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Wavell Heights Property Market Tipped for 4-Year Growth Amidst Infrastructure Projects

A number of middle ring suburbs, including Wavell Heights, are going to benefit from the Cross River Rail and the Brisbane Metro infrastructure projects in the next four years, according to industry experts.

Whilst Albion, Woolloongabba, Yeronga, Nundah and Clayfield stand to gain the most from the ripple effect of these projects, Wavell Heights and Virginia have also been seen as potential hotspots because of the increased infrastructure and access to train lines.

CoreLogic property research director Tim Lawless said that the appeal of detached houses in these suburbs bolstered a strong performance in the market in recent months, compared to apartments, because its land value has “development potential.”

The transport improvements are expected to spark soaring house prices as the liveability in these sleepy pockets will increase as well. By 2025, homeowners and investors should reap the full benefits of the market’s growth.

Currently, Wavell Heights has been enjoying an active auction market with record-breaking sales and more clamour for supplies.

The biggest sale, so far, has been a five-bedroom designer house with an amazing view on Zeehan Street, which went for $1.88 million at a January 2021 auction. This broke the suburb’s sales record of a house sold in July 2020 for $1.78 million.

Analysts said that Brisbane is on its way to a major property boom. Demand for houses in the middle ring has been underpinned by factors like relative affordability, low-interest rates, favourable rental returns, and migration from Sydney or Melbourne.

Make Your Hair Happy At Beloved Wavell Heights Salon

Photo credit: Cameo Rose Hair Boutique/Facebook

Looking to get your post-lockdown trim? You might have learnt to trim or colour your hair during the lockdown, but admit it, nothing compares to the feeling of walking out of the salon with your hair done. If you’re in Wavell Heights or nearby, head to Cameo Rose Hair Boutique for a trendy haircut or hair colour.

A mainstay at Rode Rd since 2009, Cameo Rose’s customer base grew through word of mouth. Customers are returning and recommending the salon for a style cut and specialized colours, such as ombre and balayage. Aside from cuts and colour for ladies, they also offer haircuts for gents and kids.

Photo credit: Cameo Rose Hair Boutique/Facebook

“If you want to be treated like absolutely royalty the second you walk through the doors, you have chosen the perfect place. Cara and her team of girls are just fantastic and I always walk out feeling a million bucks. From the scalp massages, to the wine and choccies and the never ending compliments on my hair, I know I have chosen my favourite salon,” said one of the salon’s regulars.

Another happy customer said: “Cara also cut my 5 yr old sons hair and she did an amazing job! My son also loved the experience. I won’t be going anywhere else.”

Photo credit: Cameo Rose Hair Boutique/Facebook Photo credit: Cameo Rose Hair Boutique/Facebook

Following the lockdown, they are back in January 2021, with new regulations to ensure the safety of their guests. In addition to the basics, such as wearing a mask and sanitising hands upon arrival, they ask guests to complete contact tracing on QR code form located on the front door and stations. They highly encourage guests to come alone to their appointment.

It’s owned by Cara Barrett who has over 10 years experience as a stylist. She has one goal and that is to pamper her guests. With its welcoming atmosphere, this salon will indeed make you feel at home.

More than a salon, the Cameo Rose Hair Boutique in Wavell Heights is an establishment that gives back to the community. The salon spreads some love by raising funds for those in need and by hosting random giveaways.

Cameo Rose is open daily (with varied business hours) except on Sundays. They offer a complimentary consultation and quote for new guests. For questions or online booking, check out their Facebook page or follow them on Instagram @cameorosehair.

Locals Petition Speed Limit Change for Main Avenue in Wavell Heights

A group of concerned families in Wavell Heights have lodged a petition to change the speed limit on Main Avenue, as well as implement “proper traffic calming measures” to keep the neighbourhood safe.

The petition, shared on both the Council’s e-petitions page and on Change.org, was initiated by Tunui Tuahiva Ote Tonohiti, who explained that non-residents use Main Avenue to speed up and cut through the traffic building up on Hamilton Road. However, Main Avenue is not a wide street and has plenty of vehicles parked on both sides.

