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Coorparoo RSL Reopens as Parkside Community & Services Club in Greenslopes

A familiar community institution has found a new home in Greenslopes, with the former Coorparoo RSL & Community Club now trading as Parkside Community & Services Club.

Read: Parkside Community Club Nears Opening, Bringing a Fresh Chapter to Greenslopes

The club has relocated to the former Greenslopes Bowls Club site on Ridge Street, just five minutes from its original Coorparoo location, marking the end of a multi-year search for a permanent base following the sale of its previous property.

The journey to this new chapter began in 2021 when the club sold its Coorparoo land. The sale was made to pay down debt and secure funds for the club’s future relocation.

Photo credit: Parkside Community & Services Club/Google Maps

What followed was an extensive search for a suitable location. After successful negotiations with Brisbane’s local officials, the club secured a lease for the former bowls club site and undertook a major refurbishment.

The club invested approximately $5 million in the relocation and refurbishment. Working with design firm Paynters, the club has redeveloped the venue with modern facilities. The site retains two bowling greens, each serving distinct purposes. One green is maintained for social use and barefoot bowls. The second is a multi-purpose green used for commemorative services to community events and activities.

The venue features the Greenhouse Bistro and an outdoor covered terrace. Members and guests can also enjoy a cafe, bar, lounge area, and function spaces. Gaming facilities and expanded parking are also available.

The venue also houses an RSL office and memorial displays to honour servicemen and women. While the legal entity remains unchanged, the name Parkside Community & Services Club reflects the club’s evolution and its new environment.

The community element acknowledges the club’s role as a social hub, whilst the services component maintains the connection to the RSL charter and veteran support that defines the organisation’s core mission.

Photo credit: Jason Collingwood/Google Maps

The choice of Parkside itself references the venue’s location adjacent to parklands, soccer fields, and a sporting precinct. The name reflects the club’s connection to its new neighbourhood in Greenslopes.

The local response has exceeded expectations, with early patronage figures suggesting strong community support for the new venue. First-month attendance reportedly reached three times the club’s initial forecasts.

Read: Coorparoo RSL to Put Pokies at Former Greenslopes Bowls Club

The redevelopment ensures the continuation of a club with roots in Brisbane’s inner south, whilst creating a modern venue designed to serve both veterans and the broader Greenslopes community.

About Coorparoo RSL

Established in 1935 when it received its RSL Charter on 19 August, the Coorparoo and District RSL Sub-Branch Inc marked its 85th anniversary in 2020. The organisation relocated from its original home at the Coorparoo School of Arts and Memorial Hall to Holdsworth Street in the early 1960s, having occupied the Memorial Hall and RSL Sub Branch building since 1956.

Over nearly nine decades, the Sub Branch has adapted to serve changing community needs by operating as a community club. Today, it boasts over 200 members alongside more than 2,000 social members, with membership numbers rising rapidly since Parkside’s opening.

The legal entity — the Coorparoo RSL sub-branch and its RSL charter — remains the same organisation supporting veterans and community programs. The operating “club name” and venue branding have changed to Parkside Community & Services Club to reflect the new location and facilities while continuing community and veteran services.

Parkside Community & Services Club is located at 131 Ridge Street, Greenslopes.

Published 31-January-2026

Support for Hanlon Park Family as Chinese Working Group Joins Local Efforts for Justice

QPS / Facebook

A working group from China will travel to Brisbane to assist with the investigation into the attack on baby Luka at Hanlon Park in Stones Corner last August.

The development marks a significant step forward in the case that shocked the local community when a man poured boiling coffee over the nine-month-old infant at the Stones Corner playground on August 27, 2024.

Chinese Ambassador Xiao Qian announced the formation of the working group during a press conference in Canberra, confirming that authorities are taking the matter seriously and preparing to send a working group to assist local law enforcement.

Progress in the Investigation

The suspect, a 33-year-old Chinese national, fled the scene after the attack at Hanlon Park and left Australia on August 31, 2024—just days after the incident and hours before police identified him. He has since been located in China.

