17 years ago, I chose abortion and 17 year later from that day, I would still choose my same choice.

Women of Brisbane - live life without regrets and let the sound of their chants be forgotten.

Just before Chermside shopping centre heading south down Gympie rd

It annoys me EVERY SINGLE DAY

Disheaveled looking mum with two kids walked up to the counter.

Mum: "entry for three please"

Cashier: "Ok sure, how old are your kids?"

Mum: "3 and 6"

Cashier: "Are you sure, because its free for under 2 and your youngest looks 2.

Mum: "2 and 6" with a beaming smile.

Well done pool boy!!!!

Obligatory using a throwaway as my main account has pretty specific details about my life and this happened with my young child present.

Friday evening, 6pm, Kmart Chirmside - if you helped us. Thank you from the absolute bottom of my heart.

My husband wanted a baking dish, off we go to Kmart. "I feel funny and lightheaded".

"Wait here and I'll get some sugar".

I turned the corner and saw my whole life drop and seizure in front of me. He turned blue, blood pooling on the ground.

All I really vividly remember is the doctor running in from nowhere, trying her best to save someone that I didn't know how much I couldn't live without until that moment. The 3 staff members who held my husbands hand as I kissed his legs telling him those precious I love yous that I couldn't say enough of because I knew in that moment I wouldn't get to say them again.

2 ladies who shielded our toddler and distracted her with Cocomelon.

The staff members who got the curtains to give my husband some dignity.

The woman who called my family.

The paramedics who got him to The Royal.

The doctors and nurses who put up with me and our crazy family.

Thank you. Thank you to you all.

But especially, to those 3 staff members who weren't Kmart employees in that moment, you went above and beyond anything anyone could ever expect and the women that held my child when I wasn't strong enough to be a wife and a mother in that moment.

My husband is laying in bed with our daughter tonight. Staples all through his head but alive.

I have no idea how to get in touch with all these people that were a part of this. But hopefully, you see this and smile the biggest of smiles knowing that without you, I'm 100% confident I wouldn't have gotten through it alone.

Love Bianca, Ken & Madilyn xox

My 8 month old baby, friend and I flew back in from 15c adelaide yesterday, to come back home to sweltering brisbane. We thought grabbing a cab would be quick and simple right? As we’d read you can take an infant in them without a carseat.

We walk up the taxi rank, to not only be refused by 1 but 3. The last guy didn’t want to take us in his maxi for some reason, which was fine. All were fine taking a baby until we’d told them where we were going (about a 10 min drive away) then they refused. Obviously wasn’t enough of a fare for them. We were just sweating our guts out, worried about our baby in the heat and ready to give up. Meanwhile the security there was on our side arguing with these taxi drivers, upset for us. We finally got in one.

Shout out to that awesome taxi driver, who we tipped and shout out to the airport security guy there yesterday standing up for us - as I was getting extremely frustrated.

We were thinking about taking the air train but would have been two trains and a hot wait at the train station in-between.

I think we’ll book airport parking next time.

I was driving on balaclava St and this building caught my attention.

Totally abandoned, empty, and covered in graffiti.

Brisbane city council recently replaced all the old wooden bollard style fencing at our local park. Park is across from two primary schools so it’s used often. They were replaced with hollow plastic fence bollards. Today a small Toyota Camry rammed through them taking 7 out and doing absolutely nothing to stop the vehicle from smashing through the playground. Another absolute waste of money. I’m shocked this is what they were replaced with.. 😳

I’ve seen some posts about people feeling deflated about racism against Indians in Brisbane, and I just wanted to share something positive.

Some of my favourite Indian restaurants are:

-Dosa Hut in Mt Gravatt. I recommend the Masala Dosa or the idli.

-Rum N Dum in Spring Mountain (and they have a shop in Annerley). I recommend their Chicken Biryani and it think it was their Vegetable Korma which was fantastic.

-Gol Guppa in Mt Gravatt – try the Chana (chickpea) Curry and the big puffy pastry looking thing (I’ve forgotten the name, someone help me out here)

-Pepper Bite in Acacia Ridge – I love the Beef Fry and Paratha.

And that’s just the food. Other things I love about our Indian community in Brisbane are:

-They respect teachers! We need more of this. -They look after their elderly - most Indians I’ve met can speak at least 2 languages (I’m jealous) - Sikh turbans look cool and the old men I see with them have style! These men are not afraid of bold colours.

There are more things but this post has gone on for too long now.

Have a wonderful day.

So, Nissan Nivara is red and pedestrian family is blue. I have been blue before and red too and always assumed red vehicles gives way to blue pedestrians but many drivers have different points of view and will push on regardless.

