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The Monkey Bar Café: A Dog-Friendly Alfresco Café in Greenslopes

If you are craving for coffee and wondering where to could go with your kid and dog tagging along, then you might like to try The Monkey Bar Café at the rear side of the Annerley Junior Soccer field at 98 Victoria Terrace in Greenslopes.

Now on its fourth year in the business, The Monkey Bar Café is the perfect place for you to sip and enjoy your coffee whilst watching your child play because it is directly situated next to a lovely playground.

*Photo credit: The Monkey Bar Cafe/Facebook*

With sturdy outside seating shaded by trees, the café is well-known among locals because of its location as well as its range of food and drinks.

It is most popular for its richly-flavored Genovese coffee, but there are other drinks available like milkshakes, iced coffee, mocha, ginger beer, smoothies, and iced tea.

Milkshakes come in delicious flavours such as Belgian chocolate, strawberries and cream, or vanilla bean. For smoothies, you have a choice of mango, mixed berry, banana, or groovy green.

MBC Menu — *Photo credit: The Monkey Bar Cafe/Facebook*

The café has an unpretentious menu. It offers all-day breakfast and lunch made from locally bought produce in support of local businesses.

Breakfast and lunch options include sliders and shoestring fries, buttermilk pancakes with fresh bananas, maple syrup, hazelnut dust or Nutella cream, bacon and eggs on English muffins, veggie deluxe paired with chunky avo, or spicy bruschetta.

Also, the café offers puppycinos and treats for the furry pal that you brought along.

Like their menu, The Monkey Bar Café is an unassuming place with a very relaxed atmosphere. It is the perfect place on a sunny day to catch up with a friend, the go-to place after a soccer match or training to refuel your kids, or a place where you can have a business breakfast meeting with your children and pets beside you.

But you should remember that it is basically an outdoor café so it may not be so amazing on rainy days.

The café is open seven days a week from 6:30 am to 1:30 pm.

For details, check their website or Facebook.

Help Keep Greenslopes Litter-Free Through Containers For Change

Photo Credit: mali maeder/Pexels

Did you know that containers are the second most littered item in Queensland, despite the fact that they can be recycled? To help protect the environment and reduce waste in the state, including Greenslopes, the Containers for Change Scheme was launched.

With Containers for Change, members of the public may exchange eligible empty containers for a 10 cent refund at authorised container refund points, or they can donate them at donation points set up by local community groups, charities or not-for-profit organisations, who then receive the refund.

Drop-off Point near Greenslopes

The drop-off point nearest to Greenslopes is Tall Ingots, located at 12 Tennyson Memorial Avenue, Yeerongpilly, open Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.

At a drop-off point, it is important to bag the containers in your own multi-use translucent garbage bags or, if the operator supplies them, in the operator’s bags. They also encourage tagging your containers using labels from your local container refund point, displaying your scheme ID and transaction ID.

The Greenslopes State School Parents and Citizens Association is the scheme’s registered group in the suburb. Residents may direct the 10c refund payment to the Parents and Citizens Association by using the code C10028875, the school’s unique Scheme ID. The P&C association will receive funds to spend back on the school.

Eligible / Ineligible Items

Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible for a refund.

Ineligible containers include:

plain milk containers
glass containers which have contained wine or pure spirits
large containers (1L or more) which have contained flavoured milk, pure juice,
cask wine or cask water
cordial or vegetable juice containers
sachets above 250ml which have contained wine
registered health tonics
all containers smaller than 150mL and bigger than 3L

The Containers for Change Scheme, which began in November 2018, is managed and operated by the not-for-profit company Container Exchange (COEX).

For further information about the Containers for Change, visit the website’s FAQ page. You may also see the full list of eligible beverages for the Queensland Container Refund Scheme here.

3 Simple Ideas for QT with Kids for Multi-tasking Greenslopes Mums

Photo Credit: Igor Starkov/Pexels

Mums need “me-time” too but let’s admit it — in these days of multi-tasking motherhood, that’s easier said than done. You cannot get more than a simple haircut because other services, like getting your hair coloured could simply take longer than your time allows. Or maybe you want to go out for a leisurely cup of coffee but have no option but to bring the kids with you. Here are three simple ideas for multi-tasking Greenslopes mums who want to get some of that elusive me-time in whilst still spending quality time with their kids.

Multi-tasking task #1 : Salon Date + Play Date

Photo credit: Lavelle Hair Workroom/Facebook

Lavelle Hair Workroom, a boutique salon at 82 Dunellan Street, will take care of your locks whilst the kids stay in the playroom. This special room is full of toys for kids of all ages and a range of DVD’s available for use. You may also bring your children’s favourite DVD’s so they will be entertained whilst you get your hair done.

