The club, located at Hugh Courtney Oval near Kedron Brook, potentially faced a $50,000-plus recovery bill as water levels rose toward the crossbar of goalposts on Sunday. Director of Rugby Michael Bell witnessed the brook overflowing around 7:30-8:00 AM Sunday, with water advancing across the playing field within an hour.
“If it gets into the clubhouse we are in a lot of trouble,” Bell had said on Sunday, noting approximately $50,000 worth of newly ordered playing gear was at risk, along with irreplaceable club memorabilia.
However, a Monday morning assessment revealed a more positive outcome for the Wavell Heights sporting facility.
“Out and about this morning checking on key areas that are often hit the hardest by extreme weather – our local clubs down at Shaw Road have debris on the roads leading in to their carpark and along fence lines but the Norths Rugby Club and cricket fields have avoided serious damage,” MP Leanne Linard reported.
This comes as significant relief for the Wavell Heights club, particularly given their difficult experience during the 2022 floods when water levels at the club reached just below the goalpost pads and came within 6 meters of the club concourse.
While some cleanup will be necessary to clear debris from roads and fence lines in the Shaw Road sporting precinct, the Wavell Heights facility appears to have escaped the worst-case scenario that officials feared when Kedron Brook’s banks first broke.
Police have detained two men at a Northgate home following an incident where shots were allegedly fired at an unoccupied vehicle in Bald Hills yesterday.
Emergency services responded to reports of gunfire on Gladdon Street in Bald Hills around 10:30am Sunday. Upon arrival, officers discovered a parked car that had been shot at in what police believe was a targeted attack. No injuries were reported.
Following the incident, officers attended a residence on Nudgee Road in Northgate where they took two men into custody. During their search of the Northgate property, police allegedly located a shotgun.
The 20-year-old man now faces 11 charges, including:
The accused is scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today. Authorities have confirmed investigations are continuing, with particular focus on the Northgate connection.
Cr Adam Allan shared an update on January 30, confirming that the city’s teams and contractors were on-site conducting crucial sediment sampling activities.
“The results of the sediment sampling will inform removal and disposal processes and costings,” Cr Allan stated. This marks a key step forward in the ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the wetlands, which have suffered from excessive sediment accumulation.
Photo credit: Cr Adam Allan/Facebook
Community advocacy played a significant role in pushing for urgent action. Last year, residents voiced concerns over the deteriorating state of the wetlands, with one local, Abbey Beck, launching a Change.org petition just two months ago. Since then, the petition has garnered over 700 signatures.
“As members of this community, it is our responsibility to restore this vital ecosystem. We must urge our local authorities to take immediate action to clean up and regenerate our local wetlands before it’s too late. This is not just about preserving nature—it’s about safeguarding our children’s future and teaching them to respect and take care of their environment,” Ms Beck wrote.
Photo credit: Caro Sierra/Google Maps
“Various species – such as eels, tortoises, and a wide array of wetland birds – that once thrived are now struggling to survive, some even nearing extinction in our area. This is not just a loss of biodiversity, but it also signifies the undermining of a delicate balance that sustains life and nature,” she said.
Originally constructed in 1998, the Keith Boden Wetlands were designed to filter pollutants from stormwater before it flowed into Kedron Brook and Moreton Bay. However, over time, the area has struggled under the weight of excessive sediment accumulation. Despite recent rains, exposed mudbanks and decaying sediment have worsened, impacting water quality and local biodiversity.
Residents have expressed hope that the latest developments signal real progress. With sediment sampling now in motion, the community is eager to see the next steps unfold in the long-awaited restoration of this important ecosystem.
Brett Dascombe, a senior teacher at Wavell State High School, has been named a top-10 finalist for the prestigious Global Teacher Prize. While he remains modest about his chances of taking out the US$1 million award, his pioneering work in geospatial technologies has already made a significant impact in the classroom and beyond.
Mr Dascombe expressed doubt about progressing further in the competition, acknowledging that many compelling stories, particularly from less developed countries in Africa, Asia, and South America, could have a greater need for the prize.
Wavell State High’s Brett Dascombe at the Peter Doherty STEM Awards (Photo credit: Wavell State High School/Facebook)
Despite his humility, Mr Dascombe is no stranger to recognition. His innovative approach to teaching has earned him multiple accolades, including a 2023 Schools Plus Teaching Awards Fellowship, a TEACHX Innovation in Teaching award, the Peter Doherty STEM Award, and a Showcase Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Queensland education department.
