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Inner Brisbane events
Posted by admin on 17 January 2012
Posted by admin on 6 June 2011
Another happy, bubbling crowd at the annual West End State School Fiesta yesterday. It’s a real treat for the senses – the smells of dozens of different international foods, the live bands, the excited chatter of the kids, the WWWWOOOOOSH of the rides flinging their passengers through the air. Congrats go to all the parents, staff and students who put in so much effort. Organising Fiesta takes a mountain of volunteer hours and gives the broader community a chance to support the school.
This year Bees Nees very own company chairman Boris called in to say hi and hand out some balloons. Can’t keep that bee away from a good party!
- P&C Chair Marilyn Trad, Boris Bee and Sophie Honeycombe
Posted by admin on 19 January 2011
We’re regularly updating this blog as new flood info comes to hand. Click through to read more.
Posted by admin on 19 January 2011
You have to keep your sense of humour! Photo by Brad Marsellos
Many out of town clients have been asking for resources to get a better understanding of what Brisbane suburbs actually flooded. Here’s some handy links:
Aerial photography of Brisbane floods – use the box in the top left to choose the street and suburb you’re interested in, just be careful to choose January 13th as the date you need. Not all parts of Brisbane were shot on that date, and of course the pics aren’t necessarily the exact moment of maximum inundation for all properties. But a great site to bookmark for the future.
Also try this ABC News page for interactive before and afters.
If you’re on Facebook this collection has over 1,800 reader contributed photos, many of them an amazing record that could only be captured by the people in and amongst the flooding.
One of the better YouTube compilation videos of the Brisbane flooding.
And go to Flickr for one of the biggest collections of photos, with many showing flooded Brisbane homes.
Brisbane City Council has been excellent at keeping residents informed through the crisis.
Please make a contribution to the Premier’s Flood Appeal, however small, to assist the victims. And if you’re a business owner wanting to do your bit please go to www.flooddiscounts.com.au , a great way tooffer something to residents who are going through tough times.
Read more of our posts on the 2011 Brisbane floods.
Posted by Rob Honeycombe on 18 January 2011
photo from Brisbane Area Flood Photos & Info on Facebook
Brisbane is picking itself up from possibly our worst natural disaster. Lives were lost and damage is significant. Two of the Bees Nees team suffered flooded homes this past week so we won’t be understating what’s been a major event for Brisbane.
With the media’s frenzy of interest over the past 2 days we do think some common sense is getting lost in an increasingly emotional debate about home prices. There’s no doubt homes that were completely flooded will see a drop in value. We’ve talked to some old heads in our industry, including two who worked in the aftermath of 1974’s floods, and they offered an informed opinion on how much that might be. We also spoke to the head of a national property valuation firm and interestingly he offered the same number – “up to 20 or 25%”.
This is a big potential reduction and all agree luxury riverfront homes will be worst hit. Cheaper properties might not drop as much, and buying a home that flooded in 2011 might soon be comparable to living on a main road or a railway line: you put up with it to have a better home for the same price.
The scaremongering talk in the media of 50% plus drops is just not based in fact, and irrational fear can follow. Will some flooded home owners panic-sell? Maybe. Will bargain hunters be waiting? Of course. But for most owners of flooded homes we’d expect they will clean up, move back, and accept that their property’s value will not be the same. Based on the 1974 experience there won’t be half-price-homes nor a large number on the market.
Partial flooding might only have a relatively small impact on prices. Houses that had water in their yards only, apartments that stayed dry but with basements that flooded – what will buyers make of these? It’s too early to really know, but early signs are that the appeal of inner city living is still stronger than ever and many buyers will accept some risk to be a part of this.
In 1974 no-one knew what flooded and painted lines on the streets recorded the high water marks. Today there’s a huge number of aerial photography sites and Flickr, YouTube and Facebook pages that have catalogued the damage. Home buyers might actually start using Council’s flood mapping info, launched after our last major flood event in May 2009. (Interestingly we had a third of our average annual rainfall on that one day, a reported 15% of homes were affected and 20 months later it’s already been forgotten by many of us…)
Will “dry” properties experience a boom? Based on the minimal true effect on our housing stock our ‘old heads’ just don’t see enough reason for a price spike. We are in for a surge of spending on renovations and some commentators believe this will give the local economy a huge shot in the arm. Market analyst Michael Matusik believes there could be a silver lining with the flood aftermath and renewed civic pride a “key ingredient to restore long term confidence.”