As a result of the speeding, Mr Tonohiti said that cars parked on the streets, owned by families who live there, have had some damages. But it’s not just vehicles that are at risk as many residents have almost been victims of hit and run, and some are caught on video.

“Numerous residents have nearly been hit while crossing the road with a pram or a dog and trying to access parked cars on the street has become a nightmare. We have footage of vehicles during school pick-up and drop-off hours doing 80km/h, if not more down Main Avenue. It is rampant and daily.”

Main Avenue’s speed limit is at 60km/h and the signs are located in just two streets, along the intersection of Bilsen Road and Newman Road.

“The former is hidden and attached to an electrical pole high up behind a tree. Using a 24/7 security camera, we have thousands of hours of recordings of the street and we have observed at least two-thirds of the vehicles travelling Main Avenue do well over the 60km/h speed limit. Some vehicles reaching speeds of 80km/h.”

The petition calls for a speed reduction to 50km/h and the installation of speed bumps in critical areas. Mr Tonohiti also hopes that the Council will put up a pedestrian crossing near the playground on Main Avenue so that children and families walking their dogs can cross safely.

“The footpath on Main Avenue starting from Newman Road travels on one side then stops at the children’s playground and continues on the opposite side of the street with no safe way of crossing over.”

To monitor this development, residents may join the local Facebook group.

Locals Express Concern Over Worsening School Drop-Off at Wavell State High School

School drop-offs in Wavell State High School have changed in recent years, according to the parents of the students or the residents living nearby. Frustration has been mounting as both children and adults display inconsiderate behaviour, making the regular drive to this area such a stressful experience.

The most dangerous time to be on the road is from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., according to an official from the Transport and Main Roads (TMR), because that’s when most school kids are out.

In Wavell Heights, concerned locals said that they’ve experienced a rise in speeding, congestion and other traffic inconveniences at busy intersections near the state high school.

Driver behaviour has gone downhill as well with more rude and entitled people at the wheel, prompting some to fear that they might be involved in a tiff.

To make matters worse, some school children do not seem to have the sense to exercise care and caution when walking on busy streets. It’s an accident waiting to happen, according to the locals.

Brisbane has over 2,000 crossing supervisors at school zones but they, too, have had rude encounters with drivers. However, only serious incidents are reported to TMR.

An official said that they have relied on the help of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) for proper traffic enforcement, which regularly monitors speed camera trailers installed at school zones. In 2020, TMR have sent out 4,500 speeding fines within the school zones of suburbs like Wavell Heights, Eatons Hill, Mansfield, Mount Gravatt and Wishart.

The QPS reminded motorists to be mindful, attentive and patient, especially if they are near school zones.

Kim Marx, the chair of the Brisbane City Council Community Health and Safety, said that the incidents on the road can happen within a “split-second” and a small number of errant drivers or misguided students can cause unnecessary risks to the public.

Ms Marx encouraged locals to report what they deem unsafe either to the QPS or the Council as this will also help with enforcement and prevention.

Metagenics: Northgate Health Products Factory Expands With More Jobs, New Facility

Metagenics, an established vitamins and supplements producer, is expanding its production line and facilities in Northgate, creating more job opportunities for Queensland.

The manufacturing company, known for health products like Metagenics, Inner Health and Ethical Nutrients, recently received $1.1 million through the Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund, which will be used to improve its tableting production and coating facility at its Nudgee Road site.

The expansion is projected for completion in April 2021 and will open 24 new jobs once it’s up and running.

“Metagenics has been producing health products here in Queensland for 35 years and this funding will help them expand – building a state-of-the-art tablet coating production line to create local jobs,” Acting Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said.

“The vitamin, minerals and supplements sector has grown by $2 billion over the past five years. This is a growth industry. We want to partner with the private sector to tap into this huge potential for growth in this industry in years to come.”

Metagenics has 365 staff in Australia and New Zealand with 80 percent of its workforce employed at the Northgate facility.

