Living in Brisbane - November 2022 East region

Signs show Brisbane is better prepared for severe weather: Lord Mayor

We’re rolling out new automated flood warning signs in Brisbane suburbs. I recently announced a dozen new sign locations. More will follow.

Too many motorists are still trying to drive through flooded roads or finding themselves unwittingly in dangerous situations. These LED-backed signs will switch on automatically when water rises and can be monitored remotely.

Along with all the post-flood work that’s occurred on our roads and in our parks, there’s also plenty of things happening beneath the surface. We’ve completed inspections on more than 8000 open drains and have inspected and cleaned more than 300 kilometres of drains in floodimpacted areas.

Finally, I want to thank the thousands of residents who have signed up to receive Brisbane Severe Weather Alerts. These alerts are an important way of ensuring your household is prepared. There’s still time to sign up and get in the draw to win a range of prizes, including a deluxe family getaway to Tangalooma Resort.

We can’t prevent flooding in Brisbane but we can be better prepared.

Time to make a splash

Council’s 22 pools are open for the summer season. From waterplay drop buckets and lily pads to new kiosks, there’s plenty to keep you cool as the mercury rises.

This year, we’ve upgraded pools in Chermside, Paddington and Sandgate, with Newmarket Pool due to be finished by the end of the year.

Our Active and Healthy program also offers a variety of fun pool activities, including aqua Zumba and aqua yoga.

Remember to keep an eye on young children when visiting Council pools and to always ‘Slip, Slop, Slap’.

For pool locations and facilities, visit our website.

November 2022:

prepared for storm season

recycling tips

Have your say on our bus network

Upcoming Christmas events

Adrian Schrinner, LORD MAYOR

Storm season checklist

Be prepared for the upcoming storm season with these tips.

Sign up for the Brisbane Severe Weather Alert service.

Clear all gutters, downpipes and stormwater drains of leaves and other waste.

Tidy your yard by securing loose objects and trimming tree branches.

Collect free pre-filled sandbags from Council depots:

Darra: 38 Shamrock Road

Morningside: 9 Redfern Street

Newmarket: 66 Wilston Road

Lota: 58 Herbert Street

Zillmere: 33 Jennings Street

Follow the Bureau of Meteorology and Council’s social media channels for up-to-date alerts.

Make an emergency kit for your household, with enough food and medical supplies for three days. Don’t forget items including a battery powered radio, spare batteries and a car mobile phone charger so you can receive news updates.

Create an emergency contact number list and include numbers for SES, an electrician and your insurance companies.

Check your flood risk using Council’s online Flood Awareness Map.

Plan alternative routes to key locations in case roads are flooded.

Search ‘Be Prepared’ on our website for more advice on how to stay safe before, during and after severe weather.

Ways to remember in Brisbane

On Remembrance Day, Friday 11 November, we pause for one minute’s silence at 11am to honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in all wars and conflicts.

From heritage trails to memorial parks, there are many places where you can commemorate in Brisbane. The Anzac Square Memorial Galleries on Ann Street in Brisbane City will be open from 10am-4pm. Enter beneath the Shrine of Remembrance to view the free military exhibition curated by State Library of Queensland. There will also be free guided tours of the Memorial Galleries from 6-11 November. To book, visit anzacsquare.qld.gov.au

If you can’t join this year’s State Remembrance Day ceremony at Anzac Square, scan the QR code to request a poppy be placed at the memorial on your behalf for free.

Simple ways to save money

Tap into Council initiatives that leave more money in your pocket.

Š Rebates on rates: Pensioners can claim a 40% rates rebate, saving up to $290 a year.

Š Free seniors travel: Seniors go card and Seniors Card +go users enjoy free off-peak travel on Council buses, CityCats and ferries. (Conditions and exclusions apply. Search ‘seniors free travel’ on our website.)

Š Energy savings: Use the Brisbane Carbon Challenge calculator to estimate your household’s carbon footprint and receive tips on how to reduce it and save money at the same time.

Š Fitness activities: Get fit with our Active and Healthy free and lowcost activities held seven days a week at local parks, pools and venues citywide.

Š Books, workshops and more: Read the latest books, newspapers or magazines, access free internet and computer training courses, plus more with a free library membership.

Help shape Brisbane’s New Bus Network

Brisbane is growing, and so is our bus network. We’re moving towards a new era of connected travel by investing in high-frequency, turn-upand-go services to better connect our suburbs and the city with key destinations.