The Global Teacher Prize, run by the Varkey Foundation, is one of the most prestigious education awards worldwide. While he downplays his chances, Mr Dascombe has already considered how he would use the prize money if he won.
He has expressed a desire to fund peer learning projects with his students in the Pacific and in First Nations communities in Australia, seeing this as a meaningful way to share technology and skills, particularly in areas facing climate change challenges.
A Passion for Geospatial Technology
Photo credit: Wavell State High School/Facebook
Mr Dascombe’s interest in geospatial technologies began during his university days as an Arts student. He recalls developing a passion for GIS (geographic information systems) and spatial technologies and seeing their potential applications. He integrated these tools into his teaching career for two decades, but in the past five years, he has explored their greater impact in the classroom, particularly in alignment with the new Queensland geography syllabus.
This dedication is evident in the projects he creates for his students. As the new school year begins, he is already working on a new initiative: mapping food deserts in Brisbane. He plans to have students identify food deserts in their communities and examine the locations of community gardens.
Beyond the classroom, Mr Dascombe ensures his students engage with real-world issues. In one project, his class identified high levels of E. coli at a beach on North Stradbroke Island and traced the contamination back to overflowing septic tanks. The students then took action by contacting a septic tank company to address the issue. He acknowledges that this kind of geography work may not always seem glamorous but highlights its practical impact.
Showcasing Student Work
Photo credit: Queensland College of Teachers/Facebook
Mr Dascombe is committed to making sure his students’ work gets the recognition it deserves. He recalls that, in the past, student assignments were typically stored away for years, despite their exceptional quality.
About five years ago, he began obtaining permission to share student projects, leading to numerous awards and opportunities, including Australian Geospatial Awards and state conference presentations. He believes students’ personalities come through in their work, making it important to showcase their efforts.
For Mr Dascombe, geography extends far beyond mapping. He emphasises that the subject now encompasses elements of design, economics, sustainability, and community impact, making it a much more holistic field of study, which excites him.
Encouraging Teachers to Celebrate Their Achievements
Mr Dascombe also believes educators should take pride in their successes. He feels that teachers often do not highlight their achievements enough and notes that there are many incredible teachers in Australia.
He actively uses LinkedIn to share the innovative work being done at Wavell State High School, hoping that this visibility encourages other educators to explore new ideas and teaching methods.
The Global Teacher Prize will announce its winner at the World Government Summit in Dubai from February 11 to 13. Whether or not he wins, Brett Dascombe has already left a lasting impact on his students and the field of geography education.
Jacob Elordi, a young actor from the Brisbane suburb of Wavell Heights, has quickly become one of Hollywood’s hottest rising stars. Elordi, born on 26 June 1997, first gained international recognition for his role as Noah Flynn in the popular Netflix movie The Kissing Booth.
Despite his fame, Elordi stays true to his roots. He’s known for being down-to-earth and has managed to keep his personal life mostly out of the spotlight. With his talent and dedication, Jacob Elordi is just getting started in Hollywood.
Elordi’s journey to Hollywood began at St. Joseph’s Nudgee College, a Catholic boys’ school in Brisbane. He loved acting in school plays, and it wasn’t long before he set his sights on the big screen. After graduating, Elordi moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting dreams. He landed several small roles before scoring his big break in The Kissing Booth in 2018. The movie was a huge success, and Elordi became a teen idol almost overnight.
Since then, Elordi has shown that he’s more than a pretty face. He’s taken on challenging roles in projects like the HBO drama series Euphoria, where he plays a complex and troubled character named Nate Jacobs. He’s also starred in movies like Deep Water with Ben Affleck and 2 Hearts, which are based on a true story. In 2023, Elordi appeared in Saltburn, a dark comedy directed by Emerald Fennell. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to much acclaim.
Elordi has a busy schedule ahead of him. He’s set to star as Heathcliff in a new movie version of the classic novel Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell. He’ll be acting alongside Margot Robbie, another Aussie who has made it big in Hollywood.
