The community of East Brisbane and Kangaroo Point is calling for help. It is now public knowledge that the Queensland Government plans to knock down the iconic Woolloongabba ‘Gabba’ Sports Stadium and rebuild on this legendary site.
This will leave three inner city suburbs without a public school, turn Raymond Park into an Olympics warm-up track, and waste many billions of dollars that could be spent on things Queenslanders urgently need, e.g. public housing, schools and hospitals.
You are invited to join the “Rally to Stop the Gabba Demolition” outside the stadium in Woolloongabba Place Park, 810 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba QLD 4102, from 10am on Saturday 25 November, 2023.
Homes will be demolished, a school closed down and original parkland trees will be removed. The historically significant heritage-listed East Brisbane State School (officially Brisbane East State School until September 1994) is one of the first large brick state schools in Brisbane. The original portion of the school was erected in 1899, with extensions added in 1900, 1938 and 1939. The single-storeyed timber Infants School was erected in 1910–11.
I think Queensland politicians and builders need to stop demolishing the past, and stop inflicting ill-conceived plans on the future of Brisbane.
“Saturday’s rally is about showing Government that the community here are not alone – more and more Queenslanders are asking why billions of dollars of their money should be wasted knocking down and rebuilding a stadium.”
Also, Woolloongabba protesters believe it’s a short-sighted Government project with no thought for residential areas, or green spaces, and will add future congestion to surrounding suburbs and city zones. Local residents are not accepting it and ask supporters to join their protest at Woolloongabba Park Place at 10am on Saturday 25 November, 2023.
Street performers and buskers have existed all over the world since ancient times delivering accessible entertainment to the masses. Many people volunteer their time to historical re-enactments and charity events. It is an opportunity for undiscovered talent and the fearless and creative artisans of theatre to strut their stuff for a coin in the hat. However, a hat is not the only consideration for a street performer.
Australian Laws regulating street performances vary between Australian States. I don’t think these Maryborough performers need to worry but if your performance contains possibly offensive dialogue and/or conduct, you will need to be aware of the Summary Offences legislation. This includes legal constructs of what is considered to be “offensive” and who is the “reasonable person” in the 21st Century.
A person reaches an age where they long for an ordinary sandwich. In this case I asked for an avocado and fetta toastie. This delicious tasting yet very difficult to eat deconstructed sandwich on a slice of toasted rye bread contained half an avocado, chunks of fetta, a whole tomato halved, and rocket garnish on top. It was drizzled with a type of balsamic vinaigrette and had a wedge of lemon to add for zest. It was difficult to eat by hand so I attacked it with a knife and fork. Although a delicious flavour, it was quite a battle to get it to do what I wanted, e.g. stay together long enough so that I could eat it!
HERE ARE THE OFFICIAL INGREDIENTS:
THREE GIRLS SKIPPING—Avo on Toast—Lunch Menu “Avocado on seeded sourdough with thyme roasted tomatoes, Persian feta and chimichurri.”
Yes, fetta and feta are different. The correct spelling for fetta depends on the type of cheese being referred to and the country of origin of the cheese in question. There is Cow’s Milk Fetta and Buffalo Milk Feta. You can also get local Camel Milk Persian Feta. Nevertheless, I am not exactly sure the chimichurri lived up to expectations but at least my taste buds were made aware of a new flavour.
Visit info@threegirlsskipping.com.au in Graceville Brisbane if you are feeling hungry 🙂 and their soy latte was delicious.
❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Entirely unrelated but terrifically tasty from Brumby’s Bakery Sherwood Brisbane—
A.Top left to right: Butterfly Cream Cupcake, Iced Fairy Cupcake B.Middle left to right: Cream Bun, Custard Tart, Mini Lemon Meringue Pie, Apple & Custard Tart, Passionfruit Tart. C.Bottom left to right: Iced Fairy Cupcake, immortal Vanilla Slice, Carmel Slice ChocTop, out of shot Cherry Ripe Slice. Buon appetito, sweet treat connoisseurs!