Photo of the suspect — Photo Credit: Tiny Hearts

Local law enforcement have been working with Chinese authorities to explore options for justice, despite China’s lack of an extradition arrangement with Australia. Under Chinese law, the country has extraterritorial jurisdiction to prosecute its own citizens for conduct that occurs outside China.

The working group will meet with local authorities to examine exactly what happened and determine how both countries can work together on the case.

Impact on the Family

Baby Luka suffered severe burns to his chest, neck, and face from the attack. The injuries required eight surgeries, including extensive skin grafts, skin needling, and laser treatments.

His mother, who had taken him to the playground to meet with a friend that day, described the incident as a cruel and unprovoked attack—a deliberate act of violence against a child.

She shared that before turning two, her son has endured more medical procedures than most adults face in a lifetime, with each one serving as a painful reminder of the attack.

What Happens Next

Local authorities confirmed they are supporting the delegation of Chinese authorities visiting Brisbane. Both agencies stated they remain committed to securing justice and are pursuing all available avenues in the case.

The collaboration between Australian and Chinese authorities represents a crucial step in seeking accountability for what happened at Hanlon Park that August morning.

Published 29-January-2026

Greenslopes Crime Trends: A 12-Month Snapshot for Residents

Greenslopes recorded 625 offences between 4 January 2025 and 3 January 2026, according to the Queensland Police Service’s Online Crime Map. The figures reveal a suburb where theft, drug offences, and property-related incidents were most common.

Read: Greenslopes Teen Arrested After Mounted Unit Responds During Brisbane Christmas Patrol

The QPS heatmap shows strong concentrations of offences along the Pacific Motorway, Duke Street, Plimsoll Street, Earl Street, and Logan Road in Greenslopes. These locations align with the suburb’s main transport corridors and commercial areas, which naturally experience higher activity levels throughout the day and night.

The most common offences were other theft (excluding unlawful entry), drug offences, and unlawful entry. These categories accounted for a significant portion of all incidents over the 12-month period. The pattern suggests theft and property security remain primary concerns for residents and businesses, alongside drug-related activity in the area.

Time-of-day data shows the 2 pm to 10 pm window recorded the highest number of offences, followed by 10 pm to 6 am and 6 am to 2 pm. This evening-heavy profile indicates most reports occur during the late afternoon and evening hours when commercial activity peaks and transitions into the night.

By day of the week, Tuesday and Friday were the busiest for reported incidents, while Monday and Wednesday saw noticeably fewer. The variation reflects changing patterns of foot traffic and activity across the suburb throughout the week.

The date-range chart indicates the highest monthly totals were recorded in March (67 offences), December (59), February (55), and April 2025 (54). The quietest month was October (40 offences), with July 2025 (66) also recording lower numbers, showing fluctuations throughout the year.

Most incidents recorded were opportunistic thefts, drug-related matters, and property offences typical of busy inner-city suburbs with mixed residential and commercial zones. The proximity to major roads likely contributes to the suburb’s activity levels.

Read: Works Set to Begin on Greenslopes Medical Precinct After Court Win

Overall, the data presents Greenslopes as a moderately active suburb for crime, where offence patterns correlate closely with traffic density, shopping precincts, and major thoroughfares. The statistics suggest that practical security measures, such as securing vehicles, locking doors and windows, and keeping valuables out of sight, remain the most effective ways to prevent most incidents.

Published 4-January-2026

Waterway Revival: What Hanlon Park Means for Greenslopes

Photo Credit: AILA Awards and Competitions

More than a decade ago, Brisbane adopted the Norman Creek 2012–2031 Catchment Master Plan — an ambitious, long-term vision to restore one of the city’s most heavily urbanised waterways. Part of that transformation involves Hanlon Park / Bur’uda, a once-concrete drainage corridor that has become a green, thriving community space and a flagship example of what the master plan set out to achieve.

At the centre of that transformation is Hanlon Park / Bur’uda, a once-concrete drainage corridor that has become a green, thriving community space and a flagship example of what the master plan set out to achieve.