“Currently our operation primarily uses external contract manufacturers for our tableted product, and this funding will help us to remove that reliance and decrease our company’s risk,” Managing Director Paula Hann said. “It will give us more control over our operations and bring more manufacturing capabilities to Queensland.”

Hundreds Sign Petition to Bring Back Nudgee Beach Off-Leash Privilege

Dog owners who regularly let their pooches play and exercise off-leash at the foreshore of Nudgee Beach are still challenging the Council order that brought the site back to an on-leash area in November 2020.

Northgate resident Clare Murray lodged a petition for the Council to reverse the cancellation, citing that “a large number of Brisbane dog owners who were unaware of the ‘trial’ nature of the off-leash dog area at Nudgee Beach and are now extremely upset by the change.”

Ms Murray’s petition, which will run until 28 Feb 2021, has gained nearly 400 signatures from local dog owners and even those from Coorparoo and Eight Mile Plains.

Photo Credit: Suzanne Andrews/Google Maps

But another resident also opened a petition to keep the on-leash rule and has nearly 50 signatures.

“[Off-leash] would be very destructive for these shorebirds as they need a safe place to feed and rest. Otherwise, these birds would have nowhere to go which would result in a decline in species population,” the petitioner, Jessica Shipley, wrote.

Brisbane City Council discontinued Nudgee Beach’s off-leash dog trial, whilst retaining Manly and Sandgate’s status. In a statement, the Council said that there are alternative off-leash sites at the Kedron Broo, the Tuckeroo Park on Nudgee Road and the Sandgate foreshore.

A spokesperson acknowledged that Nudgee Beach was a popular destination for dog owners and their pets but the decision was precipitated by an increase in the disturbance of migratory shorebirds in the area, as backed by scientific evidence.

Northgate Ventilator Manufacturer to Deliver Large Volumes to Help Fight COVID-19

Olitek, a manufacturer based in Northgate, has committed to deliver large volumes of high-quality, functional, TGA-accredited OzVader ventilators in the fight against COVID-19.

The company is one of three other Queensland businesses to receive part of the $50 million funding to boost the manufacturing capabilities of the country.

The money will allow Olitek to prioritise and expand OzVader ventilation production to meet the demands at various healthcare facilities, as well as create more jobs in the midst of a crisis.

“As part of the Queensland Government’s strategy to Unite and Recover for Queensland jobs, we’re continuing to support Queensland businesses and manufacturers to expand their production capacity, especially in the area of health PPE and medical devices,” Acting Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said.

“By continuing to back our mighty manufacturing sector, we’re further boosting Queensland’s ability to respond quickly at a State level and to also join the global pandemic response.”

Prior to the pandemic, Olitek concentrated on robotics engineering for the mining industry. Realising that long supply chains from across the world could break down, as seen in this pandemic, the company partnered with a team of intensive care specialists at the Queensland University Technology (QUT) Medical Engineering Research Facility (MERF) to make more affordable locally-made ventilators at a rapid pace.

“The response from manufacturers and medical experts in this state to the COVID-19 crisis has been magnificent,” Minister for State Development and Manufacturing Cameron Dick said. “We’re continually impressed with the innovative way Queensland’s best minds in tech, engineering and medicine have risen to the challenge to tackle COVID-19.”

OzVader ventilators will be distributed to ICU wards, Australian hospitals and even remote field hospitals across the world.

Wavell Heights Doctors Oppose Planned 24-Hour Medical Centre

A group of medical doctors from Wavell Heights and Kedron is not in favor of the plan to turn an old bowling site into a 24-hour medical facility.

In late October, the Council approved the application of Carbone Developments to turn the old bowling centre on Gympie Road into a medical hub. The application, however, has been appealed with more than a hundred people signing a petition to cancel the plan.

The petitioners, consisting of mostly GPs, said that there are enough qualified, family-oriented and well-established medical centres, health clinics and pharmacies within the radius of Wavell Heights, Gordon Park, Nundah, Chermside Kedron and Stafford.