Aside from the playroom, parents may reserve the private room equipped with free WiFi. It’s ideal for mums who wish to multitask for group bookings for girls night, mother groups, baby showers, and weddings.

Multi-tasking task #2 : Mum’s Caffeine Fix + Kids’ Brunch

Photo credit: The Monkey Bar Cafe/Facebook

The Monkey Bar Cafe along Victoria Terrace lets you sip your coffee peacefully or schedule a quick catch-up with a friend whilst the kids play in the huge playground right next to the cafe. They also have breakfast options for children, with choices like the mini pancake stack and mini fruit bowl. They serve lunch that children will love, like Ham and Cheese Toastie and Fish “N” Chips.

Multi-tasking task #3 : Fitness Walk + QT with Kids

For a family-friendly getaway, there’s the Thompson Estate Reserve at Juliette Street with great park facilities and safe bike paths. It is a nice place to relax and explore nature in a busy city with the family, getting in some quality time with the kiddos whilst scoring some fitness points in the great outdoors.

Development of Greenslopes Energex Depot Office Approved; Buffer Trees to be Protected

Brisbane City Council has approved the construction of an Energex depot office in Greenslopes after its developers revised the original plan. The amended proposal now involves selective tree removal and substantial vegetation retention.

A number of Greenslopes residents opposed the said Energex depot office development during the submission period in 2018. The main contention was that the development would cut trees that form a natural corridor linking Greenslopes Park and Stephen’s Hill.

The Council received 75 submissions from residents who did not support the construction of the Energex depot office.

Energex, however, made significant changes to the plans, enough to convince the council to approve the development application.

Under the new plans, the “green corridor” between the said road and the adjacent areas on Garden Street which links to the Stephen Mountains will be protected. The green corridor leads to a nearby reserve which is home to a vast list of wildlife species as recorded by a PhD student.

According to DA documents, the developer has been required to retain, protect and maintain the existing trees based on Australian Standard – AS4970 Protection Of Trees On Development Sites, unless otherwise agreed in writing by Development Services.

The approved revised plans will build a new building of up to four storeys, inclusive of car parking levels. The new building will replace the existing single-storey offices fronting Barnsdale Place.

See details of the Development Application (A004866778)

Langlands Pool Upgrade Stage 1 Almost Finished

Photo Credit: Langlands Park Memorial Pool/Facebook

The first stage of the Langlands Park Memorial Pool upgrade at Panitya Street is almost finished and the second stage of the construction has begun.

Operators of the facility confirmed in a Facebook post that the gym and the clubhouse have been demolished to make way for a new building. The newly-improved 10-metre program pool, on the other hand, has been fitted with the steel frames for the roof that will provide ample shade for the swimmers.

The entrance of the Langlands Park Memorial Pool has also been moved to the Memorial Gates, thus making it easier to access both the pool and the East Tigers’ grounds.

According to the Brisbane City Council, the $8-million pool upgrade will also include the repositioning of the existing 50-metre outdoor pool, the addition of a 25-metre indoor pool, and the construction of an aqua park for the children.

The improvements will also modernise the facility’s amenities and features, including the landscaping. Access ramps will also be added to the pool and the changing room facilities.

*Photo Credit: Langlands Park Memorial Pool/Facebook*

The demolition of the main pool is expected to start on the 4th of March and this stage of construction is expected to last for 10 months.

On the 3rd of March, one day before demolition commences, the Langlands Park Memorial Pool will host the Last Swim event to commemorate the pool’s 60th year of operation.

The Langlands Park Memorial Pool is open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The 10-metre program pool will be operational throughout the construction so there will be no interruption to the swim classes.

Greenslopes among Brisbane’s Most Dangerous Walking and Cycling Suburbs

According to Brisbane City Council’s Move Safe Brisbane Citywide Pedestrian Safety Review, Greenslopes is one of the top 10 most dangerous suburbs for walking and cycling.

In a move to keep Brisbane roads safer, BCC conducted a citywide pedestrian safety review to identify programs and projects that will help improve safety for pedestrians. As part of the review, the Council held a public consultation from 31 July 2018 to 28 August 2018 where they gathered feedback from the community concerning road safety issues.