YOUR VOTE—Click the link below and visit the website by 5:00pm on Monday 14 August 2023 to nominate your absolute favourite book by a Queensland author from the list of eight finalists.
I CAST MY VOTE—The books are all outstanding but as the old saying goes ‘You have many choices but only one decision’. You, as a reader, probably have a firm favourite. If not, you can buy their books at SLQ The Library Shop or borrow them from your favourite BCC library in various formats.
THE AUTHOR—The author who receives the most votes will be awarded $10,000 thanks to The Courier-Mail.
THE WINNER—The winner will be revealed at the Queensland Literary Awards ceremony on Wednesday 6 September 2023. Free register here to watch the live stream 7:00pm.
UPDATES—To stay up to date, follow the Queensland Literary Awards on Twitter and Facebook.
Voting is open to everyone, no matter where you live in Australia but Strictly one vote per person
The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award celebrates outstanding works by Australian writers, illustrators and creators. The author who receives the most votes from the public will be awarded $10,000 thanks to The Courier-Mail. Find more to read at State Library of Queensland. Visit the official bookseller of the Queensland Literary Awards 2023, and follow them on Facebook and on Twitter@qldlitawards.
WHO WILL WIN?—Pick your favourite book from the list and see what happens. When the winner is announced I will post the result. Meanwhile the literary world is enriched eight ways no matter what transpires.
I had not been through the older Brisbane CBD-adjacent suburb of West End for a long time. My first connection goes back to the 1970-80s when many factories ran along the riverfront, parklands were unsafe and you had to bring your own lunch because there were no fast food chains nearby.
The atmosphere was quietly contained. Small businesses and brick and weatherboard homes sat side-by-side with old corrugated iron roofed cottages on stumps turned into lodging houses for tired hippies, a primary school without many pupils and a lowkey ethnic population. Various businesses like print shop, milk bar, newsagent, café, post office, pub and Chinese takeaway, ran along main Boundary Street and iconic Avid Reader Bookstore had not yet opened. You could get on-street parking and your car was baking hot when you returned. But the streets were free of traffic congestion.
Forget most of the nostalgia above.
The suburb of West End, in the curve of the Brisbane River, has grown and changed phenomenally since then. Admittedly I was there on a weekend and the Davies Park Markets (now West End Markets) located among the ancient fig trees on the corner of Jane Street and Montague Road were in full swing and the traffic was bumper to bumper. I wondered if the ghosts of Kurilpa Peninsula, the Turrbal and Yuggera tribes who originally inhabited the area would have approved.
Bit of intel.
I had a college friend whose father worked at the glass factory on Montague Road alongside the river. He said it was hot work and he drank a lot of water. Fast forward and this West End plot of land is expected to be transformed into an extension of South Bank Parklands after the 2032 Olympic Games. According to ABCTV the Visy Glass property in West End was marked in official Olympics pitch documents as the planned location of a 57,000-square-metre international broadcast centre for the world’s media during the Games. More pressure on the local infrastructure.
Meanwhile, West End residents may not be aware that Kurilpa Peninsula is in danger of highrise, and Brisbane is in danger of zoning changes up to 90-storey towers. To quote Greens MP for Ryan, Elizabeth Watson-Brown, “My Greens colleagues across Brisbane and I are calling on the State Government to reject the Brisbane City Council’s proposal to undemocratically override the neighbourhood plan on the Kurilpa Peninsula (West End) to allow 90-storey towers instead of the current zonings for only 8, 16 or 30-storeys.”
Ryan e-newsletter 18 July 2023
On a lighter note, on Mollison Street, not too far from South Bank parklands and Victoria Bridge, there were hundreds of people milling through the shopping precincts; West Village and the streets around were buzzing with eateries, the vibe was Saturday relaxed. Everyone seemed to have a purpose, many had a happy child or happy dog pleased to be outside in the fresh air. Recycled bags full of organic groceries were fashion accessories.