We want you to have your say and be part of shaping Brisbane’s public transport future. You can share your feedback by:

talking to a member of our team at one of our community information sessions

Š using our interactive network map to see what the changes mean for you and sharing your feedback via the online survey

playing The Brisbane Metro Game – a fun interactive way to learn how Brisbane Metro will help evolve our bus network.

Tackling black spots for safer roads

We’re improving safety for all road users at four intersections across Brisbane, as part of the federally funded 2022-23 Black Spot Program.

Works are underway to improve visibility for motorists and control turning movements at the Rosemary Street and Biota Street intersection in Inala, while works to upgrade the signals and provide dedicated rightturn pockets at the Hamilton Road and Bilsen Road intersection in Wavell Heights will start in late 2022.

Further black spot projects will take place in Brisbane City, at the Adelaide Street and Creek Street intersection, and in Forest Lake, at the Forest Lake Boulevard and Rudyard Street intersection.

FLOOD HEARTBREAK TAKES TOP PRIZE

As Brisbane rebuilds and recovers from the February floods, Joe Ruckli’s photo, ‘Stacey and MichaelBrisbane Floods’ (pictured), capturing the human side of the devastating event has won the Open category in the 2022 Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards. Visit our website to see all this year’s winners.

INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS

Brisbane’s domestic students with multicultural backgrounds and international students from our Sister Cities studying in Brisbane can gain real-world experience with Council’s International Internship Program. Students will be matched with a local business for four weeks of degreerelated paid work experience. Apply now on our website.

CITY HALL TOURS

IN OTHER LANGUAGES

City Hall has been at the heart of our city for 92 years and is a must-do for long-time locals or first-time visitors. Enjoy free tours in English, Spanish or Mandarin and find out the rich stories of Brisbane within City Hall. For times and bookings, visit museumofbrisbane.com.au

Best dog-friendly bushwalks

With winter in the rear-view mirror, now’s the time to get out and about with your four-legged friend and explore the city’s bushwalks.

Walk through the Hemmant Quarry Reserve in Brisbane’s east to take a moment away from the hustle and bustle.

Seven Hills Bushland Reserve boasts scenic views, creeks and a spectacular collection of wildflowers, making for a great day out.

Soak up the sun as you explore the shorebird hotspot, Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve in Bald Hills.

Offering one of the most iconic views in the city, Mt Coot-tha Reserve also has some of the best walking trails in Brisbane.

To protect local fauna and flora, keep dogs on a leash when visiting a bushland reserve and pick up after them. Dogs over the age of three months must be registered with Council, with fees supporting key services that keep you and your dog safe when out and about.

DOG OFF-LEASH AREAS

Did

LIVING IN BRISBANE

The

5 tips to boost your recycling

National Recycling Week (7-13 November) is the perfect time to refresh your recycling habits. Give recycling your best shot with these top tips.

1. Upgrade for free: Upgrade to a larger recycling bin for free (Council has waived the $30 fee), making it easier to recycle more each fortnight.

2. Recycle well: Know what you can and can’t recycle. Clothes, mats and rugs can’t be recycled in your yellow-lid bin and if in good condition, are better donated to a thrift or charity store instead.

3. Handy hints: Download Council’s free Brisbane Bin and Recycling app and make sure you’re putting the right thing in the right bin.

4. Loosen up: Plastic bags can’t be opened at our recycling facility, so place recycling loose in your yellow-lid bin.

5. No need to rinse: Rinsing your recycling does help reduce odours but it isn’t necessary. If items are empty of food and liquid, they can usually be put straight into your recycling bin.

GET ON THE GARAGE SALE TRAIL

Give new life to pre-loved items and turn your stash into cash on 12-13 and 19-20 November. Visit garagesaletrail.com.au to register your garage sale or to shop the trail.

Explore Skylore at the Planetarium

Walk the Display Zone at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium and discover Skylore: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Astronomy. The Australian-first Indigenous astronomy exhibition showcases the knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders.

As the world’s oldest astronomers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have looked to the stars for tens of thousands of years. The sky is a map of wisdom and knowledge that, like the oral tradition of sharing information, continues to be passed down to younger generations.

The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium is located within the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha and is open from 9am-4pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Visit our website for more information.

Save money by cutting down on food waste

Reduce your food waste and save money on your grocery bill with these three easy-tofollow steps.

Prevent: Take a moment to plan meals using simple recipes, buy only what you need, keep portion sizes in check and store food correctly.

Reuse: Eating leftovers could save you up to $364 a year. Why not make Thursday night leftovers night?

Recycle: Make the most of food scraps by composting.

