue, who has been charged with the murder and has made her appearance at the Brisbane Magistrates Court. The ex-couple has been estranged since their split in 2013.
Photo Credit: John Hoffman/GoFundMe
According to police reports, Kerry was attacked as he was about to enter his unit, where his ex-wife had been waiting outside. He came home after his son’s soccer training.
Some of the neighbours tried to intervene as Kerry yelled for help but Bonita managed to slit his throat. The police said that Bonita had been stalking Kerry for two weeks before this incident.
Remi’s soccer group said that Kerry’s world was his son. The Newmarket Soccer Football Club has also established a fundraiser for the boy for the game on 26 June 2021.
Aside from The Gap and Newmarket, funds are expected to also pour from the Domino’s outlets in these locations:
Arana Hills Aspley Ferny Grove Fortitude Valley Gaythorne Greenslopes
Hamilton Holland Park Kelvin Grove New Farm Paddington Queen St.
Samford Sandgate Spring Hill St. Lucia Taringa Toowong West End
However, for those willing to shell out more than the cost of a pizza dinner, friends of Kerry have set up a donation drive via GoFund Me as well. As of press time, the fundraiser has received more than $50,000 from generous members of the Brisbane community.
“Remi is just 10 years of age and needless to say has much ahead of him to recover and flourish. Your help will support this endeavour and be an important tribute to the memory of Kerry,” John Hoffman, Kerry’s lifelong friend who initiated the GoFundMe page, wrote.
Payne Road State School in The Gap is celebrating its 50th year anniversary with a twist! Amidst the unexpected pandemic lockdowns and downturns which have triggered numerous event cancellations, the school community decided to move its half-a-century celebration by a full year.
Though the foundation of Payne Road State School was in 1970, its students, teachers and staff, as well as the parents, are holding the school fair on 20 June 2021 with heaps of rides and attractions for the kids, and live entertainment for the adults.
The students will be able to have fun at the giant slide, jumping castles, laser-tag, teacup ride, rock climbing wall, pony rides, animal farm, and selfie booth. Food and beverage trucks have been invited as well, including a top-quality bar for the adults.
Photo Credit: Supplied
“This fair isn’t just for the school; it’s for the entire community to get out and enjoy all the classic fair favourites that will be on offer,” said Lotus Phoenix, the event’s organiser. “There will also be 20 market stalls featuring arts and crafts from around the community, including resin and beading jewellery, upcycled and fair trade clothing, handmade ceramics, pamper products, bags, a large selection of plants, and more.”
The school fair will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. whilst the beer garden will be open until sundown.
Payne Road State School was originally called The Gap South State School and opened on 26 Jan 1970 with 82 pupils for Year 1 to Year 7. Principal Clive Cook petitioned to change the school’s name for its location, which was derived from Henry Howard Payne, an early pioneer of The Gap.
During its inaugural year in November, Mr Clive and the school community held a grand opening celebration with Queensland dignitaries as guests, including the Honoubrable Max Hodges, MLA, then the Minister for Works and Housing. One of the highlights of the celebration was a coordinated Tinikling dance where the girls skillfully maneuvered their steps between large bamboo poles.
Photo Credit: Payne Road P & C/Facebook
Between 1970 to 1977, additional facilities were added to the school, such as the tennis court the play areas, and more building blocks to accommodate the increasing number of students.
It’s not every day that you hear an incredible story of a snake catcher using a hairdryer to capture a three-metre python but that’s what happened to Steve Brown, who was called in to help with a snake trapped inside a home in The Gap.
Mr Brown, from Brisbane North Snake Catchers and Relocation, said that the family who needed him heard some strange noises in their kitchen’s ceiling whilst they were watching television one night. The homeowners checked up on the noise and were surprised to find the snake wedged in between the beams on the ceiling.
The snake catcher said that it took him “a lot of patience” to capture the python which was about three metres long and eight kilograms in weight. It also had at least a hundred teeth.
Mr Brown, however, needed a hairdryer to coax the giant snake to wiggle its way out because the grooming appliance helps to heat up the area.
“After about an hour of poking and prodding I managed to quickly squeeze my hand In the space and grab hold of him which I just waited for him to relax and come out on his own accord,” Mr Brown wrote on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Brisbane North Snake Catchers and Relocation/Facebook
The snake handler said that the coastal carpet python is non-venomous and non-aggressive. However, when threatened, the snake could still cause some serious injuries because of its teeth.
Coastal carpet pythons are common in Greater Brisbane and they usually feed off rats or mice. These reptiles are not known to attack humans.
Mr Brown said that homeowners must ensure that their houses have no open windows, doors or gaps to prevent from snakes coming in. When the weather is colder, snakes look for a warm place to rest so they enter people’s homes if there’s a way in.
The snake has been released in the bushlands, away from the residential areas.
Feeling hungry and thirsty? The Blind Tiger at Waterworks Rd has it all! With taps offering over 20 kinds of beer and a huge selection of share-meals, this bar-restaurant provides The Gap a place to kick back and unwind over a pint or two.
The Blind Tiger offers a variety on the menu with meals such as seafood laksa, thai beef salad, share-friendly bao buns, chicken karaage, and numerous other East Asian and Southeast Asian dishes. Their bao buns in particular are popular due to the number of flavours available, allowing customers to choose from pork belly, Peking duck, karaage chicken, or shiitake coupled with a drink for the price of $19.90.
Despite its selection of food, the main attraction at this Brisbane bar is its drink list, offering numerous choice beers on tap as well as a variety of hard liquor such as gin and cocktails. In total, over 20 kinds of beer are available at the venue, with nine on the official tap list including brews like ‘Black As Your Heart’ from the award-winning Aether Brewing.
Photo credit: Instagram/The Blind Tiger
“Impressive” and “delicious” are just some of the descriptions satisfied customers have to say about the food. However, customers generally say the bar’s drink list is its strongest point and the food is just an added bonus.
Photo credit: Zomato
The Blind Tiger bar can be found at Shop 34, 1000 Waterworks Rd, The Gap, open Monday to Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to late. For more information, visit their website here. To keep up to date with the latest drinks, deals, dates, and other special announcements, follow their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