Despite his fame, Elordi stays true to his roots. He’s known for being down-to-earth and has managed to keep his personal life mostly out of the spotlight. With his talent and dedication, Jacob Elordi is just getting started in Hollywood.
The newly refurbished library at Northgate State School has become the talk of the town, thanks to a creative video by Principal Zac Branford that perfectly blends humor, Gen Z slang, and school pride.
The video, which has racked up widespread attention on social media, features Mr Branford showcasing the school’s revamped library while dropping popular terms like rizz, ghost, squad, and GOAT (Greatest of All Time).
At one point, he even joins in on the viral “mewing” trend, humorously emphasizing his jawline—a move that seems to have charmed students and parents alike.
The project, which took over a year to complete, involved gathering input from students, conducting research on contemporary library designs, and carefully planning and executing the vision, according to Mr Branford.
“We began by asking our students what they wanted, then we researched to get a feel for what was out there, and then we planned and delivered this great space,” he shared.
The result? A modern library featuring cozy soft furnishings, shelves stocked with captivating reads, and a welcoming vibe. The upgrade got its first round of rave reviews last October, when students from the Queensland Virtual STEM Academy gave the new setup a trial run, diving into books while enjoying the library’s updated comforts.
Photo credit: Zan Branford/LinkedIn
Mr Branford, an avid book enthusiast himself, is passionate about the impact of reading. “Books and reading are absolutely pivotal, and the power of stories and learning through narrative is invaluable,” he said.
While his aim was to celebrate the library’s opening, Mr Branford didn’t expect his video to resonate so widely. “When I created a video for our school community to celebrate our new library, I certainly didn’t expect this. Nonetheless, I’m glad to see our school’s awesomeness being celebrated,” he shared in a social media post.
The video’s success has put a spotlight on the positive changes happening at Northgate State School. It’s also a reminder of how humor, creativity, and a touch of “rizz” can bring attention to important educational milestones.
As the school community gathers to enjoy the library’s new chapter, Mr Branford’s video has shown that being relatable and fun is an excellent way to engage and inspire.
On Saturday, 30 November 2024, a Tesla vehicle crash on Shaw Road in Wavell Heights resulted in a significant fire and injuries to the driver and a teen.
Queensland emergency services responded to the incident at approximately 11:00 AM. A man in his 50s and a teenage female passenger were both taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital with stable conditions, suffering from rib and back pain.
The Queensland Fire Department reported the vehicle burst into flames after the collision. They warned of extensive smoke production, advising local residents to close windows and doors and keep respiratory medications accessible.
Police implemented traffic diversions around the crash site, recommending motorists avoid the area. The fire department indicated the blaze was expected to continue burning for some time.
The specific circumstances leading to the crash remain under investigation. No additional details about the cause of the collision have been released at this time.
The Keith Boden Wetlands in Wavell Heights is facing severe challenges as sediment build-up, pollution, and habitat degradation threaten its function as a vital stormwater treatment system and local wildlife sanctuary.
Originally constructed in 1998 to filter pollutants from stormwater before it flows into Kedron Brook and Moreton Bay, the wetlands are now struggling under the weight of excessive sediment accumulation. Residents have reported that despite recent rains, exposed mudbanks and decaying sediment have worsened, harming water quality and local biodiversity. The sediment traps and basins, once a critical feature, are reportedly full and in need of maintenance.
One community member likened the situation to an air filter overdue for replacement, stressing that the system is no longer functioning as intended. The stormwater infrastructure, designed to capture tonnes of sediment annually, is now clogged, with waste and pollutants stagnating in the system.
Habitat Loss and Declining Wildlife
Wildlife that once thrived in the area, including birds and aquatic animals, is increasingly at risk. Local residents lament that once a beautiful community space teeming with life, the wetlands are now a shadow of their former selves. The degradation extends to nearby areas, with foxes reportedly preying on nesting birds due to the shrinking habitat zones.
Birdwatching records from eBird indicate the wetland still attracts species such as Pacific Koels, Royal Spoonbills, and Grey Teals. However, these sightings are becoming less frequent, underscoring the urgent need for intervention to protect and restore the habitat.
Rehabilitation Plan in Progress
The Brisbane City Council is developing a detailed rehabilitation plan to address the issues. According to council signage at the site, proposed actions include sediment removal, retaining wall repairs, and replanting native vegetation to support biodiversity. The project, which is in its design phase as of September 2023, promises to enhance water quality and restore the wetlands’ ability to manage stormwater and support aquatic ecosystems.
