Monthly Archives: July 2013

Hazard reduction burns on Russell Island: Tuesday 30 July to Thursday 1 August


July 29, 2013

Our Conservation Fire Management Team in conjunction with Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) Urban and Rural will be undertaking a series of hazard reduction burns this week on Russell Island.

The planned burns will take place from Tuesday 30 July to Thursday 1 August 2013 at the following locations: 

  • Melomy’s Wetlands (see first map below) corner of Centre and Glendale Roads, Russell Island. 
  • Turtle Swamp Wetlands (see second map below) corner of Coveden Crescent and Boeing Ridge Road, Russell Island.

russellisland02 russellisland01

Planned burns are necessary to reduce the volume of forest litter fuel to assist with hazard reduction and provide conditions essential for native plant species regeneration. It is appreciated that these burns may cause some inconvenience, however all attempts are made to limit any smoke hazards from the work.

The Queensland Fire & Rescue Service (QFRS) communications centre have been notified of the planned burns. 

The burn will be completed by Friday afternoon with mopping up of the fire site occurring until the area is safe.

For further information, please view the Fire management page on our website or phone our fire conservation officer on 3829 8456 or mobile 0418 874 104.

Sponsoring community spirit


July 25, 2013

Applications for funding under Redland City Council’s new and fairer sponsorship program will open on Monday 29 July.

Sponsorship will be available for events that benefit the local community and enhance the reputation of the Redlands.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the streamlined Council sponsorship program was vital in promoting a strong and involved community.

“We have made it fairer by calling for applications in two rounds per year so they can be assessed against each other on merit, rather than on a ‘first in, best dressed’ basis,’’ Cr Williams said.

“This ensures that particularly worthy events don’t miss out on funding and that the Redlands gets the best possible value for its sponsorship dollar.

“In addition, sponsorships of up to $15,000 can now be authorised by an internal assessment committee, with larger amounts being referred to Council for approval.

“This means a quicker and more efficient assessment process.’’

Applications for the first round of sponsorships will close on Friday 6 September, 2013.

There will be a second round from 17 February 2014 to 28 March 2014.

Sponsorship applications will be assessed on their benefits to the community, value for money and support for Council’s strategic priorities, such as community health and wellbeing, economic prosperity and enhancing the natural environment.

“We are looking for the type of events that reinforce the fact that the Redlands truly is the best place to live, play and do business,” Cr Williams said.

Council’s community grants program is also now taking applications until 16 August 2013.

Grant applications are being invited from worthy community organisations under the Organisation Support, Project Support, Conservation and Capital Infrastructure categories, as well as the Regional Arts Development Fund.

“As a Council we value highly the services our many deserving community groups provide and encourage them to take advantage of the grants program,” Cr Williams said.

In 2012–13, Redland City Council awarded more than $920,000 in grants and sponsorship to community-based programs, projects and events.

For more information or assistance in making an application, contact the Grants Team on 3829 8911. Application forms are available on the Grants and sponsorship page on our website.

New plan makes Redlands safer


July 25, 2013

Redland City Council is leading the way in disaster management with the adoption of the first phase of an innovative and user friendly plan for dealing with potential major crises.

For the first time, Redlanders will get access to information specific to their local community on what to do in the event of a disaster.

View the Redland City Council Disaster Management Plan 2013 [PDF 7.6MB]

Chair of the Local Disaster Management Group Mayor Karen Williams said Part 1 of the three-part Redland City Local Disaster Management Plan, adopted by Council today, outlined the city’s capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from disaster events.

“We have produced, for the first time, a user-friendly booklet that can be used by the community to see what council and its partners such as the police, State Emergency Service, fire, ambulance and power and telecommunications companies are doing to assist them if a potential disaster is on the horizon,’’ Cr Williams said.

“The next two parts will set out practical information on how residents can prepare for a disaster, with details specific to their areas on where to find evacuation centres and how to respond.

“This breaks the mould when it comes to disaster management by recognising that the Redlands is a community of communities, with each needing a specific easy-to-understand plan of how they should prepare and respond.

“Residents will be provided with all the vital local information they need whether they live on a bay island, on the coastline, at Mount Cotton or in a mainland suburb.

“It will be a quick and easy guide to evacuation routes and assembly areas so residents can ensure they can keep themselves and their families and neighbours safe.’’