Brisbane pedestrians identified the following road safety issues during the consultation:

No safe place to cross
Cars travel too fast
Drivers turn across the crossing
Waiting too long for green walk signal
Should be separate path from bicycles
Don’t feel safe walking here after dark
Too many drivers on mobile phones
No street lighting

On the other hand, cyclists have identified the following concerns:

Cars travel too close or fast
No safe cycle facilities
Path should be separate from cars
No safe and convenient crossing facilities
Bike facility is too narrow
Path should be separate from pedestrians
No bikeway lighting
No safe place to leave my bike

Based on the feedback that BCC received, the following suburbs had the most number of negative responses:

Pedestrian Top 10	Cycling Top 10
Brisbane City (CBD)	Brisbane City (CBD)
South Brisbane	South Brisbane
Woolloongabba	Toowong
Greenslopes	Woolloongabba
Indooroopilly	Dutton Park
Fortitude Valley	Indooroopilly
Graceville	Greenslopes
West End	West End
Annerley	Bowen Hills
Morningside	St Lucia

Final Report Outcomes and Recommendations

BCC recommends reducing speed limits at Old Cleveland Road and Logan Road, Stones Corner (between Montague Street and the O’Keefe Street roundabout). Photo credit: Google Maps

Apart from the results of the public notification, BCC also gathered input from the Queensland Police Service’s crash data, pedestrian and traffic counts, and traffic speed data.

According to the final report, there is an alarming increase in the rate of pedestrian fatalities in Queensland. From 1 January 2018 to 18 November 2018, there were 28 pedestrian fatalities which are significantly higher when compared with fatalities of 18 (in 2013), 19 (in 2014), and 18 (in 2015) at the same time of year.

For Brisbane LGA alone, seven people were killed in pedestrian crashes from 1 January to 20 November 2018. Prompted by these road safety data trends, the Council came up with nine pedestrian safety outcomes and 31 recommended projects.

As included in their recommendations, Council will be investigating speed limit reduction at Old Cleveland Road and Logan Road, Stones Corner (between Montague Street and the O’Keefe Street roundabout) by early 2019.

They will also investigate the Senior Citizens’ Safety Zone at Old Cleveland Road, Stones Corner by mid-2019.

Read more outcomes and recommendations on the Move Safe Brisbane – Pedestrian Safety Review page.

TenantConnect Launched with Unveiling of Greenslopes Housing Complex Upgrade

Following the much-needed upgrade of the Greenslopes social housing complex at 44 Vine Street, Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni launched TenantConnect, a new service for public housing tenants.

The Vine Street complex, comprising of 63 units for seniors, recently had a $4-million upgrade.

TenantConnect

According to Mr de Brenni, the latest program for housing tenants called TenantConnect will enable the 108,000 people living in public housing across the State “to become involved in activities which build their skills, confidence and community connections”.

Moreover, Mr de Brenni said the new program allows public housing tenants to have their say on the government services.

“If they have any ideas on how we can improve our service delivery – whether that be housing design, safety and security, or streamlining access for the most vulnerable – this program delivers that avenue,” he explained.

Talking about the upgrades, Mr de Brenni also said the renovations provide more than modern homes.

“A big plus is the community connection the process creates, overcoming isolation, which in some cases can be debilitating for elderly Queenslanders,” he said.

Greenslopes Complex Upgrades

Member for Greenslopes Joe Kelly also added that tenants were “given a voice” during the refurbishment of the complex.

According to Mr Kelly, all 63 tenants had their say about what needed fixed in the building. This was done by forming a committee to help design the complex.

Upgrades to the complex include eight new car parks (including an ambulance bay), communal lighting, and improved gardens.

One of the tenants, Bruce Cole, said residents felt “grateful and empowered.”

“We now have a beautiful, welcoming complex with outdoor areas that are making a big difference to people getting together and socialising,” he said.

“Even though the upgrade is complete, we still have regular meetings with the department where we can discuss our concerns.”

Tenants can further give their concerns and suggestions to the government by simply taking part in an online survey. Furthermore, tenants may also share their stories and ideas by emailing tenantconnect@hpw.qld.gov.au.

Withdrawn: Developer Abandons Proposal for 54-Unit Development on Nicholson Street in Greenslopes

The proposal to build a 54-unit residential development at 82-86 Nicholson Street in Greenslopes has been withdrawn by the developer.

This decision is a welcome development for the neighbouring residents who strongly opposed the development application.

Site of the withdrawn Development Application (Photo credit: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au)

SYMX Land Development lodged the application for the residential project in November 2017. The proposal was to construct three four-storey residential buildings on a sloping piece of land. However, the site also includes an area of bushland leading to Norman Creek, and this became a major issue raised by Brisbane City Council and the local residents.