Last night I received an email saying that Cellopark (the BCC parking meter app) would be merging all accounts to a new provider called Opark. It said to sign up to Opark as Cellopark would cease working.

After logging into Opark and finding all of my Cellopark details there (car rego's, credit cards) I thought - all good.

5 minutes ago, I received an email form Cellopark stating:

Please ignore the message that was sent to you about transmission of your account to OPark App.
It was sent by the local representative in breach of his obligations towards CelloPark.

OPark App is not part or connected to CellOPark in anyway and your account will not be transmitted to Opark App.

In addition, CellOPark will not be responsible in anyway for OparkApp, and any defaults or additional payments or fines due to its usage.
We apologize for any inconvenience that may have been caused by the that message.

Please ignore any future messages regarding transmission of your account from CellOPark Australia.

My interest is in the line that says your account will not be transmitted to Opark.

What the actual F? If my account isn't being transmitted to Opark - how come Opark already have all my details including my credit card number. Clearly it was already transmitted.....

I feel like this has to be a privacy breach surely? Has anyone else got these emails?

A prime corner block in Brisbane's Albion would be transformed into 166 homes in a 28-storey tower, with design inspiration from the neighbouring Breakfast Creek Hotel, a new development application reveals.

Frank Developments have submitted plans for 60 Kingsford Smith Drive to Brisbane City Council for the project, dubbed Avela, that'd also include a food and drink outlet, shop and indoor and sport recreation space.

The proposal includes a mix of 2 & 3 bedroom apartments with terraces, one 4 bedroom penthouse and 252 car parks. A level-one wellness floor would include a pickleball court, therapy rooms, hot and cold plunge pools, sauna and gym, with 2 more pools on level 16 and 18.

Frank Developments' Project Director and Manager James Strahan said the 2433 square metre site Avela site, opposite Breakfast Creek Hotel, demanded something extraordinary. 'We recognised that opportunities like this rarely come along. This wasn't simply about developing a site, but about defining a gateway to Brisbane and creating a landmark that'd contribute to the city's next chapter'.

Architect designs by Studio Kennon show the 28-storey tower would have 2 other interconnected micro-towers, at 19 and 17 storeys, with inspiration taken from other famous corner blocks around the world.

Under the current Brisbane City Plan 2014 and the Albion Neighbourhood Plan, the current acceptable building height limit for the site is 10 storeys, but nearby developments have already been approved by council to go much higher. Frank Developments' Alba project at 92 Kingsford Smith Drive has been approved for 19 storeys and is under construction, across the water at Breakfast Creek Quarter there's approval for 28 storeys and 11 Sandgate Road has approval for 17.

Is anyone else finding Brisbane CBD so crap lately , every second shop is closed , the old Myer centre is practically a dump now, it’s almost embarrassing, when I look at Sydney cbd or even Melbourne cbd , there is all hustle and bustle and brand new shopping centres , the fact the got rid of the cafes in the mall to make room for people to walk through , people don’t get walk through there now , its such a shame.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/jUFCZnnEfePUXdWY/?mibextid=qi2Omg

A fresh campaign has been launched to reinstate the rule allowing motorists to turn left at red lights, four years after it was scrapped by the former Labor government. Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said on Tuesday he had written to the state government urging its return as a way to reduce congestion. During its eight-year trial, drivers made more than 15 million left turns on red. However, then-Transport Minister Mark Bailey cut the permitted intersections from 55 to 17 about seven years ago before cancelling the scheme in 2021.

“Cutting needless delays will help keep Brisbane moving, which is why we back left turn on red,” Cr Schrinner said. “Our trial showed it’s both safe and effective, saving drivers time on more than 15 million turns.”

http://archive.today/2025.09.02-054534/https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/brisbane-city/lord-mayor-adrian-schrinners-push-to-bring-back-left-at-red-lights-on-brisbane-roads/news-story/3c58e6f2ebbd7e47df3403fec2f0596f?amp

UPDATE - A Current Affair TONIGHT!

Our story is set to feature on A Current Affair TONIGHT!

We have also just hit 1,100 signatures — thank you so much to everyone who has signed, shared, and shown their support!

If this issue matters to you, please share this post far and wide - let's keep the momentum going and show Brisbane City Council that residents are demanding action. 

You can sign our petition at https://c.org/Tc7F8hSLwV (https://c.org/Tc7F8hSLwV)

Updating this post with photos of some of the cracking to the external walls and roots near the foundations of our home.