Part 2, the plan for the Moreton Bay islands, is planned for release at the end of October. Part 3 – for mainland coastal areas and the mainland hinterland – is due by March 2014.

Council’s ‘Disaster Hub’, which can be accessed at www.redland.qld.gov.au, contains relevant information on “Prevention, Preparation, Response and Recovery’’, together with the first part of the new plan.

Printed copies of Part 1 will be available free at Council Customer Service Centres and libraries.

“This is innovative. It is different not only to anything Redland City has done in the past but to anything any other council has done,’’ Cr Williams said.

“But any plan is reliant on residents being prepared.

“People have to be able to take their own steps in preparing their homes, preparing their yards, preparing themselves for the possibility of a disaster and they will find that information on the Council’s Disaster Hub.

“No community is immune from the potential for disaster but by working together we can strengthen our resilience and ability to respond to them.’’

All Queensland councils are obliged by legislation to publish a disaster management plan and review it at least annually.

Redland City Council conducts regular exercises to fine-tune its approach to handling a potential disaster.

“Every exercise and training program we undertake builds our capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters,’’ Redlands Local Disaster Coordinator Nick Clarke said.

“This is why we rehearse regularly and ensure that we practice with our colleagues in the emergency services and other state departments and support agencies, such as the SES, Energex, Red Cross and Telstra.’’

Mr Clarke, the council’s General Manager Organisational Services, encouraged residents to think ahead and plan for what they would do if an emergency arose.

“Looking after yourselves and those close to you – family and neighbours – is really important as help may be some time and distance away, especially for those living in remote locations such as our islands,’’ he said.

“It’s also important to keep informed. The best way to do this is to tune into your local ABC radio station (ABC 612). Having a battery-powered radio at hand is a good way to do this.

“If power and connections permit, people can also get information from council’s Facebook and Twitter feeds, as well as from the Disaster Hub on our website. This information is updated regularly during an emergency.

“It’s also important to heed warnings and take the action recommended by the authorities.’’

 

Literary treat: author Steve Worland visiting Capalaba Library


July 24, 2013

Noted script writer and author Steve Worland will talk about his passion for writing at a special event at the Capalaba Library from 11am-noon on July 30.

Steve, husband of award-winning Australian actor Georgie Parker, has just published the sequel to his first novel Velocity and is visiting the Redlands as part of Redland City Council’s partnership with Angus & Robertson Victoria Point.

Worland-book-cover

His resume is extensive, having written scripts for Working Title and Icon Productions and worked in script development for James Cameron’s Lightstorm.

He also wrote Fox Searchlight’s Bootmen, which won five Australian Film Institute awards, as well as the action-comedy telemovie Hard Knox, episodes of the television series Big Sky and the Saturn award-winning Farscape.

Worland is among a steady stream of literary guests to appear at Redland libraries, including local children’s book author E. M. Horsfield and illustrator Glen Singleton, Nicole Alexander, Susan Duncan, Tony Parks and Judy Nunn.

Redland City Council spokesman for Arts, Culture and Innovation Paul Bishop said the council’s Author in Action program was a fantastic opportunity for writers and readers to connect.

“Local up-and-coming authors as well as some big names have given our library readers a chance to get an insight into how they craft their stories,’’ he said.

“These are exciting opportunities and highlight the Redlands’ status as a vibrant regional cultural centre.’’

Worland’s sequel, Combustion, is set in a smog-choked and chaotic Los Angeles, which eco-terrorist Zac Bunsen wants to raze.

Bunsen releases the Swarm, an airborne nanotech virus which targets combustion engines and detonates their fuel supplies. Terror reigns as every vehicle becomes a devastating bomb.

NASA astronaut Judd Bell and his best mate, Aussie chopper pilot Corey Purchase, are caught in the middle of the crisis with a blue heeler and a canister of the Swarm’s counter-agent and together try to stop Bunsen before he can launch the second wave of his terrible plan and bring the planet to its knees.

For bookings phone 3843 8010.

Posted in Arts and tagged .

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING: 1.09pm Saturday 20 July


July 20, 2013

UPDATE: BOM cancelled the warning at 1.39pm. 

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING for SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND at 1:09pm for people in parts of REDLAND CITY including North Stradbroke Island.