But, dear reader, this is where the stylus scrapes across the vinyl record. Ouch!
Brisbane has the tag “Liveable City” but I was stunned by the amount of glass and concrete reaching into the sky. Highrise dwellings like modern pigeon lofts soared up along Riverside Drive, Mollison Street, Montague Road and beyond. Okay, everyone needs somewhere safe to live, people want first class homes, people love beautiful views, people want all modern amenities and be within close proximity to their workplace and, after hours, all the good things in life.
So I ask the universe in general.
Do they have to be crammed into concrete columns with tinted windows in small two-bedroom apartments, side-by-side with other buildings crowding the landscape, dehumanising our city, obstructing views of sunrise and casting long afternoon shadows? Housing is at a premium but dark lifts and rabbit warren corridors painted grey on each floor level are second only to a feeling of isolation.
Money always talks the loudest.
Just because units are sold off the plan doesn’t mean the resident will be happy. A bit of exterior stylised shaping of an apartment building makes it appear to be different, yet these buildings are carbon copies of possibly thousands around the world. Where is the uniqueness, the special style of our city? Brisbane and its residents deserve lower-level homes, open, light, airy, which reflect our lifestyle, not rooms 90-storeys above where real connections, real life are but a distant image on the ground. Coupled with West End’s existing car and transport congestion and the threat of further flooding, to me The Plan screams future tenements, a dystopian nightmare of wall-to-wall buildings all staring at each other blocking the sun and any hope for a cleaner greener future.
I have added my voice to No To Hyperdensity. What next?
Maybe in the future we will have to travel to the Moon to find liveable affordable housing. If in doubt, read “Sea of Tranquility” by Emily St. John Mandel.
My photographs (below) show the Gallery Level because that’s where my true story took place. In those days we called it the balcony level but it still has the bespoke, original shops with artisans working in the background as customers window-shop or browse the fine wares on display.
The main photograph (above) was taken entering Brisbane Arcade from Adelaide Street, City. Partially visible lower right hand corner shows Keri Craig Boutique Emporium to downstairs level. The iconic The Pen Shoppe (left) is small yet packed with the most incredible items you could imagine, and not all pens!
From memory, Brisbane Arcade was not as well lit as it is today and the atmosphere always seemed rather sombre with its darker wood and ‘proper’ shop assistants watching their customers, patiently waiting to be called to assist. Even today, nothing ruffles the ambience, no piped muzak or microphoned spruikers shouting about sales, and never discount bins.
If you desired a sophisticated clothing boutique with timeless elegance or a discreet luncheon you slipped into Brisbane Arcade. You hoped it would rain so you could buy that beautiful umbrella or stylish coat. The hustle and bustle of the city faded away and you knew you were somewhere special. Artisan jewellery, watches, ballet wear. And it didn’t get any better than hand-made Darrell Lea Chocolates deliciously displayed for special occasions. Unfortunately they now come from supermarkets, blocked in cellophane wrappers with lurid colours.
Looking towards Room With RosesBespoke Jewellers
Every time I walk into Brisbane Arcade, the elegance, intimacy and history surround me. In fact I feel I am no longer in the 21st century and I love it.
So, where does my spooky story start? As Mary Poppins (Queenslander P L Travers literary creation) aptly says “Let’s start at the very beginning…”
Well, maybe not at the very, very beginning but certainly two young women deciding on where to go for an end-of-term treat. Unfortunately the divinely delicious Room With Roses café was out of our price range.
The idea of a tea-leaf reading Fortune Teller lured us up the polished stone steps to the gallery level and…
Gallery towards Queen StreetFortune Teller was here
My personal reminiscence is of the Fortune Teller, or Teacup Reader, on the upper level, midway along the gallery walk. I cannot recall the woman’s name but even now I get shivers thinking of that cubbyhole café. In 1973, as a Stott’s Business College end of term treat, my friend and I decided on a special tea-leaf reading.