The Norman Creek Catchment Master Plan was launched in 2012 as a 20-year strategy to reconnect people, parks and neighbourhoods with the creek system stretching from Toohey Forest to the Brisbane River. Rather than focusing on isolated upgrades, the plan aimed to rehabilitate the entire catchment — improving water quality, restoring habitat, managing flood risk and creating accessible, high-quality public spaces.

Photo Credit: Norman Creek Master Plan/BCC

Hanlon Park / Bur’uda: a project delivered and celebrated

Completed and opened to the public in 2022, Hanlon Park / Bur’uda represents one of the master plan’s most significant achievements to date.

Where a cracked concrete channel once rushed stormwater downstream, a naturalised, meandering creek now flows through the park. Hundreds of native trees and tens of thousands of shrubs and groundcovers were planted, creating habitat, shade and cooler conditions. Walking and cycling paths, picnic areas and a nature-based playground have transformed the park into a daily destination for families, commuters and local workers.

The project also delivered vital flood resilience, allowing water to spread and slow during heavy rain rather than surge through a narrow channel. Early ecological monitoring has shown a sharp increase in fish numbers and species diversity, demonstrating that nature is returning to the heart of the suburb.

Hanlon Park / Bur’uda has also received multiple awards and professional recognition, celebrating its excellence in design, sustainability and urban waterway transformation. These awards acknowledge the project’s innovative approach to combining landscape architecture, ecological restoration and community amenity — putting the site on the map as a national benchmark for urban creek rehabilitation.

Photo Credit: AILA Awards and Competitions

Beyond Hanlon Park: what else has been achieved

Hanlon Park is not an isolated success. Across the catchment, the master plan has already delivered:

Coorparoo Creek Park works, helping daylight sections of the creek and create new green space within a growing urban centre
Upgraded walking and cycling links along Norman Creek and connecting suburbs
Extensive revegetation and weed management, much of it supported by community volunteer groups
Improved stormwater management, reducing pollution entering the creek system

These projects collectively reflect the plan’s core idea: that waterways are not just infrastructure, but social, ecological and cultural assets.

Where we are now in 2026

With several major projects delivered, the Norman Creek program has entered a consolidation and next-stage planning phase.

Council is currently progressing concept planning and community engagement for remaining priority areas, including parts of Kingfisher Creek, Woolloongabba and upstream Greenslopes precincts. These works focus on improving connectivity, expanding habitat corridors and ensuring future developments respond better to flooding and heat.

Importantly, the master plan was never intended to be static. It allows projects to be delivered as funding, partnerships and redevelopment opportunities arise — meaning progress can be steady rather than rushed.

What to expect next

Over the coming years, residents can expect:

Further design work and consultation on remaining creek precincts
Incremental construction tied to funding and redevelopment timelines
Continued community involvement, particularly through local catchment and “Friends of” groups
Ongoing monitoring of water quality, biodiversity and flood performance

For communities like Greenslopes, this means change will continue — but in manageable stages, with visible benefits along the way.

Why it matters locally

The transformation of Norman Creek has already changed how people move through, use and value their local environment. Safer paths, cooler green spaces, improved flood resilience and richer biodiversity all contribute to a healthier, more liveable suburb.

As the master plan moves toward its final years, projects like Hanlon Park / Bur’uda stand as proof that long-term planning, backed by community support, can reshape even the most engineered urban landscapes.

Published 31-Dec-2025

Parkside Community Grants Deliver $6,700 Boost to Local Greenslopes Organisations

Photo Credit: Parkside Community Services/Facebook

Local community groups across Greenslopes are set to benefit from a funding boost, with Parkside Community & Services Club announcing the successful recipients of the inaugural round of its Community Grants Program, awarding a total of $6,700 to five grassroots organisations.

The grants form part of Parkside’s broader commitment to reinvesting locally, with up to $10,000 made available to support projects, programs and services that strengthen community connections and deliver tangible social benefits.