BOM warns that at 1:10 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Hope Island, Jacobs Well and mouth of the Logan River. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east. Damaging winds are possible.

For more information, see the warning on BOM’s website

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:

* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure loose outdoor items.
* Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
* Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
* Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

Redlands businesses scoop tourism awards


July 19, 2013

Redland businesses last night scored six of 12 awards presented at the 2013 Moreton Bay & Islands Tourism Awards.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the result was a ringing endorsement of the professionalism and vitality of Redlands tourism.

“The winners should be commended for their strong commitment to excellence and for strengthening the Moreton Bay brand,’’ Cr Williams said.

“They are meeting the challenge of reinforcing the Moreton Bay region as a world-class destination.’’

Redlands Kayak Tours was a big winner at the gala award night hosted by Redland City Council at the Redland Performing Arts Centre, taking out the Tourist Attraction and Adventure Tourism categories (the latter as a joint winner with Tangatours at Tangalooma  Resort).

Redlands-Kayak-Tours-_DSC6567

The submission from Katrina and Tony Beutel’s water-based tours of Moreton Bay and its waterways was one of ten from Redlands operators.

Council’s own Redlands IndigiScapes Centre backed up its win last year in the Eco Tourism Category to score the Excellence in Food Tourism award for its bush-themed cuisine in the Tea Garden Café.

Redland Art Gallery won the Heritage, Cultural and Indigenous Tourism category for its contribution to culture and the arts.

The Mount Cotton Guest House, a winner for Deluxe Accommodation last year, won for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism this year with Sue Panuccio and Trevor Penson recently launching their new eco cabins.

Donna Shannon was successful for the second successive year, with Stradbroke Island Events winning the Specialist Tourism/Businesses Services category for its stylish and custom events services on North Stradbroke Island.

Cr Williams said the hard work and innovation of all entrants was encouraging in the lead up to two significant international events in South East Queensland which will draw the focus of the world.

“The Moreton Bay region gets to market itself internationally with world leaders here for the G20 summit next year and the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018,’’ Cr Williams said.

“Tourism is one of the Redlands’ priority sectors and these events will provide us with unique opportunities for world-wide exposure and to show that the Redlands is truly the best place to live, play and do business.”

Redland City Council tourism spokesman Cr Craig Ogilvie said the wins by the six local enterprises was a stunning result.

“They show just how much Redlands’ tourism has to offer, matching the best when it comes to excellence in customer service and innovation,’’ Cr Ogilvie said.

The Moreton Bay & Island Tourism Awards are a joint project of Redland City Council,
Brisbane City Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council, and are open to tourism operators in Redland City, Brisbane’s bayside suburbs and Moreton Bay Region.

2013 Moreton Bay & Island Tourism Awards – the winners

Judges’ Gold Award – Queensland Day Tours
Tourism Attraction – Redlands Kayak Tours
Specialised Tourism &/or Business Services – Stradbroke Island Events
Adventure Tourism joint winners- Redlands Kayak Tours and Tangatours
Tourism Restaurants & Catering Services including wineries, distilleries and breweries – Ocean View Estates Winery & Restaurant
Heritage, Cultural and Indigenous Tourism – Redland Art Gallery
Excellence in Food Tourism – Redlands IndigiScapes Centre
Hosted Accommodation – Mary Ann’s Cottage
Festivals and Events – Farm Fantastic Expo
Excellence in Sustainable Tourism – Mount Cotton Guesthouse
Outstanding contribution by a volunteer group – Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology
Tour &/or Transport Operators – Queensland Day Tours

Residents urged to ‘dig in’ to support National Tree Day


July 17, 2013

As part of National Tree Day, Redland City Council is encouraging residents to enhance the City’s environment by helping to plant 3000 native plants.

Council’s environment spokesperson Cr. Paul Gleeson said the event would not only strengthen the Redlands’ environment, but it would also provide a fun activity for residents to participate in.

“As Australia’s biggest community tree-planting event, Planet Ark’s National Tree Day aims to plant one million trees across Australia and encourages schools, community groups and individuals to actively care for our unique environment,” he said.

“Council is encouraging residents to connect with the community and get involved in this great event. It’s easy, fun and is only a small investment of time for great environmental, community and health benefits.”