Dr Conor Calder-Potts, from the Shaw Road Medical Centre in Wavell Heights said that this North Brisbane section does not need a “big super clinic.”

The other practitioners said that there is no demand to increase medical services in the area since the community is at maximum capacity when it comes to doctors.

The new medical centre will apparently create a space for 10 doctors’ offices, 120 new doctors, operating rooms, and a large 100 sqm pharmacy.

“As an employee of a business within a close vicinity of the proposed development, it is important to note that we are already experiencing significant issues with parking, traffic and congestion within this area. In this area we already have an established medical centre, pathology collection, pharmacy, cafe and three schools. Adding another ‘Super Centre’ style medical centre into the mix along with more providers would be a recipe for disaster,” a local said.

Carbone Developments originally planned to develop the defunct AMF bowling site into a food hub, which the residents prefer. However, the company could not find the right tenants to fill the space thus the shift to a medical facility.

Wavell Heights Shoppers Save Money at Woolworths ‘Secret’ Section

Did you know that smart Wavell Heights shoppers find the best deals at the “secret” section of Woolworths? Shave dollars off your purchases and find the bargains at the grocery chain’s reduced aisle.

According to the Facebook group Budgeting, Food, Savings Ideas, Stockpiling, Life Help Australia, the reduced section is usually found at the end of the last aisle and it’s where shoppers may find slightly damaged goods or products at the end of their expiration date.

A mom brought up the secret section in the group by posting photos of her haul, which included an organic body wash ($2.80), Bega smooth peanut butter ($1.89), mini Kit Kats (35 cents each) and War Heads (80 cents).

The Woolies shopper said that she’s noticed the secret section in the “past few months” but she wasn’t sure if it’s followed at all stores. Other Woolies regulars also shared that they’ve been shopping at the bargain section for some time.

A spokesperson from Woolworths confirmed that they do have a marked down section to lessen product wastes. However, the items will vary “from day to day, and store to store, based on stock levels and demand.” The location of the reduced items’ section is also different from store to store.

Another smart shopper also shared that it pays to visit the stores at specific times of the day when there are Quick Sale items. These carry a four-digit code on the top corner of the price tag to indicate the time the item is cleared for marked down.

The nearest Woolworths for Wavell Heights shoppers is in Chermside Central, Chermside Marketplace, Lutwyche City Shopping Centre and the Nundah Village Shopping Centre.

Edinburgh Castle Road Park Footpath in Wavell Heights Now Completed

Access to the Edinburgh Castle Road Park in Wavell Heights just got better after the completion of a new footpath on Fourteenth Avenue, leading up to the dog park.

Councillor Adam Allan shared photos of the new footpath that will bring “an easier connection from Edinburgh Castle Road to the shared pathway further down the road.”

Families with babies on prams and people on bikes or scooters will no longer have to risk their safety as the new pathways will keep them off the roads.

Edinburgh Castle Road Park — Photo Credit: Councillor Adam Allan/Facebook

This park is part of the Shaw Estate Park connecting different community hubs. This site is home to the bowls club, the scout group, the tennis precinct,a few playground and picnic areas, the skate facility, sports complex and the dog off-leash area near Murray Duus Park. It is also near Wavell Heights Kindergarten.

The smooth pathway comes as Brisbane City Council is set to deliver 2,000 e-bikes to bring more travel options for residents and visitors alike.

“We want more people to be getting out of their car and using active transport and the introduction of e-scooters has shown us people love e-wheeling and want more of it,” Public and Active Transport Chair Ryan Murphy said. “We are now taking the steps to open a tender for e-mobility which will introduce a shared, public-bike scheme in Brisbane.”

This move will eventually phase out the 10-year-old CityCycle in the next 12 months.

“Residents have voted with their feet and are opting for more modern transport options, like e-scooters and it’s up to Council to continue to innovate to meet the needs of today, not 10 years ago,” Mr Murphy further said. “We’re a hot, humid, sub-tropical city so when it comes to traveling that last mile from transport hub to home, e-wheeling can make it so much more comfortable.”