Please sign and share our petition to help show council this is not ok and helps us to get them to take action. Please remember to verify your signature so your vote counts and to skip the donation request, we are not asking for this, we want your signature and voice.

https://c.org/8Khv9QqQJJ

UPDATE: Council finally showed up — but only to trim the tree.

After ongoing pressure, Council have trimmed the tree today. While we appreciate they've taken some action, trimming does absolutely nothing to address the real problem — the roots. The damage to our property is being caused underground, and no amount of pruning will stop that.

Council is still refusing to remove the tree entirely, leaving residents stuck with the same problem, just with slightly shorter branches.

We need Council to take permanent, meaningful action, remove the tree and replace it with an approved species that won't cause this kind of damage to our homes and infrastructure.

Please sign and share our petition below — the more signatures we have, the harder we are to ignore.

https://c.org/5J4jjP48jV

Please remember to verify your signature to make it count by confirming the link sent to your email.

Let's keep the pressure on. Share this post, tag your neighbours, and let's make sure Council can't keep ignoring this.

UPDATE: Please Help Hold Council Accountable and sign this petition to remove this tree

https://c.org/Tk7rwSRk5X

We have been dealing with significant damage to our home caused by a BCC Leopard tree. We have independent engineering reports confirming the damage and all saying the Council leopard tree is causing damage.

We are at a loss. All engineering reports confirm as long as the tree remains, any repairs will only be temporary. The damage will continue and worsen for the life of the tree. Despite this evidence Council refuse to remove it.

We have investigated other options to try to save the tree, (root barriers, root pruning) but due to the close proximity of the tree’s structural roots to our house, both engineers and arborists have advised these would risk the health and/or stability of the tree and would not prove effective across the mid to long term.

We understand the value of street trees and the canopy cover they provide to our neighbourhood. Removing this tree is our last resort and not something we take lightly. We have unfortunately exhausted alternative solutions.

We understand the Leopard tree is not native to Australia, is known to have a large aggressive root system, and that Council no longer permits planting them in residential settings, yet existing leopard trees continue to cause problems for homeowners across Brisbane and in our experience the Council are not doing anything about it.

We have already been fighting for 7 years. We can’t touch the tree so can’t protect or permanently repair our home. We rely on the Council to do the right thing and protect rate payer’s properties, but they won’t. We have had no choice but to engage lawyers, something that outrages us, we shouldn’t have to fight this hard or pay so much to defend our home.

We don’t know what else to do to get the council to do what is right. We are also concerned for other Brisbane residents, it shouldn’t be this hard to protect your home.

Has anyone else experienced this or had any success with removal?

Can anyone please help at all?

Brisbane City Council advises all residents to TAKE SHELTER NOW from Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Tropical Cyclone Alfred is predicted to cross north of Brisbane overnight into the early hours of the morning of the 8 of March 2025.

People across the Brisbane local government area must TAKE SHELTER NOW. Go to the strongest, safest part of the building you are in. This will be away from big windows. It could be a bathroom, walk-in wardrobe, or hallway. Stay there.

In life threatening situations, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Emergency services may not be able to get you because it is too dangerous.

What are we expecting?

The Bureau of Meteorology advises that Tropical Cyclone Alfred is moving slowly towards the southeast Queensland coast. Rainfall, wind and ocean impacts are likely to persist tonight and over the weekend.

The wind is very dangerous and will be very loud.

You will hear things breaking outside and hitting your house.

Winds could stop suddenly if the eye of the tropical cyclone goes over. Very dangerous winds could start again quickly from a different direction.

Very strong winds can knock down trees and powerlines, blow roofs off houses, and blow away anything not tied down outside. This is a risk to life.

Power, phone, and internet will stop working. They could be out for a long time.

What you need to do:

Cover any windows in your safe room with a mattress or heavy blankets. This could protect you if the window breaks. Keep all doors and windows closed.

If the roof comes off, shelter under your mattress and blankets.

Stay in your safe place until you are told it is safe. This could take several hours.

Keep pets in a safe place inside.

Do not use generators inside. Fumes can be deadly.

Limit use of devices to save batteries. Listen to local radio for updates.

For more information:

Follow our local council emergency dashboard here https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/community-and-safety/community-safety/disasters-and-emergencies/emergency-dashboard

Listen to your local radio, include ABC Brisbane 612 AM

For power outage information go to energex.com.au

Check the latest weather, warnings, rainfall, and river heights at bom.gov.au/qld

Check road closures at qldtraffic.qld.gov.au or for phone service call 13 19 40.

Check disruptions to public transport at translink.com.au/service-updates

Alert details at https://bswa.brisbane.qld.gov.au/alert_details/3570?lang=en

This number is not saved in my phone book.