Cr Gleeson said national tree day was part of Council’s broader Community Bushcare program, which planted 20,000 native plants last financial year.

“These events help support the Redlands’ environmental character and provide green space for the future of the community,” he said.

“All of us can help make a difference within our community by understanding the benefits of tree planting to address important environmental issues such as the loss of habitat for native wildlife, especially our vulnerable koala population, and climate change.”

Participants are asked to wear closed-in shoes, sun-protective clothing and bring their own drinking water. Council will provide all other requirements including plants, equipment, gardening gloves, sunscreen and insect repellent.

After the planting, a free sausage sizzle will be on offer for all who participate, as well as certificates for children who help plant on the day.

Wildlife and environment displays and a lucky door prize draw will also add to the festivities of the morning.

Event details

Date: Sunday 28 July 2013
Time: 9.00am – 11.00am
Location: Robinson Park, Lilly Lane, Birkdale. On-street parking available UBD Ref. Map 184 G8

For more information contact Bushcare 3824 8611 or visit www.indigiscapes.com.au

Our safe suburbs


July 17, 2013

The Redland City suburb of Alexandra Hills is the greater Brisbane area’s safest when it comes to home theft.

The 2013 RACQ Insurance Home Security Index shows Alexandra Hills has had the fewest home theft insurance claims in the past year for the Brisbane region.

And Cleveland is not far behind, also making the state’s top 10 suburbs where homes are least likely to be broken into.

The RACQ index, which calculates the number of home theft claims made per 100 RACQ policies in each postcode, ranked the Alexandra Hills postcode 4161 in the top three Queensland zones least hit by house breakers.

The regional centres of Warwick and Rockhampton top the list.

Alexandra Hills had one claim for every 1000 policies, which is 20 times less than most postcodes in the Logan region. Cleveland had 1.3 per 1000 policies.

Councillor Murray Elliot, whose Division 7 covers Alexandra Hills, said the research “puts to bed the notion about perceived crime in the Redlands’’.

“The residents of Alexandra Hills should be very proud of this result and I am sure it will be reflected in lower insurance premiums for a range of products,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Alan Beard, whose Division 8 takes in part of Alexandra Hills, said it was “wonderful’’ that the liveability of Redland City, and Alexandra Hills and Cleveland in particular, had been acknowledged in this way.

“We are a great community, proud of our City and our local area, and this pride is reflected in way in which we value and support each other. Let’s celebrate together this really positive and uplifting story,” he said.

Councillor Craig Ogilvie, whose Division 2 includes Cleveland, said it was “a luxury to live in a community where you can feel comfortable”.

“This area has a country town heritage which underpins the community spirit,’’ Cr Ogilvie said.
Division 9 councillor Paul Gleeson, who represents part of Alexandra Hills, said the result was great for both the suburb and city.

“To have our more established areas highlighted in this way is a testament to our residents,’’ he said.

Birkdale also rated highly, with no Redland postcode on the list of the state’s home break-in hotspots.
RACQ Executive Manager Insurance Communications, Mike Sopinski, said that residents needed to be security conscious wherever they lived.

He said the 2013 Home Security Index revealed one-third of Queensland householders admitted to sometimes leaving their homes unlocked, making break-ins easy for thieves.

Almost one in four claims last year was the result of an open door or window.

Simple ways to prevent becoming a home break-in statistic (source: RACQ)

  • Lock your premises.
  • Make sure everyone in your home is security conscious.
  • Have a routine that everyone follows to check locks and switch on alarms when the house is left unoccupied.
  • Tell your neighbours if your home is broken into. This reminds them to be extra careful and report any suspicious activity to police.
  • Don’t assume balcony doors or high windows are safe to leave unlocked – thieves are good at finding ways to overcome these obstacles.
  • Put easy-to-carry, expensive items such as laptops, iPods and jewellery out of sight so thieves can’t see them.
  • Do not leave doors or windows wide open, even while you’re at home.
  • Don’t leave car keys or wallets beside open windows or doors.
  • Engage deadlocks when you leave the house so that thieves cannot carry items out through your main doors.
  • If you can’t arrange for someone to pick up your mail everyday when you’re away, ask the post office to hold it until you return. Also, attach a ‘no advertising material’ sign to your letterbox so it doesn’t overflow.
  • Lock your meter box to prevent thieves tampering with your power supply.
  • Keep your home contents insurance up to date.