Visit our website to find more tips to help reduce food waste and save money.

Reducing food waste isn’t limited to households. Through Council’s sponsorship, OzHarvest rescues surplus food from businesses and delivers it to charities, helping feed people in need. Since 2019, Council has helped put three food rescue vans on the roads to help reduce food waste that would otherwise have been sent to landfill.

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MELT FESTIVAL, 10-27 NOVEMBER

Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm

Celebrate queer art, artists and ideas in a playground of neon lights, pulsing beats and moving images. Pictured artwork: Next To You, Dylan Mooney (2021) brisbanepowerhouse.org or call 3358 8600.

QUEENSLAND TO A T: CURATOR’S TOUR, 16 & 30 NOVEMBER

State Library of Queensland, South Brisbane

Join the curator of Queensland to a T for a tour of the exhibition and discover how the humble tea towel has captured the culture and identity of Queensland through the decades. slq.qld.gov.au

SILENT DISCO WALKING TOUR, 18 NOVEMBER Wilson Outlook Reserve, New Farm

Bring your dancing shoes for a fun, flash-mob-style walking tour. Slip on supplied headphones to listen to your guide and a soundtrack of hits from the ’70s till today. gurududu.org

VALLEY FIESTA, 25-27 NOVEMBER Various locations, Fortitude Valley

Gather your friends and family to join in a celebration of Brisbane’s emerging musical and creative talent with live gigs, markets, art showcases and more. qmusic.com.au

BRISSTYLE TWILIGHT MARKETS, 2 DECEMBER

King George Square, Brisbane City

Satisfy your thirst for sustainable shopping with stalls by more than 60 local designers and makers. Find all-natural skincare, cleverly crafted ceramics, art to adorn your walls and more! brisstyle.com.au

LORD MAYOR’S CHRISTMAS CAROLS, 10 DECEMBER Riverstage, Brisbane City

Sing along with a star-studded line-up of Brisbane entertainers in an evening full of festive music and cheer. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Monday 21 November (adults $5, free for under 18). ticketmaster.com.au

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Please

Check out the Brisbane app for more event listings!

REGIONAL EVENTS

DEMENTIA SOCIAL CLUB

Thursdays, 9am-3pm, St Gabriel’s Anglican Church, Carindale

Take part in a day of activities and socialising. To book, call 0478 551 616.

BUSHCARE VOLUNTEER WORKING BEE

18 November, 8.30-10.30am, Mt Petrie Road Park, Mackenzie

Help restore and maintain local habitat. To book, email gregwellard@outlook.com

FUN SOCCER

24 November, 3.30-4pm, Carindale Recreation Reserve

Practise basic ball skills with fun games and make new friends. To book, visit gingersport.com.au

CANOE/KAYAK EXPLORE

13 November, 9am-12 noon, Heath Park, East Brisbane

Explore your local waterway on a guided paddle. Suitable for seniors. To book, visit qld.paddle.org.au

FREE

GROUP BOXING

19 November, 8-9am, Wakerley Park

Boost cardio fitness, strength and coordination, and learn self-defence tips. To book, visit lifebeinitfunworks.com.au

TAI CHI

2 December, 9.30-10.30am, Hawthorne Park, Hawthorne

Ideal for arthritis, this focuses on deep breathing, posture and circular movement. Suitable for seniors. brisbane.qld.gov.au

CARDIO CIRCUIT

15 November, 9.15-10.15am, Bulimba Memorial Park, Bulimba

Get fit with circuit training, strengthening and cardio. brisbane.qld.gov.au

AQUA ZUMBA

22 November, 5.30-6.30pm, Wynnum Wading Pool Park

Blend the Zumba philosophy with water resistance and you have a cool pool party. brisbane.qld.gov.au

WAKERLEY CAROLS

3 December, 3-8pm, Wakerley Park, Wakerley Get into the festive spirit with Christmas carols, food stalls, a visit from Santa, kids’ rides and more. brisbane.qld.gov.au

BMX SKILLS OPEN DAY

17 December, 9am-3.30pm, Murarrie Skate Park

Learn cool new skills and tricks from BMX champions, and watch demos. To book, visit cyclingbrisbane.com.au

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Sleigh bells

jingling as Brisbane gets ready for the

season.

November in King George Square when we

city’s 21-metre

6.30pm (lighting at 7pm).

tree. Join in the

The Enchanted Garden will transform Roma Street Parkland into a

from Friday 25 November. The lighting

at 6.30pm, with kid-friendly, up late and low

($7 for adults, free entry for children under 2)

out for