On behalf of Coorparoo & Districts RSL Sub Branch, Parkside Community & Services Club confirmed the following organisations as recipients of funding support:

Holland Park Girl Guides, receiving funding to replace camping equipment damaged by water, ensuring outdoor programs can continue safely for local girls
Incapacitated Service Men and Women’s Association, supporting advocacy and welfare services for veterans
St Andrews Ladies Hockey Club, assisting the club to continue providing inclusive sporting opportunities
Stones Corner Community Kindergarten, funding the creation of a frog pond and native food garden to enhance environmental learning
The Other Greenbagz, helping purchase wide-width fabric so volunteers can continue making quilts for people experiencing homelessness and vulnerability

Parkside Community & Services Club Chief Executive Officer Chris Sartori said the grants reflect the club’s vision of being more than just a venue.

“These grants are about backing the people and volunteers who quietly strengthen our community every day,” Mr Sartori said. “When you support grassroots organisations, the impact ripples far beyond the initial funding.”

All applications were assessed by Parkside’s Independent Board of Directors, with priority given to initiatives demonstrating strong community benefit and long-term impact.

The grant announcement follows the recent opening of Parkside Community & Services Club at 131 Ridge Street, Greenslopes, which features a family-friendly bistro, barefoot bowling green and modern hospitality spaces designed to bring locals together.

Further information about the club and its community initiatives is available at https://parksideclub.com.au

Published 19-Dec-2025

Stones Corner Suburban Renewal Plan Now in Brisbane City Plan

The Stones Corner Suburban Renewal Precinct amendment is now in effect in Brisbane City Plan 2014, becoming operational on 5 December 2025. The amendment provides a long-term planning framework for one of Brisbane’s oldest suburbs, outlining how the precinct will support growth while maintaining the area’s established character.

Read: Stones Corner’s Renewal Plan Shaped by Local Voices

The amendment applies to the precinct between Gladys Street and Cornwall Street, including the Logan Road high street and surrounding areas. Stones Corner is described as one of Brisbane’s fastest-growing suburbs, and the precinct has been identified as an area where new homes and services can be supported close to existing transport and community facilities.

Stones Corner precinct (Photo credit: BCC)

The precinct plan sets out a vision focused on housing choice, improved access to local amenities and stronger physical connections within and around Stones Corner. It outlines objectives that include supporting more housing, providing opportunities for employment, education and services near public transport, maintaining the unique character of the high street, improving access to parks and community spaces, leveraging investment in the area such as Hanlon Park / Bur’uda and the busway, and improving connectivity inside and outside the precinct.

The process leading to the amendment becoming effective began in mid-2024, when background research and technical investigations were carried out. A draft precinct plan was released for community feedback in late 2024, giving residents and businesses the opportunity to review the proposed changes and provide comments. This feedback informed a review of the draft plan during early to mid-2025.

An updated draft plan was approved on 16 September 2025. Queensland endorsed the revised precinct plan on 1 October 2025, clearing the way for its adoption in November 2025 as part of the Eastern Corridor Neighbourhood Plan. The amendment then became effective in Brisbane City Plan 2014 on 5 December 2025.

Read: Stones Corner Skyline Set for Major Transformation

Now that the amendment is integrated into the City Plan, the precinct has an adopted policy framework to guide future development and investment. The planning objectives reflect a balance of supporting additional housing and services while retaining the character of the Logan Road high street and improving access to community facilities.

Residents seeking more information about the precinct, the amendment or related planning matters can contact Brisbane by phone (07 3403 8888), email or through their website.

Published 11-December-2025

Greenslopes Teen Arrested After Mounted Unit Responds During Brisbane Christmas Patrol

Photo Credit: QPS

A 17-year-old Greenslopes boy has been arrested in Brisbane’s CBD after Queensland Police’s Mounted Unit moved from a festive Christmas patrol into an operational response during the Commissioner’s Christmas carols.

Police said the incident unfolded about 1.30 p.m. on 2 December, when officers were called to a fast-food restaurant on Queen Street, Brisbane City, following reports of an alleged assault and disturbance. The teenager allegedly fled the scene on foot before general duties officers arrived.