 

Say YES for your community


July 15, 2013

When Redland City residents go to the polls for the federal election, they will also have the opportunity to make a real contribution to the future of their City.

A referendum will be held in conjunction with the Federal Government election. Redlanders and other Australians will have the opportunity to ensure local government – the tier of government closest to the people – is recognised in the Australian Constitution.

sayyes

You can achieve this – and protect Federal Government funding paid direct to local government – by voting “YES” in the referendum.

While Constitutional amendments can be confusing, there are simple and straight forward reasons why this important change needs your support.

  • The recognition of local government in the Constitution will secure current funding Redland City Council receives directly from the Australian Government
  • Redland City Council currently receives approximately $1.5m of funding directly from the Commonwealth each year
  • Current funding includes programs such as the Federal Roads to Recovery, black spot road safety programs, the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, and the Local Government Reform Fund
  • While these funding arrangements have existed for many years, recent High Court rulings have made it clear that they are actually unconstitutional, putting them at risk.
  • A YES vote will secure the future of this and other funding councils receive directly from the Federal Government – funding which goes directly to community infrastructure
  • If funding from the Federal Government is provided to the State Government to pass on rather than direct to councils, funding decisions for local areas will be made by a political party (whichever holds State Government at the time), not local councils who are at the grassroots of communities and know their needs.
  • The Queensland Government takes approximately 15% in administration fees when passing on funding.

Redlands projects that have been funded directly from the Australian Government in recent years include:

  • Upgrade of Wellington Point Reserve (Park)
  • Upgrade of Capalaba Regional Park (Park)
  • Victoria Point Reserve (Park)
  • Cleveland Point Reserve (Park)
  • Fitness Activity Stations in Four Redlands Park (launched at Oyster Point Park, Cleveland) (Park)
  • Russell Island Sport and Recreation Park (Sports fields and courts and Sport and Resilience Hub)
  • Point Lookout Hall (Community Centre)
  • North Stradbroke Island Gorge Walk (Pathway)
  • Road projects:
    • Russell Street, Cleveland, Smith Street – Wellington Street
    • Shore Street North, Cleveland, Paxton Street to William Street
    • Old Cleveland Road East, Birkdale, Birkdale Road to Barron Road
    • Link Road, Victoria Point, Benfer Road to Colburn Avenue
    • Fullerton Street, Birkdale, Valentine Road to Randall Road

Message from LGAQ (Local Government Association of Queensland) President Cr Margaret de Wit

The video contains a simple, concise message that encapsulates the key messages of the referendum campaign – the ultimate focus being on gaining funding certainty for our communities.

LGAQ television commercial explaining the importance of the referendum to local communities

More information

Come to the Family Fun Day tomorrow in Cleveland


July 12, 2013

Redlands families can celebrate the best of local business with a free fun day tomorrow (Saturday 13 July) at the Redlands Performing Arts Centre, Middle Street, Cleveland.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the family fun day was open to all.

Baby-Sheep

“The family event is part of the Redlands Business Expo 2013, a showcase of local innovation and excellence which opens with a series of business forums on Friday,” Cr Williams said.

“Saturday’s fun day will have plenty of activities for youngsters, including face painting, computer games, a bouncy castle, rides and Old Macdonald’s Farm.

“There also will be a food court and major prize give-aways for a three-night family holiday on North Stradbroke Island (including return vehicle ferry ticket) and a champagne cruise for two.

“We have also received some amazing entries and it will be my pleasure to also announce the winners of the year 7 school art competition.”

facepainting

Cr Williams, who will open the Expo on Friday, said the event would give residents and visitors a taste of the passion and dedication of the Redlands’ business community.

“Fifty-six local businesses are highlighting the goods and services they provide over the two days in an important showcase of the Redlands’ forward-thinking businesses,’’ she said.

“But the fun day on Saturday is especially important as it is an opportunity for businesses to say thank you to their customers, clients and their families and friends behind the scene.’’

Redland City Council is a platinum sponsor of this community initiative, organised in conjunction with the local Redland and Straddie Chambers of Commerce.

For more information and other sponsor details visit www.redlandsbusinessexpo.com.au