Bushland Saved

In its initial review of the proposal, the council pointed out that the site has been identified as containing significant biodiversity under the proposed City Plan Amendments to the Biodiversity Overlay mapping. As such, the council stated that the proposed type of vegetation removal was not supported.

The development application plans are also seen as non-compliant with biodiversity areas overlay code. The council asked the applicant to amend the layout in such a way that it will retain a substantial area of vegetation.

The council also noted that the building height is not consistent with the existing streetscape. The review requested changes to maintain the predominant two-storey residential building height along Nicholson Street.

Neighbours were also not happy about the DA. Their main concerns included the loss of vegetation. One particular submission stressed that they bought their property on the premise that the council assured that the land behind their lot was protected. The council also assured the resident that they have no intentions of permitting development there.

Have Your Say on the Hanlon Park Draft Concept Plan

Brisbane City Council has already released the draft concept plan for the upgrade of Hanlon Park, between Cornwall and O’Keefe streets in Greenslopes.

Locals can provide their thoughts about the draft concept plan by completing the survey online.

Hanlon Park Project

Hanlon Park is a large, open green space in the heart of Stones Corner. It is being revitalised as a priority precinct of the Norman Creek 2012-2031 Master Plan. The said Master Plan guides key initiatives to revitalise one of the city’s most urbanised catchments.

The Hanlon Park Project involves transforming the park into an attractive and versatile public space to support the growing Stones Corner Precinct – creating a vibrant urban oasis with more to see and do.

The Hanlon Park project will deliver a space that:

revitalises Norman Creek, which runs through the park
enhances the environment with more trees and natural spaces
increases recreational and social opportunities for residents and visitors
enhances connectivity and accessibility within the park and local area
boosts local economic vibrancy with a new place to relax and enjoy.

Hanlon Park Draft Concept Plan

The draft concept plan for Hanlon Park is still subject to detailed design and further investigations following community feedback.

The following features are included in the Hanlon Park draft concept plan:

A naturalised waterway corridor through Hanlon Park, including saltwater and freshwater resilient vegetation.
New and upgraded pedestrian and cyclist pathways.
Maintaining open grassy spaces and planting new trees to create shade and distinct areas within the park.
New creative play spaces including an education trail and nature-themed play.
A new small wetland in the southern section of Hanlon Park to create a rich biodiversity area, aid in improving water quality and provide visual amenity.
An island and nature area adjacent to the small wetland to create a new place to reflect and relax.
Formalised entry spaces and new park facilities including BBQs, seating and bike racks.
New creek crossings and a stepping stone crossing over the naturalised waterway.

Community consultation

Drop-in information kiosk

An information kiosk will be available on Saturday, 1 December 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., adjacent to Stones Corner Village, 405 Logan Road, Stones Corner. Locals can learn more about the draft concept plan by personally speaking with the project team.

Online survey

The online survey about the draft concept plan for Hanlon Park is already available and will close on Friday, 14 December 2018.

Read more about The Hanlon Park Project.

Greenslopes: Among the Top Brisbane Suburbs for Flat Tyres

Greenslopes ranks amongst the top Brisbane suburbs where flat tyre incidence is high, roadside assistance data reveals.

There were a total of 12,128 flat tyre incidence across Brisbane during the first six months of 2018. QLD’s peak motoring body RACQ said that roadside assistance data revealed Eight Mile Plains as the suburb with the most number of flat tyre incidence in Brisbane with Greenslopes claiming the fifth spot.

It can be dangerous if you get a flat tyre on a busy road, according to RACQ spokesperson Kirsty Clinton. However, you could save yourself from the hassles and dangers arising from attempting to change the tyre yourself if you prevent this incident from happening in the first place, she said.

“While we’ll be there to come to your rescue when you need us, it’s always better to try to prevent the issue from occurring in the first place.”

“Drivers should regularly check their tyres’ condition and pressure – that way they’ll have the best chance to avoid getting a flat,” Ms Clinton said.

Ms Clinton advised car owners to look out for signs of wear and tear or damage to your tyres. Check for foreign objects such as screws or nails in the tread and any regular drops in tyre pressure or unusual vibrations in the car.

Top five suburbs for flat tyres in Brisbane for the period 1 January – June 2018:

Eight Mile Plains – 159
Brisbane CBD – 148
Chermside – 147
Coorparoo – 144
Greenslopes – 143

Getting a flat tyre are mostly due to potholes and/ or road debris encountered while driving. Car owners are advised not to try to change the punctured tyre themselves, should it happen on a busy road. RACQ recommends pulling over in a safer place and calling a professional to help with changing the tyre.