At the time, officers from the Queensland Police Service Mounted Unit were patrolling nearby as part of the Commissioner’s Christmas concert, with police horses dressed in Christmas-themed gear and engaging with the public.

When the call for assistance was received, the Mounted Unit transitioned from ceremonial duties to an operational role, moving through the CBD streets and tracking the teenager.

Police said the boy was located and arrested at the intersection of Albert and Turbot streets without further incident.

The Greenslopes teenager has been charged with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and appeared before Brisbane Children’s Court.

Police said the incident highlighted the Mounted Unit’s operational capability, noting their elevated vantage point and mobility in crowded urban environments, even during community and ceremonial events.

Published 8-Dec-2025

Local Author Alla Zaykova to Hold Book Signing at Stones Corner

Stones Corner is set to welcome a rising Brisbane-based science fiction author this November, as Alla Zaykova, who publishes under the name A. Zaykova, visits Books@Stones for a signing of her debut novel Galaxy Grifter.

Read: Find Your Next Great Read at Books@Stones Book Clubs

Fans of fast-paced, high-stakes sci-fi will have the chance to meet the author, learn about her writing journey, and get their copies signed on Saturday, 29 November 2025, from 10am onwards.

Galaxy Grifter was published in 2025 by Orbit US. The science fiction novel follows a con artist who steals an alien blueprint and a programmer who becomes involved in assisting him. According to reader reviews, the book is described as “snarky, high-stakes and accessible sci-fi,” and another review stated it is “Fast-paced, fun, and with more suspense than the sky holds stars.” The novel is identified as appealing to fans of Star Wars and Firefly.

Zaykova has been writing since childhood and has previously published short stories and poetry in magazines and anthologies. Galaxy Grifter is her first full-length novel. Her second novel is scheduled for publication in 2026.

Alla Zaykova has a background in Government communications and is based in Brisbane. She lives with her husband, daughter, and rescue cat. She is noted as a second-generation science fiction fan and a lifelong storyteller.

Books@Stones, located on Logan Road in Stones Corner, is hosting the event. The bookshop has been involved in local community events and provides a venue for authors to meet readers.

The book signing is open to the public. Readers can attend to meet Zaykova and have their copies of Galaxy Grifter signed. The event is scheduled to begin at 10am on 29 November 2025 and will continue for as long as attendees wish to participate.

Read: Stones Corner Skyline Set for Major Transformation

This event provides an opportunity for local readers to engage with the author and purchase a copy of her debut novel. It also allows attendees to meet the author behind the book, including learning about her writing background and upcoming works.

Published 24-November-2025

Works Set to Begin on Greenslopes Medical Precinct After Court Win

Construction is expected to begin in January 2026 on the Greenslopes Medical Precinct, after a Supreme Court decision ended Ramsay Health Care’s attempt to block the development across from Greenslopes Private Hospital.

Read: Greenslopes Medical Precinct Approved Despite Opposition from Private Hospital

The new centre is located on Hunter Street, directly opposite the private hospital. The development has been highly contested, but with the court’s ruling in favour of the developer, the project is clear to proceed.

Photo credit: Brisbane PD Online/A006236443

At the centre of Ramsay’s objections was a planning requirement that new facilities in that area be “complementary” to the existing hospital. Ramsay argued that the medical centre would duplicate hospital services rather than complement them. But the court rejected this narrow view.

After losing its appeal in the Planning and Environment Court, Ramsay escalated the matter to the Supreme Court. A bench comprising Chief Justice Helen Bowskill and Justices Sue Brown and Thomas Bradley ruled against Ramsay, concluding the previous decision contained no legal error.

Photo credit: greenslopesmedicalprecinct.com.au

The judges considered the meaning of “complementary” in this context. Rather than the narrow interpretation Ramsay advanced — that complementary means something that “completes or perfects” — the court accepted a broader planning meaning: uses that support or sit well alongside each other. The court also referred to ordinary dictionary definitions, noting that complementary can mean “to enhance” or “go well with,” which aligned with the broader planning interpretation.