When we arrived, for some reason I declined and just drank my cup of tea and ate a slice of cake. But my friend opted for a reading. I cannot remember the price of afternoon tea (or a reading) but past documents show a jar of Maxwell House instant coffee was 30 cents back then.
Anyway, it was a real pot of tea with leaves and when my friend finished her beverage, the cup was upended into the saucer. The leaves left behind in the china cup were those the mystical woman read aloud. She told my friend that there were “lots of feathers” in the cup, lots of birds. She said that my friend had a trip ahead, she would leave and go somewhere “very important”. I cannot remember all that was said, we were too amazed to speak. My college pal lived on a poultry farm at Redland Bay and she was due to fly to Canberra ACT where she had been successful in obtaining a job in a ministerial office—I will never forget that tea-leaf reading moment.
Memorabilia Time! My favourite umbrella was obtained from the brolly shop in Brisbane Arcade, pale blue fabric with cane handle, and I have gifted many items from the abundant The Pen Shoppe. Around 1975 I purchased (from the chemist shop) an original USA Diamon-Deb metal nail file which I still own and have travelled extensively with it. Another memorable purchase in 1981 was a beaded headpiece for my bridal veil from the wedding shop near Darrell Lea Chocolates. Over the years I have enjoyed morning teas and shopping forays in the delightfully small yet visually splendid shops in Brisbane Arcade and truly believe this glittering jewel will live on for future generations.
Quote: “A grand heritage arcade ‘for the people’, Brisbane Arcade is arguably Brisbane’s most cherished shopping Arcade where nearly every visitor has their own special memories of visits to the Arcade over its many decades. Brisbane Arcade’s distinct old world yesteryear charm is enchanting.”
“Today, the iconic Brisbane Arcade is where visitors step into an Arcade steeped in history, memories and timeless elegance.”
I sense that elegance and a certain intimacy every time I walk off busy Queen Street and into the calmness of Brisbane Arcade. And I love the Gallery level!
Soon: I will be posting my own personal (spooky) experience so watch this blog. I am sure if you live and work in Brisbane you will also have some early shopping tales to tell.
International Women’s Day Fun Run, Brisbane, was held on Sunday 12 March 2023. This record-breaking fundraiser supports women with breast cancer and raises funds for life-saving research at Mater Hospital.
The 5km course started from Southbank Parklands and crossed the Brisbane River to City Botanic Gardens.
The high-rise photograph was taken of the finish line in City Botanic Gardens, like a swirl of PINK ants, tired but happy participants.
The course and venues are designed to provide the best experience for all participants, whether they chose to walk, jog or run. Think about it for next year!
“Defined by warm weather for most of the year, sun seekers flock to Brisbane to enjoy the Queensland capital’s subtropical climate, perfect weather to enjoy the great outdoors. Therefore, you wouldn’t expect to see a snowman on your travels, or would you?
Far from the snowman’s European ancestry, its home is now the Queensland Art Gallery’s sculpture courtyard.
Three years ago the life-sized snowman, created by leading contemporary artists and collaborators Peter Fischli and David Weiss, might have been an unexpected sight in Brisbane, however the sculpture has become a much-loved citizen and visitor favourite.
One of only four sculptures ever created, it places Brisbane in an exclusive club with the likes of MoMA, New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.”
Big, cold, looks like a 1960s unfrosted refrigerator but what a cheeky smile!
Best birthday present ever! And a great read for Halloween! After reading the draft manuscript of Jack Roney’s novel The Ghost Train and The Scarlet Moon on behalf of Carolyn Martinez of Hawkeye Publishing, I rated it highly in my appraisal.