Despite this, residents are expressing frustration with the slow pace of progress. Local discussions highlight a call for greater prioritisation of the wetland rehabilitation budget. Suggestions have also been made to escalate the issue to state and federal levels, as the wetlands form part of a broader waterway system feeding into Moreton Bay.
Urban Development Contributing to Issues
Residents also point to urban development as contributing to the wetland’s decline. Construction projects in the area reportedly wash sediment, debris, and even paint residues into the wetlands through stormwater drains, exacerbating pollution. Other locals shared their experience witnessing significant debris entering the system during heavy rains, reflecting the broader issue of unregulated runoff from urban sites.
The ongoing conversation among Wavell Heights residents highlights strong community concern for the wetlands’ future. Suggestions range from direct communication with council officials to engaging higher levels of government for faster action. Others advocate for stricter measures on construction site runoff to prevent further sedimentation.
The Keith Boden Wetlands remain an essential natural asset for Wavell Heights and the surrounding areas. With concerted effort, including timely maintenance and community involvement, the wetlands have the potential to regain their status as a vital ecological and recreational resource.
Situated within the school grounds, YMCA Wavell Heights offers a comprehensive care program designed to support working families while enriching children’s development. The service provides before and after school care, along with vacation care programs, all featuring inclusive meals and snacks to fuel young learners throughout their day.
Photo credit: wavellheightsss.eq.edu.au
Children attending the facility benefit from purpose-designed spaces that cater to diverse activities and interests. The service boasts dedicated indoor and outdoor areas, complemented by access to the school oval for physical activities. This thoughtful setup ensures children have ample space to explore, learn, and play in a safe, supervised environment.
Photo credit: YMCA Brisbane Outside School Hours Care/Facebook
What sets the Wavell Heights Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) apart is their commitment to holistic education that aligns seamlessly with the school’s values and vision. The service philosophy emphasises community connection and belonging, creating an environment where every child feels valued and supported.
The service deliberately creates opportunities for children of different ages to interact and learn from each other, fostering social skills and building confidence through natural play experiences.
The program’s strength lies in its balance of structure and spontaneity. While offering planned activities, the service also encourages organic play and learning moments. Their team of educators brings diverse skill sets to the program, enriching children’s experiences through activities ranging from cooking and sports to music, art, and dance.
Photo credit: ymcachildcare.com.au
For busy parents juggling work commitments and appointments, the service provides a practical solution to before and after school care. As part of YMCA Brisbane’s network of over 40 OSHC services across South East Queensland, the Wavell Heights facility maintains the organisation’s high standards of quality care and safety.
Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, YMCA Brisbane brings more than a century and a half of experience in supporting Australian families and children. Their approach focuses on helping children develop in body, mind, and spirit – a philosophy that underpins every aspect of their care programs.
Currently accepting enrollments, YMCA Wavell Heights offers:
– Before School Care with breakfast included
– After School Care with afternoon tea provided
– Vacation Care featuring breakfast, morning tea, and afternoon tea
Families interested in enrolling their children or learning more about the service are encouraged to contact YMCA Wavell Heights directly through their website.
A local photographer, Alan Edgecomb, has achieved a unique honour: one of his photographs has been immortalised on a postage stamp issued by the Order of Malta to commemorate its 50th anniversary in Australia.
The image, taken at the Order’s national assembly Investiture Mass at St Paschal’s Church, Wavell Heights, in 2017, captures a moment of solemn assembly. Edgecomb, a seasoned photographer, had to work diligently to get the perfect shot from the choir loft.
Edgecomb expressed his excitement about the recognition, stating that he was “chuffed” to have his photograph selected for the postage stamp. He noted that he never imagined one of his images would be used in such a way.
The Order of Malta, a sovereign order with a rich history dating back to the Crusades, has celebrated its 50th anniversary in Australia with a series of events. The Prince, Grand Master, and Grand Chancellor visited several Australian cities to acknowledge the order’s humanitarian work.
The Order’s early involvement in postal services is well-documented. In the 1530s, the Knights Hospitaller established a postal system in Malta, making it one of the world’s oldest postal services.