Crucially, the Planning and Environment Court had already found that the proposed development (A006236443) met even Ramsay’s stricter standard — a factual finding that the Supreme Court determined could not be overturned.

With legal obstacles now removed, Ron Build Pty Ltd, owned by developer Ronnie Tarabay, is preparing for construction. The project site cleared of three former residences and the Press & Brew Espresso café, making way for the development.

The new medical centre will include 15 consulting suites and is projected to open around mid-2027. While details of which specialists will occupy the suites have not been finalised publicly, the scale of the project indicates a substantial increase in local outpatient capacity.

Situated opposite Greenslopes Private Hospital, the centre will sit adjacent to a major private health provider. Its addition is expected to boost the number of available consulting rooms for the community.

Read: Greenslopes Hospital Shelters History with World War II Bunker Museum

After more than a year of legal dispute, the decision provides clarity for the future of the site. With construction set to begin in January, the medical centre promises to expand healthcare options for residents in Greenslopes.

Published 18-November-2025

Greenslopes Revisits 1985: A Throwback to Abortion Debates

Did you know that Greenslopes was at the heart of the state’s fierce abortion debate in 1985 and the events of that year shaped the Termination of Pregnancy Bill?

A Step Back in Time

The political landscape in Queensland was vastly different in the 1980s. Then Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen had ordered police raids on abortion clinics throughout the state, as the termination of pregnancy was illegal under Queensland law. Those laws remained unchanged for over a century.

The Women’s Centre at Red Hill in Brisbane was offering all-options counselling and referring women to abortion clinics in Sydney when the abortion debate first gained prominence. The violent attacks that followed – bricks thrown through windows – brought significant attention to their work and gave Queensland women a sense of choice.

Greenslopes abortion clinic raid — Photo Credit: National Archives of Australia

During this time, Greenslopes was home to one of Queensland’s abortion facilities, the Greenslopes Fertility Control Clinic, which began providing services in the late 1970s. However, under Mr Bjelke-Petersen’s leadership, the government was determined to put an end to what they saw as “abortion on demand.”

In 1980, former Liberal MP Rosemary Kyburz played a pivotal role by leaking details of proposed laws that aimed to ban abortion in all circumstances except when a woman’s life was at imminent risk. She vehemently opposed these laws, describing them as “the most frightening piece of fascist legislation I have ever seen in my life.” Despite personal attacks and threats, including the shooting of her dog, Ms Kyburz stood her ground.

Clinics Raided

In the midst of this heated debate, Queensland police launched Operation Lost Cause in May 1985. More than 50 officers conducted simultaneous raids on known abortion clinics in Brisbane, Townsville, and the Greenslopes Fertility Control Clinic. A total of 47,000 patient files were seized during these raids.

Dr. Peter Bayliss, who operated the Greenslopes facility, faced arrest and charges under the criminal code. Eventually, he was found not guilty, and the judge, Fred Maguire, ruled that abortion was effectively legal if performed to prevent a serious threat to a woman’s health.

The fallout from these events resulted in a highly divisive public debate, leaving Queenslanders divided on the issue of abortion.

A New Future

In 2018, Greenslopes and all of Queensland revisited their history as the state’s Parliament debated the decriminalization of abortion and its removal from the criminal code. The long-standing debate has polarized opinions and ignited passionate arguments on both sides.

In a significant victory for women’s rights, Queensland’s Parliament voted to legalise abortion and remove a 119-year-old “morality” section from the state’s criminal code. After decades of passionate debate, the historic moment was marked by cheers in the legislative assembly chamber, ending a 50-year struggle by women’s groups in a state historically known for its conservatism.

Abortion had been classed as an “offence against morality” under the outdated criminal code, a law written before women had gained the right to vote. Both major political parties, Labor and the Liberal National party, allowed their members a conscience vote, and ultimately, the laws passed with a 50-41 vote.

The legislation legalised abortion up to 22 weeks gestation and beyond with the approval of two doctors, while also establishing safe access zones around clinics to protect women from harassment.

Published 14-Nov-2025. Originally published 14-Oct-2023