A lot of Brisbanites are suffering right now and it’s definitely not business as usual for inner-Brisbane real estate. But when the flood effect on home prices is debated at your next weekend barbecue we’d encourage you to see through the hype and consider why homes in these areas have always been so sought-after by home buyers. How much of that has changed?
We’d love to hear your opinions.
Posted by admin on 14 January 2011
here’s a copy of a message from the Lord Mayor received overnight. Some very handy info:
An important message from Campbell – January 13
Make no mistake, Brisbane is experiencing its greatest natural crisis in over a hundred years. Unlike the flood in 1974, the existence of the Wivenhoe Dam has helped absorb the vast majority of the floodwaters. If not for Wivenhoe we would have faced flooding the likes of which we cannot comprehend.
As I write this the flood is peaking at around 4.2 meters. At 4am this morning, the peak measured 4.46 metres. Although it was less than the 1974 flood, almost 12,000 residential properties and 2,500 commercial properties were flooded. The damage bill is enormous and tomorrow Brisbane will begin the massive clean-up operation and we need your support.
The Brisbane suburbs worst impacted by the flooding include: Brisbane City, St Lucia, West End, Rocklea, Graceville, Chelmer, Oxley, Fairfield, Toowong, South Brisbane, New Farm, Yeronga, Milton, Sherwood, Jindalee, Tennyson, Auchenflower, Sinnamon Park, Archerfield, Windsor, Taringa, Westlake, Fig Tree Pocket, Indooroopilly, Newstead, Sumner, Bulimba, Corinda, Coopers Plains, Albion, Norman Park, Paddington, Kenmore, East Brisbane, Coorparoo, Bellbowrie, Yeerongpilly, Riverhills, Woolloongabba, Seventeen Mile Rocks, Hawthorne, Darra, Moorooka, Bowen Hills, Pinkenba, Middle Park, Balmoral, Kangaroo Point, Mount Ommaney, Hamilton, Acacia Ridge, Highgate Hill, Willawong, Anstead, Jamboree Heights, Fortitude Valley, Salisbury, Hemmant, Greenslopes, Wacol, Chapel Hill, Herston, Brookfield, Pinjarra Hills, Karana Downs, Durack and Pullenvale.
Today I announced a detailed plan to tackle the massive clean-up operation. Brisbane will be divided into five areas with the initial priority on opening major roads and cleaning up debris left by retreating floodwaters. That way we can ensure safe access to your property.
There is still a considerable amount of water coming down the Brisbane River so beware. The first properties that flooded are likely to be the last properties from which flood waters will recede.
My message to people who abandoned their homes is not to be in any hurry to return to them. We first need to open transport routes to enable access. Also be careful with electricity. You should have a qualified electrician to clear your home of danger before you seek to use electrical equipment.
We desperately need anyone who owns a bobcat, dump truck, front-end loader, water tanker or other heavy equipment to give us a hand with the clean-up. Please don’t bother to offer if you are seeking payment. We are after genuine volunteers who want to help and we will promptly respond to advise you where you should take your equipment.
For those that can offer their services please email lordmayor@brisbane.qld.gov.au or contact Council on 07 3403 8888.
Other volunteers should email their services or phone Volunteering Queensland on 07 3002 7600. You can also register online at www.volunteeringqld.org.au
My advice is you should first help those closest to where you live; neighbours, family, friends and people in the same suburb. If you are in a suburb that has not been affected by floodwaters, or you have no one to help, please contact us and we will tell you where to report to for assistance.
Buses
A limited number of bus services will be available tomorrow running about every 30 minutes in and out of the city. Do not use these services if you are not coming into the CBD for work or to help with the clean-up. These services are being put on to ensure key staff essential for services and flood response have travel options, with all other residents encouraged not to travel into the CBD.
Ferry services will not be operating until further notice due to debris in the river.
For further information on public transport and affected services, please visit the TransLink website at www.translink.com.au or phone 13 12 30.
Waste services
Waste services will resume for a minority of the city tomorrow, with other parts of the city to follow next week. The delays are due to the impact of floodwaters on depots and homes. If you have had your rubbish collections missed, your collection will resume as usual next week. Council’s waste transfer stations will be open to the public for free tipping until 9pm.
Water
We have been advised by Queensland Urban Utilities that water in the greater Brisbane area is perfectly safe to drink. However sewage treatment plants are now discharging directly into our creeks and rivers, so people should stay out of floodwaters due to potential health risks. I repeat, do not let your children play in floodwater. It is unhealthy and contaminated with chemicals and sewerage. Please do not go through floodwaters to get to your property. It is better to let the water recede and then make the journey.