Unfortunately life got in the way and I was unable to follow the progress of the book. The good news is obvious, Hawkeye Publishing accepted it for publication, my family gifted a copy to me, and here it is!
First, I wanted to learn more about the factual event the book is based on and delved into it online. The story relates to a real train crash on the Brisbane to Closeburn line on Monday 5th May 1947, a public holiday for Labour Day, and dubbed the Camp Mountain Train Crash. It proved to be the worst disaster in Queensland’s rail history.
In the prologue, author Jack Roney depicts what happened on that fateful train trip from Brisbane to Closeburn; a special picnic day for families and friends, a journey which ended in tragedy with a catastrophic derailing. Many lives were lost or changed forever.
However, there is one big difference in this story
After the train crash decades later in May 1982, a Labour Day holiday, best mates Toby, Dan and Jimmy join their Grade 7 Samford State School class early in the morning to watch the super blue blood moon lunar eclipse. Afterwards they go exploring in the old Yugar Tunnel, scaring bats and being scared. Someone or something is watching them from the trees. The three boys go into the dark tunnel… bats… fire and smoke… and depart thoroughly spooked.
Steam Train leaving Roma Street Station Brisbane 1947
After the tunnel adventure, the boys cycle to the ghost train site along a road where the train tracks once ran… hear train whistle… steam train engine… Jimmy disappears… of course, young Toby does not know or understand where his friend has actually gone. Dan is very upset. Toby’s life turns into a living nightmare because nobody believes him, and the police are sceptical when he says “Jimmy just vanished”.
Decades later, enter adult Toby, a 2017 jetsetting travel writer returning from a far-flung country. Roney does an excellent job of describing Toby’s extensive research to find Jimmy (which gets more and more desperate) to discover how and why his friend disappeared. He wants to believe his missing pal is still alive. He must be out there! Cue research into time-slip, time travel, portal, wormhole, lunar eclipse, tear in the fabric of space, super blue blood moon (a lunar eclipse coupled with a second full moon in one month) but is a return possible after such a crash?
Camp Mountain Derailed Train Carriages 1947 Image No: 102648 Courtesy State Library of Queensland
Previously, without warning, the other friend Dan, now an adult, has gone missing under mysterious circumstances and his wife is distraught. From tax avoidance to suicide, Toby runs through the possible yet unlikely options.
Find out what Toby discovers. The clues are there. There are three time zones set in 1947, 1982 and 2017 for each lunar phenomena. Toby widens his research to make some sense of the disappearances with unexpected help from his landlady Mrs Doherty.
Toby leaned forward. He spoke slowly to Alex. “I’m not lying” he emphasised each word. “Just before Jimmy vanished, I heard an old steam train.” Toby wants to get Jimmy back. He plans on saving him.
There is strong urban geography throughout, and I am sure teenage readers and speculative fiction fans would happily discuss conflicting emotions and plot nuances. Roney’s tweaks and turnarounds are clever and I went back once to see how the past fitted in with the present. The final twist is unexpected!
Written in four parts with chapter illustrations, The Ghost Train and The Scarlet Moon is a vividly realised adventure story which invokes a strong sense of friendship, keeping an open mind, and never giving up.
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Author Bio—
Jack Roney is a former detective and author of the crime thriller series The Angels Wept, The Demons Woke and The Shadows Watch. He is a member of the Queensland Writers Centre and Australian Crime Writers Association. His writing is inspired by over 30 years in law enforcement where he gained experience in general policing, criminal investigation, strategic policy, media and communications and also as an operational skills/firearms and police academy instructor. He draws on his experience to bring authenticity and realism to his writing. https://www.jackroney.com.au/#/
Reviews for The Ghost Train and The Scarlet Moon ♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2022
DEDICATION
“This book is dedicated to the victims of the Camp Mountain train crash, the heroes who came to their aid, and the survivors whose lives were changed forever by the tragic events of 5th May 1947. May you never be forgotten”
Thoughts Become Words 