Electricity
Power cuts have meant that many traffic lights are out. Some of Council’s traffic cameras are also not functioning so traffic warnings will be limited. Please be careful on the roads as water may appear in areas you do not suspect.
Sandbags
So far Brisbane City Council has given out over 300,000 sandbags. We have another 65,000 bags available if they are required at our various depots.
Campbell Newman
LORD MAYOR
Contacts and information sources
Energex: 13 19 62
State Emergency Services (SES): 13 25 00
Translink: 13 12 30
Flood information hotline: 1300 993 191
For life-threatening emergencies: 000
Phone Council on 3403 8888 to report issues outside your property boundary such as flooding, downed trees, potholes, stormwater drain blockages or debris blocking roadways.
Due to high demand, Brisbane City Council is currently displaying a low bandwidth version of their website. www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Posted by admin on 11 January 2011
If you’re like us you’re having a hard time accessing info that’s accurate and useful. It’s raining hard outside and snippets from the media say the next two days may be worse than 1974’s floods. Hopefully this is an extreme prediction.
Flood mapping info: Brisbane City Council released info on what Brisbane homes MIGHT be flood effected after the big downpour of May 2009. The pages today have been near-impossible to load so if you can’t open the one for your suburb try this handy alternative flood info, a site that’s mirrored the BCC content and is much quicker to download.
The government’s road closure info is worthwhile if you’re trying to get around.
Early afternoon prediction from the Lord Mayor is that 6,500 of Brisbane’s 400,000 properties may be effected in some way.
Posted by admin on 6 January 2011
High tide today was around 11.30am at West End and the River was lapping the top of the bank just in front of the Koko Apartments. One CityCat cruised past and the waves rolled over onto the footpath.
The good news is the 2.41m tide won’t be repeated this week.
Posted by admin on 11 December 2010
An artist's impression of Common Ground Queensland's new project; image courtesy BrisbaneTimes.com.au
This is traditionally the time of year when we indulge and relax, but hopefully also turn our thoughts to others who don’t share the same good fortune. Earlier this week construction started on South Brisbane’s newest apartment development, and one that will make a huge difference for many Brisbanites.
We’ve been following Common Ground Queensland since its launch last year and the vision of this organization, inspired by an innovative New Yorker named Rosanne Haggerty, is simply ground-breaking. When complete in 2012 the 146 apartment building in Hope Street will provide accommodation for our local homeless, and what’s so new about the project is that it will both house them and work to break their cycle of homelessness. Regaining their health and economic independence. Gaining life skills through living alongside local workers.
An online article announcing this week’s start drew the expected public criticisms in the comments section. South Brisbane doesn’t need “more vagabonds”. It should be built out in the suburbs somewhere. And similar.
So why do we support it? On census night 2006 there were 26,000 Queenslanders noted as “homeless”. We can’t shove this group out of sight, we can’t hope the problem will go away and many of the current solutions seem to be failing. We can’t pretend it’s not happening and everyone in Brisbane’s inner city will benefit if programs like this succeed.
Common Ground is a novel concept, a program with a great track record in the US and a history of success. Please donate to the project and its management or visit the website to learn more.
Please post a comment below.
Posted by admin on 25 November 2010
Image courtesy of worldcricketwatch.com
With the 2010 Ashes series kicking off at the Gabba today I thought it was time to revisit the history of this great stadium. Did you know there are two theories about the meaning of the Aboriginal words from which “Woolloongabba” is derived – “whirling water” or “fight talk place”.
With the Aussies now in battle let’s focus on the latter theory. To me it conjures up an image of Australian cricket and cricketers fighting to the very end for victory both with the bat and the on field “talk”! The Gabba has become somewhat of a fortress. Australia has lost none of their last 21 test matches there and had lost only eight of 31 before that.
As mentioned in previous blogs and newsletters, “The Gabba” dates back to 1895, when the land was designated as the site for a cricket ground.
The first event conducted at The Gabba was a cricket match between Parliament and the Press on 19 December 1896. The result was a tie (61 runs each).
The first Test match played at The Gabba was against South Africa from 27 November to 3 December 1931 where Don Bradman made 226 in the first innings of this Test. This still remains the highest individual score in a Test played in Brisbane.
You can test your Gabba Test History Knowledge by doing the quiz on Queensland Cricket website
